what looked like a very deferential manner, like majors often converse with colonels, or students with teachers.
Reacher stepped into the intimate little area and pulled out a chair and sat down at the table between them. He said, ‘Do you mind if I join you?’
Moorcroft asked, ‘Who are you?’
Sullivan said, ‘This is Major Reacher. My client. The one I was telling you about.’
Nothing in her voice.
Moorcroft looked at Reacher and said, ‘If you have things to discuss, I’m sure Major Sullivan would be happy to schedule an appointment at a more appropriate time.’
‘It’s you I want to talk to,’ Reacher said.
‘Me? About what?’
‘Susan Turner.’
‘Do you have an interest?’
‘Why has her pre-trial confinement not been appealed?’
‘You must state a legitimate interest before we can consider specifics.’
‘Any citizen has a legitimate interest in the correct application of due process against any other citizen.’
‘You think my approach has so far been incorrect?’
‘I’ll be better able to make that determination after you answer my question.’
‘Major Turner is facing a serious charge.’
‘But pre-trial confinement is not supposed to be punitive. It’s supposed to be no more rigorous than is required to ensure the accused’s presence at trial. That’s what the regulation says.’
‘Are you a lawyer? Your name doesn’t ring a bell.’
‘I was an MP. Actually, I am an MP, I suppose. All over again. Therefore I know plenty about the law.’
‘Really? In the same way a plumber understands the science behind fluid mechanics and thermodynamics?’
‘Don’t flatter yourself, colonel. It’s not brain surgery.’
‘So enlighten me, by all means.’
‘Major Turner’s situation doesn’t require confinement. She’s a commissioned officer in the United States Army. She’s not going to run.’
‘Is that a personal guarantee?’
‘Almost. She’s the commander of the 110th MP. As was I. I wouldn’t have run. She won’t, either.’
‘There are elements of treason here.’
‘Here, maybe, but not in the real world. No one is thinking treason. Or they wouldn’t have brought her here to Dyer. She’d be in the Caribbean by now.’
‘Nevertheless, it’s not a speeding ticket.’
‘She won’t run.’
‘Again, is that a personal guarantee?’
‘It’s a considered assessment.’
‘Do you even know her?’
‘Not really.’
‘So butt out, major.’
‘Why did she instruct you to prevent me from visiting?’
‘She didn’t, technically. That instruction was passed on by the duty lawyer. At some unspecified time in the late afternoon. Therefore the restriction was already in place before I took over her case, which was the next morning. Which was yesterday.’
‘I want you to ask her to reconsider.’
Moorcroft didn’t answer. Sullivan leaned into the conversation and looked at Reacher and said, ‘Captain Edmonds told me she’d met with you. About the Candice Dayton matter. She said she advised you to take proactive steps. Have you yet?’
Reacher said, ‘I’ll get to it.’
‘It should be your first priority. Nuances count, in a thing like this.’
‘I’ll get to it,’ Reacher said again.
‘This is your daughter we’re talking about here. She’s living in a car. That’s more important than a theoretical worry about Major Turner’s human rights.’
‘The kid is nearly fifteen years old in Los Angeles. No doubt she’s slept in cars before. And if she’s my kid she can take a day or two more of it.’
Moorcroft said, ‘I think Major Sullivan and Captain Edmonds are trying to make the point you might not have a day or two more. Depending on what the prosecutors decide to do about the Rodriguez issue, I mean. I imagine they’re rubbing their hands with glee. Because it’s a perfect storm. Clear evidence, plus a disastrous PR angle.’
‘The clear evidence is clear bullshit.’
Moorcroft smiled, practised and indulgent.
Reacher stepped into the intimate little area and pulled out a chair and sat down at the table between them. He said, ‘Do you mind if I join you?’
Moorcroft asked, ‘Who are you?’
Sullivan said, ‘This is Major Reacher. My client. The one I was telling you about.’
Nothing in her voice.
Moorcroft looked at Reacher and said, ‘If you have things to discuss, I’m sure Major Sullivan would be happy to schedule an appointment at a more appropriate time.’
‘It’s you I want to talk to,’ Reacher said.
‘Me? About what?’
‘Susan Turner.’
‘Do you have an interest?’
‘Why has her pre-trial confinement not been appealed?’
‘You must state a legitimate interest before we can consider specifics.’
‘Any citizen has a legitimate interest in the correct application of due process against any other citizen.’
‘You think my approach has so far been incorrect?’
‘I’ll be better able to make that determination after you answer my question.’
‘Major Turner is facing a serious charge.’
‘But pre-trial confinement is not supposed to be punitive. It’s supposed to be no more rigorous than is required to ensure the accused’s presence at trial. That’s what the regulation says.’
‘Are you a lawyer? Your name doesn’t ring a bell.’
‘I was an MP. Actually, I am an MP, I suppose. All over again. Therefore I know plenty about the law.’
‘Really? In the same way a plumber understands the science behind fluid mechanics and thermodynamics?’
‘Don’t flatter yourself, colonel. It’s not brain surgery.’
‘So enlighten me, by all means.’
‘Major Turner’s situation doesn’t require confinement. She’s a commissioned officer in the United States Army. She’s not going to run.’
‘Is that a personal guarantee?’
‘Almost. She’s the commander of the 110th MP. As was I. I wouldn’t have run. She won’t, either.’
‘There are elements of treason here.’
‘Here, maybe, but not in the real world. No one is thinking treason. Or they wouldn’t have brought her here to Dyer. She’d be in the Caribbean by now.’
‘Nevertheless, it’s not a speeding ticket.’
‘She won’t run.’
‘Again, is that a personal guarantee?’
‘It’s a considered assessment.’
‘Do you even know her?’
‘Not really.’
‘So butt out, major.’
‘Why did she instruct you to prevent me from visiting?’
‘She didn’t, technically. That instruction was passed on by the duty lawyer. At some unspecified time in the late afternoon. Therefore the restriction was already in place before I took over her case, which was the next morning. Which was yesterday.’
‘I want you to ask her to reconsider.’
Moorcroft didn’t answer. Sullivan leaned into the conversation and looked at Reacher and said, ‘Captain Edmonds told me she’d met with you. About the Candice Dayton matter. She said she advised you to take proactive steps. Have you yet?’
Reacher said, ‘I’ll get to it.’
‘It should be your first priority. Nuances count, in a thing like this.’
‘I’ll get to it,’ Reacher said again.
‘This is your daughter we’re talking about here. She’s living in a car. That’s more important than a theoretical worry about Major Turner’s human rights.’
‘The kid is nearly fifteen years old in Los Angeles. No doubt she’s slept in cars before. And if she’s my kid she can take a day or two more of it.’
Moorcroft said, ‘I think Major Sullivan and Captain Edmonds are trying to make the point you might not have a day or two more. Depending on what the prosecutors decide to do about the Rodriguez issue, I mean. I imagine they’re rubbing their hands with glee. Because it’s a perfect storm. Clear evidence, plus a disastrous PR angle.’
‘The clear evidence is clear bullshit.’
Moorcroft smiled, practised and indulgent.
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