“Sure,” said Bosc, voice smoothing at the nuance of calm in Milo’s reply. “Just think about it: There’s lots of good stuff waiting for both of us.”

“Why,” said Milo, “do I think you’ve taken a hostage negotiation course?”

Bosc smiled uneasily. “You’re dissing me, but I’m being real with you. Fine, I can dig that. I dissed you, played with your head, you’re entitled. But focus on this: At this very moment I’m being realer than anyone you’ll ever meet.”

Milo approached the sofa from one side, took hold of Bosc’s T-shirt. “Get up, or I’ll shoot you in the kneecap.”

Bosc’s smile dropped like a stone down a glacier hole. “You take me out there, and I scream—”

“Then you’ll die screaming.”

He yanked and Bosc stumbled to his feet and Milo marched him toward the door.

Bosc said, “I give you credit, man, switching wheels the way you did. I thought I knew all the tricks, but you were too quick for me, I give you credit, give you full credit. Only there’s something you don’t know.”

“There’s plenty I don’t know, Craig,” said Milo. Figuring the guy was bargaining for time—another negotiation trick. If only he knew he was expending needless energy. Because eventually, he’d be let loose. What choice did Milo have? The question was where and when. And Bosc would reward the largesse with instant hatred and an overpowering bloodlust for revenge. Given Bosc’s position in the department, he’d be very likely to do serious damage, and Milo knew he was screwed.

In big trouble, just as Bosc had gloated. But what choice had there been? Continue flopping around as others yanked the strings, Mr. Meat Puppet?

He shoved Bosc toward the door. Bosc said, “No, I mean something you should know right now. Specifically. For your own sake.”

“What’s that?”

“You’ve gotta let me go, first.”

“Right.”

“I mean it, man. At this point, I’ve got nothing to lose, so you can do what the fuck you want to me and I’m not gonna tell you. Because why would I squander my last chip? Come on, make it easy for both of us and I’ll tell you and save your friend’s ass and we’ll both forget any of this happened and be square.”

“My friend,” said Milo. Thinking: Rick? Jesus, it had been Rick Bosc tailed initially, Rick’s car Bosc boosted. All these years he’d managed to keep Rick out of this world, and now.