Contents
Chapter 27
Overview
Westwood’s New Mexico lead proves delusional, so the team discards three bad numbers and narrows prospects to Louisiana, Mississippi, and a Chicago volunteer room linked to “McCann.” Reacher and Chang head to West Hollywood to dig via private databases. Meanwhile, adversaries who intercepted their calls intensify surveillance, planning to monitor phone-company responses and track Chang’s phone.
Summary
Westwood calls the New Mexico number, where a defeated-sounding man recounts seeing a stranded alien craft and a police cover-up. He rejects cell phones as dangerous and knows nothing of Keever. Concluding the lead is worthless, Westwood deletes three numbers: the beam conspiracy, the radioactive granite caller, and the UFO witness.
The remaining targets are an abandoned Louisiana cell (Headley), an abandoned Mississippi cell (Ramirez), and a Chicago library volunteer room tied to a “McCann.” A fresh attempt to reach Maloney fails with no voicemail. Reacher asks for Westwood’s recent articles to profile the caller’s interests, while Westwood worries about being cut out. Chang promises to keep him in the loop, provided the story isn’t crank material.
Reacher and Chang leave for West Hollywood so Chang can use her private databases and contacts, seeking a quiet, connected hotel workspace. They fail to hail a suspicious cab and instead find one elsewhere, heading off to begin the deeper search.
South of Mother’s Rest, a well-groomed coordinator gets a report: Hackett, posing as a cabbie, intercepted Westwood’s docked-desk phone calls and logged seven dials, including the three discarded cranks and the three viable numbers, plus mentions of Keever, private detectives, and “McCann.” Ordered to provide early warning if phone companies are queried, the contact plans to grease palms. Hackett loses Reacher and Chang on the street but can locate them once Chang uses her phone.
Who Appears
- Jack ReacherPushes to profile the caller via Westwood’s articles, plans next steps, and heads to West Hollywood with Chang.
- Michelle ChangPromises to keep Westwood included; prepares to use private databases and contacts; her phone becomes a tracking target.
- Peter WestwoodCalls the New Mexico lead, discards cranks, narrows targets, fears being cut out, remains included.
- Man south of Mother’s RestAntagonistic coordinator receiving surveillance updates; orders monitoring of phone-company responses.
- HackettEavesdrops on Westwood’s calls via scanner; poses as a cabbie; loses tail but tracks Chang’s phone.
- Surveillance contactChatty intermediary reporting intercepted call details and arranging bribes for phone-company info.
- New Mexico callerUFO witness who believes in a cover-up; provides no actionable link to Keever.