Page 38 of Exit Strategy
‘Let me see.’
Gilmour handed Reacher the phone. Reacher took a look, then passed it back.
‘Why’d you need her picture?’
‘For confirmation.’
‘Of what?’
‘That it’s Dr Martin who is lying on her office floor.’
‘Why’s she doing that? Does she do meditation now? Yoga?’
‘She doesn’t do anything anymore. She’s dead.’
Reacher climbed back into the car and locked eyes with Patten in the rearview mirror. He said, ‘You should go now, Sabrina. We’re about to cross a line. Dr Martin was shot to death. We should call 911 right away. But we’re not going to do that. We’re going to search her office. If we get caught we’re going to be hit with some very difficult questions. The kind that could lead to serious jail time. You don’t need to be part of that.’
Patten swiveled around in her seat and said, ‘I can’t believe she’s dead. Are you sure?’
Reacher nodded.
Patten bit her lower lip. ‘I feel awful. I was just saying such horrible things. When I said I wanted her ass handed to her—’
‘Bad thoughts don’t get people killed. This isn’t on you.’
‘I guess.’
‘But you should go. Right now. The longer we wait, the bigger the risk.’
Patten shivered. ‘Dr Martin’s body’s still there? You saw it?’
Reacher nodded.
‘Is it, like, all bloody and gross?’
Reacher said, ‘She’s been shot …’
Patten’s face turned another shade paler. ‘I can’t be involved with that. I’m sorry.’
‘There’s no need to be sorry. But you do need to leave. Now. When the police show up you don’t want to get dragged into this.’
‘I’m already in this, right up to my ass, no dragging required.’ She closed her eyes for a moment and struggled to control her breathing. ‘I can’t go into her office. Not with her body in there. But I can help. I can stay out here. Keep my eyes open. Watch the street. Cover the entrance to the building. If the police arrive before you get out, I can warn you.’
Reacher thought that through, then said, ‘That would be good.’
‘And I can drive you wherever you need to go afterward. There’s just one thing, though. One favor. The doctor kept records. She made notes during our sessions. No one can see mine. Not the police, the press, no one. Could you find them while you’re in there? And bring them to me? Just don’t read them. You have to promise me that.’
Reacher shook his head. ‘I can’t get your file, Sabrina. If the police find that a file’s missing, that person becomes suspect number one. You’d have cops crawling all over you. But don’t worry. This is a big city. The doctor must have had hundreds of patients. There’ll be all kinds ofthings in their files. And whatever you did, the police will have come across it before.’
‘Maybe …’
‘Trust me.’ Reacher turned to Gilmour. ‘You ready?’
Gilmour opened his door. ‘I need two minutes. Wait here. I’ll be back.’
Gilmour disappeared into a drugstore halfway down the next block. He emerged six minutes later with two plastic shopping bags in each hand. He got back in the car, took out two shower caps, and handed one of them to Reacher. Then he emptied the rest of the contents onto the floor.
Patten said, ‘What is all that stuff?’
