Page 63 of Chain Reaction

Elwood said, “No ma’am, I’m feeling pretty good today.”

“You look tired.”

“I flew in early this morning. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Traditional Chinese medicine can help with that. You must restore your vital energy. Almost certainly it is currently blocked or depleted. And you should reduce stress and anxiety. We can stimulate endorphin release and combat adrenal underperformance. Finally we must restore your sleep cycle. We need to make it deeper and more restorative. Would you like to book a series of sessions?”

“Thanks, but not at the moment,” Elwood said. Then he added, “Although it’s something I might look into, in the future.”

“Then I don’t see how I can help you.”

Reacher said, “It’s about the lawyer, from Lazarus Lorenzo. We wondered if you had seen him today.”

“Which one? There are three.”

“The leftover frat boy. The one whose behavior and apparel might once have looked appropriate, but now look awkward. The one who left early yesterday and didn’t come back.”

“I have not seen him today.”

“OK,” Reacher said. “Thanks anyway.”

“I would not expect to see him yet. Too early. He’s a late arriver. Very lazy man.”

“What time does he usually get here?”

“Typically I would expect him within the next forty minutes.”

“Does he drive himself here?”

“No, he comes in a taxi that has no driver.”

“Always?”

“Without exception.”

“OK,” Reacher said again. “Good to know. Thanks for your help.”

“Would you like to stay here to observe? I could show you the best window.”

“That would be very kind.”

“Not kind at all,” the woman said. “I believe in crime prevention.”

She showed them to a small room. Once a bedroom, no doubt, now a treatment cubicle. Like a dentist’s office. Lots of satellite areas. The decor was warm and calming. There was a treatment table. There was a wide window. The blue Lazarus Lorenzo building was in the center of the view, maybe a hundred feet away. The angles both buildings were set on their respective lots meant that Lazarus Lorenzo’s front door was obliquely but clearly visible.

There were two pairs of binoculars on the windowsill.

“Perfect,” Reacher said. “Thank you very much. We appreciate it.”

“Better than communing with my tree,” the woman said.

“Much better. Although it’s a fine tree.”

“We grind its acorns for medicine. But please don’t tell the FDA.”

“We won’t,” Reacher said.

The woman left them to it. They picked up the binoculars. They rested against the treatment table, far back in the room, deep in the shadows, invisible from outside. They focused their lenses and watched and waited.