Tom looked embarrassed. “Your brother’s helped mentor me these past months and Rafe’s mom gave me cake. It was the least I could do.” He gave a final check to the cameras Mercy and Liza wore. “It’s showtime.”

SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA

TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1:45 P.M.

Rafe, Gideon, and Hunter didn’t end up sitting in the lobby but were shown to an office instead. Which was a bit of a relief, because no one had seen them come in except for the woman behind the front desk, who was not the same woman Rafe had seen when he’d been here before.

The woman who’d met them at the front door now closed the office door behind them and smoothed her nurse’s scrubs, briefly revealing the outline of a holster. “Agent Hunter, Agent Reynolds, it’s nice to meet you. Agent Molina speaks highly of you both.”

Hunter shook her hand. “Thank you and likewise. You’re Agent Simpson?”

“I am. The management here has been very cooperative. They’ve allowed us to use this office while you’re here. Please have a seat, gentlemen.”

“Thank you,” Gideon said quietly as the three of them sat in the chairs in front of the large desk. He was pale and fidgety, and Rafe would have been glad that they didn’t have to sit in a waiting room for that reason alone.

Gideon might have been decent at undercover work, but only if he wasn’t related to someone involved. Rafe was having a similar problem. He hadn’t lied to Mercy when he said he wouldn’t miss the next time he got Ephraim Burton in his sights. The motherfucker was going down.

“Detective Sokolov?”

Rafe turned to Hunter, who had a concerned look on his face. “Yes, Agent Hunter?”

“I was attempting to introduce you to Agent Simpson. She’s the lead on this operation today.”

Rafe shook her hand. “Thank you for not making us sit in the lobby.”

Simpson gave him a smile that managed to be both sharp and sympathetic. “This is not the optimal situation, Detective. If I had my way, you’d all be outside in the van, but Agent Hunter convinced his supervisor that you’d conduct yourselves professionally. This office is my best compromise. You’ll be able to monitor what’s happening in the patient’s room via the wire feed. In exchange, I need your word that you will stay in this room. The woman managing the front desk is also one of ours, as is one of the nursing aides in the room next to Mrs. Franklin’s.”

More than a little annoyed, Rafe wanted to snarl at her, but he controlled himself. A glance at Gideon showed his best friend in a similar mood. Rafe gave him a nod. “Mercy will be all right, Gid.”

“Of course she will,” Simpson said briskly. “There’s coffee in the pot and bottled water in the mini fridge. Please help yourselves, gentlemen.” She took the seat behind the desk and folded her hands. “We have made progress on tracking the payments for Mrs. Franklin’s care. The funds come from a bank here in Santa Rosa. The name on the account is Eustace Carmelo.”