You know, you never should have retired.
Just, look. Listen.
For all I know, you were standing at an intersection
with a cardboard sign three days ago.
And I hired you. Jesus, my father was right.
- Helen. Helen. - It makes total sense now.
It's the way you live, the way you move around.
You're just not cut out for the real world, are you?
Are you afraid you'll end up like Barr?
- Helen. - Is that what this is?
Look out the window.
No, I have work to do.
- And you need to leave. - Just humour me. Okay.
Let go of me.
- Would you tell me what you see? - I see the same
things I see every day.
Well, imagine you've never seen it.
Imagine you've spent your whole life in other parts of the world
being told every day you're defending freedom.
And finally you decide you've had enough.
Time to see what you've given up your whole life for.
Maybe get some of that freedom for yourself.
Look at the people.
Now tell me which ones are free.
Free from debt.
Anxiety.
Stress.
Fear.
Failure. Indignity. Betrayal.
How many wish they were born knowing what they know now?
Ask yourself how many would do things
the same way all over again?
And how many would live their lives like me?
Now look at the silver Audi across the street,
the one that's been following me all day.
What does that prove?
Here's the tag number. How long would it take you to run it?
At this time of night? I don't know. An hour?
Do it.
Do it, and then I'll leave.
When?
No, this is my problem now. I'll handle it.
Yeah?
You're blown.
The lawyer's running the license plates.
Yeah. So do it?
Done.
Go to this address.
All right, let's just say that Barr didn't do it.
Or did it 'cause someone put him up to it.
Either way, what have you got?
Conspiracy.
Yeah, conspiracy to kill five random people?
There's no motive.
- It's ridiculous, right? - It's grassy knoll ludicrous.
No point looking any further.
Exactly.
What's this?
The motive. Just hold onto it.
What are we playing, Clue?
Yeah?
Give it to me.
Thank you.
You sure that car was following you all day?
As soon as you picked me up. Why?
It's registered to a company called Lebendauer Enterprises.
A conspiracy to kill five random people?
That's ridiculous.
Four.
Four random people.
To hide one specific target.
Someone needed Oline Archer's construction business.
And Oline wouldn't let it go.
It's a convincing theory.
But it's just a theory.
The first round is the least accurate. The snipers call it a cold shot.
Meanwhile, your eyewitness described a pause
between the first and second rounds.
The one shot where the killer took his time.
And Oline Archer was the second victim.
The one shot that mattered.
But it's just a theory.
This frame was custom made for Barr.
Whoever chose him knew about Baghdad
and the only one who could have told him about Baghdad
was Barr himself.
He has at least one friend. A very close one.
Now, you find that friend, you'll find the real shooter.
Find the real shooter? Reacher,
my job is to present the jury with reasonable doubt. Period.
What about catching the guys who really did this?
- Catching the guys who did this? - Bringing them to justice?
- No, I can't take this to court. - Exposing the truth.
Even if I believed Barr is innocent, it's not my job.
I am just a lawyer. I'm not a cop.
And frankly, neither are you.
I can't do this any more.
Thanks for the coffee, counsellor.
Sandy?
Wait, it is Sandy, isn't it?
Do I know you?
Charlie. Jeb's friend?
Oh, come on, don't break my heart.
I'm sorry, I don't remember.
Well, we were both pretty wasted.
Yeah.
- What, you live here? - Just up there.
No shit.
I just moved in around the back! How crazy is that?
It's wild.
Yeah.
Wow! You look great.
Thanks.
Well, look, you know, I don't want to keep you, so...
Maybe we can grab a drink sometime.
Yeah, maybe.
Hey, how about tonight?
I'm meeting some people.
Okay. Well, some other time, then.
Some other time.
Do it here.
What?
Reacher!
There's a gun range in Ohio, targets out to 700 yards.
The only range that matches your requirements.
You should sleep.
You have a long drive tomorrow,
and I need to go to city hall and pull up Oline's legal history.
I wouldn't do that. Not till I get back.
If I'm right, someone killed four random people
so no one would look directly at Oline.
And if I'm right, just saying her name could get you killed.
- You saying I should be scared? - Well, are you smart?
Obviously.
Then don't be scared.
What exactly am I looking for?
Someone who could kill that girl with one punch.
Oh, you want the guy in 1109.
Ernie Johnson.
You'll see.
Out of the car!
That's our suspect! Move, move!
Suspect is headed north on State Route 65.
I need backup and air support.
Hold up!
All clear!
Oh, God, I just don't believe it. I don't believe it!
I issued the warrant an hour ago.
According to the victim's boss,
Reacher was seen at her place of work this morning.
