Reacher (2022) s01e02 Episode Script

1 Where do you think you're going? Reacher! Reacher, get back here! Maybe give him some space.
I don't need 250 pounds of frontier justice tearing up this town.
- [THUMPS CAR.]
- [FINLAY SIGHS.]
Follow him, make sure he doesn't ruin our case.
Why me? Outside the morgue, he actually listened to you.
And what if he doesn't now? Shoot him.
[THUNDER CRASHES.]
[THUNDER ROLLING.]
- [DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE.]
- [VEHICLE APPROACHING.]
[DISPATCHER.]
We got a stranded vehicle around 80 on the eastbound side.
[DISPATCHER CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY.]
[OFFICER.]
247.
About ten out.
[OFFICER CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY.]
- [TIRES SCREECH.]
- Shit! [OPENS DOOR.]
The hell? I could have hit you.
I don't need a babysitter and I don't need you screwing up my investigation.
Okay, first this is not your investigation.
Second, babysitting some giant vagrant is hardly my dream assignment.
I could be out there looking for who killed your brother.
So stand down and let me do my job, because I'm very good at it.
If you were very good at it, you wouldn't have been trying to follow a man on foot in a police car.
I figure your plan's to go to Hubble's house and dig your thumb into his eye until he tells you why he confessed to a murder he didn't commit.
- Something like that.
- Yeah, well, I'm gonna be there to make sure that doesn't happen.
Now, I can either follow you the whole way, or you can save the shoe leather and get in the damn car.
[HORN HONKING IN DISTANCE.]
[SIGHS.]
[WHISPERS.]
Fuck.
For the record, I'm not a vagrant, I'm a hobo.
Whatever.
[DOORBELL CHIMES.]
[DOOR OPENS.]
[LUCY.]
Officer Conklin, uh, Mr.
Reacher, please come in.
I'm so sorry, Paul won't be back till late.
But at least now I get a chance to thank you, Mr.
Reacher.
- It's just Reacher.
- Well.
Reacher.
My husband told me that you looked out for him in that awful prison.
Please, have a seat.
Do you, uh do you know where Paul is? No, not specifically.
He's dealing with that embezzlement mess.
Thank God he was cleared of all that.
Can you imagine? Paul, a criminal? [CHUCKLES.]
Man's never so much as jaywalked.
I assume that's why you're here.
The bank stuff? No.
My brother was murdered.
Dear God.
I I don't know what to say.
That the man they found by the highway? He was.
And he had your husband's telephone number on him.
Well, that doesn't make any sense.
Why? Well, that's what we're here to find out.
Why my dead brother had your live husband's number on him.
Well, I have no idea.
[TALLY.]
Momma? Is it 8:30 already? I'm sorry, but I've got to get these two to bed.
Girls, say hi to Officer Conklin and Mr.
Reacher.
- Hello, Mr.
Conklin.
- Hello, Mr.
Reacher.
- Hello, Mr.
Reacher.
- Hello, Mr.
Conklin.
- Mm-hmm.
- It's just Reacher.
Well, this is Lucy and Tally.
- Have y'all brushed your teeth? - [BOTH.]
Yes.
All right, then get on.
I'll be up in a minute.
Well, Tally's growing like a weed.
Yeah, I know.
She's the one with the glasses.
Can you believe she's a year younger than Lucy? May I use your restroom? Yeah, of course.
Through the kitchen, down the hall and to the left.
[CHARLIE.]
something like this happens.
We've taken up enough of your time.
Have a nice evening.
Roscoe.
[CHUCKLES.]
Um well, guess we're going.
- Sorry about that.
- No.
Have a good evening.
Thank you for your time, - [DOOR CLOSES.]
- and, uh - I'll see you.
- Yes.
Good night.
That was an exit.
Two things.
One, she said Tally is the one in the glasses.
Glasses is the main difference between the girls.
Everything else was a matter of degree, taller, shorter, but glasses was absolute.
One wears them, one doesn't.
And? Right before I was attacked in prison, a guy pointed at me and said, "Him.
