The station house was cool and deserted except for Baker at his desk and Finlay on his way out of the rosewood office in back. He saw us and hurried over.
`Teale’s back in ten minutes,’ he said. `And we got a slight problem.’
He hustled us back to the office. We went in and he shut the door.
`Picard called,’ he said.
`So what’s the problem?’ I said.
`It’s the safe house,’ he said. `Where Charlie and the kids are hiding out? That situation has to stay unofficial, right?’
`He told me that,’ I said. `He’s out on a limb up there.’
`Exactly,’ he said. `That’s the problem. He can’t staff it. He needs somebody to be up there with Charlie. He’s been doing duty himself. But he can’t do any more. Can’t take any more time out. And he feels it’s not appropriate, you know, Charlie being a woman, and the little girl and all. Kid’s terrified of him.’
He looked over at Roscoe. She saw where the conversation was going.
`He wants me up there?’ she asked.
`Just for twenty-four hours,’ Finlay said. `That’s what he’s asking for. Will you do it for him?’
Roscoe shrugged. Smiled.
`Of course I will,’ she said. `No problem. I can spare a day. As long as you promise to get me back when the fun starts, OK?’
`That’s automatic,’ Finlay said. `Fun can’t start until we’ve got the detail, and as soon as we’ve got the detail, Picard goes official and he puts his own agents into the safe house. You come back here.’
`OK,’ Roscoe said. `When do I go?’
`Right now,’ Finlay said. `He’ll be here any minute.’
She grinned at him.
`So you already figured I’d agree to it?’ she said. He grinned back at her.
`Like I told Reacher,’ he said, `you’re the best we got.’
She and I went back through the squad room and out through the glass doors. Roscoe took her valise out of the Chevy and set it on the kerb.
`See you tomorrow, I guess,’ she said.
`You going to be OK?’ I asked her.
`Sure,’ she said. `I’m going to be fine. Can’t get much safer than an FBI safe house, right? But I’m going to miss you, Reacher. I didn’t figure to spend time apart just yet.’
I squeezed her hand. She kissed me on the cheek. Just stretched up for a quick peck. Finlay pushed the station house door open. I heard the suck of the rubber seal. He stuck his head out and called over to Roscoe.
`You better give Picard an update, OK?’ he said.
Roscoe nodded to him. Then we stood waiting in the sun. Didn’t have to wait long. Picard’s blue sedan squealed into the lot within a couple of minutes. Bounced to a stop right next to us. The big guy folded himself out of the seat and stood up. Just about blotted out the sun.
`I appreciate this, Roscoe,’ he said to her. `You’re really helping me out.’
`No problem,’ she said. `You’re helping us out.. right? Where is this place I’m going?’
Picard grinned a harassed grin. Nodded toward me.
`I can’t say where it is,’ he told her. `Not in front of civilians, right? I’m way out of line already. And
I’m going to have to ask you not to tell him afterward, OK? And Reacher, don’t you press her about it, or Charlie, OK?’
`OK,’ I said. I wouldn’t press her about it. She’d tell me anyway.
`Good,’ Picard said.
He nodded a busy goodbye and picked up Roscoe’s bag. Threw it onto his rear seat. Then the two of them got into the blue sedan and drove off. Nosed out of the lot and headed north. I waved after them. Then the car was lost to sight.
TWENTY-THREE
Details. Evidence gathering. Surveillance. It’s the basis of everything. You’ve got to settle down and watch long enough and hard enough to get what you need. While Roscoe made cups of coffee for Charlie Hubble and Finlay sat in the rosewood office, I was going to have to watch the warehouse operation. Long enough and hard enough until I got a feel for exactly how they did it. It could take me a full twenty-four hours. Could be Roscoe would get back before I did.