Chapter 37

Reacher and Chang send Mrs. Hopkins home, expecting police roadblocks to intercept her safely. Using Chang’s phone, they research Peter McCann’s sister, Lydia Lair, in a Phoenix suburb but find no useful contact numbers. Balancing timing and notification risks, they choose the earliest flight to Arizona, planning to reach Lydia before official briefings shape her story.

They discover Hackett’s phone received calls only from a Phoenix-area burner. A quick trace shows it was part of a bulk cash purchase, indicating disciplined operational security. Reacher calls the number, and an Eastern European–sounding man answers, eager for Hackett’s update. Reacher announces Hackett’s capture and threatens exposure, aiming to destabilize the organization. The man hangs up, likely destroying the SIM.

Chang refuses to misuse her phone contact to geo-locate the caller, honoring her professional boundaries, and they proceed to Phoenix. During the flight, they debate Mother’s Rest’s likely role as a client of a larger national outfit, which could endanger Lydia as a potential loose end.

At Sky Harbor, they wait out any watchers, then rent a bland car and drive to the Lairs’ gated community. Expecting resistance, they are instead waved through with no questions, as dozens of expensive cars crowd the Lairs’ driveway and street—a clear sign of a significant gathering.

They approach via a side gate toward the backyard where a pool party is underway. A bustling co-organizer cheerfully directs them inside, giving Reacher and Chang discreet access to the house and to Lydia, positioning them for a critical conversation.