Die Trying by Lee Child

fired it up. Got straight through to McGrath in the Federal

Building.

“I found the dentist,” he said.

“Where?” McGrath asked.

“In the damn trunk,” Milosevic said. “Slow-roasted. Looks like he was

alive when the fire started.”

“Christ,” McGrath said. “Is it connected?”

“No doubt about that,” he said.

“You sure?” McGrath asked him.

“No doubt about it,” Milosevic said again. “I found other stuff.

Burned, but it’s all pretty clear. There’s a .38 right in the middle

of what looks like a metal hinge, could be from a woman’s pocketbook,

right? Coins, and a lipstick tube, and the metal parts from a mobile

phone and a pager. And there are nine wire hangers on the floor. Like

you get from a dry-cleaner’s?”

“Christ,” McGrath said again. “Conclusions?”

They stole the Lexus up in Wilmette,” Milosevic said. “Maybe the

dentist guy disturbed them in the act. So he went for them and they

overpowered him and put him in the trunk. Burned him along with the

rest of the evidence.”

“Shit,” McGrath said. “But where’s Holly? Conclusions on that?”

They took her to Meigs Field,” Milosevic said. “It’s about a half-mile

away. They put her in a private plane and dumped the car right here.

That’s what they did, Mack. They flew her out somewhere. Four guys,

capable of burning another guy up while he was still alive, they’ve got

her alone somewhere, could be a million miles away from here by now.”

FIFTEEN

THE WHITE TRUCK DRONED ON STEADILY, ANOTHER HOUR, MAYBE sixty more

miles. The clock inside Reacher’s head ticked around from eleven to

twelve noon. The first faint stirrings of worry were building inside

him. They had been gone a day. Nearly a full twenty-four hours. Out

of the first phase, into the middle phase. No progress. And he was

uncomfortable. The air inside the vehicle was about as hot as air

could get. They were still lying flat on their backs on the hot

mattress, heads together. The horsehair padding was overheating them.

Holly’s dark hair was damp and spread out. On her left, it was curled

against Reacher’s bare shoulder.

“Is it because I’m a woman?” she asked. Tense. “Or because I’m

younger than you? Or both?”

“Is what because?” he asked back. Wary.

“You think you’ve got to take care of me,” she said. “You’re worrying

about me, because I’m young and a woman, right? You think I need some

older man’s help.”

Reacher stirred. He didn’t really want to move. He wasn’t

comfortable, but he guessed he was happy enough where he was. In

particular, he was happy with the feel of Holly’s hair against his

shoulder. His life was like that. Whatever happened there were always

some little compensations available.

“Well?” she asked.

“It’s not a gender thing, Holly,” he said. “Or an age thing. But you

do need help, right?”

“And I’m a younger woman and you’re an older man,” she said. Therefore

obviously you’re the one qualified to give it. Couldn’t be any other

way around, right?”

Reacher shook his head, lying down.

“It’s not a gender thing,” he said again. “Or an age thing. I’m

qualified because I’m qualified, is all. I’m just trying to help you

out.”

“You’re taking stupid risks,” she said. “Pushing them and antagonizing

them is not the way to do this, for God’s sake. You’ll get us both

killed.”

“Bullshit,” Reacher said. They need to see us as people, not cargo.”

“Says who?” Holly snapped. “Who suddenly made you the big expert?”

He shrugged at her.

“Let me ask you a question,” he said. “If the boot was on the other

foot, would you have left me alone in that barn?”

She thought about it.

“Of course I would have,” she said.

He smiled. She was probably telling the truth. He liked her for it.

“OK,” he said. “Next time you tell me, I’m gone. No argument.”

She was quiet for a long moment.

“Good,” she said. “You really want to help me out, you do exactly

that.”

He shrugged. Moved a half-inch closer to her.

“Risky for you,” he said. “I get away, they might figure on just

wasting you and disappearing.”

“I’ll take the risk,” she said. That’s what I’m paid for.”