" I'd taken a guy's glasses.
- Why? - 'Cause he wasn't a nice man.
I still had them on when these cons came at me.
Their instructions were clearly to find the new boys and take out the one in glasses.
Hubble's had been smashed.
He was the target, not me.
Hubble's on the run, or they've already got him.
Okay.
You said there were two things.
This is some kind of seed.
Why would a banker have them on his dress shoes? You went in his closet? No.
Mud room.
It's an agrimony burr.
They grow on tall grass all around here.
We call them hitchhikers, 'cause they stick on you and they go for a ride.
They grow where my brother was killed? - [BIRD CHIRPING.]
- [INSECTS TRILLING.]
[ROSCOE.]
This is cogongrass.
Had it on my uncle's farm.
It doesn't produce burrs.
Okay.
Still some reason they were on his laces.
You don't pick up hitchhikers in bank hallways.
[HOWLING IN DISTANCE.]
I told Finlay the shooter was someone who knew firearms well, but it was more than that.
Killer was a skilled marksman.
What makes you think that? Second victim was sprinting away in the dark.
Gun had a silencer on it, which makes even close-range work inaccurate, but he got a kill shot.
Prints are Joe's.
Size 13.
See the divot? Heard someone coming up behind him.
Tried to turn.
Took two in the head before he could do anything about it.
Shooter came through here.
Waiting for Joe.
Knew he was coming.
Two days ago, moon would have been about 26 degrees further west.
This area would have been darker.
This is where he hid.
He enjoyed it.
Sniper shot from the tree line would have done the job with less risk.
The shooter wanted to be close.
Maybe it was personal.
Someone takes your life, it's always personal.
Tell me about Joe.
Were you guys tight? Did he have a family? What'd he do for a living? Small talk to see if I say something to help your investigation? I'm being nice to a guy who just lost his brother.
But, you know, now that you brought it up, you might as well answer my questions.
IN ORDER: when we were kids; no family; last time we spoke he was working in Homeland Security.
That's interesting.
You think that this might have been connected to his job? Homeland's a big UMBRELLA: terrorism, drugs, guns, border crimes.
- What department was your brother in? - Don't know.
We hadn't spoken in a while.
Why? Time passed.
- Where you going? - To find a motel.
- I'll give you a ride.
- Don't want one.
[TURNS OFF ENGINE.]
- [FROGS CROAKING.]
- [CRICKETS CHIRPING.]
[CLATTERING IN DISTANCE.]
[INDISTINCT TALKING.]
Hey.
Mister.
Why don't you come here? We want to talk to you.
- No, you don't.
- [CHUCKLES.]
"No, you don't.
" Hey, come here.
We just want to talk to you.
Heard you got arrested for murder.
What kind of bullshit you bring into our town? There's two sixers' worth of empties around your car.
You've been waiting a while.
And since this isn't the most exciting spot in town, I got to assume you've been waiting for me.
Let me guess.
Rich guy in a fancy pickup put a fifty in each of your pockets to take care of me? Hundred.
Right.
Well, this is the wrong day to ask me to humor your bullshit.
Hey! We're talking to you, man.
Oh, Graham, you idiot.
You're about to get your ass kicked.
No.
I'm just gonna break the hands of three drunk kids.
[CHUCKLES.]
There's four of us here.
One of you has got to drive to the hospital.
[LAUGHS.]
Ooh - [BONES CRACKING.]
- [YELLING.]
I-I know where the hospital is.
[PAINED GROANS, PANTING.]
What the hell just rolled into Margrave? [DOGS BARKING IN DISTANCE.]
[VEHICLE APPROACHING.]
[BIRDS CHIRPING.]
Hey, buddy.
You okay? - [REACHER.]
Good boy.
- Hey.
Hey.
- Can I help you? - No.
Just giving your dog some water.
I must've knocked the bowl over, 'cause I gave him water this morning.
No, you didn't.
Bowl was bone-dry.
You calling me a liar? Yes.
Well, I suggest you leave my property.
Good boy.
