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oice," the guy said "Mr Lane ood reasons"

Reacher tilted his cup and checked the contents Nearly gone

"You got a name?" he asked

"Do you?"

"You first"

In response the guy stuck a thumb into the breast pocket of his suit coat and slid out a black leather business card holder He opened it up and used the sale card He passed it across the table It was a handso, ink that still looked wet At the top it said: Operational Security Consultants

"OSC," Reacher said "Like the license plate"

The British guy said nothing

Reacher sot your car stolen? I can see how that could be e"

The guy said, "It's not the car we're worried about"

Lower down on the business card was a naory Under the name was a subscript:

British Army, Retired Then a job title: Executive Vice President

"How long have you been out?" Reacher asked

"Of the British Arory said "Seven years"

"Unit?"

"SAS"

'You've still got the look"

"You too," Gregory said "How long have you been out?"

"Seven years," Reacher said

"Unit?"

"US Army CID, mostly"

Gregory looked up Interested "Investigator?"

"Mostly"

"Rank?"

"I don't remember," Reacher said "I've been a civilian seven years"

"Don't be shy," Gregory said "You were probably a lieutenant colonel at least"

"Major," Reacher said "That's as far as I got"

"Career problems?"

"I had my share"

"You got a name?"

"Most people do"

"What is it?"

"Reacher"

"What are you doing now?"

"I'et a quiet cup of coffee"

"You need work?"

"No," Reacher said "I don't"

"I was a sergeant," Gregory said

Reacher nodded "I figured SAS guys usually are And you've got the look"

"So will you come with me and talk to Mr Lane?"

"I told you what I saw You can pass it on"

"Mr Lane ant to hear it direct"

Reacher checked his cup again "Where is he?"

"Not far Ten minutes"

"I don't know," Reacher said "I' my espresso"

"Bring it with you It's in a foam cup"

"I prefer peace and quiet"

"All I want is ten minutes"

"Seems like a lot of fuss over a stolen car, even if it was a Mercedes Benz"

"This is not about the car"

"So what is it about?"

"Life and death," Gregory said "Right now more likely death than life"

Reacher checked his cup again There was less than a lukewarhth-inch left, thick and scummy with espresso mud That was all He put the cup down

"OK," he said "So let's go"

CHAPTER

2

THE BLUE GERMAN sedan turned out to be a new BMW 7-series with OSC vanity plates on it Gregory unlocked it froot in the front passenger seat sideways and found the switch and ory pulled out a small silver cell phone and dialed a number

"Inco with a witness," he said, clipped and British Then he closed the phone and fired up the engine and ht traffic

The ten ory drove north on Sixth Avenue all the way through Midtown to 57th Street and then two blocks west He turned north on Eighth, through Columbus Circle, onto Central Park West, and into 72nd Street He stopped outside the Dakota

"Nice digs," Reacher said

"Only the best for Mr Lane," Gregory said, nothing in his voice

They got out together and stood on the sidewalk and another coray suit stepped out of the shadows and into the car and drove it away Gregory led Reacher into the building and up in the elevator The lobbies and the hallere as dark and baronial as the exterior

"You ever seen Yoko?" Reacher asked

"No," Gregory said

They got out on five and Gregory led the way around a corner and an apartment door opened for them The lobby staff must have called ahead The door that opened was heavy oak the color of honey and the warht that spilled out into the corridor was the color of honey, too The apartment was a tall solid space There was a s roohts and comfortable chairs and sofas all covered in printed fabric It was full of sixup, silent Three wore gray suits siory's and three were in black jeans and black nylon warm-up jackets Reacher knew iory They all had the look The apartment itself had the desperate quiet feel of a comht then turning to shit