threats?’
‘Obviously.’
‘You know Swain?’
the researcher? I know him a little.’
‘You should promote him. Or give him a bonus. Or a big kiss
on the forehead. Because he’s the only person around here with
an original idea in his head. Us included.’
‘What’s his idea?’
‘We need to see Armstrong. As soon as possible. Me and
Neagley, alone. Then we’ll consider ourselves fired and you’ll
never see us again. And you’ll never see Bannon again, either.
Because your problem will be over a couple of days later.’
Stuyvesant put both envelopes back in his jacket.
It was the day after Thanksgiving and Armstrong was in self
imposed exile from public affairs, but arranging a meeting with
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him was intensely problematic. Straight after the morning
meeting Stuyvesant promoted one of Froelich’s original six
male rivals to replace her, and the guy was full of all kinds of
macho now-we-can-do-this-properly bullshit. He kept it firmly
under control in front of Stuyvesant because of sensitivity
issues, but he threw up every kind of obstacle he could find.
The main stumbling block was a decades-old rule that no
protectee can be alone with visitors without at least one protection
agent present. Reacher saw the logic in that. Even if they
were strip-searched for weapons he and Neagley could have
completely dismembered Armstrong in about a second and a
half. But they had to meet alone. That was vital. Stuyvesant was
reluctant to overrule the new team leader on his first day, but
eventually he quoted the Pentagon security clearances and
decreed that the presence of two agents immediately outside
the door would be sufficient. Then he called Armstrong at home
to clear it with him personally. He got off the phone and said
that Armstrong sounded a little concerned about something and
would call right back.
They waited and Armstrong called back after twenty minutes
and told Stuyvesant three things: first, his mother’s health had
taken a sudden turn for the .worse, therefore second, he wanted
to be flown out to Oregon that afternoon, therefore third, the
meeting with Reacher and Neagley would have to be short and
it would have to be delayed two hours while he packed.
So Reacher and Neagley went to Froelich’s office to wait
some more, but it had already been taken over by the new guy.
The little plant was gone. Furniture had been moved. Things
had been changed around. All that remained of Froelich was a
faint trace of her perfume in the air. So they went back to the
reception area and sprawled in the leather chairs. Watched
the muted television. It was tuned to a news channel, and they
saw Froelich die all over again, silently and in slow motion.
They saw part of Armstrong’s subsequent statement. They saw
Bannon interviewed outside the Hoover Building. They didn’t
ask for the sound to be turned up. They knew what he would be
saying. They watched football highlights from the Thanksgiving
Day games. Then Stuyvesant called them back to his office.
His secretary wasn’t there. She was clearly enjoying a long
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weekend at home. They walked through the empty area and sat
down in front of Stuyvesant’s immaculate desk while he ran
through the rules of engagement.
‘No physical contact,’ he said.
Reacher smiled. ‘Not even a handshake?’
‘I guess a handshake is OK,’ Stuyvesant said. ‘But nothing
else. And you are not to reveal anything about the current
situation. He doesn’t know, and I don’t want him to find out
from you. Is that understood?’
Reacher nodded.
‘Understood,’ Neagley said.
‘Don’t upset him and don’t harass him. Remember who he is.
And remember he’s preoccupied with his mother.’
‘OK,’ Reacher said.
Stuyvesant looked away. ‘I’ve decided I don’t want to know
why you want to see him. And I don’t want to know what
happens afterwards, if anything. But I do want to say thanks for
everything you’ve already done. Your audit will help us, and I
think you probably saved us in Bismarck, and your hearts have
been in the right place throughout, and I’m very grateful for all
of that.’
Nobody spoke.
‘I’m going to retire,’ Stuyvesant said. ‘I’d have to fight to save