long-suffering brunette working the right side, and Arthur behind his counter, and the girl on her stool, way at the end. The blonde waitress came by, like before, with the same blank smile, and Reacher pointed to a booth on the right, one away from directly behind the girl, and the blonde gave them up to the brunette with no marked reluctance at all. They walked in and sat down, Reacher with his back to the room again, Turner facing him across the atomic laminate, the girl with her back to them both, about six feet away.
But she was watching them in the mirror.
Reacher waved at her reflection, partly as a greeting, partly as a
Reacher said, ‘Samantha Dayton, Susan Turner, Susan Turner, Samantha Dayton.’
The kid twisted around on the vinyl and shook hands with Turner and said, ‘Are you his assistant?’
Turner said, ‘No, I’m his commanding officer.’
‘Way cool. What agency?’
‘Military police.’
‘Awesome. Who are all the others?’
‘There’s only us and the FBI.’
‘Are you leading or are they leading?’
‘We are, of course.’
‘So it’s your guy in the white car?’
‘Yes, he’s ours.’
‘Parachuted in from where?’
‘I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.’
The kid laughed, and looked happy as a clam. The inside scoop, and a woman CO, and jokes. She said, ‘So the guy due to show up is a military guy? Like an AWOL soldier saying goodbye to his family before disappearing for ever? But why would his family have a lawyer? Or is it his lawyer? Is he a spy, or something? Like a very senior officer, all old and distinguished, but tragically disillusioned? Is he selling secrets?’
Reacher said, ‘Have you seen anyone today?’
‘The same people as yesterday.’
‘No men on their own?’
‘The man with the cropped ears is on his own today. In the rental. Maybe his partner is out sick.’
‘Where did you see him?’
‘He came down Vineland in his car. I was in the coffee shop for breakfast. Near the lawyer’s office. Although we’ll need to rethink that involvement. This thing is a triangle, isn’t it? And we don’t know which one the lawyer is working for. Could be the neighbour, could be the soldier. Could be both of them, I suppose, although I don’t see how. Or why, actually.’
Reacher asked, ‘What time did you eat breakfast?’
‘It was early. Just after the agents left.’
‘They left?’
‘Just for twenty minutes. That seems to be the pattern. You should coordinate better. Everyone moves at the same time, which leaves a gap.’
‘That’s bad.’
‘It’s OK with me. It means I can get out without them knowing. Then when I come back they’re all surprised, because they thought I was still in there.’
‘Is that what you did this morning?’
‘It’s what I’m going to do every morning.’
‘Did the man with the ears see you leave?’
‘I don’t think so.’
‘Did he see you anyplace else?’
‘I don’t think so. I was trying to blend in. Because of your people, not him. I didn’t see him. But I saw his car again later. It was parked where there was a fender bender.’
Reacher said, ‘You need to stay away from that guy.’
‘I know. You told me that yesterday. But I can’t stay in the house all day.’
Turner paused a beat, and asked, ‘How long have you lived in that house?’
‘Always, I think. I don’t remember any other houses. I’m pretty sure I was born in that house. That’s what people say, isn’t it? Even when they weren’t, exactly. Which I wasn’t, either. I was born in the hospital. But I went home to that house. Which is what the phrase means these days, I suppose, now that the whole parturition business has been institutionalized.’
Turner said, ‘Have you ever lived in a car?’
