“We’ll put Grangeland in charge of him.”

“She’ll love that. How’s the arm?”

“Better than the leg. When we get back to Sacramento, can you preflight the chopper while I get our gear from the Hyatt and clean myself up a little?”

“Not a problem.”

“I’ll drop you guys off at Sac Exec Airport and make the call to my father on the way over to the Hyatt. I’d better call Holly back.” He dialed the number from memory and quickly recapped the events at the truck stop leading up to his current situation. She kept turning the conversation to his gunshot wounds and he kept reassuring her he was okay. He told her about his call to Lansing after collaring Ernie.

“Lansing knows I know about Ortega and the failed sting,” he said. “I used it to persuade him I needed some quality time with Ernie.”

“Be careful, Nathan. Lansing can be a formidable enemy.”

“We made a deal. He looks the other way for a spell and I keep quiet about the Semtex business. It’s a good arrangement for him. He knows what’s at stake if this ever leaks. He put Grangeland under my command and she’s okay with it.”

“Nathan, I could get you SWAT backup. You don’t have to do this alone.”

“No. Harv and I can handle it. I don’t want the situation complicated by having friendlies in the area. It’s a shoot-to-kill situation now.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.”

“Neither do I, but frankly, it’s easier than trying to capture him alive.”

She had no response to that.

“We tricked Ernie into believing we have Leonard in custody and that all we’re doing is going up there to recover the cash.”

“Smart move.”

“I need your office to leak some information to the press right away. Tonight. Right now, if you can. Leonard has to believe Ernie is still on the run or he’ll never show at the money drop. You need to leak that Ernie got away and all we recovered from the truck stop was his sniper rifle and his cell phone and that the bureau’s analyzing the call logs from the carrier. Leonard will ditch his phone. He won’t risk the FBI tracking it.”

“That’s a good plan. ASAC Breckensen is dating an anchor at News Ten. I’ll take care of this right away.”

“Needless to say, don’t tell Breckensen the truth.”

“He won’t like it when he finds out.”

“We can’t worry about that right now. Leonard has to believe Ernie escaped. If it leaks he’s in custody we can kiss Leonard good-bye. He’ll disappear. This is our only chance to bag him. We won’t get another opportunity. Ever.”

“Nathan, we lost another SWAT agent at the truck stop. Three civilians too.”

“I’m sorry, Holly.”