“How do you know?”
“Because Rita Scimeca was lying to us. That’s for damn sure. I just figured that out. She didn’t have any roommate. Never. It just doesn’t fit.”
“Why not?”
“Everything’s wrong about it. You saw her place. You saw how she lives. All buttoned up and prissy? Everything was so neat and clean and polished. Obsessive. Living like that, she couldn’t stand anybody else in her house. She even threw us out pretty damn quick, and I was her friend. And she didn’t need a roommate for money. You saw her car, some big new sedan. And that piano. You know how much a grand piano costs? More than the car, probably. And did you see the tools on her pegboard? The pegs were all held in with little plastic loops.”
“You’re basing this on loops in her pegboard?”
“On everything. It’s all indicative.”
“So what are you saying?”
“I’m saying she was expecting the delivery, just like Alison was. Just like they all were. The cartons came, they all said oh good, just like Alison did, they all made space, they all stored their cartons.”
“It’s not possible. Why would they?”
“Because the guy has got some kind of a hold over them,” Reacher said. “He’s forcing them to participate. He forced Alison to give him their own list of names, he forced Lorraine Stanley to steal the paint, he forced her to hide it in Utah, he forced her to send it out at the right time, he forced each one of them to accept the delivery and then store it until he was ready. He forced each one of them to destroy the delivery notes immediately and he had each of them ready to lie about it afterward if anything unraveled before he got to them.”
Harper stared at him. “But how? How the hell? How would he do all that?”
“I don’t know,” Reacher said.
“Blackmail?” she said. “Threats? Fear? Is he saying, play along and the others die but you live? Like he’s conning them all separately?”
“I just don’t know. Nothing fits. They weren’t an especially fearful bunch, were they? Certainly Alison didn’t look it. And I know Rita Scimeca isn’t afraid of much.”
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She was still staring at him.
“But it’s not just participation, is it?” she said. “It’s more than that. He’s forcing them to be happy about it too. Alison said oh good when her carton came.”
Silence in the room.
“Was she relieved or something?” she said. “Did he promise her, you get your carton by UPS instead of FedEx or in the afternoon instead of the morning or on some particular day of the week it means you’re definitely going to be OK?”
“I don’t know,” he said again.
Silence.
“So what do you want me to do?” Harper asked.
He shrugged. “Just keep on thinking, I guess. You’re the only one can do anything about it now. The others won’t get anywhere, not if they keep on heading the direction they’ve been going.”
“You’ve got to tell Blake.”
He shook his head. “Blake won’t listen to me. I’ve exhausted my credibility with him. It’s up to you now.”
“Maybe you’ve exhausted your credibility with me, too.”
She sat down on the bed next to him, like she was suddenly unsteady on her feet. He was looking at her, something in his eyes.
“What?” she said.
“Is the camera on?”
She shook her head. “They gave up on that. Why?”
“Because I want to kiss you again.”
“Why?”
“I liked it, before.”
“Why should I want to kissjyow again?”
“Because you liked it before too.”
She blushed. “Just a kiss?”
He nodded.
“Well, OK, I guess,” she said.
She turned to him and he took her in his arms and kissed her. She moved her head like she had before. Pressed harder and put her tongue against his lips and his teeth. Into his mouth. He moved his hand down to her waist. She laced her fingers into his hair. Kissed harder. Her tongue was urgent. Then she put her hand on his chest and pushed herself away. Breathed hard.
“We should stop now,” she said.