[TIRES SQUEALING, SIREN WAILING.]
What are you doing here? Wanted to check in, see if there's any official progress on Joe's case before I head back out to Hubble's.
I can't talk right now.
There's been another murder.
Police Chief Morrison.
For the record, I didn't do it.
I know.
What, did you stake me out all night? [INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER.]
[STARTS ENGINE.]
Last night you wanted to go everywhere with me.
Captain.
What did they do to the chief? Baker won't talk about it.
Just keep the lookie-loos away, all right? [CAR DOOR CLOSES.]
Yes, sir.
- What is he doing here? - You told me to keep an eye on him.
I'm keeping an eye on him.
Look.
There he is.
Crime scene's worse than anything I ever saw in Boston.
And I saw things in Boston.
Was he nailed to a wall? How did you know that? Hey.
[MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY IN DISTANCE.]
[MAN CONTINUES SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY.]
[JASPER.]
These lacerations appear to be shallow and were possibly done with a serrated blade, which leads me to believe that they were intended to inflict pain rather than cause death.
Preliminary examination of Police Chief Edward Morrison.
Subject has been nailed to the wall contralaterally with six spikes, two of which were driven between the ulna and the radius - near the wrist and - Jesus Christ.
One laceration to the left cheek.
[REACHER.]
Prints? I ask the questions, like this one: how'd you know about the nails? Even in Margrave, word doesn't travel that fast.
They wore rubber overshoes and gloves.
Latex.
Like whoever killed my brother.
What makes you say that? Well, three people killed my brother.
At least four to do that to a guy Morrison's size.
Holy shit, his fucking balls are gone! Keep it professional, Jasper.
Cursing's the sign of a weak mind - and a weaker character.
- Sorry, I'm just not used to this.
You don't see this kind of thing every day.
[CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY.]
Pardon my French, but [WHISPERS.]
where the heck are his testicles? In his stomach.
You'll find them during the autopsy.
Okay, Reacher, outside.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS.]
[SIGHS HEAVILY.]
No more games.
How do you know what you know? The people Hubble worked for said they'd nail him to a wall and cut his balls off if he caused problems.
You said Hubble didn't tell you anything in jail.
I lied.
My brother didn't trust Margrave cops enough to tell you he was tracking something down here.
Why should I? Ever think your brother didn't reach out to the cops because he couldn't reach out to the cops? Maybe he was dirty.
Maybe Think real hard before you finish that sentence.
It'll determine how well your jaw works the rest of your life.
Joe was clean.
Unlike that modern art piece hanging inside.
[ROSCOE.]
So you're saying that Morrison was working with the same killers Hubble was mixed up with? That or we just saw a big fat coincidence nailed to the wall.
What I want to know is who else in Margrave PD's in on it.
Stevenson seems suspicious, and Baker wouldn't go into the bathroom with me at the station house.
A bathroom with a window in it.
I was a murder suspect.
[ROSCOE.]
Baker wasn't concerned 'cause he knew you didn't do it.
Which means he knows who did.
Want to tell me who else on my team is crooked? Sure.
Roscoe checks out, 'cause she dug in to get me out of prison.
But you're hiding something.
Tell me, why does a Black cop from Boston with a 20-year pension come work in a Southern backwater town in the middle of nowhere? You next in line for Morrison's job? [ROSCOE.]
For your information, Mayor Teale didn't promote Finlay.
He just appointed himself acting chief.
Since when? This morning.
Came here to tell you.
Whoever's running this had Morrison under his thumb.
No one sits in the chief's chair unless they're under it, too.
They skipped you to get to Teale.
So I guess that means he's dirty and you're okay.
Nothing means more to me than your vote of confidence.
[FINLAY SIGHS.]
But you're probably right.
At least we know who we can trust.
I'm gonna call my buddy at the FBI Ah.
Teale's first order WAS: no staties, no Feds.
- He wants this kept in-house.
- Outside investigators will send whoever did this into hiding.
We'll let them think they've got it under control for now.
There's no "we" here.
