“You seen the news, Seth?” Franklin asked, his voice somber. “The media is starting to piece it together with these dead and maimed scientists from SeptoMed. It’s a feeding frenzy. I need answers in a hurry.”

“Ed, we just visited Leschuk’s widow and then Neil Ryland.”

Franklin placed arms across his thick chest. “What did they have to say?”

Cohen recapped the interviews while Franklin listened without interruption. When he finished, Franklin sighed. “The stuff that was going on in that building … Sounds like we have enough to pick up this Luc Martineau.”

Cohen nodded. “Ed, can I ask a favor?”

Franklin barked out a laugh. “What’s the tally now, about sixty?”

“Can we be present when you question Martineau?” Cohen asked.

Franklin studied Cohen for several seconds. “Tell you what,” he said. “You can. But your doctor friends have to watch through the mirror. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

Franklin pulled open his desk drawer and fished around inside. He held the gun and the holster out to Cohen. “It’s hot out there. I want you to carry this. I’ll take care of the paperwork.”

He accepted the gun without comment and slid it out of the holster. He recognized the .357 magnum Smith & Wesson model, having trained at the academy with the same gun. He reholstered the gun, clipped it to his belt in the small of his back, and then covered it with his shirt.

Cohen thanked Franklin and returned to the waiting taxi. Climbing inside to join the two doctors, he realized that for the past few days he’d practically lived inside one Philadelphia cab or another. As he slid into the seat, he felt the holster digging into his back. It brought no sense of security.

The driver dropped them at their hotel. Walking up to the revolving door, a bellow caught Cohen’s attention. “Christ, KC! Talk about milking Homicide’s expense account.”

Cohen turned to see Roman Leetch bounding toward him in a rumpled gray suit. His curly hair had frizzed even more in the city’s humidity and his round face was pink with perspiration. He wiped at his brow. “I thought the pilot announced we landed in Philadelphia, not frigging Ethiopia.”

Cohen grinned. “Wish I could say you get used to it after a few days.” He turned to his two companions and introduced them to Leetch.

“Wow, I feel even less educated than usual. It’s pretty intimidating when KC here is the dunce of the pack.”

Lopez smiled at Leetch, before turning to Cohen. “He’s exactly as you described.”

“Oh, yeah?” Leetch snorted. “Wait till you hear my description of him.”

Inside the lobby, Lopez and Kilburn headed off to their rooms, explaining that they needed to check in with their respective offices.