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Until a guy in a suit came along, carrying a fat hardshell briefcase.

He was about five-ten, solid, probably more than forty but the right side of fifty. He had a lot of weatherbeaten miles on the clock. His suit was dark blue, and tight, and shiny from wear. His briefcase could have held anything. He walked the way a soldier would. Relaxed but wary.

“I have a possibility,” Reacher said, into the phone. “White male, forties, blue suit, briefcase.”

“Copy that,” he heard Elwood say.

“He’s passing the parking lot. He’s not going in. He’s coming your way, colonel.”

“I see him,” Elwood said, after a moment. “White male, blue suit, briefcase.”

Reacher looked south again.

“I have two more,” he said. “Walking together. Similar description. White males, dark suits, briefcases.”

“The first guy is heading for the lobby.”

“My two are going in the parking lot.”

“The first guy is in the lobby. He walked by the desk. He’s in the building.”

“My two are in the parking lot now,” Reacher said. “They’re waiting. The first guy is going to let them in through the fire door.”

“Any more coming?” he heard Turner ask.

“Negative from the south,” he said.

Elwood said, “Negative from the north.”

“OK,” Turner said. “Good to know. There are six of them in total. This is one of two crews of three. Opinions?”

“Pretty good so far,” Reacher said. “They were fast enough. They’re smart enough. I really like the suits and the briefcases. Perfect for a business hotel. I liked not overloading the lobby. They did it all very well.”

“Elwood?”

“Concur.”

“OK, I’m heading back in your direction. Tell me if they leave before I get there.”

“They’re leaving now,” Reacher said. “Repeat, leaving now. All three are in the parking lot already. They came out the fire door. That was very quick.”

“The room is trashed, remember. They took one look.”

“They’re back out on the avenue now. Standing around on the sidewalk. They’re looking all around. They’re looking for something. Now they’re looking at me. They’re looking straight at me. They’re crossing the street. They’re walking straight toward me.”

Chapter 31

The three men stepped up on the curb and crossed the sidewalk at a shallow angle. Still heading straight for Reacher. A beeline. They stopped six feet away.

In his ear he heard Turner say, “Reacher, situation report if you can, please.”

They would hear him from six feet away. He said, “Yeah, I’m heading into a meeting in a minute or two.”

“We’re on our way.”

The guys on the sidewalk glanced at him and glanced away. They were retired NCOs, without a doubt. Everything about them said so. Their briefcases were scratched black Halliburtons. Designed for a tough life in the oilfields. Big enough for MP5 submachine guns. Big enough for a lot of things. They glanced into the coffee shop. They reached some kind of unspoken decision.

In his ear Turner said, “You still OK?”