Deborah was wrapped in an upper-body cast, sitting in bed in a sixth-floor room with a lovely view of the freeway, and although I was sure they were giving her some kind of painkiller, she did not look at all blissful when I walked into her room. Goddamn it, Dexter, she greeted me, tell them to let me the hell out of here. Or at least give me my clothes so I can leave.

I’m glad to see you’re feeling better, sister dear, I said. You’ll be on your feet in no time.

I’ll be on my feet the second they give me my goddamn clothes, she said. What the hell is going on out there? What have you been doing?

Doakes and I have set a rather neat trap, and Doakes is the bait, I said. If Dr. Danco bites, we’ll have him tonight at my, um, party. Vince’s party, I added, and I realized I wanted to distance myself from the whole idea of being engaged and it was a silly way to do it, but I felt better anyway—which apparently brought no comfort to Debs.

Your engagement party, she said, and then snarled. Shit. You got Doakes to set himself up for you. And I admit it sounded kind of elegant when she said it, but I didn’t want her thinking such things; unhappy people heal slower.

No, Deborah, seriously, I said in my best soothing voice. We’re doing this to catch Dr. Danco.

She glared at me for a long time and then, amazingly, she sniffled and fought back a tear. I have to trust you, she said. But I hate this. All I can think about is what he’s doing to Kyle.

This will work, Debs. We’ll get Kyle back. And because she was, after all, my sister, I did not add, or most of him anyway.

Christ, I hate being stuck here, she said. You need me there for backup.

We can handle this, Sis, I said. There will be a dozen cops at the party, all armed and dangerous. And I’ll be there, too, I said, feeling just a little miffed that she so undervalued my presence.

But she continued to do so. Yeah. And if Doakes gets Danco, we get Kyle back. If Danco gets Doakes, you’re off the hook. Real slick, Dexter. You win either way.

That had never occurred to me, I lied. My only thought is to serve the greater good. Besides, Doakes is supposed to be very experienced at this sort of thing. And he knows Danco.

Goddamn it, Dex, this is killing me. What if— She broke off and bit her lip. This better work, she said. He’s had Kyle too long.

This will work, Deborah, I said. But neither one of us really believed me.

____