Never Go Back

FIFTY-THREE

The girl put her silverware down, and her napkin, and her plate, and then she ducked back to the counter to retrieve her glass of water. She waved to the guy called Arthur and pointed at the booth, as if to say I’m moving, and then she came back with her water and put it next to her plate, and she slid along the vinyl bench, and she ended up directly opposite Reacher. Up close she looked the same as she did from a distance, but all the details were clearer. In particular her eyes, which seemed to work well with her mouth, in terms of getting all quizzical.

He said, ‘Why would you want to join me?’

She said, ‘Why wouldn’t I?’

‘You don’t know me.’

‘Are you dangerous?’

‘I could be.’

‘Arthur keeps a Colt Python under the counter, about opposite where you’re sitting. And another one at the other end. They’re both loaded. With .357 Magnums. Out of eight-inch barrels.’

‘You eat here a lot?’

‘Practically every meal, but the word would be often. Not a lot. Lot refers to quantity, and I prefer small portions.’

Reacher said nothing.

‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I can’t help it. I’m naturally pedantic.’

He said, ‘Why did you want to join me?’

‘Why did I see your car three times today?’

‘When was the third time?’

‘Technically it was the first time. I was at the lawyer’s office.’

‘Why?’

‘Curiosity.’

‘About what?’

‘About why we see the same cars three times a day.’

‘We?’

‘Those of us paying attention,’ she said. ‘Don’t play dumb, mister. There’s something going on in the neighbourhood, and we would love to know what it is. And you look like you might tell us. If I asked you nicely.’

‘Why do you think I could tell you?’

‘Because you’re one of them, cruising around all day, snooping.’

Reacher said, ‘What do you think is happening?’

‘We know you’re all over the lawyer’s office. And we know you’re all over my street. So we’re guessing someone on my street is the lawyer’s client, and they’re in some shady business together.’

‘Who on your street?’

‘That’s the big question, isn’t it? It depends on how much of a head fake you use with your parking places. We think you would want to be close to your target, but not right in front of it, because that would be too obvious. But how close? That’s what we don’t know. You could be watching a lot of different houses, if you go left and right a little ways, up and down the street.’

Reacher said, ‘What’s your name?’

‘Remember that Colt Python?’

‘Loaded.’

‘My name is Sam.’

‘Sam what?’

‘Sam Dayton. What’s your name?’

‘Is that really all you know about the operation on your street?’

‘Don’t damn us with faint praise. I think we did very well to piece that much together. You’re all very tight-lipped about it. Which is a great expression, isn’t it? Tight-lipped? But the tell is the way you move your cars between the law office and where I live. I understand why you do it, but it gives away the connection.’

‘No one has talked to you about it?’

‘Why would they?’

‘Has your mom said anything?’

‘She doesn’t pay attention. She’s very stressed.’

‘What about?’

‘Everything.’

‘What about your dad?’

‘I don’t have one. I mean, obviously I must, biologically, but I’ve never met him.’

‘Brothers or sisters?’

‘I don’t have any.’

Reacher said, ‘Who do you think we are?’

‘Federal agents, obviously. Either DEA, ATF, or FBI. This is Los Angeles. It’s always drugs or guns or money.’

‘How old are you?’

‘Almost fifteen. You didn’t tell me your name yet.’

Reacher said, ‘Reacher,’ and watched her very carefully. But there was no reaction. No spark. No aha! moment. Or no OMG!! moment, which Reacher understood to be more likely with kids. His name meant nothing to her. Nothing at all. It hadn’t been mentioned in her presence.

She said, ‘So will you tell me what’s going on?’

Reacher said, ‘Your dinner is getting cold. That’s what’s going on. You should eat.’

‘Are you eating?’

‘I already ate.’

‘So why come in?’

‘For the decor.’

‘Arthur is very proud of it. Where are you from?’

‘I move around.’

‘So you are a federal agent.’ And then she started eating some of her food, which Reacher bet himself was billed on the menu as Mom’s Amazing Meatloaf. The smell of ground beef and ketchup was unmistakable. He knew all about diners. He had spent hundreds of hours in them, and he had eaten most of what they had to offer.

She said, ‘So am I right? Is it the lawyer and a client?’

‘Partly,’ Reacher said. ‘But there’s no shady business between them. It’s more about a guy who might visit with one of them. Or both of them.’

‘A third party? With a beef?’

‘Kind of.’

‘So it’s going to be an ambush? You’re waiting for the guy to show? You’re going to bust him on my street? That would be very cool. Unless it happens at the law office. Can you choose? If you can, will you do it on my street? You should think about it anyway. The street would be safer. That little mall is busy. Is the guy dangerous?’

‘Have you seen anyone around?’

‘Only your own people. They sit in their cars and watch all day. Plus your mobile crews. The guy in the silver Malibu comes by a lot.’

‘A lot?’

‘Frequently, I should say. Or often. And the two guys in the rental. And you two in the Range Rover. But I haven’t seen a man on his own, looking dangerous.’

‘What two guys in a rental?’

‘One of them has a funny-shaped head. And cropped ears.’

‘Cropped?’

‘At first from a distance I thought they were just small. But up close you can see they’ve been cut. Like into tiny hexagons.’

‘When did you get up close with that guy?’

‘This afternoon. He was on the sidewalk outside my house.’

‘Did he say anything?’

‘Not a thing. But why would he? I’m not a lawyer or a client and I don’t have a beef with anyone.’

Reacher said, ‘I’m not authorized to tell you much, but those two guys are not with us. They’re not ours, OK? In fact they might be a part of the problem. So stay away from them. And tell your friends.’

The girl said, ‘Not so cool.’

Then Reacher’s phone rang. He was unaccustomed to carrying a phone, and at first he assumed it was someone else’s. So he ignored it. But the girl stared at his pocket, until he pulled it out. Turner’s stored number was on the screen.

He excused himself, and answered.

Turner was breathing hard.

She said, ‘I’m heading back, and I need you out front of the diner, right now.’

Some kind of tight emotion in her voice.

So Reacher clicked off the call, and left Sam Dayton alone in the booth, and went outside, and hustled through the lot to the street. A minute later he saw headlights way to his left, spaced high and wide, coming towards him fast. The old Range Rover, out of the south, in a big hurry. Then its lights lit him up and it jammed to a hard stop right next to him and he yanked the door and slid inside.

He said, ‘What’s up?’

Turner said, ‘A situation got a little out of hand.’

‘How bad?’

‘I just shot a guy.’