“Lieutenant,” Skip said when he came on the line. “How goes it?”

“It’s been better. After the city was torn apart last night, we found Willie Vasquez dead in a Dumpster behind Air and Space.”

“Come on...”

“Sad but true. Stabbed through the heart.”

“Oh, for Christ’s sake.”

“Just had to tell his wife. Totally sucked.”

“Always does, baby girl. I don’t envy you that.”

“First time I’ve ever caught a murder when the entire city had motive.”

“That’s a tough one, but I have faith in you. You’ll get to the bottom of it. Poor Scotty. He’ll be crushed.”

“I know. Nick is getting him from school and taking him to the office for the afternoon.”

“It’ll help him to be with his dad.”

“It’s helping me to be with mine, even for a couple of minutes.”

“Aww, kid, you sure know how to pull your old man’s heartstrings.”

Sam smiled at the gruffly spoken words, fortified by the sound of his voice and his reassurances. “I’ll come by in the morning.”

“I’ll be here. Tell your boy to come see me when he gets home.”

“I will.”

“Let me know how I can help with this one.”

“I’ll do that too. Talk at ya later.”

Malone called back ten minutes later than planned. By then Sam was on her way to dozing off in the car. “I talked to the chief,” he said. “He gave the plan a green light. Hit me with a text when you’re in with the team, and we’ll call the press conference. We’re deploying people all over the city in case there’s more rioting, and we’re sending Crime Scene to the ballpark. The minute you let us know you’re with the team management, they’ll descend on the locker room and anywhere else Willie might’ve been after the game. This way the team won’t have time to prepare for their arrival. If they’ve got anything to hide, our guys will find it. Sound good?”

What it sounded like was a couple more hours before she could find a horizontal surface. “Yeah. I’m heading for the ballpark right now. I’ve got to wait for Hill, though, so give me half an hour.”

“You got it.”

“Also, before you go public, check in with Cruz to make sure Vasquez’s family in the Dominican Republic has been notified.”

“Will do.”