The teacher’s desk had survived. It was set at an angle in the far-left corner. A dining chair was next to it with metal legs and an orange plastic seat. There was another half dozen of the same kind of chairs in a circle in the center of the room. A beaten-up leather couch by the wall on the right. A low bookcase at its side. It was full of textbooks. About physics. A couple of French novels were lying on top. On the other side there was an army cot. It had a metal frame, painted olive green. There was a pillow in a white cotton pillowcase. Just one. A white sheet, pulled tight. And a footlocker on the floor. There was no natural light. No fresh air. It wasn’t much of a place to work or sleep.
Dendoncker headed to the right. “Against the wall. Feet apart. I’m sure this won’t be the first time you’ve done this.”
“One minute.” I made it through the door to the boys’ bathroom before the guy in the pale suit could stop me.
Inside there were two stalls. Two urinals. Two basins. And two hand dryers. Everything was small and chipped worn, but it was clean. Nothing offered many options for concealing things. I had two guns and a knife. I wasn’t too concerned if they got taken. I could easily replace them. I was more worried about the phone. I had called Wallwork from it. And Sonia. I didn’t want Dendoncker trying those numbers.
I thought about breaking the phone and flushing it away but I didn’t know if the water pressure would be up to the job. If it wasn’t I would just be drawing attention to the fact I had something to hide. So I reconsidered. All the phones I had taken from Dendoncker’s guys were blank. He was used to that kind of discipline. So he wouldn’t see anything unusual in it. I hoped. I made sure the phone was set to silent. Worked my way through the menu until I found the option to delete all call records. Put the phone away. Waved my hand under the dryer to trigger its motor. Then went back out into the classroom.
Dendoncker was standing between the pair of doors. He was fidgeting like a five-year-old. I turned and rested my hands on the wall and stood still while he searched me. He did a competent job. A little slow, but thorough. When he was done he handed me back my passport and my cash, but he kept my toothbrush and the other things.
“Come.” Dendoncker headed to the ring of dining chairs. “Sit.”
I strolled across and took the seat opposite him.
Dendoncker didn’t speak. He just sat and stared at me. His knees were pressed together. His hands were resting on his thighs. His head was tipped to one side. He looked like an inmate at a senior center, waiting for an encounter group to get started and curious to find out all about the new arrival. But if he thought his silence would fill me with the urge to share, he had picked the wrong guy.
Dendoncker gave up after two minutes. He ran the remaining finger and thumb on his right hand through his wispy hair and wet his lips with his tongue. “So. To business. But first, a question. Who do you work for, Mr. Reacher?”
“No one.”
“OK. So you’re freelance. Who hired you?”
“No one.”
“Someone did. And I know who it was. You can say his name. You won’t be breaking any confidences. Just confirming what I already know.”
“No one hired me.”
Dendoncker looked me straight in the eye. “Nader Khalil. Yes? You can nod your head. You don’t have to say a word.”
“Never heard of the guy.”
Dendoncker didn’t respond for a moment. His face was blank. I couldn’t tell if he was relieved or disappointed.
“All right.” Dendoncker shook his head. “Let’s get back on track. My proposition. It’s very simple. Easy to carry out. No one gets hurt. You and your friend walk away scot-free the moment it’s done. How does that sound?”
I said nothing.
“All the job involves is driving. And a little lifting. Easy for a guy your size. It’ll only take three days. I’ll give you the route to follow and pay for your meals and a hotel for both nights. Nice places. Then when you reach the destination you’ll drop off an item. Just one. See? Nothing could be easier. I take it you agree.”
“I do not.”
“Maybe I wasn’t clear about the alternative?” Dendoncker nodded toward the guy with the Uzi. “There’s a lot of desert around here. A lot of scavengers. They’d never find the bodies. Yours. Or your friend’s.”
“My answer’s still no. I’m not your delivery boy. And it’s better for two lives to be lost than fifty.”
“I don’t follow.” Dendoncker pretended to look confused. “How would fifty lives be lost?”