Where he threatened her boss.
The car he was driving tonight belonged to a friend of Jeb Oliver's.
The man he assaulted.
No, those guys assaulted Reacher.
Reacher put three more men in the hospital
this afternoon at Jeb Oliver's place.
After arriving in Jeb Oliver's car.
And Jeb hasn't been seen since he left the hospital.
Helen, if you know where Reacher is, you need to tell us.
I don't know where he is. I have not seen him
since he left my office a few hours ago.
- I think she's telling the truth. - You think, Dad? Fuck you!
Hey, I told you not to go near him.
You come into my home and you treat me like I'm an accessory!
- Please! You know... - All right. All right. Come on. Enough.
- Look, let me handle it. - I'm not done.
You're both done. Just get out.
This is Helen.
- I'm guessing the police are there? - Yep.
By your response I'm guessing I have about 30 seconds
before you hand them the phone.
If that.
If you believe someone could frame Barr,
you have to believe they could do the same to me.
I suppose that's possible.
She was a sweet kid, Helen.
And they killed her because of me.
They want me to run.
But I won't.
- I'm going to finish this. - No, that's not a good idea.
Listen.
Two things. One, I...
I stole your car.
If you want to end this,
just hang up the phone and report it missing.
And I'll understand.
And anything else?
I thought I'd be pushing it if I mentioned this earlier.
Now I guess all bets are off.
You need to watch what you say to Emerson and your father.
I think one of them is in on it.
All right. Thanks for calling. I have to go.
Wait. I've been followed from day one.
Only three people knew I was here.
Emerson, your father and you.
You need to ask yourself,
who has the most to lose if we clear Barr?
Who tried to warn you off me?
Of course, I could be wrong. If you think I am,
just hand over the phone.
There's no sense getting any deeper.
Who's that you're talking to?
The office.
Are we done?
Helen, listen.
- We need to... - Good night.
You got some fine shooters here.
Fine as frog's hair.
Rarer, too.
'Cause most of them fellas out there can't shoot worth a damn.
You ask them to put three rounds in the black, well,
they'll suck it.
- I'm looking for the owner. - That'd be me. Martin Cash.
Aaron Ward.
What can I do you for, Mr Ward? Ward?
Yeah. I'm looking for a friend of mine. We served in Iraq.
The guy just dropped off the grid, you know?
- It happens. Yep. - Yeah. Yeah.
Anyway, he was a shooter.
Last I heard, he lived around here somewhere and I...
When did he get out of the Army?
Well, I didn't say the Army.
Well, you said you served with him. You're no jarhead.
Man on a flying horse could see that.
Well, my father was in the Corps, if that helps.
Well, that makes you half human.
Your friend got a name?
Yeah. James Barr.
James Barr.
Never heard of him.
I think you have.
I think you've been dreading the moment
some cop comes in here asking after him.
Because it's for sure some soccer mom around here
is more worried about your range than she is about the pool in her backyard
or the drain cleaner under her sink.
Wouldn't matter to her if Barr did his killing 100 miles away,
only that he came here to rehearse.
She'd have a case to shut you down
and nothing better to do.
What do you want?
I want to know who Barr's friends were.
Those boys out there,
they're mighty touchy when it comes to their constitutional rights.
Suppose I tell them a cop is in here asking after my members?
- I'm not a cop. - What are you?
I work for Barr's attorney.
We have reason to believe he's innocent.
The hell you say.
Be that as it may, I'm the only one who's bothered to track him this far.
You help me out, I'll be in your debt.
And if I don't?
Maybe you can coach soccer.
You put three in the centre and maybe we'll talk.
Can I have a few to warm up?
Six inches right.
That's your mulligan, Mr Ward. Play ball!
Let's go.
You're a little rusty, Mr Reacher.
I saw a man by that name shoot for the Wimbledon Cup,
what, ten years ago.
And I'm pretty sure you never played second base for the Yankees
in 1925.
Now,
I'll answer one question.
Who's your best shooter?
James Barr.
I pulled all these down as soon as I heard about the shooting.
That's the best shot
I ever seen this side of civilian life.
Suppose I told you Barr wasn't this good on his best day in the Army.
I handed out those targets myself. That's my scrawl on every one.
Do you hang them downrange, too?
What, are you serious?
I'm saying it's possible that Barr had a friend.
One who switched the targets on the range.
Maybe Barr let him.
Made him feel like King Shit having his name up on your wall.
I never saw one real shooter who would do that for his own mother.
Unless he was framing his mother for multiple murder
and using your range to do it.
Barr didn't come alone, did he?
You know, one of these nuts is likely to kill you, they find that camera, there.
