The road narrowed. The trees grew closer to the shoulder. After another 12 minutes, they came over a low rise and the reservoir appeared on the left, a long flat sheet of water held in by a curving guard rail. The gray sedan was still behind them, two cars back now. A third car appeared ahead, parked at a small turnout where the road bent along the water. As they drew closer, Richard could see the driver standing beside it, leaning casually against the door, his face turned away.
He was the same man who had stood at the gate on Monday morning. Same height, same dark jacket, same wrong hand on the door handle. "There he is," Anthony said softly. "Keep driving past." Anthony drove past. The man at the turnout straightened slightly as they went by, then turned and got into his car. In the side mirror, Richard watched the gray sedan three cars back signal and slow. "Now," Richard said. Anthony pressed a small button on the dashboard.
Two black SUVs that had been parked a quarter mile down the road pulled out and blocked both lanes. The gray sedan braked hard. The car from the turnout pulled out behind it and was immediately boxed in by a third unmarked vehicle that had been following from a side road. It happened very fast and very quietly. There were no sirens. There were no flashing lights yet. Men and women in plain clothes stepped out of the SUVs with calm and practiced efficiency.
The gray sedan was opened. The two men inside were pulled out and put on the ground. The driver from the turnout was already out of his car with his hands raised. Anthony pulled to the side of the road and stopped. He turned in his seat to look at Richard. "It is over," he said quietly. "No," Richard said. "Not yet." He took out his phone and called Marcus. "Marcus, they have the men on the road. Tell Detective Sandoval he can move on the house."