Episode 2 of Season 3 of "Reacher" kicks off with Reacher affirming that Teresa has been secretly relocated off-campus, a maneuver seemingly executed beyond the prying eyes of surveillance cameras. The absence of blood in the basement doesn't allay his suspicions; instead, he's steadfast in his belief that Quinn and Beck are using her as a pawn in their game. But what ultimate goal are they aiming for?
Just as Reacher starts to piece things together, he's compelled to take cover as a car pulls up—Beck inside, engaged in hushed conversation with a shadowy figure named Angel. Meanwhile, on his way back to his room, Reacher overhears Duffy grilling Cooper, whom they illegally abducted for interrogation in the previous episode, about Teresa's whereabouts.
Duffy's fiery temper flares up, but fortunately, Villy, the other officer on duty, intervenes, reminding Duffy of their precarious situation: holding Cooper illegally could spell disaster if he were to talk.
Reacher narrowly makes it back to his room just as Duke arrives, explaining the urgency: they've traced the pickup used by the kidnappers, and Angel is set to escort Reacher to an impound lot 90 miles south to identify the vehicle. Reacher swiftly fills Duffy in, warning her that Beck believes a grenade exploded in the bodyguard's car—a falsehood they must uphold. With time of the essence, Duffy races against the clock to rearrange the cars, their escape route blocked.
Their efforts fall short, and Angel and Reacher arrive at the impound lot before Duffy can finish. Angel, prone to overreacting, looks poised to take a lethal shot at the officer manning the reception desk. But Reacher defuses the situation with a swift, precise punch that sends the officer sprawling to the ground.
Despite their efforts to conceal it by swiftly altering the license plate, the trio manages to deceive Angel into believing that the bodyguard's car they discovered is merely an identical model, make, and even part of the same accident—albeit occurring in a different state. Amazingly, their plan works flawlessly. A restless night ensues, resulting in a weary morning as Beck assigns Reacher the task of visiting Paulie and Duke for his next mission. Following some playful banter and pranks at the gym, the trio sets out on their journey.
Reacher is entrusted with delivering a shipment of "rugs" to New London, fully aware of the tight deadline. He cannot afford to dawdle, yet this may be their sole opportunity to uncover the truck's true contents. After informing Duffy of his plans, Reacher reaches out to Frances Neagley, seeking her assistance in conducting background checks on Beck's henchmen. She agrees just as they arrive at the truck stop. Duffy joins them, and upon inspecting the truck, they find only rugs—a fact confirmed by Duffy's associate, Dick Grunert, and his drug-sniffing dog.
Back on the road, Duffy reveals her research, uncovering that Beck boasts high-profile connections, allowing his shipments to escape scrutiny ten times less frequently than others. This suggests he might have someone in Customs on his payroll. It becomes evident that Beck serves a superior in the chain of command, and we are inclined to believe it is Quinn.
Upon delivering the rugs to their intended destination, Reacher arrives at the warehouse where Angel awaits. It transpires that their tale did not deceive him; he has been trailing Reacher the entire time. Duke is en route, but Angel seeks a word first. Contrary to his reputation as a blustery fool, he calls Reacher out on inconsistencies in his narrative, including the incident with the impound worker and the hotwiring escapade.
Unfortunately for Angel, his verbosity proves his undoing as Reacher is compelled to silence him. He informs Duke that Angel was too talkative, and the duo departs.