Hell, the camera's there
'cause one of these nuts is likely to kill me.
There's Barr.
I always liked him. Always liked him.
There.
Him.
That son of a bitch.
Helen Rodin speaking.
Got a candidate for our shooter.
Picture, possible prints
and one pissed-off eyewitness.
I can't talk right now.
Just give me three hours to get back.
And don't talk to anyone until I get there.
I'll look into that, thanks.
This is just what I could pull this morning.
Tax records, city and state permit applications, contract bids.
Shell corporation in Georgia.
That's the one next to Russia, not Florida.
They work one city at a time, acquiring a local construction concern
just ahead of major civic redevelopment.
They build bridges no one needs. Highways no one uses.
They're like a cancer. A cell that won't stop growing.
They moved 12 times in 15 years. Atlanta, Albuquerque,
Austin, Oklahoma City, Sacramento.
Always amidst allegations of corruption
including millions of dollars in missing public funds.
And yet never an investigation. Never even an inquiry.
It's as if Lebendauer Enterprises were above reproach.
Well, maybe that's because
the allegations come from the competition.
Outbid. Bitter.
Like Oline Archer.
Or maybe Lebendauer has the cooperation of key officials.
And maybe when that cooperation isn't enough,
they kill people who won't be bought off. Like Oline Archer.
Helen, how much of this do you honestly believe?
It doesn't matter how much I believe.
It doesn't even matter how much I can prove.
It only matters how much is true.
Do you know how delusional you sound?
What happened to you?
Are you really so set on putting this man to death that you'd ignore...
I pulled all of this paper under my own name.
If Jack Reacher's right,
my life, your daughter's life,
is in danger now.
Whatever happens to me next is on your head,
whether you're involved or not.
You are the District Attorney and I've given you compelling evidence
to investigate Lebendauer Enterprises.
Your next move will tell me which side you're on.
I see. It's a test.
Well, this may be hard for you to believe, but I do love you.
And obviously I'm not going to turn a blind eye,
no matter how absurd I find all of this.
So, if you really believe that you're in danger,
if you believe that,
then the next order of business,
is to put you in protective custody right now.
And how safe will I be if you're part of it?
Jesus, Helen.
Hey.
Business meeting or personal?
Hard to tell them apart.
I'll bet.
Helen?
No.
Sorry, wrong number.
Is this Reacher?
Who is this?
Is this Reacher?
It's you. The guy from the car.
It's your boyfriend.
Reacher, is it you?
Helen, are you hurt?
Well, she's gonna be if you're not here in one hour.
Do I have to tell you how this works?
You'll bounce me around to make sure I'm not followed,
then walk me into an ambush and kill me.
Aw, you ruined my surprise.
Well, I can do one better.
I went down to the gun range at Hinge Creek.
I got the picture, prints, and I'm going to the Feds.
The lawyer's all yours.
Get the Zec.
On second thought, I'd like to kill you.
Let's say winner take all.
Listen to me, you prick.
I will kill this bitch if you're not here in one...
Shit!
You think I'm a hero?
I am not a hero. I'm a drifter with nothing to lose.
You killed that girl to put me in a frame.
I mean to beat you to death and drink your blood from a boot.
Now, this is how it's going to work. You're gonna give me the address
and I'll be along when I am damn good and ready.
If she doesn't answer the phone when I call this number,
if I even think you've hurt her,
I disappear.
And if you're smart, that scares you, because I'm in your blind spot
and I have nothing better to do.
You got a pen?
Don't need one.
If I had a dollar for every time the Army called the Corps for help.
- You have something for me? - Yeah.
Here.
You're kidding, right?
Just because I saw you shoot ten years ago
doesn't mean I'll let you kill some asshole with my gun.
I told you how serious this was.
And I showed up, didn't I?
So let's get to it.
Now, your shooter will be
right up there behind those lights. Okay?
He can cover both roads coming and going.
And kill you just as soon as you stand up.
Well, can you take him out?
What, to dinner you mean?
Look, I don't know the type of people you normally associate with, Reacher.
But I'm not in the habit of driving out to the boonies at the drop of a hat
and just picking off some total strangers, all right?
Anyway, I can't see anything, not with them lights up.
So shoot them out.
Yeah, sure. And then he knows right where I am.
I might as well set myself on fire.
No, sir. I'll start shooting when he does.
And how do you propose we get him started?
Well, you could always start running.
What's wrong with your eye?
I'm saving my night vision.
Hey, Gunny, you mind if I ask you kind of a personal question?
What, you don't think I can shoot any more?
It is a perishable skill.
Yeah, well,
the sun will be up in an hour.