The Morrisons were killed for a misstep not pinning the murder on me, Hubble walking out of prison alive but the way they were killed sent a message to their organization: Don't screw up and don't cross us.
You two think you can go it alone? You can't go it alone.
There's only "we" here.
You don't see that, I'll find whoever killed Joe on my own.
[PHONE BUZZES.]
Great.
Teale's called an emergency town meeting.
Be careful around him.
Came down South for peace and quiet.
Now I've caught four bodies.
[REACHER.]
Five.
Hubble, probably.
If they'd do this to a cop, why not a banker? Roscoe On my way there now.
[DOORBELL CHIMES.]
[EXHALES.]
Oh.
I thought you might've been Paul.
That's why I left the gate open.
He never came home? He called late last night, said that he had to speak to some people about sorting out this bank madness, and when I woke, I realized he'd never come home.
His phone goes to voice mail.
Listen, I I have been with Paul since freshman year, UGA.
He has never once not come home.
Okay, all right, just a minute.
Um I'll stay here since I'm armed.
You go find Finlay.
He'll know what to do with them, but they need some kind of protection.
I need your car.
You see anyone under six five come near this house - shoot 'em.
- Finlay's five eight.
- Yup.
- Are you taking that knife? You want to give me your gun? That's what I thought.
[TEALE.]
We will find the person or persons responsible for these crimes.
- [CROWD MURMURS.]
- And we will punish them to the fullest extent of the law.
[ABE.]
If they're killing cops in their own homes, then what chance do any of us got? A damn good chance.
Because as of today, per the powers given to me by the town charter, I have appointed myself chief of police.
- [GROANING, JEERING.]
- And I will not sleep until we have the perpetrators behind bars and on their way to getting the needle! [MAN COUGHS.]
[TOM.]
But what the hell do you know - about law enforcement? - That's right! We need us a real police chief and a real chief detective, too.
- Yeah! - Think he's talking about you.
[TOM.]
All due respect, but what does some Yankee cop know about Margrave? - Yeah! - That's right.
We ain't seen a murder in 20 years, and now there's four four! in two days.
Do we have a serial killer in Margrave or not? These killings are not related.
Oh? What about that animal you arrested out at the diner? - Yeah! - I think she's talking about you.
He comes to town, and people just start dying? Y'all had him in jail.
Why'd you let him go? - [ANGRY SHOUTS.]
- [TEALE.]
Order! [POUNDING FLOOR WITH CANE.]
- Order! - [EXCITED CHATTER.]
Everyone, please! - [CHATTER QUIETS.]
- Please.
Calm down.
Sit down.
Sit down.
I know you're all scared.
But Mr.
Reacher has a rock-solid alibi.
And for those of you who don't know, one of the victims was Mr.
Reacher's brother, Joseph.
So he has as much invested in finding these murders as any one of us here.
You know when I moved Kliner Industries to this town five years ago, Margrave was run-down.
- Broken.
- [CROWD MURMURING.]
- Main Street boarded up.
Right? - [OTHERS.]
Yeah.
But I said to myself, these are the kind of people who can bounce back.
Right? Who can survive anything.
I have faith in our police force.
I have faith in Chief Detective Finlay.
I have faith in our new chief of police, - Mayor Teale.
- [MURMURING.]
And I promise I will provide whatever funds, whatever resources to find whomever is responsible for these heinous acts.
You have my word.
Mayor Teale.
A word? Chief Teale now, Captain.
Mm, of course.
My mistake.
I just wanted to let you know that I'm gonna start cross-referencing forensics from both murder sites to establish pattern.
Pattern? What the hell has Morrison and his wife got to do with an out-of-towner and some fella he was probably diddlin' under an overpass? Well, that's what I want to find out.
These killings are not related.
Over the course of his career, Morrison took countless criminals out of circulation.
Comb the archives, track down the biggest scumbags he ever arrested who have since been released or paroled, pardoned, everything in between that's how you're gonna find his killer.
Those are your orders.
