She says that the only reason she stopped, however, is because she has a problem: Her tax-evading husband, Sloop, is coming out of prison soon, and he will inevitably continue beating her as he did so many times before, especially because he knows she was the one who informed on him.

En route, the rangers are called back: Sloop has been shot and killed, and the authorities charge Carmen with the murder after finding a gun.

Furthermore, while she is incarcerated, she suddenly confesses to the murder and firmly rejects legal help from Alice Amanda Aaron, the pro bono attorney whom Reacher had procured for her.

Reacher concludes that Hack orchestrated the current murders in order to protect his career and election chances, and that he is pressuring Carmen to confess by threatening Ellie's life.

After tracking down and subduing the third hit-man at a motel, preventing him from killing Ellie, Reacher leaves Carmen to start a new life as he hitchhikes out of Texas.

He has also said how he wanted Alice Amanda Aaron, the Harvard educated, vegetarian, lesbian, attorney Reacher hires, to be a reflection of how diverse America is; he can be quoted as saying "she's totally normal in New York, but a freak in Texas."