Frankel rubbed eyes that hadn’t gotten much sleep since Grant had flown in to town. “Some kind of fucked-up family you’ve got,” the detective told them.

Grant thought about it. By supper time, every media outlet would have broadcast the story and it was certainly all over the internet by now.

“It will make this fellow’s ability to move around more difficult,” Grant admitted.

“So, what do we tell Harris?” asked Frankel. “Right now, he wants both of our asses in a sling.”

“I could say we planned it that way,” Rachel suggested. She turned to her father. “You can tell him you took me aside before the press conference and fed me the information about the Commandments for the exact reasons we’re talking about. But the story you go public with is that I managed to figure out the connection myself and the two of you just confirmed it.”

“And you’re not self-serving at all,” said Frankel with a slight grin.

“Absolutely not,” Rachel told them. “While I’m sitting with you two, I’ve probably been beaten at my own quote-unquote scoop by at least two dozen bloggers and news organizations.”

“Point taken,” Frankel said.

“So, what do you think?” asked Rachel.

Grant turned to Frankel. “Unless you have a better idea, I say we give it a try.”

“If it’ll keep Harris off our tails and let us do our job, I’m all for it,” said Frankel.

“Does this mean I don’t have to get grilled by your lieutenant?” asked Rachel.

“I think we can cover you there,” Grant told her. “Provided we meet for dinner later.”

Rachel raised an eyebrow. “Two meals in two days, Dad? That’s . . .”

“. . . twice as many as we’ve had in a couple of years,” Grant said, finishing the thought. “If we’re going to continue this charade, it’s probably a good idea to make sure our stories line up going forward.”

“Strangely enough, that makes sense to me.” Rachel looked at Frankel. “Maybe you want to join us, Detective? Bring along a whistle and a striped shirt?”

Frankel let out another laugh.

“Like I said—you’re one fucked-up family.”

Harris seemed to go for it.

Either the lieutenant thought revealing the Commandments to make the killer’s life harder and warn New Yorkers was a good idea or Harris had no one to replace the two top cops in the investigation.

Grant suspected it was a bit of both.

He offered up an apology for keeping Harris in the dark about the “plan” he’d worked out before the news conference with Rachel (whom he’d told to head home). Grant wasn’t sure which he felt worse about—apologizing for something he hadn’t really done or outright lying to the lieutenant. When Frankel said he was sorry as well, Grant figured they were both on the hook—so that made him feel slightly better.