Let's get going.
I heard them call you the Zec.
That means "prisoner."
Yes?
Tell me, killing all those people,
I have to believe the money you're making
can't possibly be enough to just...
Enough?
There is no such thing.
We take what can be taken.
This is what we do.
And you?
This one I think I understand, but you?
Why'd you do it?
You make it sound like I had a choice.
Oh, didn't you?
You'll see.
You should know I've taken steps, that if anything happens...
If anything happens to you, it will happen in front of your father
while he begs for your life.
You should never have involved him.
Now you will have to convince him to forget, for your sake
and for his.
You say nothing, but I see defiance in your eyes.
That is a look I have seen many, many times.
When the soldier comes,
when you watch how he dies, it will change you.
You will want to forget me then.
Reacher?
Are you okay?
They're ready for you.
They'd like to think so.
Don't do this. Please don't do this. Not for me.
Listen, Helen, they're not gonna
hurt you until they have me. And that's never going to happen.
You hear me?
You just hang in there.
'Cause I'm coming to get you.
Now say you believe me.
I believe you.
This was a bad idea.
Any time now, Gunny.
Shit.
Where the hell are you, Gunny?
Suck it!
You should go.
Toss it.
I know you're in there, Emerson.
It was staring me right in the face.
The one piece that just didn't fit.
The quarter.
Nobody would have thought to dump that meter.
Not even me.
You were wrong about my father.
I wouldn't make a big thing of it.
Who is he?
That's John Doe Number Two.
The man on the grassy knoll. The thing under the bed.
They call him the Zec.
Zec? Prisoner.
What's your real name?
I was born in October.
When I get to my birthday, I'm gonna pull the trigger.
One. Two.
Chelovek. Zec Chelovek.
Chelovek?
Chelovek? Human.
Prisoner Human Being.
- That's your real name? - That is all I remember.
Call the police.
Were you really going to shoot him?
I knew I wouldn't have to.
One look at this guy and you know he'll do anything to survive.
One look at me and you know I'm not bluffing.
Yes, I have an emergency at...
Yes, I'll hold.
We're in no hurry.
With a name like yours, you're gonna feel right at home.
Prison? In America?
A retirement home. If I go to prison at all.
You think you're gonna walk?
You are a homeless drifter wanted for murder.
Meanwhile, I am an old man in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Thanks to you, who is left to say otherwise? Who?
Yes, hello? Yes, there's... I have an emergency.
We'll see which one of us goes to prison.
There are maybe three, four people dead.
- Okay. - My bet?
Neither one.
What did you do?
What's it look like?
What about the truth?
What about getting the guys who really did this?
What about bringing him to justice?
I just did.
What about clearing Barr? What about clearing you?
I have faith you'll sort it out.
And I hear you have an in with the local D.A.
But what happens to you in the meantime?
I keep moving. Same as always.
Wait, is that my car?
This the lady?
Helen Rodin, Martin Cash.
A pleasure.
You look like hell there, Army.
You asked if I was afraid I'd end up like Barr. I'm not.
I'm afraid I'll end up like this guy.
There's a lot of dead bodies out here. So let's get to it.
- We should probably go. - Wait. That's it?
It's just over?
You'll be all right, counsellor.
No. What if I need you? How will I find you?
You don't need me.
Not any more.
Get her number. Let's go!
I'm Helen Rodin, your attorney.
This conversation is protected by attorney-client privilege.
You understand what that means?
Yeah.
Now, the police didn't talk to you, did they?
They're not allowed to do that without me here.
How bad was it?
How many did I...
You don't remember anything about the incident?
No.
But I could hear the nurses talking to those cops out there.
I don't even remember wanting to do it!
Look, I'm not gonna fight this.
If they say I done it, then I did.
I done things before.
I did something bad.
Real bad.
A long time ago.
And I got away with it.
James,
how well do you know this place?
Pretty well.
And how do you think you would have done it?
I guess
I would have parked up on the highway.
The sun would be at my back that time of day.
I got a van.
Set up in back.
Wouldn't have to worry about my brass.
Get away real clean, too.
That sound about right?
Sounds as if you know your stuff.
I forget your name.
It's Helen.
Helen Rodin.
You're going to be okay, James.
I am gonna take care of you.
You can't protect me.
No one can.
From what?
From who?
There's this guy.
He's a kind of cop.
At least he used to be.
He doesn't care about the law.
He doesn't care about proof.
He only cares about what's right.
Look at me when I'm talking to you!
He knows what I did.
He knows where I am.
And this guy, he made me a promise.
I said, shut your mouth!
If I ever got in trouble again,
he'd be there.