Page 100 of Bulletproof Jack: Hunting Lee Child's Jack Reacher

“What do we do, Otto?” Russell asked. “Turn or not? If we follow now, they’ll notice and evade.”

“If Reacher’s in the vehicle, we might be able to stop him,” Kim said.

“Yeah, but he won’t like it. Which will create a new batch of tough problems,” Russell replied. “This is your show. What’s the play here?”

“Pull him over,” Kim said, tightening her seatbelt, ignoring the taste of bile that rose in her throat.

Sooner or later, she’d come face-to-face with Reacher. The idea would never get any less terrifying.

“Copy that.” Russell pressed the accelerator to the floor.

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Chapter 38

Saturday, June 4

Ontario, CA

Russell’s lead foot on the gas rapidly closed the gap between the SUV and the sedan along the unpaved two-lane road. Loose gravel flew up behind the tires landing fast and furiously on the SUV’s steel.

The sedan was several car lengths ahead, throwing a dusty cloud in its wake. Briefly, Kim wondered how the ground could be so dry when it had been raining here.

Regardless, the thick dust was there and she couldn’t see through it. Neither could Russell.

The sedan driver sped up and engaged textbook evasive maneuvers like he’d been exceptionally well trained. In the back of her reptilian brain, Kim viscerally understood the driver wasn’t Reacher. His driving skills were weak at best. This guy was a pro.

Kim pulled her weapon and kept her gaze laser focused, peering into the dust. She could barely make out the red taillights weaving across the lanes, gaining distance faster than Russell could close the gap.

“Russell. Where did they go?” She leaned forward and blinked a few times to clear her vision.

She wasn’t wrong.

The red taillights had disappeared.

Russell pulled the switch to turn on the SUV’s bright lights. The dust cloud was like driving in grainy fog. The brights made visibility worse, not better.

Still driving at speed, Russell punched down to fog lights. Didn’t help.

He rounded the next curve along the two-lane. The dust cloud had begun to settle. Fog lights cut through the moonless night.

Kim slammed her hand onto the dash. “Russell! Look out!”

Straight ahead, the sedan was stopped sideways across the road.

Russell stomped on the brakes to slow the SUV. He swiveled his head, looking across the fields on either side of the gravel.

He grabbed the steering wheel with both hands and turned. The front of the SUV responded immediately.

The front end traveled left of the roadblock and the SUV moved off the road into the field of grape vines.

They traveled another twenty feet before Russell was able to bring the SUV to a jerky stop.

All four wheels were embedded in the mud.

Grapevines blocked the SUV’s doors and the front end of the vehicle.

“Are you okay?” Russell asked, glancing across the cabin as the SUV rocked to a stop.

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