Chapter 9 9

The Lincoln was parked by the porch, the suspension returned to its position, and the engine was turned off.For a while, no one in the car moved, and then the three doors opened together, and the three got out of the car together.Bobby and Ellie walked down the porch steps to meet him, Li Qi stepped back, and Carmen slowly got up and stepped forward, taking Li Qi's place. Sloop.Guriel left the car door open and stretched in the sun, a natural move for anyone who has been locked up for a year and a half and driven for six hours.His face and hands were very pale from being in prison, and he was overweight from eating too much mush, but he was definitely Bobby's brother, there was no doubt about it.Same hair, similar face shape, similar frame, same pose.Bobby walked up to him and hugged him tightly with open arms.Sloop hugs back, and the two sway, yell, and slap each other's shoulders in what seems like a frat house turf, like someone won a college football game.

Ellie freezes, standing behind Bobby, confused by the commotion of sounds.Sloop let go of Bobby, squatted down, and held out his hand to Ellie.Li Qi turned his head and looked at Carmen's face, her expression was tense.Ellie stood on the ground, shy and motionless, not knowing what to do, but a connection was formed in her mind, and she threw herself into Sloop's arms.Sloop lifted her into the air, hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, and held hands in circles.Carmen made some noises in her throat and turned her head away. Sloop put Ellie down and looked up at the porch, smiling triumphantly.Behind him, Bobby and his mother and Heike.Walker chatted, and the three huddled together behind the car.Shlope held out his hand, beckoning to his wife, but Carmen backed away from the railing, into the depths of the shadows.I think it's up to you to tell him.she said softly.

Think clearly.Li Qi replied softly. Let me observe first.she says. She took a deep breath, forced a smile, strode down the stairs, took Shlope's hand, and threw herself into his arms, and they kissed long enough to be sure they were husband and wife, not brother and sister , but not enough to make people feel that there is real passion between them.Behind the car, Bobby and his mother left Heike, walked around the front of the car, and walked towards the porch.Bobby showed a worried look on his face, while Rusty fanned his hands like a fan, focused his eyes on Li Qi's direction, and walked all the way up the stairs.

I heard from Bobby that he wants to invite you to lunch.She said quietly, and the man was already standing on the porch. That's pretty thoughtful.Li Qi said. Yes, it is very considerate, but today's meal is purely a family dinner. is that so?Li Qi said. Not even Heck would stay.She added, as if that was the key piece of evidence. Li Qi didn't speak. So sorry.she says.But the maid will bring things to the dormitory for you, as usual, and you boys can get together tomorrow. Li Qi was silent for a long time, then nodded.good.He said.Then I'd better not bother. Rusty smiled, and Bobby deliberately avoided his gaze, and walked into the house with his mother.Li Qi stepped down the stairs and walked into the yard, enduring the high temperature like a stove at noon.Heike.Walker walked back to the Lincoln to leave.

Really hot enough, right?he asked.With a politician's smile on his face. It's holding up.Li Qi said. The storm is coming. Everyone says so. Walker nodded.Your name is Li Qi, right? Li Qi nodded.So I guess everything is fine on the Aberlin side. Just like a mechanical clockwork.Heck said.But I'm exhausted, Texas is such a big, big place, and sometimes you forget how big it is and just keep driving.I'm going to let them celebrate and go back to sleep, thank goodness. Li Qi nodded again.Then there will be a period later! Don't forget to vote in November.Heck replied.It would be better to vote for me.

The look of embarrassment on his face was exactly the same as last night.He stopped by the car door for a while, and waved to Sloop through the roof.Sloop made a pistol gesture, facing Heike, pouted as if he had added the bullet sound effect.Heike got in the car, started the engine, reversed the turn, and drove out towards the gate.The car stopped at the door for a while, then turned right and accelerated away. After a while, a new roll of smoke appeared in the distance, drifting north along the road. Reacher turned his gaze back and watched as Sloop crossed the yard, pulling Ellie with his right hand and Carmen with his left.His eyes were narrowed under the strong light, and he looked at Carmen without saying a word, while Ellie was chattering non-stop.The family of three walked straight past him, climbing up the steps shoulder to shoulder, and then they stopped at the door. Carmen pulls in.The door slammed shut, kicking up hot dust from the porch.

