They pulled away, leaving Spencer on the sidewalk, dumbfounded, but not so much that he didn’t clock what they were driving.

Abby was squinting at his registration certificate. “Your registration is expired, Dad.”

Once out of Spencer’s line of sight, Scott killed and stowed their emergency light.

“Seriously, Evan, the guy was wasted. You had him.”

“I know,” said Batiste. “And I found a big stash too.”

“Then why—”

“We didn’t want him to drive but now . . .” He showed Scott his phone.

The secret Batiste, Scott, and Captain Schaeffer shared had to be obeyed immediately and without question, even if it could not explain its reasons at the time. And the secret had ruled that, for things to go their way in the end, Spencer needed to be in this until the end.

Spencer took off his shades as he drove across the depot lot. It was getting overcast, like a storm was coming. It needed to come but it would probably be another false alarm.

He parked up and was barely out of his car when Denny called out to him.

“They want you upstairs.”

Spencer nodded.

Johnny Boy emerged from the stairwell, and Spencer debated whether to mention he’d just pulled the heat down.

You’re in the front line, with the cash. It’s you they’re going to target.

“Johnny Boy. I, uh, got pulled by the cops just now. Maroon Charger. Black guy. I was with Abby. I think it was the same car that tried to follow us the day we went to Canada.”

Johnny Boy looked thoughtful. “You haven’t done your drops. So you still had the AtoB cash. Did the cop see it?”

He was strolling around the car.

Spencer hesitated.

Johnny Boy looked at him as he popped the trunk and Spencer felt those searching eyes of his, like ocular polygraphs seeking to penetrate his memories.

“Yeah, I guess he might have.”

“Might?”

“Probably he did.”

Johnny Boy nodded again. He removed the money. “I’ll deal with this tomorrow.”

He shut the trunk and headed for the stairwell but stopped as he passed Spencer. “I’ve had my doubts about you. Sometimes I doubt your nerve, your resolve to see things through. But loyalty? Well, a snitch you aren’t. You’re not that stupid, right?”

“Sure.”

“It’s Dom they’re after. Always Dom. They tried by getting to a guy working here. But that didn’t pan out well for them. Let’s go.”

As they headed for the stairs, Johnny Boy called out for Denny to join them.

It seemed everyone else had been waiting for them in ­McGrath’s office. Eddie and the Yo-Yo leaned against the wall. Sheila had brought in her own seat. McGrath was at his desk. Johnny Boy sat down in one of the comfortable seats facing him. Cal was already in the other.