“I didn’t.” Decker felt sheepish. “Rina realized it moments after I made the 911 call.”

McAdams laughed. “Well, you’re honest.”

“I almost broke my shoulder for you if that counts.”

“Maybe a teensy bit. Remind me to send your wife a dozen roses.” The kid tried to shift his position, but his leg was in traction.

“You need help?” Decker asked.

“No, I’m okay.” Tyler said, “My father’s right about one thing. I have been putzing around just to spite him.” He grimaced. “We both can’t fully inherit until I finish Harvard Law. Neither can Harvard Law. My grandfather left a shitload of money to them with the proviso that they take me and I graduate. Needless to say I could sit on my ass drooling for three years and I’d still matriculate. To prevent that, Grandpa stipulated that I have to pass three bars—New York, California, and Massachusetts. So I do actually have to learn something. We get a chunk when I enroll, another chunk when I graduate, and the final chunk when I pass all the bars. And until I do, both Dad and I are on a generous but fixed income. I don’t care. But he does.”

Decker raised his eyebrows. “Wow.”

“Yeah, wow.”

“Are you under a time pressure to accomplish all this?”

“I have until thirty to enter school. Then I have another ten years to pass all the bars. It’s not a problem. I’ve always been an excellent test taker. I’m not worried about passing or anything. I’m just procrastinating.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. Of course, I’m going to go. I’m not self-destructive. I can’t figure out what I’m waiting for other than spite and even that’s worn off.”

“I suppose you’ll do it when you’re ready.”

“You know if I die, Dad gets his share, the school’s share, and my share, so I guess it’s to his credit that he hasn’t bumped me off.”

“Tyler—”

“We should find out if he’s rented out any silver Hyundai vans.” The kid shook his head. “I’ll go this August.” He looked lost in thought. “The department will be happy to get rid of me. I know I’ve been a pain in the ass.”

Decker didn’t deny it. But he didn’t confirm it either. “Tyler, if your father’s inheritance depends on you, why do you let him talk to you that way?”

The kid shrugged. “It’s unseemly to bring it up every time I have it out with my father—which is all the time. It’s dirty fighting.”

“Good for you. You’re a better man than I.”