Part 8 (1/2)

'I've been out a very long time.'

'You could go west and take a look.'

'It's a stone building. Army stone is the same as anyone else's.'

'Then why the hundreds of engineers?'

'What's on your mind?'

'We're wondering if it's an underground facility. Maybe the stone building is just a stair head. It could be a warren down there. Their lab could be down there. Which would explain the lack of fires and explosions in the trailers. They could have turned the whole place into a fortress. There could be food and water and weapons down there. This whole thing could turn into a siege. We don't want that.'

Peterson stood up and stepped over to the desk and took two fresh bottles from the refrigerator. Which told Reacher they were only halfway through their conversation. Maybe only a third of the way through, if there was a six-pack in there.

Peterson said, 'There's more.'

'No kidding,' Reacher said.

'We've got their top boy locked up, but command and control is still happening. They're still functioning.'

'So he's got a deputy.'

'Gangs don't work like that.'

'So he's still communicating. Cell phone or smuggled notes.'

'Not happening.'

'You know that for sure?'

'Definitely.'

'Then it's through his lawyer. A private conference every day, they're pretending to discuss the case, your guy is really issuing verbal instructions, his lawyer is pa.s.sing them on.'

'That's what we guessed. But that's not happening either.'

'How do you know?'

'Because they have concealed video and audio in the conference rooms.'

'For privileged discussions between lawyers and clients? Is that legal?'

'Maybe. It's a brand-new prison. And there's a lot of fine print in some of the new federal legislation.'

'He's not a federal prisoner.'

'OK, so no, it's probably not entirely legal.'

'But you're doing it anyway?'

'Yes,' Peterson said. 'And we haven't heard a single instruction or business detail. No notes pa.s.sed, nothing written down.'

'You ever heard of the Fourth Amendment? This could screw your case.'

'We're not planning on using anything we hear. The prosecutor doesn't even know we're doing it. We just want advance warning, that's all, in the police department, in case they decide to move against the witness.'

'She'll be OK. You've got her b.u.t.toned up tight. It's only a month. You're on the hook for a little overtime, but that's all.'

'We competed for that prison.'

'Holland told me. Like a Toyota plant. Or Honda.'

'It was a give and take process.'

'It always is.'

'Correctional staff get tax breaks, we built houses, we expanded the school.'

'And?'

'Final item was we had to sign on to their crisis plan.'

'Which is what?'

'If there's an escape, we have a prea.s.signed role.'

'Which is what?'

'The whole of the Bolton PD moves up to a prearranged perimeter a mile out.'

'All of you?'

'Every last one of us. On duty or off. Awake or asleep. Healthy or sick.'

'Are you serious?'

'It's what we had to agree. For the good of the town.'

'Not good,' Reacher said. 'Not good at all,' Peterson said. 'If that siren goes off, we drop everything and head north. All of us. Which means if that siren goes off any time in the next month, we leave Janet Salter completely unprotected.'

CHAPTER NINE

REACHER FINISHED MOST OF HIS SECOND BEER AND SAID, 'THAT'S insane.' insane.'

'Only in reality,' Peterson said. 'Not on paper. The Highway Patrol is theoretically available to us as back-up. And the feds offered us witness protection for Mrs Salter. But the Highway Patrol is usually hours away all winter long, and Mrs Salter refused the protection. She says the bikers are the ones who should be locked up miles from home, not her.'