Page 30 of Bulletproof Jack: Hunting Lee Child's Jack Reacher

“We’re meeting Westwood in his suite on the twenty-second floor. It’s not likely the elevators will be full all the way to the top,” Kim replied. “Someone will notice us, either now or later when they review the CCTV. Count on it.”

There was no street parking, and she didn’t want to use the valet, so Kim drove around to the attached parking garage on the northeast side of the building.

She embassy parked the SUV on the first floor near the elevator and emergency stairs.

Kim slipped cell phones into her pockets and checked her weapon. Russell did the same.

They climbed out of the SUV and Kim pushed the alarm button on the key fob to set the anti-theft device. She glanced around the immediate area to embed the location into her memory.

“Take the elevator to the lobby?” Russell asked, jerking his thumb in that direction.

“Let’s walk. Check out the area from the front entrance. See what we’re dealing with,” Kim said, already moving toward the street.

“Westwood is likely to be nervous. He’s got to have figured out that you lied to him by now since Lucas never called him back after that shower,” Russell said as they walked.

She shrugged. “Not much I can do about it. Lucas was dead before I knew either he or Westwood existed.”

Outside the front entrance, Kim overheard conversations in four different languages that she could identify and at least two more that she couldn’t immediately place.

English and French, since Canadians used both languages. Spanish. Italian.

The unfamiliar words might have been Farsi and Hebrew, but she wasn’t certain.

They bobbed between groups of guests talking together while waiting for the valet. On the other side of the crowd, the front doors slid open automatically, allowing Kim and Russell to enter the busy lobby.

One glance straight ahead was enough to explain the popularity of the hotel.

The entire south side of the building was a wall of glass overlooking an astonishingly mesmerizing view of The Great Niagara Falls.

Hotel guests stared in awe as more than 680,000 gallons of water tumbled over Horseshoe Falls every second. The US Falls and Bridal Veil Falls added another 75,000 gallons. The roar was nothing short of exhilarating.

Water cascading over the falls provided the deafening background soundtrack inside the hotel which raised the volume of conversation to annoying levels.

Kim made no effort to talk over the noise. Scanning the crowd for threats, she tapped Russell’s arm and moved toward the registration desk.

Guests were lined up to reach the harried personnel at the front desk.

Subtle differences in haircuts, clothing, posture, and language suggested an international mix of tourists and employees. Checking in, checking out, making hotel reservations, setting touring schedules for tomorrow, and on and on.

She didn’t see anyone she recognized, but she hadn’t expected to.

To the right of the desk was the elevator alcove housing. People were waiting to enter one of the six cars as they landed and ferried passengers both up and down.

Kim headed in that direction and Russell followed.

The first two elevator cars emptied and then refilled with people and luggage. Kim and Russell were able to squeeze onto the third car.

As the elevator stopped at each floor, guests filed out, until only one family of four was left facing the front of the car.

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Chapter 14

Friday, June 3

New York City, New York

The midtown restaurant buzzed with activity. All tables were full and a line of patrons waited to be seated. The usual upscale banter and laughter accompanied the live musicians playing softly in the corner. The air conditioning struggled to cool too many warm bodies crammed into too small a space.

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