The Searcher Read Free Page A

stays on me. Now, I hate to send you to the competition, which ordinarily is what I do in these situations, because I’m a helpful guy and you have a problem that needs some help. Ordinarily, that’s what I’d do. But in this instance, I have to say I don’t agree with your strategy.”
    â€œI didn’t come here for strategy advice, Mr. Hammer.”
    Hammer smiled again, beginning to mean it. A stubborn client broughtout the contrary in him. “Well, with respect, that may be your loss, Mr. Rapp.”
    The quick eyes were considering again, and Hammer could tell that the conversation had reached a crisis. Even money he would leave, but if he did he wasn’t the right sort of client in any case.
    Rapp didn’t do what most men would have done in such a situation. He didn’t narrow his eyes, or stroke his chin, or cross his arms, or try to establish his dominance by staring Hammer out. He just sat, and looked at Hammer, and thought. After perhaps half a minute he gave a little nod; Hammer reciprocated and went on, after a brief ceremonial pause to acknowledge the new footing of their relationship.
    â€œGood. OK. Twenty years ago, this company was maybe a year old, I took on a case for this well-known guy, a very successful guy in entertainment. You’d know him. A big name. And he says to me, ‘I think my wife is cheating on me, and I want you to follow her and find out.’”
    Rapp cocked his head again, but this time it meant something different. Is this relevant? We may have an understanding but my time is important.
    â€œBear with me, Mr. Rapp. I don’t enjoy this story but I think it’s something you need to hear. I tell this guy everything I’ve just told you, but I made a mistake, which was to tell him that in any case I’d have to charge him a million pounds. This was when million-pound cases weren’t so common. I shouldn’t have said it, but I thought it would end the conversation. And of course he says, fine, make it two, whatever it takes. So I have nowhere to go, and part of me is thinking, OK, this is good money, and also he’s this big guy and back then maybe I’m a little wowed by that, so we do the case. For two months we followed that poor woman everywhere she went. Team of God knows how many people. We did everything. Wired the house, the cars. We knew every step she took. No terrorist has ever been as closely watched, and I hated every minute. I have never liked a case less. And after everything, this huge operation? There was nothing going on. Not a thing. She went to the shops, she played with her kids, she had drinks with her friends. That was it. Didn’t so much as smile at another man all that time.”
    Hammer paused, took a breath, nodded to himself. Rapp was still paying attention.
    â€œI had the guy just pay me my costs, because I didn’t like myself very much by this point and didn’t want to make a profit. And a year later, less, they divorced. She met someone else and left him.”
    â€œShe knew what you had been doing?”
    â€œNo. We were spotless. Maybe he told her, but I doubt it. No. He wanted it to happen, is my guess, somewhere deep down. Or he made it impossible for it not to. Anyway, point is, some situations, you don’t need information. Information’s my business, and I believe in it, and I can see you do, too. But this guy, everything he needed to know was in his head, and in hers. He didn’t need surveillance, he needed a conversation.”
    â€œThis is what you’re saying? I should talk to my wife?”
    Hammer grinned, held his arms up. “That’s what pays for all this, Mr. Rapp, advice of that caliber. Of course you should talk to your wife, but that’s not what I’m saying. What I’m saying is, take the route you’re planning and where does it get you? It doesn’t change the situation. She breaks it off with this guy, but