bought the story, that the FBI was convinced, and then Anne was killed. I'm sure of that."
"Where was the other guy during all of this? Hobart?"
"Nobody knows for sure. He was off duty. He said he was in Philadelphia. But obviously he had been in the store, just waiting for Anne to show. He was the other half of the equation."
"Did you go to the cops at the time?"
"They ignored me," Patti said. "Remember, this all was five years ago, not long after the Twin Towers. Everyone was preoccupied. And the military was suddenly back in fashion. You know, everyone was looking for their daddy, so people like Lane were the flavour of the month. Ex-Special Forces soldiers were pretty cool back then. I was fighting an uphill battle."
"What about this cop Brewer? Now?"
"He tolerates me. What else can he do? I'm a taxpayer. But I don't suppose he's doing anything about it. I'm realistic."
"You got any evidence against Lane at all?"
"No," Patti said. "None at all. All I've got is context and feeling and intuition. That's all I can share."
"Context?"
"Do you know what a private military corporation is really for? Fundamentally?"
"Fundamentally its purpose is to allow the Pentagon to escape Congressional oversight."
"Exactly," Patti said. "They're not necessarily better fighters than people currently enlisted. Often they're worse, and they're certainly more expensive. They're there to break the rules. Simple as that. If the Geneva Conventions get in the way, it doesn't matter to them, because nobody can call them on it. The government is insulated."
"You've studied hard," Reacher said.
"So what kind of a man is Lane to participate?"
"You tell me."
"He's a sordid egomaniac weasel."
"What do you wish you had done? To keep Anne alive?"
"I should have convinced her. I should have just gotten her out of there, penniless but alive."
"Not easy," Reacher said. "You were the kid sister."
"But I knew."
"When did you move here?"
"About a year after Anne died. I couldn't let it rest."
"Does Lane know you're here?"
She shook her head. "I'm very careful. And this city is incredibly anonymous. You can go years without ever laying eyes on your neighbour."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Do?"
"You brought me here for a purpose. And you took a hell of a risk doing it."
"I think it's time for me to take risks."
"What do you want me to do?" Reacher repeated.
"I want you to just walk away from him. For your own sake. Don't dirty your hands with his business. No possible good can come of it."
Silence for a moment.
"And he's dangerous," Patti said. "More dangerous than you can know. It's not smart to be anywhere near him."
"I'll be careful," Reacher said.
"They're all dangerous."
"I'll be careful," Reacher said again. "I always am. But I'm going back there now. I'll walk away on my own schedule."
Patti Joseph said nothing.
"But I'd like to meet with this guy Brewer," Reacher said.
"Why? Because you want to trade guy jokes about the nutty little sister?"
"No," Reacher said. "Because if he's any kind of a cop at all he'll have checked with the original detectives and the FBI agents. He might have a clearer picture."
"Clearer which way?"
"Whichever way," Reacher said. "I'd like to know."
"He might be here later."
"Here?"
"He usually comes over after I phone in a report."
"You said he wasn't doing anything."
"I think he just comes for the company. I think he's lonely. He drops by, at the end of his shift, on his way home."
"Where does he live?"
"Staten Island."
"Where does he work?"
"Midtown."
"So this isn't exactly on his way home."
Patti Joseph said nothing.
"When does his shift end?" Reacher asked.
"Midnight."
"He visits you at midnight? Way out of his way?"
"I'm not involved with him or anything," Patti said. "He's lonely. I'm lonely. That's all."
Reacher said nothing.
"Make an excuse to get out," Patti said. "Check my window. If Brewer's here, the light will be on. If he isn't, it won't be."
CHAPTER 19
PATTI
"Where was the other guy during all of this? Hobart?"
"Nobody knows for sure. He was off duty. He said he was in Philadelphia. But obviously he had been in the store, just waiting for Anne to show. He was the other half of the equation."
"Did you go to the cops at the time?"
"They ignored me," Patti said. "Remember, this all was five years ago, not long after the Twin Towers. Everyone was preoccupied. And the military was suddenly back in fashion. You know, everyone was looking for their daddy, so people like Lane were the flavour of the month. Ex-Special Forces soldiers were pretty cool back then. I was fighting an uphill battle."
"What about this cop Brewer? Now?"
"He tolerates me. What else can he do? I'm a taxpayer. But I don't suppose he's doing anything about it. I'm realistic."
"You got any evidence against Lane at all?"
"No," Patti said. "None at all. All I've got is context and feeling and intuition. That's all I can share."
"Context?"
"Do you know what a private military corporation is really for? Fundamentally?"
"Fundamentally its purpose is to allow the Pentagon to escape Congressional oversight."
"Exactly," Patti said. "They're not necessarily better fighters than people currently enlisted. Often they're worse, and they're certainly more expensive. They're there to break the rules. Simple as that. If the Geneva Conventions get in the way, it doesn't matter to them, because nobody can call them on it. The government is insulated."
"You've studied hard," Reacher said.
"So what kind of a man is Lane to participate?"
"You tell me."
"He's a sordid egomaniac weasel."
"What do you wish you had done? To keep Anne alive?"
"I should have convinced her. I should have just gotten her out of there, penniless but alive."
"Not easy," Reacher said. "You were the kid sister."
"But I knew."
"When did you move here?"
"About a year after Anne died. I couldn't let it rest."
"Does Lane know you're here?"
She shook her head. "I'm very careful. And this city is incredibly anonymous. You can go years without ever laying eyes on your neighbour."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Do?"
"You brought me here for a purpose. And you took a hell of a risk doing it."
"I think it's time for me to take risks."
"What do you want me to do?" Reacher repeated.
"I want you to just walk away from him. For your own sake. Don't dirty your hands with his business. No possible good can come of it."
Silence for a moment.
"And he's dangerous," Patti said. "More dangerous than you can know. It's not smart to be anywhere near him."
"I'll be careful," Reacher said.
"They're all dangerous."
"I'll be careful," Reacher said again. "I always am. But I'm going back there now. I'll walk away on my own schedule."
Patti Joseph said nothing.
"But I'd like to meet with this guy Brewer," Reacher said.
"Why? Because you want to trade guy jokes about the nutty little sister?"
"No," Reacher said. "Because if he's any kind of a cop at all he'll have checked with the original detectives and the FBI agents. He might have a clearer picture."
"Clearer which way?"
"Whichever way," Reacher said. "I'd like to know."
"He might be here later."
"Here?"
"He usually comes over after I phone in a report."
"You said he wasn't doing anything."
"I think he just comes for the company. I think he's lonely. He drops by, at the end of his shift, on his way home."
"Where does he live?"
"Staten Island."
"Where does he work?"
"Midtown."
"So this isn't exactly on his way home."
Patti Joseph said nothing.
"When does his shift end?" Reacher asked.
"Midnight."
"He visits you at midnight? Way out of his way?"
"I'm not involved with him or anything," Patti said. "He's lonely. I'm lonely. That's all."
Reacher said nothing.
"Make an excuse to get out," Patti said. "Check my window. If Brewer's here, the light will be on. If he isn't, it won't be."
CHAPTER 19
PATTI
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