Ted stepped off the sidewalk to make way. “It seems I’ve thrust a stick into the hornet’s nest.”

“I told you—”

“Please, don’t. This is about Jackie. She is about to find herself in big trouble.”

“And you did this?” There was a hint of hysteria in her voice.

Ted bit off an angry response. There was enough blame to go around. He was willing to take his share, but at that moment it wasn’t terribly important. “I am doing my best to keep her name out of it. But it’s not enough. Please, let’s sit down and talk. I’ll bring a friend who can explain this. Jackie needs your help. And mine.”

“I don’t know what you’re doing, but you’re only making things worse. She’s a good person.”

“Jill, please listen to me. Or if you can’t, at least get her to call me.”

“She won’t talk to you, Ted. And if she knew that I was, she would be thoroughly pissed at me.”

“Ask her this then. Where was she last night?”

“What? Stop.”

“I saw her, Jill. She was making a payoff to a councilman. She’s tied into a whole slew of very bad people. They put my friend in the hospital. This isn’t going away on its own.”

“I don’t believe you,” she said after a long pause.

Ted found that he was neither surprised nor hurt by this revelation. But if he wanted to salvage anything of his friendship with her, he had to persevere. “Fine. Don’t believe it. But if you love her, tell her what I said. I’m not the enemy, Jill. I want to help.”

The line was dead.

-48-

-48-

The hospital security guard outside the ER looked up from his iPhone as Ted approached. Ted gave him a nod and marched onward in the hope that the man would go back to his Candy Crush.

“Can I help you, sir?” the guard asked. He was a minimum-wage mercenary in a polyester uniform. Ted hoped the NYPD was putting up a more aggressive defense inside.

Ted could see the young skateboarder and his mother in a glass-walled office up ahead. They were being interviewed by a severe-looking nurse.

“No, thanks.” Ted gestured vaguely in their direction, imitating a man impatient to catch up with family.

The guard shook his head. “Just a moment, sir.” This time he hit the last word with enough force to slow Ted’s progress.

Damn. Ted tried a different maneuver: let the guy think he was a medical professional. “I’m checking on a patient.”

The guard put down his phone. A bad sign. “Are you a doctor?”

Brazen it out. “McKenzie Zielinski. Concussion. Fractured tibia. She was brought in last night.” Ted knew he was saying too much. Doctors never explained. The tibia was a leg bone, wasn’t it?