You copy, Captain? And the bodies by the highway? A police officer was crucified! I think that takes priority.
Or did they do things differently up there in Massachusetts? Hmm? Copy that.
[SIGHS.]
[SIGHS.]
Teale's trying to frame the Morrison hit as a revenge killing.
Just sent me off to chase my tail.
- Told you he's dirty.
- I'm prone to agree, but incompetence can look like malevolence, and it's a whole lot more common.
You know who's not incompetent? Kliner.
You one of those conspiracy nuts? Guys with the kind of money and power Kliner wields are rarely angels.
We need to look into him.
You want this town to hate you more than it already does? Then start smearing Kliner.
And I'm not gonna be able to look into anyone except the losers in Morrison's old case files.
No, that's what you'll pretend to do.
Roscoe, too.
Give us cover while we work the real angles.
Like Joe's rental car.
Must have had one, but none was left at the murder scene.
You're handing out assignments now? Yes.
And the next one has to do with Hubble's wife and kids.
They need protection, even if Hubble's already dead.
These guys get antsy, think Charlie has even a one percent chance of knowing anything I get it.
My FBI buddy I wanted to reach out to earlier name's Picard, Atlanta field office.
I'll call you when it's set up.
- I don't have a phone.
- Get one.
Can we trust Picard? Known him for years.
Gave me the best advice I ever got.
Don't take the Margrave job.
[ENGINE STARTS.]
[TEALE.]
Mr.
Reacher? I'd like to offer my apologies for your arrest.
My condolences for your brother.
Tragedy when a person is struck down in his prime like that.
But my hand to God, we'll find the killer.
We'd be happy to keep you updated on the investigation.
Just leave your contact information with the department before you head out.
- I'm not leaving.
- Oh.
It was my understanding you were just passing through.
You understood wrong.
I figured I'd stick around a while.
Margrave's such a nice town.
Used to be.
Not so much lately.
[MOSLEY.]
Heard about your brother.
May the Lord bless him and keep him in a plastic container.
You looking for payback? Payback, justice, vengeance.
Looking for the whole gang.
You might not be the only one.
- Meaning? - Meaning you wouldn't happen to have a couple of Spanish-speaking amigos in town, would you? - No.
- Makes sense.
'Cause the two fellas come by my shop asking about you didn't seem all that friendly.
Watch your back, Mr.
Reacher.
Are you worried about me, Mr.
Mosley? Worried about my bottom line.
Uh, you might need another shave 'fore you leave town.
Very true.
[CHARLIE.]
My husband trusted Reacher.
Is he a good person? I think so.
We don't really have the luxury of certainty right now, but bad things are happening and Reacher can help us.
- [DOOR OPENS IN DISTANCE.]
- [REACHER.]
I'm back.
We're in here.
Get some food together, pack your bags for the kids.
- Where we going? - Got a call from Finlay.
FBI agent named Picard is on his way.
He's taking you into protective custody.
I bought a burner.
Here's the number.
I'd feel safer if we stayed with the two of you.
We've got to work the case.
Picard'll keep you safe.
It's what your husband would have wanted.
Why are you talking about him in the past tense? We have to assume Paul's dead.
They tried to kill him in prison.
They killed Morrison and his wife.
Your husband's gone missing, so they most likely killed him, too.
There'll be time to grieve later.
You have to think about your kids.
You need to pack.
Okay? - Okay? - Okay, okay.
I'll go wait for Picard.
[SIGHS.]
[RAUCOUS CHATTER, LAUGHTER, RHYTHMIC CLAPPING.]
[GROUP CHANTING.]
Dance! Dance! Dance! Dance! Dance! Dance! Dance! Dance! [CHANTING CONTINUES.]
Let's go, Billy! Dance! Dance! Dance! Okay, Mr.
Predicto, should Billy keep dancing? "All signs indicate yes.
" - [LAUGHTER.]
- Come on, man! [GROUP RESUMES CHANTING.]
Hey! [CHANTING STOPS.]
You boys looking for a dance partner? You think you can take all of us? Let's find out.
