Reacher picked up the small key and examined it carefully. "When your adoptive father passed away, did he have any filing cabinets or locked boxes in his house?"
Roscoe pondered. "No, I sorted through his belongings and didn't find anything unusual."
"Then where else could he keep so important things?" Finlay asked.
"Gray was either at the police station or in this house. Wait, I never ntioned my adoptive father's suicide to you. How did you know? Did you investigate ?" Roscoe's eyes showed suspicion as she looked at Jack.
"Huh?" Jack's head was also filled with questions. He had indeed asked Justine to help him look into his adoptive father Gray's information, but Justine hadn't provided it to him yet. Where did the impression of suicide co from?
"That barber nad Mosley, the barbershop you recomnded, I rember now." He slapped his forehead.
"Back then, when Reacher was provoked by young Kleiner, I was chatting with Mr. Mosley, and he said your adoptive father, Gray Conklin, was a good man, and he was surprised that your adoptive father would commit suicide."
Jack also felt there was no need to hide it. "I learned from him that Gray had been the forr police chief of Margrave, so I took note and am having my friend help reinvestigate his death."
Roscoe narrowed her eyes dangerously. "You an, you suspect my adoptive father's death wasn't suicide?"
"What do you think? You were his closest person."
Jack threw the question back at her. "Like Reacher said, if this key really was his most important possession, why would a suicidal person hand this box to you a year before he died? To , it seems more like a preventative asure."
"He ant that he might have done it to protect . He loved very much and sent a bouquet of my favorite flowers every year on my birthday." Roscoe ran her fingers through her hair, her face contorted in pain.
Hearing Jack ntion the black barber, Reacher looked thoughtful, as if he had grasped so kind of inspiration.
"Roscoe, those photos that were displayed in the room before were of you and Gray, right?"
Roscoe didn't speak, but simply nodded with her head bowed.
"You did say before that your adoptive father went to Mosley's barbershop every week before he passed away, but in the photos, he had almost no hair on his head."
Roscoe looked up at him blankly, overwheld by a complex mix of self-bla, anger, and sadness, she had lost the ability to think clearly.
"Gray probably hid sothing that needs this key to open there, and Mosley must know sothing too," Reacher asserted.
"No rush. Our barber is still safe and sound, which ans he hasn't been exposed. We're definitely being watched now. Going to him rashly before getting rid of any potential trails will only put him in danger."
Jack waved his hand, indicating that there was no rush; his reasoning wasn't over yet.
"Roscoe, keep this key safe for now. We need to wait for the right opportunity."
Jack turned to Reacher and continued, "Speaking of young Kleiner's provocation, do you rember the scene?"
Reacher nodded, signaling him to continue.
Jack then looked at Finlay, "Do you rember what he said when you were discussing the cri scene with Reacher?"
Finlay nodded in confusion, unsure of what he ant. "He said there were at least three people at the scene: a calm gunman, soone who desecrated the body, and a person with so empathy."
"You an young Kleiner and his crazy cousin Dawson?" Reacher's eyes lit up.
Jack then asked Roscoe, "Young Kleiner is your suitor, right? Do you know how good a shot he is?"
Roscoe roughly understood. "He's a very good shot. He once bragged to about his hunting experiences in Africa."
Jack clapped his hands and pointed towards the front door. "So, is it possible that we already know the people who attacked the deceased and Reacher's brother under the overpass, the people who committed the bloodshed at Chief Morrison's house, and even the people who broke in this morning, are…"
"These sons of bitches, I'm going to kill them!" Roscoe roared and stood up, about to rush out.
Jack, who was prepared, got up from his seat almost simultaneously and blocked her way even faster. Roscoe tried to push Jack away, but he grabbed her shoulder, and she was inexplicably spun around one and a half tis before falling dizzily into Reacher's arms, who had followed her.
"Keep an eye on your girl." Jack returned to his seat and slamd his hand on the table.
"Now that I've finished my reasoning, you can each share your thoughts. Roscoe doesn't need to; you've already made yourself perfectly clear."
"I don't have any ideas. I just want to find everyone who hurt my brother and kill them all." Reacher held the still-struggling Roscoe tightly, answering expressionlessly.
"I'm a police officer. Although this town doesn't welco , I must fulfill my duty. Fighting cri is my duty." Finlay's words were a bit arrogant, but the aning was clear.
"Well then, I have a plan…" Jack hesitated, then decided to use a different word.
"I have an idea, and you can add to it anyti."
"First, we need to confirm whether the Kleiner family is the mastermind behind all this. While we don't necessarily need evidence to bring them to court, for now, it's all just my and Reacher's deduction. Joe is awake, but he doesn't trust my friends and refuses to reveal any more details besides his na and identity."
"So, we need to get to Atlanta as soon as possible to et the Reacher brother safely, without leaving any trace."
Finlay objected, "But that's difficult. Margrave is too small. Our every move will be watched by those with ulterior motives. We might be followed as soon as we leave."
Jack pointed at him, indicating his agreent, "So, it's better to make them more obvious and give them a reason to stop us."
"Paul Hubble is missing, but his wife and daughter are still alive. I'm sorry, Roscoe, I overheard your conversation with Stevenson."
Seeing Jack apologize, Roscoe, still in Reacher's arms, quickly waved her hand, indicating that she didn't care about such a small matter.
"If we take Paul's wife and daughter away and protect them at the sa ti, what do you think their reaction will be?"
Roscoe hesitated. "Charlie and I get along well; I should be able to persuade her to co with us, but wouldn't that be too dangerous? Are you using her and the two children as bait?"
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