Black Jack Read online

  Black Jack

  BY

  DIANE CAPRI

  Presented By:

  AugustBooks

  Sign up for Diane Capri’s FREE newsletter and get exclusive stuff for members only.

  http://www.dianecapri.com

  Praise for

  New York Times and USA Today

  Bestselling Author

  Diane Capri

  “Full of thrills and tension, but smart and human, too. Kim Otto is a great, great character. I love her.”

  Lee Child, #1 World Wide Bestselling Author of Jack Reacher Thrillers

  “[A] welcome surprise… [W]orks from the first page to ‘The End’.”

  Larry King

  “Swift pacing and ongoing suspense are always present… [L]ikable protagonist who uses her political connections for a good cause… Readers should eagerly anticipate the next [book].”

  Top Pick, Romantic Times

  “…offers tense legal drama with courtroom overtones, twisty plot, and loads of Florida atmosphere. Recommended.”

  Library Journal

  “[A] fast-paced legal thriller…energetic prose…an appealing heroine…clever and capable supporting cast…[that will] keep readers waiting for the next [book].”

  Publishers Weekly

  “Expertise shines on every page.” Margaret Maron,

  Edgar, Anthony, Agatha and Macavity Award-Winning MWA Grand Master

  Copyright © 2018 Diane Capri, LLC

  All Rights Reserved

  Published by: AugustBooks

  http://www.AugustBooks.com

  Visit the author website:

  DianeCapri.com

  For new release notification, free offers, gifts, and general information for members only, please sign up for our Diane Capri mailing list. We don’t want to leave you out!

  CLICK HERE to Join Diane Capri’s Mailing List

  Have you read all of Diane Capri’s books? Maybe it’s time to give them a try!

  CLICK HERE for a complete list of Diane Capri Books

  Black Jack is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  License Notes:

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Publisher’s Note:

  The publisher and author do not have any control over and do not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without express written permission from the publisher. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  eISBN: 978-1-940768-99-1

  Original cover design by: CoryClubb.com

  Digital formatting by: Author E.M.S.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Reviews

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Dear Friends

  RUNNING BLIND by Lee Child

  Cast of Primary Characters

  BLACK JACK

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  More from Diane Capri

  About the Author

  Kobo Exclusive Bonus Content

  Lee Child: The Reacher Report

  DEDICATION

  Perpetually, for Lee Child, with unrelenting gratitude.

  Dear Friends,

  Black Jack is the sixth novel in my Hunt for Jack Reacher Series, and I couldn’t be more excited for you to read it! More than two million readers already love the Hunt for Jack Reacher Series books—including Jack Reacher’s creator, Lee Child, thank heavens! Whew!

  The first question new readers usually ask me is how I’m allowed to write about Jack Reacher. The short answer is that Lee Child and I are friends, and he’s a big fan of my work. I write these books with his full support, for which I’m eternally and unrelentingly grateful. I’ve included his Reacher Report at the end of this novel in case you’re not signed up to receive email from Lee directly (and you can sign up to hear from him on his website if you’d like to).

  I hope you’ll see right away why the amazing #1 worldwide publishing phenomenon Lee Child calls my work, “Full of thrills and tension, but smart and human, too.” And why Lee gave the series an enthusiastic two thumbs up when he said, “Kim Otto is a great, great character. I love her!”

  Lee also says, “Make some coffee. You’ll read all night.” If you enjoy my books, I hope you’ll recommend them to your friends who love to read mystery/thriller/suspense, too.

  The second question I often hear is about the source books. As many of you already know, every Hunt for Jack Reacher Series novel uses one of Lee Child’s Reacher novels as its source book. I’m not writing sequels here, though. FBI Special Agents Kim Otto and Carlos Gaspar have a totally new story that spins off from the source book.

  Black Jack’s source book is Running Blind (also titled The Visitor in the UK).

  The source books are fun to read either before or after my Hunt for Jack Reacher Series books, and readers tell me they love both. Each of my books is a complete story and, like Lee Child’s original novels, my books do not need to be read in any particular order. (Although many readers enjoy reading the books in publication order.)

  A list of source books and publication order is listed in the back of this book HERE and on my website here: https://dianecapri.com/books/free-book-list-pdf/

  The third most frequent question I get is when the next Hunt for Jack Reacher book will be published. Black Jack is the ninth book in my series of three short reads and six novels. I’m working on book number ten now. You can find a complete list here: http://dianecapri.com/books/

  I’m always working on a new book. Please sign up for my mail
ing list to receive advance notice of new releases and lots of other exclusive stuff for members only. You can do that here: http://dianecapri.com/get-involved/get-my-newsletter/

  While you’re waiting for a new Hunt for Jack Reacher Series book, please give my other books a try. I believe you’ll enjoy them just as much. And either way, let me know what you think. You can write to me anytime, and I hope you will. I’d love to get to know you better. You can always reach me here: http://dianecapri.com/get-involved/message/

  Meanwhile, thanks so much for reading. It’s an honor and a privilege to write for readers like you!

  Caffeinate & Carry On!

  Running Blind

  (The Visitor)

  by Lee Child

  2000

  “Maybe they weren’t looking for a killer. Maybe they were looking for somebody who would kill a killer,” Jodie said.

  “Why didn’t they just ask me straight?”

  “They can’t just ask you…. It would be a hundred percent illegal…. Because then they own you, Reacher. Two vigilante homicides with their knowledge? Right under their noses? The Bureau would own you the whole rest of your life.”

