No Plan B (Jack Reacher, #27)(38)

It was less than he would have liked, but he figured he could live with it.

Jed reached into his pocket. He felt for his roll of cash. But his fingers touched nothing but lint and fraying seams. His pocket was empty. He checked his other pockets. All of them. He came up with nothing but a few coins and his toothbrush. His money was gone. All of it. He stood still for a moment, trying to make sense of what was happening. Then his knees gave way. He flopped back. His head hit the ground. The lights above him turned into fiery multi-pointed stars. They spun and danced and twirled. Then everything in his world went dark.





Chapter 22


Reacher woke himself up at a quarter past five, Thursday morning. He took a shower. Got dressed. And was outside the hotel by ten to six, as agreed. Hannah Hampton was not. And neither was Sam Roth’s truck.

Reacher considered going inside and asking the guy behind the reception counter what time Hannah had checked out. Then he thought better of it. There was no point. Whether she had left five minutes or five hours before him, he wouldn’t be able to catch up to her without a vehicle. And even if he could, he wouldn’t. This was a volunteer-only operation. If Hannah was having second thoughts, it was better she didn’t come along. It would be a mistake to take her.

There were no vehicles at the gas station on the other side of the street so Reacher started to walk. The highway was only a quarter of a mile away. He figured he could hitch a ride when he got to the intersection. There was usually plenty of truck traffic early in the morning, before the roads got too busy. He hoped there would be at least one driver who could use some company. Who was looking for a little gas money. Or a little conversation to help him stay awake after a long night at the wheel.

The sun was starting to rise but the landscape looked no more inviting than it had the evening before. It was still flat. Still parched and brown. Still featureless. Reacher figured he must have covered a couple of hundred yards but the scene was so vast and so uniform it was like he hadn’t moved at all. He pressed on, a little faster. Then he stopped. He heard a sound behind him. An engine. A diesel. Rattling and clanking like a train.

Hannah Hampton pulled up at the side of the road and buzzed down the passenger window.

She said, “What’s going on? Why did you leave without me?”

Reacher said, “I figured you left without me.”

Hannah checked her watch. “But it’s not six yet. We said we’d meet at six.”

Reacher shrugged. “Old habits. On time is late where I’m from. Anyway, where did you go? This isn’t much of a place for an early morning joyride.”

“To get coffee.” Hannah pointed at two giant to-go mugs that were jammed into holders in the center console. “I thought you liked it. The machine wasn’t cleaned in the station across the street. The morning guy was late. He hadn’t gotten to it, yet. So I had to drive to the other place. It’s like a mile away. Was I wrong?”

“Absolutely not.” Reacher opened the door and climbed in. “I do like coffee. And it makes for a much better greeting than last time you picked me up. That’s for sure.”



* * *



—

Jed Starmer woke up a couple of hours later than Reacher. He was on a Greyhound bus. But not the one that had brought him from L.A. A different one. Heading east, approaching the border between Texas and Louisiana.

If Jed had been left to himself he might not have made it onto that bus. He had no recollection of getting up off the floor at the depot in Dallas. He just remembered finding himself on a plastic chair, propped up against a table. The guy from the back of the previous bus was sitting opposite him. Between them there were two trays, loaded with food. Belly Buster Deluxes, with extra onion rings and giant cups of Coke. Exactly what they had ordered. Exactly what he was trying to pay for when he realized his money was missing. He thought he must have been mistaken. He thought he must still have it. Relief flooded through him. He slid his hand into his pocket. He needed to touch the cash. To be sure it was there. But his pocket was just as empty as before. He was so confused.

The other guy said, “If you’re wondering about the food, I paid for it.”

“Oh.” Jed was struggling to keep his thoughts straight. “Thank you. I guess.”

The guy was staring at Jed. His expression wasn’t friendly. “Tell me something. And don’t lie. Are you scamming me?”

“What? No. Wait. I don’t understand.”

“You say you’ll pay. You order the food. Then you stick me with the check.”

“Not deliberately.”

“The whole collapsing thing? You should get an Oscar for that.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“You really thought you had the money?”

“I do have the money. I did have. Now it’s gone.”

“How much did you have?”

“Three hundred dollars.”

“In what? Tens? Twenties? Fifties?”

“Twenties.”

The guy shook his head. “So quite a roll. When did you last have it?”

Jed thought for a moment. “In El Paso. I got some water. No. Wait. That was from a machine. I used coins. It must have been in L.A. On Tuesday. I bought my ticket and a burger.”

“Did you pull out the whole roll? Or just what you needed?”