For three hours, Li Qi saw no one except the maid.He stayed in the dormitory, and the woman brought him his lunch, and came back in an hour to collect the dishes.Every once in a while, Li Qi would look at the situation on the other side of the room from the window above the bathroom, but the doors were closed tightly, and there was no movement.Towards dusk, he heard conversations at the back of the stall, so he walked over there, only to find Sloop, Carmen, and Ellie walking outside.At this time, the temperature is still very high, maybe even hotter than before.Sloop looked squirmed and sweaty, his feet were rubbing back and forth on the ground, Carmen also looked nervous, her face was a little red, it might be nervousness, effort, or the frightening heat, but, also It's not impossible that she's already been slapped a few times.

Ellie, come with me to see your pony.she says. I saw it this morning, Mommy.Allie said. Carmen held out her hand.But I haven't seen it, so let's watch it again. For a moment, Ellie's face was full of confusion, and then she took Carmen's hand, and the two of them walked behind Sloop, and walked slowly towards the gate of the stall.Carmen turned her head and said to him with mouth shape as she walked: You tell him.Sloop turned, watched them go, then turned to look at Li Qi, as if seeing him for the first time. Sloop.Gurriel.He held out his hand as he spoke. When he took a closer look, Li Qi was even more sure that he was his elder brother, a smarter version of Bobby.Although he is a little older, he is much smarter.His eyes reveal that he is a smart man, but not necessarily a positive intelligence, and it is not difficult to imagine that there is some malevolence hidden in it.Li Qi shook hands with him. He has a big frame but soft muscles.The bully kind, not the fighter.

Jack.Li Qi.He said.Prison is not bad, right? There was a flash of surprise in his eyes for an instant, and then immediately changed to calmness and composure.Li Qi thought, self-control is quite good. bad.Sloop said.have you stayed And the response is fast. Yes, but on the other side of the bars.Li Qi said. Sloop nodded.Bobby told me that you were a policeman, and now you're an itinerant worker. No way, I don't have a rich father. Shroop paused.You are a soldier, right?army? Yes, Army. I've never had a good opinion of the military. I think so too. Yeah?Why? Well, I heard you evaded taxes.

There was another flash in his eyes, but it was gone quickly.Not easily irritated.Li Qi thought.However, people who have been in prison for a long time will get used to suppressing all emotions. It's a pity that you threw in the towel so early and got out of prison early. you think so? Li Qi nodded.If you can't afford to serve your sentence, then don't do bad things. You left the army, so maybe you can't stay? Li Qi smiled slightly.Thanks for starting me.he thinks. I don't have a choice.He said.In fact, they kicked me out. Oh, is it?Why? I also broke the law. Oh, what's going on?

