Cormack was in his office. His head was bowed over manifests and schedules, and he was studying them intently. Toby was hovering near him. “OK,” Cormack was saying. “So these are the routes that all of our men are on today, throughout the morning?” Cormack was confirming with Toby. Buddy marveled at how Cormack could still care about and focus on the mundane details of his responsibilities as the head of the union with violence at his doorstep.

“Cormack, I need to talk to you,” Buddy said. He filled his voice with confidence he didn’t feel.

Cormack looked up at him the way he might look at a yipping little dog. “In a minute,” he grunted. “I got that right?” he asked Toby again.

“That’s the schedule through the afternoon,” Toby confirmed.

“They know to have their radios on and tuned, right?”

“They always do,” Toby said.

“OK.” Cormack straightened up and let out a slight groan as he arched his back. “Gettin’ too old for this,” he said to no one in particular. He looked at Toby. “You head on home,” he said. “You need to get some rest.”

“I’d rather stay here,” Toby said. “I could be useful.”

Cormack shook his head. “You’ve been doing eighteen hours a day for more than a week. And the next couple weeks may be even worse, depending on how all this shakes out. I need you sharp and running the shop while I’m dealing with … other things.”

“But—”

“No buts,” Cormack said. There was a hint of annoyance in his voice at having his directions questioned. “Go home. Come back tonight.”

“OK,” Toby said. He hobbled over to his desk and grabbed his heavy winter jacket. “You need me for anything…” he said, pausing again.

“I’ll let you know,” Cormack barked. “Now go home!” Still annoyed, Cormack turned on Buddy. “What do you want?” he demanded.

For a moment, Buddy was tempted to leave at that moment and not confront Cormack. He could be a dangerous man when pushed, and he seemed to be at his limit. He held his ground, though. “I need my phone back,” he said. “I need to talk to Diamond.”

Storm clouds gathered across Cormack’s face, but Buddy persisted.

“I know you don’t like the fact that we fell for each other. I don’t blame you. But I love her, and even if you won’t let us be together, I still have to talk to her. I have to let her know that I know about the baby. You have to let me do that, at least.”

Cormack exhaled heavily. “You can’t talk to her,” he said.

“I have to,” Buddy responded. His resolve was unbreakable now. There was no going back.

Cormack shook his head, and it looked like he might lose his temper. “You can’t,” he repeated, and there was an incongruous note of anguish in his voice.

“Why not?”