Part 33 (1/2)

'Feels worse.'

'It's going to get worse. The Weather Channel radar looks horrible.'

'Thanks for sharing.'

'Hey, you asked.'

'Hats and underwear?'

'Got to be something to do with a generational change of equipment or a reduced number of aircrew. Or both.'

'Anything on the size or architecture of the place itself?'

'That stuff disappeared a long time ago.'

'OK,' Reacher said. 'Thanks.'

'My guy talked. From Fort Hood. Like you said he would.'

'I'm glad.'

'I owe you.'

'No, we're even.'

'No, I do. It's my first major score.'

'Really? How long have you been in the job?'

'Two weeks.'

'I had no idea. You sound like you've been there for ever.'

'I'm not sure that's a compliment.'

'It was meant as one,' Reacher said. 'Then I thank you.'

'You should be out celebrating.'

'I sent my people out.'

'Good move. Give them all the credit. They'll appreciate it, but the bra.s.s will always know who really did the work. You'll win both ways around.'

'Is that how you did it?'

'Always. I made out that I did nothing much. A lot of the time that was true, of course.'

'Not what your file suggests.'

'You still looking at that old thing?'

'It's a saga.'

'Not fair. This is a very asymmetrical relations.h.i.+p in terms of information.'

'Dude, life sucks.'

'What did you just call me?'

'I was trying to sound blond and Californian.'

'I see.'

'Do you?'

'You're not blond or Californian.'

'Is that OK?'

'Brunette could work for me. Brown eyes?'

'You got it.'

'Long hair, right?'

'Longer than it should be.'

'Excellent.'

'You want to revisit the A-cup thing too?'

'Got to be honest. I'm just not hearing it.'

She laughed. 'OK, I confess. You're right.'

'Height?'

'Five feet seven.'

'Pale or dark?'

'Neither, really. But I tan well.'

'You want to see South Dakota in the winter?'

She laughed again. 'I prefer the beach.'

'Me too. Where are you from?'

'Montana. A small town you never heard of.'