“So take her on a field trip. She’s too smart for that place anyway. Have you seen that Common Core bullshit?”

“The answer is no.”

In his calm, grandfatherly way, Carter said, “I understand where you’re coming from, kid. You have principles. I respect that, and I would agree under normal circumstances. But people’s lives are on the line, and I have a bad feeling that those hostages aren’t the only ones in danger. We need all the help we can get. We need more pieces to the puzzle.”

“Plus his bar’s like fifteen, twenty minutes away,” Taz added. “You could have already been there in the time you been bitchin’ about it.”

Nic sighed. “But I’d have to pick up LJ from—”

Taz puckered his lips again. “She’s in the comm center. I sent a uniform to pick her up earlier.”

“That’s just great. Shaping up to be a wonderful day. Bristol’s cut my heart out twice, I took a chest full of lead for the rookie earlier, you’re sending me on errands like I’m your damn personal assistant, and my uncle may stab me to death. And I have no choice or say in any of it.”

Taz started digging in the pockets of his tactical vest and said, “I’m sorry, buddy. I thought I had some tissues and tampons in here somewhere.”

“Okay, that’s enough.”

“No, no. You can just wipe your tears on my shirt sleeve, and then we’ll find you a nice glass of warm milk.”

“You can stop now.”

Taz ignored him. “Then I’ll take you home, draw you a nice bubble bath, and you can just unwind to the sweet and soulful voice of Celine Dion.”

“Are you done?”

Taz thought about that. “Yes, I’m done.”

“What vehicle am I taking?”

“We’ll be taking Dr. Burke’s car,” Carter said.

Nic threw up his hands. “Whoa. That’s not going to happen. When I said Romeo doesn’t like feds, I misspoke. It’s more like he shoots them on sight. He’ll never talk to me again if I bring an ASAC into The Horse’s Head.”

Carter didn’t seem surprised. “I understand. But you still need a ride, and Dr. Burke isn’t a federal agent. Technically, he’s not even law enforcement.”

To Nic’s surprise, Burke actually seemed excited about the idea. “I’ve always wanted to meet a real-life mobster. I bet he has some fascinating stories.”

Nic ignored the young doctor, and looking at Carter, he said, “This will not end well. I’m not responsible if he comes out of there missing some teeth or fingers.”

“Dr. Burke can handle himself.”

Oblivious, Burke said, “By the way, I didn’t know you got shot today. That’s freaking awesome. I’ve always wanted to try that. What caliber was it?”

Chapter 43

Kruger cracked open the vault room door and looked out at the hostages. They would all be dead soon, their only crime being that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. More accurately, they had found themselves in his path. Was that really all he was? A destroyer, leaving death and pain in his wake. He had always told himself that he was no different than the lions who slaughtered his family, a predator doing what came naturally and surviving on the flesh of the weak. He had never questioned his place at the top of the food chain, but now he wasn’t sure what he believed.