Page 86 of Bulletproof Jack: Hunting Lee Child's Jack Reacher

Hamilton, Ontario, CA

From behind the trees fifty feet from the cabin, Liam’s view of the woman was obstructed by three things.

The distance between them.

The two vehicles in the driveway.

And the way she carried herself, straight up but sideways, which made her an even thinner target, he assumed.

She approached the door obliquely. Not as a friendly visitor would. More like a stealthy hunter closing in on a drug den or a sleeping bear. Or whatever.

Which made him wonder if she might be law enforcement. No uniform, though.

Since she was alone, maybe she’d been trained in law enforcement but wasn’t on duty now. Liam hadn’t interacted with cops much. But he had the impression they worked in groups of two or more, usually. Maybe not a cop, then.

Liam hoped she wouldn’t damage the door. She didn’t need to blast the lock or anything. If she tried the knob, the door would open easily. She could go inside, look around, do whatever she’d come to do, and leave.

But how long would that take? He noticed himself shivering now, from the cold, but also from holding the drone’s weight. The muscles in his arms were fatigued and his legs weren’t feeling all that sturdy either.

The wind had picked up again and another batch of low clouds blocked what little sunlight penetrated the dense tree cover.

Liam could barely make out the woman’s silhouette in the distance.

She didn’t shout or flash any lights or even pound on the door.

He squeezed his tired eyes closed for a second to clear his vision.

When he opened his eyes again, she was gone.

“Crap!” he muttered under his breath.

A moment later, he realized she must have opened the door fast and ducked inside when he wasn’t watching.

Which was exactly the best thing she could have done, given the alternatives.

She’d find nothing of interest and leave. But while she was inside, he swept his gaze around the immediate area, hoping to locate a better vantage spot.

He moved to a tree with a large and sturdy trunk and leaned against it, resting his elbows and the weight of the drone. Which was a marginally better position.

He grimaced. By the time she gave up altogether, his arms might fall off from supporting the weight of the Stiletto 100.

Which was a good thing to know.

When they prepared to use the drone in the field, they’d need a method for carrying it. Something he hadn’t thought of before. Also a problem he’d need to solve quickly for the FQT.

He waited ten minutes. Then he waited another five. The woman didn’t come outside.

Liam frowned. The little cabin could have been investigated thoroughly in a single glance.

“What the hell is she doing in there?” he mumbled.

But then he remembered.

He’d left a small bag with a few things on the table inside. She’d found it. She’d rummaged through the contents.

Which was okay. There was nothing in the bag that would help her.

But now she knew the cabin was being used. By a man.

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