Full Metal Jack: Hunting Lee Child's Jack Reacher (The Hunt for Jack Reacher Series Book 13) by Diane Capri

Author:Diane Capri [Capri, Diane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: AugustBooks
Published: 2020-11-10T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Thursday, May 12

Carter’s Crossing, Mississippi

10:30 a.m.

Kim relaxed a bit. So far so good. No reason to believe she and Deveraux had to be enemies. At least, not yet. But the mayor had set a formal tone, and that suited Kim just fine. Distance, both physical and psychological, from the subjects she interviewed about Reacher was usually an asset.

“Thanks for your time, Mayor Deveraux. I’m assigned to the Special Personnel Task Force. I’m conducting a background investigation,” Kim settled more deeply into her chair and her cover story. “The subject of my inquiry is being considered for a classified assignment. It’s my job to fill in the blanks in his personnel file since he left the army fifteen years ago.”

Deveraux cocked her head in the general direction of the army base. “A lot of guys come and go through Kelham in fifteen years. I don’t even meet most of them, let alone know anything about their backgrounds.”

Kim nodded. “You met this one. He was an officer.”

“Okay. Fewer officers pass through here. But fifteen years is still a long time.” Deveraux’s cadence slowed and her eyes danced with a bit more life than before.

“It’s an important job we’re filling. We need to know the candidate is mentally, physically, and financially fit for it. So we’re being especially thorough.” It wasn’t exactly a lie.

But it wasn’t the whole truth, either. Not by a mile.

Deveraux nodded. Not wary yet. “What’s the subject’s name?”

Kim paused. This was always a tricky moment when interviewing Reacher’s known associates. Things could go quickly downhill from here.

Reactions to Reacher’s name had been varied and unpredictable and ranged from outrage to curiosity and all the emotions in between.

Kim took the calculated risk that Deveraux wouldn’t attack her here in Carter’s Crossing Town Hall. She leveled her voice and said, “The candidate is Jack Reacher. No middle name. Major Jack Reacher, when you knew him.”

Deveraux’s smile broadened and lit up her face all the way to her eyes. She wasn’t distressed in the least. Her reaction was something closer to learning she’d won the lottery.

“Really? Reacher? I figured he’d have retired or died long ago.” She shook her head slowly while thoughts of Reacher ran through her head.

“Actually, he did. Retire, I mean.”

“Not surprised.” Deveraux smiled again as if she remembered everything about Reacher fondly. “The army was so bloated back then. The world had changed and fighting changed with it. All branches of the military were getting rid of people left and right. Reacher said he’d be one of those that got pushed out before he wanted to go.”

Kim nodded and remained silent. Whatever spell Deveraux was under at the moment was causing her to talk about Reacher. Which was something Reacher’s women rarely did. Kim’s plan was to ride the wave as long as it lasted.

“What can I tell you about Reacher? He was…talented. He had skills, sure. But he also had a brain. He was clever. He could work things out. Not much of a heart, though,” she said, which made her laugh.

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