Page 97 of In Too Deep

Chapter36

Reacher read to the endof the report then closed the computer and leaned against the back of the couch. He was trying to make sense of what he’d learned. The country’s entire nuclear arsenal was inoperable, but did that matter? If an enemy nation discovered the secret, would they really launch an attack, safe in the knowledge that they wouldn’t face any retaliation? It would be the end of mutual assured destruction. There was no doubt about that. Back in his army days, Reacher knew that people on the US side had flirted with the idea of preemptive strikes, even knowing there would be a response. Credible intelligence suggested Soviet generals had done the same. There was speculation about the Chinese. And all the non-state actors that kept popping up. That was all years ago, of course. But the world had only gotten crazier since then. And someone had just paid a prodigious amount of gold to get their hands on the report.

Reacher was driving himself crazy with the speculation. He had no crystal ball. All he could say with certainty was the fewer peoplewho knew the secret, the better. There was less chance of it leaking, that way. Which led him to another question. Who already knew? Vidic and Paris had, for sure. But they couldn’t leak because they were dead. Bowery might have known the details, but he was also dead. Devine and the team that had analyzed the memory stick from St. Louis would—if the document on it was the same. And Kane most likely would. He would have demanded details when Vidic proposed the trade for his life.

The picture in Reacher’s mind suddenly came into focus. The scene from the hangar. Two things now connected. Paris’s torn shirt and Vidic’s missing phone. The hole in the hem was the perfect size to conceal a memory stick. And the phone contained the password to open the report.

Kane not only knew, he had another copy. He could put the report back on the market any time he wanted to.

Reacher picked up the room phone and called Devine. He gave his name and she came back with, “I’m busy, Reacher. Make this quick.”

He said, “You have another problem. There’s one more memory stick. Kane has it.”

Devine didn’t respond right away. Then she said, “And you know this how?”

Reacher explained about the shirt and the phone.

Devine said, “That’s it? It’s pretty thin, Reacher.”

“Maybe. But if I’m right…”

Devine sighed. “I’ll look into it.”

—

Knight let herselfback into the room half an hour after Reacher finished his call. She walked over to the couch, slumped down in the spot next to Reacher, and closed her eyes.

Reacher said, “Feeling any better?”

She said, “No. Did you read the report?”

“I did.”

“Was it worth all the song and dance?”

“And some.”

Knight opened her eyes. “Really?”

“It’s serious stuff. Want to take a look?”

“No. I have no bandwidth left for serious stuff.”

“OK then.” Reacher dropped the memory stick on the floor and crushed it with his heel.

“What did you do that for?”

“Like I said, it’s serious. I’d trust you to read it, but no one else.”

—

Reacher and Knightslept in the same bed but nothing happened between them. They didn’t even touch. They were both too restless. And they were both awake when Knight’s phone rang the next morning. It was Devine. Reacher answered.

Devine said, “I’m just checking in. Yesterday was quite a day. Are you OK? Is Knight?”

Reacher said, “We’re fine.”

“Specifically, I’m checking in about reporters. Bloggers. Conspiracy nuts. Has anyone been in touch with you?”

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