Page 59 of No Plan B

The guy didn’t respond.

“You can tell me what I need to know. No one will ever find out. Then you can drive away. Lie low for a couple of days. Claim you escaped. Or I could break your arms and legs and throw you in the nearest dumpster. Your choice.”

The guy glanced to his right but he didn’t speak.

Reacher said, “The cavalry isn’t coming. Think about it. How many lanes are open?”

“One.”

“What just drove that way?”

“The truck you stole.”

“Correct. So it’s going to meet the pilot vehicle, head-on. The person driving it is stubborn like you wouldn’t believe. No way is she going to back up again. It’s going to take hours to sort that mess out.”

The guy glanced to his left.

“No one can get through that way, either. We covered all the bases. It’s just you and me. And you have a decision to make.”

The guy was silent for another moment, then he said, “What do you want to know?”

“Has Brockman got anyone else looking for me between here and Winson?”

“How would I know? Brockman doesn’t share his plans with me.”

“Brockman’s a smart man, I guess. Relatively speaking. So what did he share?”

“A picture of you. An old one. A description of the truck you stole. And its license plate.”

“What were your orders?”

“To stop you from getting to Winson.”

“Why doesn’t Brockman want me to get to Winson?”

“He didn’t say.”

“What’s happening there in the next couple of days?”

“Nothing special. Some con’s getting released tomorrow. There’ll be speeches. Some celebrating. It happens a few times every year. The shine’s wearing off, to be honest. People are getting used to it now.”

“What else?”

The guy shrugged. “Nothing.”

“OK. You did the right thing. Start it up. You can go now.”

The guy paused for a moment, frozen. Then his hand shot out. He grabbed the key. Turned it, and the heavy old motor spluttered into life.

“One other thing before you get on your way,” Reacher said. “See that trailer, over on the far shoulder?”

The guy nodded.

Reacher said, “Pull up next to it for a moment.”

The guy shifted into Drive, released the brake, looped around to the opposite shoulder, and eased to a stop.

Reacher said, “Get out for a moment. There’s something I need you to do. You can leave the engine running.”

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