- [ENGINE PURRING.]
- It's Billy's dad! Go, go, go, go, go! [ENGINE PURRING.]
[CAR DEPARTING.]
We're on the move.
It's not safe anymore.
Let's go.
- I'm not ready.
- Let's go.
Now.
Girls! Lucy, come get your backpack.
Okay, you got everything you need, right? [DOOR CREAKS.]
Hey, hey, hey.
Easy.
I'm Picard.
Mind putting the cannon down? Told you I need my own gun.
I'll get the bags.
All right.
Come on, girls, come on.
Hop in.
Here, help your sister with her seat belt.
- Got it? - Okay, this is off the books.
To get a family into an actual protection program would take time and red tape.
Finlay said he can't get the FBI officially involved yet, so I'm gonna take a few personal days, watch the family myself.
Bottom line, do not let this bite me in the ass.
We are talking about my career here.
Finlay and I are tight; we ain't that tight.
We won't let you get burned.
Better not.
I told him not to take this job.
[ENGINE STARTS.]
- Now we get to work.
- I'm gonna make some calls, find out what Joe was doing with Homeland.
You're gonna have to do it on the side.
Teale's got everyone on a snipe hunt.
- Finlay'll fill you in.
- Okay.
What about you? I'm gonna go see that guard Spivey at Warburton.
Whoever paid him to set up Hubble to be killed is who's running this thing.
Spivey's the key.
He won't tell you anything.
Depends on how I ask.
Taylor Spivey.
Chief Detective Finlay, Margrave PD.
Calling on account of Jack Reacher.
Yeah, well, he's pissed.
Says he got tuned up pretty good while under your roof, and now he's suing.
Well, he was your prisoner, and I'm not losing my job over this.
Is there somewhere we can meet up, get our stories straight before lawyers start sniffing around? Okay.
[BEEP.]
See you there, jackass.
[MUFFLED ROCK SONG PLAYING INSIDE.]
Hey, Spivey.
Eh, look who it is.
[CHUCKLES.]
You know, I never met Detective Finlay, but I heard all about him.
And you sure as hell don't sound like a Black man from Boston on the phone.
Figured you were setting me up, so I thought I'd return the favor.
[WHISTLES.]
[ENGINE STARTS.]
You should've let those boys kill you in the prison.
It would've been a lot less painful.
Adios.
Let's go.
No.
It's too small.
It'll be uncomfortable.
Not as uncomfortable as a bullet to the stomach, pendejo.
Well, the smart move would be to shoot me right here, but you haven't done that yet.
Maybe you don't want to draw attention firing outside a crowded bar.
Or maybe you have orders to take me to your boss so he can find out how much I know.
Whatever it is, it means that when I make my move, you're gonna hesitate.
And you guys know what Cato said about hesitation, right? "He who hesitates " [YELLING.]
Puta, I'm gonna cut you.
[GRUNTING.]
- [STABS.]
- [YELLS.]
[SIREN WHOOPS.]
[OFFICER.]
Stop where you are! This is Mike-7.
I need backup at the Blue Cat.
Foot pursuit of one suspect.
Second at large.
[ENGINE STARTS.]
All right, yep.
Th-Thank you.
Bye, now.
Both Avis and Hertz confirmed, no unaccounted-for rental cars in the entire state.
How many more are we waiting on answers from, six? [SCOFFS.]
In the Atlanta airport alone.
It didn't go as planned.
Well this one's special.
You need stitches.
No, I don't.
[CHUCKLES.]
Fine.
Superglue it is.
[EXHALES.]
Just got off the phone with the Georgia State Police.
No suspects from the Blue Cat brawl were apprehended.
Would've been nice to question them.
Maybe next time don't pull something like this by yourself.
I said you could work with us.
It's not my fault Spivey didn't buy it.
I shoved a pole as far up my ass as I could; I still couldn't sound like you.
You've been here a couple of days and you've already thrown down in Warburton, beaten up some locals and fought a couple of goons in a parking lot.
They weren't goons.
Probably military or ex-military.
