Under the Dome

'That and a recommendation. A recommendation from Reacher goes a long way. You asked what you can do for me. The answer is twofold, both parts simple. One, get Dale Barbara out of the mess he's in. Unless you think he's guilty of the charges?'

'No, sir. I'm sure he's not. That is to say, we are. There are several of us.'

'Good. Very good.' There was no mistaking the relief in the man's voice. 'Number two, you can knock that bastard Rennie off his perch.'

'That would be Barbie's job. If… you're positive this line's secure?'

'Positive.'

'If we can get him out.'

'That's in work, is it?*

'Yes, sir, I believe so.'

'Excellent. How many brownshirts does Rennie have?'

'Currently about thirty, but he's still hiring. And here in The Mill they're blueshirts, but I take your meaning. Don't sell him short, Colonel. He's got most of this town in his pocket. We're going to try to get Barbie out, and you better hope we succeed, because I can't do much about Big Jim on my own. Toppling dictators with no help from the outside world is about six miles above my pay grade. And just FYI, my own days on the Chester's Mill PD are over. Rennie shitcanned me.'

'Keep me informed when and as you can. Spring Barbara and turn your resistance operation over to him. We'll see who ends up getting shitcanned.'

'Sir, you sort of wish you were in here, don't you?'

'With all my heart.' No hesitation. 'I'd dewheel that sonofabitch's little red wagon in about twelve hours.'

Jackie doubted that, actually; things were different under the Dome. Outsiders couldn't: understand. Even time was different. Five days ago, everything had been normal. Now look.

'One other thing,' Colonel Cox said. 'Take some time out of your busy schedule to look at the TV. We're going to do our level best to make Rennie's life uncomfortable.'

Jackie said goodbye and broke the connection. Then she walked back to where Ernie was gardening. 'Got a generator?' she asked.

'Died last night,' he said with sour good cheer.

'Well, let's go someplace where there's a working TV. My friend says we should check out the news.'

They headed for Sweetbriar Rose. On their way they met Julia Shumway and brought her along.

BUSTED

1

Sweetbriar was closed until 5 p.m., at which time Rose planned to offer a light supper, mostly leftovers. She was making potato salad and keeping an eye on the TV over the counter when the knocking on the door started. It was Jackie Wettington, Ernie Calvert, and Julia Shumway. Rose crossed the empty restaurant, wiping her hands on her apron, and unlocked the door. Horace the Corgi trotted at Julia's heel, ears up, grinning companionably. Rose made sure the CLOSED sign was still in place, then relocked the door behind them.

'Thanks,'Jackie said.

'Not at all,' Rose replied. 'I wanted to see you anyway.'

'We came for that,'Jackie said, and pointed to the TV. 'I was at Ernie's, and we met Julia on our way here. She was sitting across the street from her place, mooning at the wreckage.'

'I was not mooning,' Julia said. 'Horace and I were trying to figure how we're going to get a paper out after the town meeting. It'll have to be small—probably just two pages—but there will be a paper. My heart is set on it.'

Rose glanced back at the TV. On it, a pretty young woman was doing a stand-up. Beneath her was a banner reading EARLIER TODAY COURTESY ABC. All at once there was a bang and a fireball bloomed in the sky. The reporter flinched, cried out, wheeled around. By that point her cameraman was already zooming her out of the picture, homing in on the earthbound fragments of the Air Ireland.

'There's nothing but reruns of the plane-crash footage,' Rose said. 'If you haven't seen it before, be my guest. Jackie, I saw Barbie late this morning—I took him some sandwiches and they let me go downstairs to where the cells are. I had Melvin Searks as my chaperone.'

'Lucky you,' Jackie said.

'How is he?'Julia asked. 'Is he okay?'

'He looks like the wrath of God, but I think so, yes. He said… maybe I should tell you privately, Jackie.'

'Whatever it is, I think you can say it in front of Ernie and Julia.'

Rose considered this, but only for a moment. If Ernie Calvert and Julia Shumway weren't all right, nobody was. 'He said I was supposed to talk to you. Make up with you, as if we'd had a fight. He said to tell you that I'm all right.'

Jackie turned to Ernie and Julia. It seemed to Rose that a question was asked and answered. 'If Barbie says you are, then you are,' Jackie said, and Ernie nodded emphatically. 'Hon, we're putting together a little meeting tonight. At the Congo parsonage. It's kind of a secret—'

'Not kind of, it is', Julia said. 'And given the way things are in town right now, the secret better not get out.'

'If it's about what I think it's about, I'm in.'Then Rose lowered her voice. 'But not Anson. He's wearing one of those goddam armbands.'