Seeing Vaill and Welcome together put a new wrinkle into Burke’s plans. He wanted to learn more about Welcome’s relationship with the FBI. Did they know each other from before? Why did they seem so close? Had Vaill gone rogue? Was that why he snuck Lou into Arbor dressed as an agent? If so, to what end? For now, their unusual association would be information to report back to Bacon and nothing more. He doubted this unexpected development would compromise his mission, but if Bacon gave the kill order, the tiger would gladly eliminate them both. Even though he actually liked Tim Vaill, there was no real emotion involved, one way or the other.

It was different for the woman, Cassie, whom he had taken out on the way to Miller. She was an anathema, a representation of the wasted entitlement spending the Neighbors had vowed to eliminate. He would have killed the freeloading Miller, too, as retribution for all money stolen by the government from those who had earned it to fund the broken man’s so-called entitlements. But his mission called for a different course of action.

When Vaill and Welcome finally drove away, Burke was just a few car lengths behind, countering every one of Vaill’s evasive maneuvers with one of his own. The streets here were fairly wide and traffic lights lasted longer than most, making it easy to maintain his tail. Burke had sped up anticipating and avoiding a yellow light, when his phone buzzed. Bacon.

“I’ve got a visual on Lou Welcome right now,” Burke said.

“And hello to you, too,” Bacon replied in a cool tone.

Burke often forgot Bacon was a Southern gentleman who, even at the oddest times, demanded civility and proper etiquette.

“Hello, Thirty-eight,” Burke said, correcting himself. “I’m on to Welcome.”

“Well, I was calling to tell you that we’ve found his hotel room. He’s staying at the Miralux Towers on Grand Street, room six-seventy-five.”

Burke keyed the address into his GPS, careful not to lose visual contact with Vaill.

“My GPS says they’re headed in that direction right now.”

“Good. I trust you’ll be able to resolve this matter fully.”

In Bacon-speak that was his way of ordering termination.

“First I’ll get the book Miller said he gave Welcome. One interesting thing—he showed up at the hospital with Tim Vaill.”

There was a pause.

“Why have those two come together?”

“I don’t know. Vaill gave Welcome an FBI Windbreaker to wear into the hospital. There’s got to be a reason.”

“Your call there,” Bacon said.

Burke knew it was Thirty-eight’s way of saying it was up to Burke’s discretion to let Vaill live or die.

“Understood. Is Miller safely there?”