There's a bastard colonel beating his wife, a nice young woman.He is the kind of sneaky and cunning villain who beats his wife in private and dare not make it public, so I can't find evidence, but I'm not going to let him get away with it, because it's too unreasonable and I don't like it A man who beats his wife.So one night, I just caught him alone, without any witnesses, and now he's in a wheelchair, eats through a straw, wears a bib, and drools. Slupp didn't speak, he didn't let out a breath, even the skin near the inner corner of his eyes turned dark purple, Li Qi thought: If you turn your head and leave, it's tantamount to admitting it, but Slupp didn't move, he stayed where he was, watching The air, his eyes were not focused, and then he came back to his senses, his eyes refocused, neither fast nor slow, very smart. Hearing you say that makes me feel better.He said.At least I am right not to pay taxes, because the tax money may go into your pocket. Do you think this is wrong? Of course not.Sloop said. You mean? you two.Sloop said.You, or the other one. Then he turned and left. After Li Qi returned to the dormitory, the maid brought him dinner, and then came back to collect the dishes.The sky outside was completely dark, and the insects at night began to sing wildly again.He lay down on the bed, sweating all over.The temperature has been set at about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and it seems that there is no plan to change it.The lone coyote howled again, the mountain lion roared, and the invisible bat flapped its wings. At this time, he heard light footsteps coming from the stairs of the dormitory, and he sat up just in time to see Carmen climb up to the second floor.She pressed her hand to her chest, as if she was out of breath, or maybe panicked, or both. Sloop and Bobby.she says.Talked for a long time. Did he hit you?Li Qi asked. Her hand goes to her cheek.No.she says. There's none? She turned her head away.Well, once.she says.Not very hard. I should break his hand. He called the sheriff. who? Sloop. when? Just now, after he finished speaking with Bobby, he called. Because of me? She nodded.He wants to drive you away. It doesn't matter.Li Qi said.The Sheriff will do nothing. Yeah? Li Qi nodded.I've got him before. She pauses.I have to go back now, he thought I was with Ellie. Do you want me to go with you? Not yet, let me tell him first. Don't let him hit you again, Carmen.Call for help as soon as you need it, or yell, okay?Shout out loud. Carmen walked down the stairs. I will, she said, I promise you.Is the sheriff's business all right? Don't worry.He said: "He won't do anything. But the sheriff did one thing, he threw the problem over to the state troopers.Reacher found out about it ninety minutes later, as a Texas State Troopers patrol car turned in through the gate, pointing to him.Someone reported the way, and they bypassed the stall and drove directly to the dormitory.The engine of the car was running, and there was the sound of tires pressing against the mud.Li Qi got out of bed and climbed down the stairs. When he reached the first floor, the searchlight on the windshield of the car was directly aimed at him. The light passed through the tractor parked downstairs, and the cone-shaped beam highlighted his figure.The doors opened and two state troopers got out. They are completely different from the sheriff, and they are much worse, and the levels are completely incomparable.Young, strong and professional.Both were of medium height, thin but muscular, with short military-style haircuts and neat uniforms.One of them is a squad leader and the other is a state trooper.The state trooper was Hispanic and had a shotgun in his hand. do what?Li Qi called. Come over to the hood.The captain called back. With his hands far away from his body, Li Qi slowly walked towards the car. To locate.said the captain. Li Qi put his palm on the radiator partition and bent down.The high heat of the engine came from the steel plate of the car.The state trooper pointed a gun at him, and the squad leader searched him up and down. OK, get in the car.He said. Li Qi did not move. What is this for?he asks. The owner of the farm said you were trespassing. I'm not trespassing, I'm here to work. I thought, they just fired you, so now you're trespassing, and we have to evict you. Is that a state trooper job? In such a small community, if the sheriff is off, or there is a major crime, we have to go out. Is breaking and entering a home a serious crime? No, the Echo Town Sheriff has Sunday off. When the moths found the position of the searchlight, a large group flew over and squeezed in front of the glass light sheet, but when they couldn't bear the high temperature, they flew up and then fell again.The moth flapped on Li Qi's right hand, which felt dry, pink, and surprisingly heavy. OK, I'll go.He said.I walked to the road by myself. Then you'd be a vagrant on the road, which is illegal here too, especially after dark. So where are we going? You gotta get out of the county, we'll drop you off at Pecos. They owe me money and I haven't even been paid yet. Then get in the car and we'll stop by the big house. Li Qi looked to the left at the state trooper and the shotgun in his hand. Both his man and the gun looked business-like.He looked to the left, the squad leader's hand was on the butt of his gun.The image of the two Guriel brothers appeared in Li Qi's mind, two versions of the same face, both smiling wickedly, complacent and triumphant.But it was Rusti who really called out the general to him. There is a problem.He said.Their daughter-in-law has been abused by her husband for a long time, and her husband was released from prison today. Did she file a complaint? She dared not, because the sheriff was a white bumpkin and she was a Hispanic woman from California. There is nothing we can do without a complaint. Li Qi looked at the state police on the other side, but he shrugged. Just like he said.He said.If there is no notification, we can't help you. I'm notifying you right now!Li Qi said.I'm talking to you! The state trooper shook his head.The victim must speak for himself. boarding.said the captain. You don't need this. We must. I have to stay here for that woman. Listen, man, we've been notified about your trespassing, so all we care about is whether you're welcome or not, obviously you're not. The woman wants me to stay here as her bodyguard. Is she the farm owner? No, it's not. So are you employed by her?formal? Li Qi shrugged.How much counts. Did she pay you?Do you have a contract you can show us? Li Qi didn't speak. Then get in the car! She is in danger. As long as we receive a call, we will come to rescue people