“Does your mom know you’re out picking pockets?” she asked.

His chin jutted again. “She’s dead.”

Her chest squeezed. “Your father?”

“Never knew him. Just have a step. He’s an asshole, and no one can make me go back to him.”

The ugly look in Daniel’s eyes made Harlow feel sick. She wanted to hug him.

After Saxon paid for their meal, they left the shop, the dagger tucked into the inside pocket of Saxon’s jacket. They stopped at a bank, and Saxon paid the boy the rest of his money.

“Thanks, Daniel. Wait.” She turned to Saxon. “Do you have a pen and paper?”

He pulled out a pen and an old receipt.

She scribbled on it. “Daniel, this is my number. And the number of my…man. You need anything, you call us. Anything at all.”

The boy’s stony look said he’d never call, but he took the paper and pocketed it. “Stay safe, Blondie.”

“Wait,” Saxon said.

Daniel froze.

“He took your watch,” Saxon said dryly.

Harlow gasped. Her silver watch was gone. “Daniel!” Damn, the kid was good.

With a rueful shrug, he handed it back.

Then in a blink, he disappeared into the crowd.

Harlow felt a sharp pain under her heart. “I hate leaving him alone.”

“You can’t save everyone, Harlow.” Saxon touched her arm. “Let’s get back to the office.”

* * *

Harlow looked at Ace’s screens.

Surveillance work was boring with a capital B. Ace was tapping on his keyboard, running some sort of search.

Saxon had locked the dagger in the office safe, and told her that Vander would organize a meeting with Rhoda Pierce. The plan was to return to dagger and ask her for some time to pay back her dad’s debt.

Then Saxon had dumped Harlow back with Ace. She was pretty sure he was still mad about the two thousand dollars.

She tapped her nails on the desk and glanced at the screens. One feed came from directly outside the Norcross Security office. A man hurrying down the sidewalk caught her eye.

Wait, she knew that walk.

“Oh my God, that’s my dad.” She shot to her feet.

Suddenly, a car screeched to a stop in the street. Harlow stiffened.

The windows opened, and a pair of gun barrels appeared.

“Dad!”

They opened fire. Her dad jerked and fell.

“No!” There were no thoughts in Harlow’s head, just a wave of pure panic.

She raced for the door and heard Ace shouting. He grabbed her arm, but she slipped free, and sprinted through the office toward the front doors.

She heard more shouting behind her, but she had to get to her father.

He was shot. He was hurt.

She’d just made it through the front door when someone tackled her, and she hit the ground with a heavy weight on top of her.

“Don’t move.”

Vander’s voice.