Free Get Back Jack by Diane Capri Page B

carefully for Neagley’s involuntary reactions.
    Kim’s training in human lie detection was extensive and well internalized. She’d discovered an instinct for separating the liars from the rest of the herd that had saved her ass many times. The subject’s body language was the most important indicator of truthfulness in response to surprise or threat, though it was easily missed.
    Neagley displayed nothing. No physical reactions at all. Nor did she speak. There was no question on the floor. She waited until they supplied one. She was abnormally cold. Frigid, actually. Easily the coldest potential witness they’d pressed on the subject of Reacher thus far.
    “When did you last see Reacher?” Gaspar asked.
    Neagley said, “Years ago.”
    “Where did you see him?”
    “California.”
    “How did that happen?”
    “I was having lunch and he walked into the diner.”
    “Was he working at that time?”
    “I didn’t ask.” Not exactly an answer.
    “Do you have a current address for him?”
    “He gets a pension, doesn’t he? The Army would know where they send it. So would the IRS. Ask them. You federal types are supposed to cooperate with each other these days. So cooperate.”
    This was the longest answer Neagley had provided and wasn’t even close to straight up. Kim wondered why.
    Gaspar asked, “How about a last known address?”
    Neagley grinned. The effect was not reassuring. “You can’t find him. That’s the problem, isn’t it?” She took a breath that Kim hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Don’t waste your time, Agent Gaspar. You won’t find Reacher unless he wants you to find him.”
    Kim replied, “We’re not looking for Reacher at the moment. Whether we will be looking for him or not depends on what we learn during our background check. We’re only interested in him if he’s qualified, as we said.”
    Neagley’s eyes narrowed and she looked at them as if she could see directly into their souls and divine absolutely everything about them through sheer force of will. Maybe she could.
    After a couple of moments, she reached some sort of decision. She stood and folded her hands in front of her taught stomach. Her tone was friendlier than anything she’d used thus far.
    “I haven’t seen Reacher in years. I don’t have any knowledge about his present qualifications. He’s a pretty straightforward guy. Just find him and ask him whatever you want to know. He’ll tell you or he won’t. If he doesn’t, then he’s not qualified for the job. Problem solved.” She stepped to the side of her desk and gestured toward the door. “Meanwhile, as I said, I’ve got clients waiting. Then I need to get my brother home and as you no doubt noticed, he’s not very flexible in his routines. So if there’s nothing else?”
    Neither Kim nor Gaspar rose from their chairs. Neagley didn’t seem at all flustered or bothered by their recalcitrance. She simply turned and moved to depart. Kim thought she’d leave them sitting in the office until they gave up and left.
    Kim waited until the last possible moment before she said, “You know Dave O’Donnell was murdered in his office last week, don’t you? Executed, in fact. Shot with a single bullet to the head and left to bleed out.”
    Neagley stopped. She turned her gaze toward Kim. Offered no response.
    Kim watched Neagley carefully. “And do you also know that Karla Dixon is missing, probably also dead?”
    Still, Neagley said nothing.
    Kim lowered her voice, the better to hold Neagley’s attention. “You probably know that Reacher was there. In DC. At the time O’Donnell was murdered. And in New York when Dixon disappeared. You knew that, didn’t you?”
    Neagley remained standing, but she didn’t leave the room. Nor did she respond to Kim’s questions.
    Gaspar said, “No good cop believes in that kind of coincidence, Neagley. You know that, too.”
    “Is Reacher in Chicago?” Kim asked. “Has he been here? Or are you worried that