Chapter 51

Reacher and Chang return to Westwood’s room with the stolen guns and money, theatrically revealing a Beretta, a Glock, an Uzi, and then a huge haul of cash. They discover more than $230,000 in fresh, bank-banded hundreds beneath smaller bills. Reacher inspects the weapons and finds the handguns poorly maintained.

Reacher studies satellite images of the Mother’s Rest farm, tracing the private access road and examining each building’s utilities. He identifies likely locations for the living quarters and a supposed “suicide suite,” but finds no exhaust pipe connecting any outbuilding to it, concluding the website’s V-8 exhaust claim is a lie.

They decide the new intelligence justifies a revised approach funded by the windfall. The trio crafts a five-part, tightly synchronized plan using laptops and calls, rehearsing steps, testing contingencies, and gaming out adversary responses.

To execute purchases requiring local ID, they recruit the Oklahoma City hotel concierge to legally buy equipment. He delivers three Heckler & Koch weapons: a P7 pistol for Westwood and two MP5K submachine guns for Reacher and Chang, plus ample preloaded magazines and a small bag of hardware items.

Reacher test-assembles and dry-fires the weapons, confirming function. With seven hours remaining before action, they finalize preparations, plan to eat, and agree to regroup when it’s time to move.