Beyond Reach by Karin Slaughter Page B

was so tall and lanky that the gunbelt around his waist was pulled to the last hole, the end flopping out of the buckle like a tongue. A smattering of facial hair over his upper lip seemed to imply a mustache and the wet spot on the crown of his head suggested a cowlick he’d tried to tame before coming to the hospital. He was at least two inches taller than Jeffrey, but the stoop in his shoulders and the turtle-like bend in his neck blew the advantage. Jeffrey imagined that his mother had spent every day of his young life telling the boy to mind his posture.
    “Jake!” the nurse shrieked, punching him on the arm.
    Cook made a groaning noise, indicating he’d heard the drunk driver story the sheriff was telling one too many times. He said, “Jake, that chief’s here to see you.”
    Valentine seemed surprised to find Jeffrey standing in front of the nurses’ station. Jeffrey wondered at the act. Even if Cook hadn’t made the phone call, the hallway wasn’t that dark.
    “Jake Valentine,” the sheriff offered, shooting out his hand.
    “Tolliver.” Jeffrey returned the gesture. Despite Valentine’s slight appearance, the young man gave him a firm handshake. “This is my wife, Dr. Sara Linton.”
    Sara shook the man’s hand and managed a forced smile.
    The nurse went behind the counter and Valentine’s demeanor changed to solemn as if a switch had been flipped. He told Jeffrey and Sara, “Sorry to be meeting y’all under these circumstances.”
    “Can you tell us what happened?”
    Valentine indicated his deputy. “I figured Don here filled you in.”
    “Thought I’d leave you the pleasure,” Cook returned, giving Jeffrey a wink.
    “Darla,” Valentine said, meaning the nurse, “mind if we step into your office?”
    “Suit yourself,” she answered, thumbing through a patient’s chart. “Lemme know if y’all need anything.”
    “Actually,” Jeffrey said, “I’d really like to know how my detective is doing. Lena Adams?”
    “She’s fine,” the nurse replied. “Just got some smoke in her chest. Give her a few days and she’ll be good as new.”
    “Good,” Valentine said, as if he’d been the one to ask the question. “Up this way.” He stepped back, indicating that Jeffrey and Sara should precede him.
    Sara offered, “I can stay here if—”
    “That’s okay,” Jeffrey interrupted. Considering how quiet Sara was being, he wasn’t crazy about leaving her alone right now.
    He let Sara take the lead up the hallway, trying not to be too obvious about checking the names of the patients on each door they passed.
    Valentine spoke in a harsh whisper as they walked. “We found her at the high school last night. I live across the street. I could see the flames from my living room.”
    Jeffrey slowed his pace, wanting the younger man to catch up instead of nipping at his heels like a puppy.
    Valentine continued, “We think it was a Cadillac Escalade. No plates or registration on it, so we’re having trouble tracking it down. Parked right in the middle of the football field. Fire chief says there’s obvious signs of an accelerant, probably gasoline.”
    “Wait a minute.” Jeffrey stopped him, trying for clarity. He’d been told that there was an explosion and that Lena had been hurt. Jeffrey had assumed this had taken place in a building. “The Cadillac was torched? That’s what exploded?”
    “Right.” Valentine nodded. Still keeping his voice low, he explained, “The car was sitting smack-dab on the fifty-yard line. I’ve never seen anything burn so hot in my life. They’re gonna have a devil of a time getting an ID on the body. Fred Bart, that’s our coroner, says the heat was so intense it shattered the teeth.”
    Sara had stopped a few feet away. “There was a body in the Escalade?”
    “Yes, ma’am, in the backseat,” the sheriff confirmed.
    Sara pressed her lips together, looked at the floor. She didn’t seem surprised or even shocked by the news. Jeffrey knew what she