Gerrardsville is in Colorado. One terrible occurrence. There were two witnesses. Two opposing viewpoints. One witness reports seeing a woman fling herself in front of a bus, evidently committing suicide. Jack Reacher is the other witness. And he witnesses what truly happened: a man in a grey sweatshirt and trousers, as swift and silent as a shadow, pushing the victim to her death before stealing her purse and walking away. Reacher pursues the assailant, unaware that this was no random act of violence. It's part of something far bigger...a sinister, hidden conspiracy with powerful people caught up in an elaborate scheme with no room for error. If any phase is compromised, the threat must be eliminated swiftly and permanently.