  CAST OF PRIMARY CHARACTERS

  Kim L. Otto

  Carlos M. Gaspar

  Charles Cooper

  Lamont Finlay

  Reggie Smithers

  Houston Brice

  Alan Deerfield

  Lisa Harper

  Jodie Jacob

  John Lawton

  and

  Jack Reacher

  BLACK JACK

  BY

  DIANE CAPRI

  CHAPTER ONE

  Monday, January 17

  8:35 a.m.

  Garrison, New York

  He’d never been lucky before, but today was different. Reed could feel it in his bones. The daily nausea and abdominal pain was barely noticeable for the first time in weeks, which was lucky right there. Otherwise, he might have been sleeping and missed his big break.

  The original plan he’d worked up had been excellent. One adjustment to take advantage of his luck and the plan became absolutely brilliant. All the elements had fallen into place with zero effort. Even the winter weather had become a willing accomplice. How lucky could one guy be?

  Weak sunlight had finally melted the last of the snow on the driveway yesterday. Temperatures above forty were a welcome respite from the early, bitter cold that began in late October and never let up. A white Christmas had come and gone, which meant New York residents were grateful for the brief winter thaw.

  A nor’easter was forecast tomorrow, and more storms would follow, which was also lucky, as it turned out. He’d already planned to take advantage of both the thaw and the storms, but now, when this opportunity coincided with his preparation, he seized the chance.

  He’d been watching the abandoned house for a while, which was the kind of simple task he could easily perform in spite of his worsening symptoms. Very few vehicles traveled the two-lane road in front of the house at all because of the deep snow. Only a couple of neighbors with four-wheel drive SUVs occasionally drove past to reach the small town seven miles south. The road was never plowed out, and neither was the driveway. Which made it easy to see whether anyone came or went. No one had. No visitors, no deliveries, nothing.

  He took many long naps and longer breaks without missing anything at all. He knew he hadn’t missed anything because afterward, he zoomed through the recorded video, simply to be sure. Not once in all these weeks had any kind of vehicle pulled into the long driveway.

  He grinned. Until today.

  He’d slept several uninterrupted hours for a change, which was another lucky thing because he felt rested and ready. The sunrise awakened him when the first light cleared the trees. A moment to urinate and stretch out the kinks in his muscles before he poured his last cup of hot, black coffee from the thermos, and he was alert and watching at the very moment his luck arrived.

  He’d already swallowed half the coffee when the red Lexus rounded the corner and came into view. The sun glinted off the windshield as the driver slowed and turned into the driveway.

  He found his long lens camera and snapped a few quick shots of the sedan. The license plate was New York blue and gold, but road grime obscured the number, which was perfect. Lexus sedans were common in New York. Without a specific plate number, the car could belong to almost anyone. The driver pulled all the way up to the big double garage door and parked.

  Through the lens, he watched the driver’s side door open, and a woman climbed out. Which was the moment he realized how lucky he really was.

  He continued shooting as he watched. She was covered from the neck down by a black leather coat and gloves, black pants and boots. The warmer weather had encouraged her to forego her hat and scarf, but she’d donned stylish oversized sunglasses. This just keeps getting better and better.

  Even from this distance, she was beautiful, in an ethereal way. Tall, blonde, almost painfully thin. Mid-thirties. Or close enough.

  He watched her through the long lens as she walked up the sidewalk toward the house, empty-handed. At the front door, she entered a code on the real estate agent’s lockbox, removed the key to unlock the door, and went inside.

  Damn! How great is that? Reed’s grin consumed his whole face. He relaxed in his seat.

  He glanced at the clock so he’d know precisely where to find her arrival on the video feed later.

  The house was totally empty. It was also cold and dark. The electricity had been off for weeks. Cell phone signals were weak in this area for commercial carriers, too. She wouldn’t stay inside very long.

  Almost like he felt the wheels turning in his head and clicking into place, the improved plan unfolded quickly. When he had it all worked out, he gulped the cold dregs from the plastic cup, screwed the top onto the thermos, and dropped it onto the seat. He wanted hot coffee and plenty of it, but he couldn’t get more just yet.

  He rechecked the clock. Twenty-two minutes so far. Reed wondered what she might be doing inside the house. Taking photos or video with a cell phone, probably. Nothing else was the least bit likely.

  Twelve minutes later, she stepped out through the front door and turned to close it solidly. Reed raised his long lens camera to his eye again and snapped photos in long bursts. She bent to return the key and punch the code to secure the lockbox again, closed the storm door, and tested the handle. She slipped her sunglasses on before she faced the bright sunlight, which probably seemed intense after she’d become accustomed to the dark interior of the house.

  She returned to her car and reversed the Lexus out of the long driveway. At the road, she turned toward Garrison and drove the speed limit until she rounded the corner out of sight.

  Reed checked the clock and noted the exact time. All he had to do was edit the surveillance video to remove all evidence of her departure, which he accomplished before the coffee finished brewing. The video now showed her arrive, go inside, and never come out. He didn’t even need to move the car.

  No one would check the video for a while. Why would they? No reason to check it until after the body was discovered inside the house. And if they checked the video first, before the body was found? That was okay, too. Because they’d go inside looking for her.

  It’s all good. It had been a long time since he’d felt good about anything.

  Reacher would find out. How long would it take him to come running? For her? Not long, probably.

  Reed shook his head, still smiling. He refilled his thermos with the fresh coffee. Within minutes, he was on the road tailing her red sedan. He knew right where he’d find it. He had plenty of time. The snow wouldn’t start until early tomorrow morning. Around two o’clock or so, according to the weather guys.

  He looked at his eyes reflected in the rearview mirror. “You’re one lucky bastard, you know that?”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Monday, January 17