No Plan B (Jack Reacher, #27)(76)
There were two words on Reacher’s mind as he got ready to sleep. Brockman. And lockdown. Brockman was a name he’d heard more than once. The guy from Minerva who had sent out all the thugs. Reacher wanted to find him. Kick down his door in the middle of the night. See how he liked it. And see what he knew about whatever it was that Angela St. Vrain had stumbled across.
The problem was that Brockman might not know anything. If Minerva people started getting attacked in their homes it could trigger panic. And lockdown is the default panic response of people who run prisons. It’s in their DNA. So he would have to be patient. They had two leads to follow. Danny Peel, and the release ceremony. He would see what came of those. If nothing productive was uncovered, then he would go after Brockman. And whoever else was involved, until he got some satisfactory answers.
Chapter 38
Hannah woke Reacher at a minute after 7:30 a.m. She shook his shoulder and said, “Danny’s still not answering his phone. I’m getting worried. I think we should go to his place. Right now.”
* * *
—
The directions to Danny’s house were already teed up on Hannah’s phone. Its electronic voice ordered them back to the road, then right, which was the way to Winson. It took Hannah a couple of minutes to get the VW facing the right way. The track was narrow. The steering was heavy. The clutch was stiff. She sawed back and forward, bumping and lurching across the rough surface, until she got a straight shot forward. She picked up a little speed. Reached the mouth of the track. And almost hit a pedestrian. A kid. He looked like he was in his mid-teens. He was pushing some kind of fancy bike up the hill. Very slowly. It was like a contest. Like the bike was trying to pull him back down.
The smart money would be on the bike, Reacher thought.
The kid stopped. He was startled by the ancient bus suddenly appearing out of the trees. He stared through the windshield for a moment. Then he toppled backward and the bike landed on top of him.
* * *
—
Hannah jumped out and rushed up to the kid. “Oh my goodness. I’m so sorry. Are you OK?”
The kid didn’t answer.
Hannah pulled the bike off him. “Are you hurt? Did you hit your head?”
“I’m fine.” The kid rolled onto all fours, struggled to his feet, and took hold of the handlebars. “Give me that. I need to get going.”
“Where to? What’s the hurry? Do you have any water? Do your parents know you’re here?”
“I’ve got to get to Winson. I can’t be late.”
“Just sit for a moment. Rest. Get your breath back, at least.”
“There’s no time.”
“You’re in no state to walk, let alone ride.” Hannah snatched the handlebars. “We’re going part of your way. Come on. There’s a rack at the back. Put the bike on there. We’ll give you a ride.”
* * *
—
The bus purred up the hill. The bike rattled and bounced on the rack. The kid sat on the couch at the back of the cabin, stiff and anxious.
Hannah adjusted her mirror so that she could see him without turning around. She said, “What’s your name?”
The kid said, “Jed. Jed Starmer.”
“Well, Jed, why’s it so important you get to Winson this morning?”
“Something’s happening. I can’t be late. I’ve come too far to miss it.”
“What’s happening? Where?”
“Someone’s getting released from the prison.” Jed took a breath. “My dad.”
Reacher said, “I read about that. Anton Begovic?”
Jed nodded. “He was never married to my mom. That’s why we have different last names.”
“Does he know you’re coming?”
“He doesn’t know I exist.”
* * *
—
The bus crested the hill and Hannah’s phone announced they had a left turn coming up in a half mile.
Reacher said, “Where did you travel from?”
Jed said, “L.A.”
“On the bike the whole way?”
“On the bus. The Greyhound. I just rode the bike from Jackson.”
“You brought the bike with you?”
“I kind of borrowed it.”
Hannah sighed. Reacher said nothing.
Jed said, “I didn’t steal it. You don’t understand. I had everything planned. I was supposed to stay in a hotel, then get a taxi, but all my stuff got stolen, and my money got stolen, and two creepy guys tried to kidnap me, and some cops came, and—”
Reacher said, “It’s OK. No one’s accusing you of anything.”
“This is important. I’m not a thief, OK? The guy riding the bike was an asshole. He rode into me, and he pushed me, and he yelled at me. Then he left it right there. On the sidewalk. Unlocked. I had no choice. I’ll give it back when I’m done. I swear.”
Hannah said, “Sounds like you’ve had an awful time. You lost everything?”
“Pretty much. All I’ve got left is my toothbrush. I had it in my pocket.”
“What about your mom? Could she not help? Would you like me to call her?”