Chapter 32

Reacher and Chang deplane in Chicago and Reacher scans the bustling concourse for the unknown adversary from LAX, seeing no sign. They exit the airport, book a suite at the Peninsula through a concierge, and ride into the city without a tail. Over a leisurely room-service dinner, they assume the Los Angeles Times will pay and anticipate an uninterrupted night.

At dawn, they finalize plans: buy burner phones and hire a black Town Car to stay ahead of surveillance. They arrange a 9 a.m. pickup and target the Lincoln Park branch library, aiming to arrive shortly after opening.

The driver takes them to the library, where they find the inquiries desk initially unattended. Hearing voices behind a “Volunteer Room” door, Reacher asks after McCann. An elderly volunteer privately tells them McCann hasn’t been seen for three to four weeks, often comes and goes, and seems unhappy, possibly due to family issues; he suggests McCann is ashamed of where he lives.

They next speak with the inquiries clerk, who refuses to share McCann’s address on privacy grounds. Reacher narrows questions to non-identifying details and learns McCann is local, likely walks to the library, and—given poor health—must live within a short distance. She confirms McCann’s first name is Peter and his son is Michael, who likely has a behavioral issue, but she still declines to provide the address.

Blocked by policy, Reacher and Chang check phone books for P. and M. McCann listings, finding too many to be useful. They leave with only impressions: McCann is nearby, in poor shape, ashamed of his housing, and burdened by a troubled son, leaving their search stalled but newly focused on a tight radius around the library.