Page 80 of Bulletproof Jack: Hunting Lee Child's Jack Reacher

“Good question.” Chang ran her hands through her hair again, for luck maybe. Like a child rubbing a rabbit’s foot.

“How was the dark web involved?” Russell’s tone implied that each new piece of intel Chang offered was more preposterous than the one before.

Kim was intrigued by Chang’s comments about Reacher but not totally shocked by most of it. She had been hunting Reacher long enough to know the ring of truth about him when she heard it.

In fact, Kim might know more about Reacher now than anyone else on the planet, possibly including him. He wasn’t the kind of guy who spent much time navel gazing.

But Reacher involved with the dark web? Seemed like a bridge too far.

Reacher’s profile was terrifying, sure. She’d been adding to the bare bones she’d received initially over the past seven months.

By now, the augmented Reacher profile should have allowed her to predict his behavior. And it did. Up to a point.

But Reacher had also proven to be unpredictable when she least expected it.

Mostly he did whatever the hell he pleased whenever the hell he felt like it. He didn’t need an objectively good reason.

Reacher’s rules were all that mattered.

Which was why Chang’s story hung together and fit with the few facts Kim already knew.

Even if none of it made sense.

Yet.

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Chapter 31

Saturday, June 4

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, CA

The hour was late and Kim had been running on her standard triple As for too long. She needed sleep.

Adrenaline, Ambition, and Anxiety could only carry her so far.

But she wanted to get crystal clear on the situation while Chang was in a talkative mood.

“So Westwood had written a few articles on the dark web over the years. Maybe he was some sort of expert. Sounds like Reacher might have discovered that,” Kim said thoughtfully, as if Chang were a colleague and they were working things through together.

Maybe they were. Chang had been FBI once, too, after all.

But Kim’s gut said Chang knew more than she was telling. Which could be okay. Or not. Too early to know.

Chang nodded, “Yeah.”

“That’s why he contacted Westwood,” Kim said, nodding as if those facts made any kind of sense. “But why did Westwood contact you?”

“He said Reacher suggested me. The three of us had worked on a dark web thing five years ago,” Chang said. “I guess in Reacher’s head, the idea made sense. He has a peculiar way of thinking. It’s not always easy to figure out where his head’s going, you know?”

“Hold up,” Russell interjected, palm raised like a traffic cop. “Reacher workeddirectlywith the FBI five years ago? What the hell was that about?”

“I had the impression that Reacher’s worked with the FBI in the past,” Chang explained with a frown. “But when I met him, I had already left the FBI. I was working as a private investigator. He helped me with one of my private cases.”

“And how’d that go?” Russell seemed genuinely curious.

“About like you’d expect,” Chang chuckled. “He’s a one-man SWAT team. Very handy to have around. But not so great at teamwork.”

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