“No . . . no, not at all.” Decker rubbed his eyes. “You’re still actively involved. But because of the obvious circumstances, you can’t do the legwork. If you want to heal properly, you can’t be running around.”

“I wouldn’t be running around. I’d be in a car. I can put on a seat belt.”

“As my kids would say, I’m not having this conversation.” Decker had to be blunt. “McAdams, if someone starts shooting at the car, you’re a sitting duck because you’re immobile. We have to keep you protected—”

“I don’t want protection.” A pause. “Well, I do. But I don’t want to be sitting on my ass while you get all the glory.”

“The glory is all yours, McAdams.”

“I figured out the codebook.”

“Absolutely—”

“I still have a working brain—”

“And I intend to use it. Summer Village is giving the codebook to Mordechai Gold. When he has something, I’ll go up there—”

“With your new partner.”

Decker treaded gingerly. “He’s not my new partner, Tyler. You are my partner. But Radar will pull me off the case unless I have someone to ride with me.”

“So use someone else from Greenbury.”

“The dees in the town are already stretched. They’re hunting down the van, they’re canvassing the area, they’re calling hospitals left and right because I nicked the guy at my house. They’re also knee deep in forensics combing through two houses. That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to bring in a third party.”

“Your cop buddy.”

“Tyler, he’s a great cop and we work well together.” Decker knew his words were a mistake. He tried to backtrack. “He’s bored. I’m doing him a favor.”

“Fuck it, Old Man. I don’t give a shit.” The kid sunk back in his hospital bed. “I’m tired. Leave me alone.”

“I called your parents.”

“So you not only dumped me, you’re now a traitor. Get the fuck out of here.”

“Just shut up and listen. I had to call your parents. If I didn’t do it, Radar would have called them. So I did it. You should be giving me sympathy, not sass.”

“You and my father deserve each other.”

“You’re moving into my house by the way. That way the cops here only have to guard one location.”

“I don’t need a guard.”

“Don’t be stupid. Of course you need protection and so does Rina. She was there when Mr. Shadow tried to take us both out. Mike’s putting a twenty-four-hour guard on the house and on the two of you. So whether you like it or not, you’re involved up to your neck.”

McAdams clenched his jaw. “You’re actually moving me into your house?”

“Rina’s idea not mine.”

“Figures.” A pause. “Where’s the new guy staying?”