“I hope I wasn’t too… you know, overbearing last night about wanting to hear the tape.”

“You, overbearing?”

“I made some coffee. It’s not too bad.”

“So who are you bringing up from San Diego?”

Harv stared for a few seconds. “Did someone from the office call you?”

“Nope.”

“I guess you figured it’s what I’d do.”

“Yep.”

Harv handed him a cup. “You can’t blame me.”

He took a sip. “I’m totally aboard with it.”

“It’s after eight back east, so we should make that call to Thorny. It might take him a few hours to get the visitation logs from the Castle. You still want that chat with FBI Director Lansing?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“I thought as much. He wasn’t real happy about it, but Ortega’s arranged it for you. He sounded like he’s worried about being blacklisted from the investigation. Now that James has been found, he probably will be. You’ve got a very brief window at ten-hundred this morning.” Harv winked. “I’ve been instructed to tell you to lose the phone number after you make the call. It’s a direct line to Lansing’s secretary and she’ll put you through to his cell. He’s in New York City today.”

“Good work.”

“What do you hope to accomplish?”

“I want a get-out-of-jail-free card.”

Harv just stared.

“We’re going after the Bridgestones,” Nathan said, “with or without his blessing and we don’t operate within socially acceptable boundaries. Let’s face it Harv, we’re no Ozzie-and-Harriet team. If we have to kick a few butts along the way, so be it. I just want the FBI to stay out of our way.”

“Lansing will want us to stay out of his way. I don’t think he’ll agree to what you’re asking.”

“Since blackmailing him is off the table, he definitely won’t agree. I just don’t want him running interference. Tailing us. Tapping our phones. You know the drill.”

“You really think he’d do that?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“What about Frank Ortega?” Harv asked. “How much do we tell him about what we’re doing?”

“As little as possible.”

“Because of your father?”

“Yes.”

“Ortega could still help us. I don’t think he’s been blacklisted yet, and Greg could access the NCIC database for us.”

“I’ve already got that covered.”

“Hasn’t Holly risked enough? Greg has access to nearly everything she does.”

“Nearly being the operative word.”

“Beyond access to the NCIC, what else would we need?”

Nathan sipped his coffee and said nothing.

“You want her to get the credit if we catch them.”

Nathan didn’t answer.

“The reverse is also true. She could take the fall if we screw up.”

“We aren’t going to screw up.”

“A lot of things could go wrong, Nate.”