To try and stave off the ticket, Spencer jogged into the mall, which turned out to be a mixture of offices and shops. He searched for five minutes and was heading back to the car when he glimpsed Cal in the busy reception area of an office. Cal was talking to a skinny Black guy in a courier’s uniform of green pants and a shirt with white pocket flaps and short sleeves with stripes.

It didn’t seem like a normal conversation between a guy and a courier. For one thing, the courier seemed mightily pissed. But Cal seemed to be reading the guy the riot act right back. Then the courier handed Cal a digital signature box. Cal made as if to use the plastic stylus, but didn’t, although he did take something from underneath the box before handing it back. He slipped whatever it was smoothly into his jacket pocket and turned to the exit, catching sight of Spencer as he did so.

Cal was barely through the revolving doors before: “Which part of ‘wait in the car’ didn’t you get?”

“You were about to get a ticket.”

“So you left the car unlocked? In Detroit?”

Back at the car, Cal pocketed the ticket with zero concern, checked his phone, and sent messages. They took off again, this time heading back south. Over the next hour they made two more stops in the projects of Brush Park. Cal would pull over and disappear down an alley or into a building. By midafternoon they were back at the depot. Throughout the whole time, neither man spoke. Cal pulled up in one of the bays and took out a thick wad of bills from his jacket. He counted some out and offered them to Spencer but kept hold when Spencer went to take them.

“Know this. I handle the accounts here. So I write off any assets that don’t turn out to be so valuable.”

Afterward, waiting for the barrier to rise, Spencer felt pretty good. He’d gotten a totally different result from what he’d been aiming for that morning, but it felt like a goddamn win nonetheless. He’d walked into McGrath’s with nothing but a plan and a prayer and he’d walked out with a peachy job, just like that guy in Highland Park. And a juicer. Winning.

Detective Batiste watched the Prius turn onto Noble and head east. He started the Dodge Charger and followed.

They headed north on the Lodge Freeway.