Read Online The Narrows by Michael Connelly - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michael Connelly
Tags: thriller
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Dei pulled into the Travel America on Blue Diamond Road and popped the trunk.
When Rachel got back into the car she was wearing a baggy black all-weather coat that looked like it might have been designed for a man. Dei didn't say anything about it.
"Thanks," Rachel said. "And you're right. I apologize. I guess you get like me when it turns out your boss-your mentor-is the same evil thing you've been hunting all your life. And they punish you for it."
"I understand that, Rachel. But it wasn't just Backus. It was a lot of things. The reporter, some of the choices you made. Some people say you were lucky you still had a job at the end of it"
Rachel's face grew hot. She was being reminded that she was one of the bureau's embarrassments. Even within the ranks. Even with the agent she had mentored. She had slept with a reporter working on her case. That was the shorthand version. It didn't matter that it was a reporter who was actually a part of the case, who was working with Rachel side by side and hour by hour. The shorthand version would always be the story that agents heard and whispered about. A reporter. Was there a lower breach in agent behavior and etiquette? Maybe a mobster or a spy, but nothing else.
"Five years in North Dakota followed by a promotion to South Dakota," she said weakly. "Yeah, I was lucky all right." "Look, I know you paid the price. My point is that you have to know your place here. Use some finesse. A lot of people are watching this case. If you play it right it could be your ticket back in."
"Got it."
"Good."
Rachel reached down to the side of her seat and adjusted it so she could lean back.
"How long did you say?" she asked.
"About two hours. We've been using choppers from Nellis mostly, saves a lot of time."
"Hasn't drawn attention?"
She was asking about the media, whether news of the investigation in the desert had leaked yet.
"We've had a few fires to put out but so far it is holding up. The scene is in California and we're working it out of Nevada. I think that has somehow kept the lid on. To be honest, there are some people worried about you now."
Rachel thought about Jack McEvoy, the reporter, for a moment.
"Nobody has to worry," she said. "I don't even know where he is."
"Well, if this thing finally hits the radar, you can expect to see him. He wrote a bestselling book on the first go-round. I guarantee he'll be back for the sequel."
Rachel thought about the book she had been reading on the plane and that was now in her bag. She wasn't sure whether it was the subject or the author that had drawn her to read it so many times.
"Probably."
She left it at that and pulled her jacket around her shoulders and folded her arms. She was tired, not having slept since getting the call from Dei.
She leaned her head against the side window and pretty soon she was out. Her dream of darkness returned. But this time she was not alone. She could not see anyone because she could only see blackness. But she sensed another presence. Someone close but not necessarily someone with her. She moved and turned in the darkness, trying to see who it was. She reached out but her hands touched nothing.
She heard a moaning sound and then realized it was her own voice from deep in her throat. Then she was grabbed. Something had her and shook her very hard.
Rachel opened her eyes. She saw the freeway rushing at her through the windshield. Cherie Dei let go of her jacket.
"You all right? This is the exit."
Rachel looked up at a passing green freeway sign.
ZZYZX ROAD
I MILE
She straightened up in the seat. She checked her watch and realized she had slept for over ninety minutes. Her neck was stiff and painful on the right side from leaning so long against the window. She started working it with her fingers, digging deeply into the muscle.
"You all right?" Dei asked again. "Sounded like you were having a bad one."
"I'm fine. What did I say?" "Nothing. You just sort of moaned. I think you were running
When Rachel got back into the car she was wearing a baggy black all-weather coat that looked like it might have been designed for a man. Dei didn't say anything about it.
"Thanks," Rachel said. "And you're right. I apologize. I guess you get like me when it turns out your boss-your mentor-is the same evil thing you've been hunting all your life. And they punish you for it."
"I understand that, Rachel. But it wasn't just Backus. It was a lot of things. The reporter, some of the choices you made. Some people say you were lucky you still had a job at the end of it"
Rachel's face grew hot. She was being reminded that she was one of the bureau's embarrassments. Even within the ranks. Even with the agent she had mentored. She had slept with a reporter working on her case. That was the shorthand version. It didn't matter that it was a reporter who was actually a part of the case, who was working with Rachel side by side and hour by hour. The shorthand version would always be the story that agents heard and whispered about. A reporter. Was there a lower breach in agent behavior and etiquette? Maybe a mobster or a spy, but nothing else.
"Five years in North Dakota followed by a promotion to South Dakota," she said weakly. "Yeah, I was lucky all right." "Look, I know you paid the price. My point is that you have to know your place here. Use some finesse. A lot of people are watching this case. If you play it right it could be your ticket back in."
"Got it."
"Good."
Rachel reached down to the side of her seat and adjusted it so she could lean back.
"How long did you say?" she asked.
"About two hours. We've been using choppers from Nellis mostly, saves a lot of time."
"Hasn't drawn attention?"
She was asking about the media, whether news of the investigation in the desert had leaked yet.
"We've had a few fires to put out but so far it is holding up. The scene is in California and we're working it out of Nevada. I think that has somehow kept the lid on. To be honest, there are some people worried about you now."
Rachel thought about Jack McEvoy, the reporter, for a moment.
"Nobody has to worry," she said. "I don't even know where he is."
"Well, if this thing finally hits the radar, you can expect to see him. He wrote a bestselling book on the first go-round. I guarantee he'll be back for the sequel."
Rachel thought about the book she had been reading on the plane and that was now in her bag. She wasn't sure whether it was the subject or the author that had drawn her to read it so many times.
"Probably."
She left it at that and pulled her jacket around her shoulders and folded her arms. She was tired, not having slept since getting the call from Dei.
She leaned her head against the side window and pretty soon she was out. Her dream of darkness returned. But this time she was not alone. She could not see anyone because she could only see blackness. But she sensed another presence. Someone close but not necessarily someone with her. She moved and turned in the darkness, trying to see who it was. She reached out but her hands touched nothing.
She heard a moaning sound and then realized it was her own voice from deep in her throat. Then she was grabbed. Something had her and shook her very hard.
Rachel opened her eyes. She saw the freeway rushing at her through the windshield. Cherie Dei let go of her jacket.
"You all right? This is the exit."
Rachel looked up at a passing green freeway sign.
ZZYZX ROAD
I MILE
She straightened up in the seat. She checked her watch and realized she had slept for over ninety minutes. Her neck was stiff and painful on the right side from leaning so long against the window. She started working it with her fingers, digging deeply into the muscle.
"You all right?" Dei asked again. "Sounded like you were having a bad one."
"I'm fine. What did I say?" "Nothing. You just sort of moaned. I think you were running
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