- South American.
- How could you know that? 'Cause if they weren't I would've killed them within ten seconds.
How'd you know they were South American military? Spoke Spanish, had Glock-17s and the technique one guy used to head-butt me was from a martial art called Reisy.
Hardly anyone uses except branches of South American special forces.
Plus, if they weren't, I would've killed them within ten seconds.
Why would South American military be involved in this? Don't know.
You ever see anyone like that around Margrave? Not till you showed up.
Then they're hired muscle.
Not running the show.
You're all set.
I have no idea what the hell's going on around here.
Well, I might, if you're done talking about Spivey and South American military.
Turns out Joe was working for the Secret Service's division of Homeland.
Doing what? No one could or would give me any answers, but Secret Service covers everything from mail fraud to protecting the president to child exploitation.
Your brother could've been involved in almost anything.
Counterfeiting? Hubble specialized - in currency management.
- Yeah, maybe.
But money's at the root of every crime there is.
Drugs, guns, human trafficking - all rotates around cash.
- [ROSCOE.]
Well I left a voice mail with the Office of Investigations.
Figure people usually get hurt when they're looking into something others don't want 'em to, assumed maybe Joe was an investigator like you.
Good logic.
Thanks, Doc.
Where do you think you're going? Homeland Security won't call back till tomorrow and by now Spivey's heard things have gone sideways at the bar.
Since his bosses feed screwups their own testicles, my guess is he's gotten out of Dodge for a while.
I'm gonna find his house and search it.
[FINLAY.]
Prison guard's home address won't be public.
And county offices won't be open till morning.
I'll chase it down then and handle it myself.
You? Go get some rest.
I'm getting a beer.
[FINLAY.]
Absolutely not.
You saw those people at town hall.
They were ready to grab torches and come after you like Frankenstein.
[REACHER.]
Frankenstein was the doctor.
They went after Frankenstein's monster.
Details matter.
You're going back to your motel.
I'm just gonna sit in a bar, have a beer and think all this through.
And then someone will say something you don't like and you'll break their head open again.
Not gonna happen.
Now you can go to your motel right now and sleep in a comfortable bed or I can arrest you for vagrancy and you can sleep in my holding cell.
He's not a vagrant.
He's a hobo.
What? [HUFFS.]
Just tail him.
Make sure he goes straight back to the motel.
[EXHALES.]
[INSECTS TRILLING.]
Hey, I get it.
In the past few days, you've lost one brother and had four fights.
If anybody needs a drink, it's you.
There's a roadhouse.
Just across the border in Alabama.
Nobody knows you there.
Cold beer, hot music.
But you got to behave.
Maybe they'll even play that blues stuff you like.
Okay.
Follow me to my place.
I got to change into something less "law enforcement.
" And we got to stop by a gas station, and get you a T-shirt with a little less blood on it.
[DEEJAY.]
You're listening to WGUT, blues that hit you right in the gut.
Here's "Police Dog Blues" by Cephas & Wiggins, originally recorded by the late, great Blind Blake.
Hey, isn't that your guy, Blake? Yep.
- All my life I've been - Nice.
A travelin' man Stayin' alone and doin' the best I can - [NAKED BLUE: "MIDNIGHT TRAIN".]
- [INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
We did it deep and we did it long I was ready and she was strong Thanks.
Wait, she said, slow it down It's not a twist-off.
Till you hear that engine go through town Show off.
Feeling any better? Not feeling worse.
Well, that's a start, ain't it? [PATSY CLINE: "CRAZY".]
Uh-oh.
They're playin' Patsy.
You know what that means.
- No.
- I'm crazy Means we got to dance.
Practically the law.
I don't dance.
You're telling me that your mama never taught her sons how to dance? She did, but when I ask people to dance, it usually precedes a lot of punching.
Good thing I'm doing the asking.
Come on Frankenstein's monster.
I knew You'd love me as long As you wanted And then someday You'd leave me for somebody new Worry Why do I let myself worry Wondering What in the world Did I do? Oh, crazy For thinking that my love Could hold you [THUNDER CRASHES.]