immediately. She can't make a phone call, and even if she did, the sheriff won't notify you. Then there's nothing we can do, get in the car now! Li Qi didn't speak, the team leader opened the car door, and then paused. You can come back tomorrow.he whispered.The law does not say that nationals cannot seek re-employment opportunities. Li Qi took another look at the shotgun, it was a large caliber Ithaca, the muzzle was big enough for Li Qi to stick his thumb in.He also took another look at the captain's pistol. It was a Garak, in an oiled leather holster with a belt buckle, and it took half a second longer to draw it out. But now, you have to get in the car. General! good.Li Qi said.But I am not happy. Our passengers are rarely happy.The captain replied. He put his hand on Li Qi's head and let him sit in the car.It was cool in the car, and there was a thick barbed wire fence in front of the back seat.The door switches and window switches on both sides are missing, and there are many small aluminum pieces patching the holes in the doors.The seat is made of plastic, with disinfectant and a strong smell. The smell comes from the air fragrance. It is shaped like a pine tree and hangs on the front rearview mirror.There was a radar unit on the dashboard, and there was a small radio conversation below. The squad leader got into the front seat with the state trooper and drove the car in front of the big house.Except for Ellie, the Guriel family stood on the porch to watch him go. Everyone lined up behind the railing. First was Rusty, then Bobby, then Slupe, and finally Carmen. .Everyone had smiles on their faces, with the exception of Carmen.The squad leader parked the car under the porch steps and rolled down the windows. This guy said you owe him wages.he cried. For a moment, everyone fell into silence except for the chirping of insects. Then tell him to sue us!cried Barbie. Li Qi leaned forward against the bars. Carmen!He exclaimed: Si hay un problema, Ilama directamente a estos hombres! The squad leader turned his head.What? fine. So what are you going to do?the captain asked.About your money? never mind.Li Qi said. The team leader closed the window again and opened the gate of the farm.Li Qi stretched his neck, and everyone in the Guriel family watched him leave, except for Carmen.She stood there motionless, staring straight at the place where the car had just stopped.The team leader turned right onto the road, Li Qi turned his head to the other side, and they went back to the house one by one.The car accelerated vigorously, and everyone disappeared behind the car. What were you yelling at them just now?he asks. Li Qi didn't speak, and the state policeman answered for him. Spanish, he said, speaking to the woman.Meaning: Carmen, if you're in trouble, just call these guys.He has a strong accent. Li Qi didn't speak. They drove the sixty miles back, the same distance he had come in a white Cadillac earlier.They passed the small settlement at the intersection, with Ellie's school, the gas station, and the old restaurant.The team leader set the speed at a slow fifty-five miles along the way, which took an hour and five minutes.When we arrived at the intersection, the doors of all the shops were closed, and the lights of two households were on, otherwise it was pitch black.The car continued on, and no one spoke for the part of the road where Carmen was chasing the school bus.Li Qi lay sideways on the plastic chair, looking at the night outside.Twenty minutes further north, Reacher saw the turn Carmen turned down the hill, but instead of taking that road, they continued straight ahead, toward the main highway, to Pecos beyond. But they had no chance of reaching their destination.About a mile into the county road, the radio call rang, an hour and thirty-five minutes after boarding.The caller was listless, laconic, and loudly intrusive, a female dispatcher. Blue Five, Blue Five.she says. The state troopers took the microphone off the hook, pulled the wire away, and pushed the button. Blue Five, received.complete.He said. Immediately to Red House Farm, sixty miles south of Echo County North Crossroads, domestic accident reported, over. receive.The nature of the accident?complete. It is currently unknown, and the judgment is quite serious.complete. Son of a bitch.said the captain. receive.Immediately leave.The call is over.After the state police finished speaking, he hung up the microphone, turned his head and said: So she still understands your Spanish, and your accent is not too outrageous. Li Qi didn't answer, and the team leader also turned his head. Take it easy, my friend.He said.At least now we can help. I warned you.Li Qi said.You should have listened to me just now, if she is seriously injured, the blame will be on your heads, friends. The team leader didn't say much, stepped on the brake hard, and made a slow U-turn on the road, from one shoulder to the other.The front of the car was facing the south again, and the gas pedal was stepped heavily.He cranked up to a hundred mph on straight roads and no less than ninety on turns.The police lights and siren were not turned on, and there was no slowing down at all when passing the intersection.Because there is no need to, the chances of meeting another car on this road are harder than winning the lottery. It was two hours and thirty minutes from the time they left to the time they returned to the farm, ninety-five minutes north and fifty-five minutes south.The first thing that comes into view is the sheriff's second-hand patrol car, slanted in the yard, the door open, the lights flashing.The team leader turned into the dirt road and stopped behind the car. What is he doing here?He said.Not on vacation? When no one showed up, the state trooper opened the car door, and the squad leader turned off the engine and got out of the car. let me out.Li Qi said. No way, man.The captain replied.You have to stay here. They got out of the car and walked up the porch steps together, across the boards, and pushed the door.Unlocked, the two went in and the door closed.Li Qi waited for five minutes, seven minutes, ten minutes.The interior of the car gradually warmed up, and then became hot.Everything was quiet, save for an occasional interfering noise or two from the radio and the chirping of insects. Twelve minutes later, the state trooper came out alone, walked slowly back to his side of the car door, opened it, bent down, and reached for the microphone. Is she all right?Li Qi asked. The guy nodded, his face was very ugly.she's fine.He said.At least on the outside, but she's in big trouble. Why? Because the call was not about him attacking her, but instead, she shot him and killed him, so we just arrested her.