Oh! [THUNDER RUMBLING.]
I-I don't need your jacket.
Move your ass, big guy.
[WHOOPS.]
[SHUDDERS.]
You should've taken my jacket.
[CHUCKLES.]
I'm a big girl.
[THUNDER CRASHES.]
Whoa, look at this.
Hey, take a beat, champ.
We're far from Margrave.
Not far enough.
I say go, you duck.
What's goin' on? Road east to the highway's flooded.
No one's getting through tonight.
Is there a motel near here? Sorry I didn't have anything in my truck your size.
Could've sworn I had a paint tarp or a circus tent.
Funny.
I got a sampling from the vending machine.
Wow.
- You always eat this well? - I was hungry.
Didn't think room service would deliver this late.
Hmm.
Oh, yeah.
Going straight for the Clark Bar.
Clark Bars are the best.
Had these at every PX on every base I ever lived at when I was a kid.
No matter where we were at the time, Joe and I could always find a Clark Bar.
- You want half? - No.
Prefer Zagnut.
No one prefers Zagnut.
- Excuse me? - What are you eating right now? Read me the flavor.
Spi [LAUGHING.]
Read it out loud.
"Spicy Cajun Crawtators.
" [LAUGHS.]
There you go.
I'll take a Clark Bar.
[LAUGHING.]
You okay down there? I've slept in worse places.
Been all over, huh? Barely left Margrave.
Never really wanted to.
My family's been here since the town was founded.
- Like the Teales.
- [LAUGHS.]
Fuck the Teales.
Conklins built this town, Teales stole it.
Old Casper Teale got in bed with the railroads.
Swindled farmers out of their land and laid tracks right through their crops.
You still have family in Margrave? My parents died when I was a kid.
But I had Gray.
Gray? Had Finlay's job before Finlay.
He was my parents' best friend.
Always looked out for me.
Kind of like a second dad.
Taught everything I know about being a cop.
How to work a case, keep your notes and files organized.
He was the most fastidious person I have ever met.
I mean, the man only had a horseshoe of hair, and he still had Mosley trim it for him once a week.
But he had a dark side, too.
He was depressed a lot.
Never married.
No kids.
Drank.
Hung himself from the rafters in his garage about a year ago.
I'm sorry.
Always gave me daisies on my birthday.
Daisies are my favorite.
What about you? Snapdragons.
Cool name, hard to kill.
[ROSCOE LAUGHS.]
Yeah, yeah.
That sounds like somebody I know.
No, that wasn't what I was asking you.
I was I was wondering if you had any family I didn't know about? No.
Was basically down to Joe.
[ROSCOE.]
Hmm.
If I hadn't have walked in that bar a few days ago, heard that Blind Blake song, probably would've been years before I found out he was dead.
Well in spite of the circumstances it's been nice getting to know you.
Nice getting to know you, too.
Night, Reacher.
Good night, Roscoe.
[INHALES DEEPLY.]
[RAIN FALLING.]
[CICADAS CALLING.]
[BIRDS CHIRPING.]
[BRAKES SQUEAK.]
[ENGINE SHUTS OFF.]
You know, before we get into it, I could use a real breakfast.
That Zagnut ain't cuttin' it.
Should've had the Clark Bar.
[CHUCKLES.]
Yeah? [RACKS SLIDE.]
[EXHALES.]
[REACHER.]
All clear.
Clear.
When they came in, they tracked through the flower bed.
Rubber overshoes.
They were gonna kill me? Could've been here for me.
My car was parked out front.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
Looks like they plan on coming back.
I'm really gonna need a gun.
Hey Call in the cavalry Hey A taste of victory I'm gonna humor you with the act of conversation I got my sunglasses on from the sleep deprivation Should we drop you at home? Are you waiting For a last dance? You know you never got the call 'cause I didn't want The romance Hey Call in the cavalry Hey I'll take some victory Hey Call in the cavalry Hey A taste of victory Hey Call in the cavalry Hey I'll take some victory