33
Rowan
The Boys
Rowan leaned against the wall and watched through the narrow window in the door to the family lounge as Vivian distributed hugs to Nadine and Howard’s daughter.
They greeted her with relief and Nadine burst into tears.
Vivian didn’t seem troubled by this, but hugged Nadine tightly and patted her back.
“Hey boss,” said Delacroix, rubbing a tired hand through his hair.
“Hey,” said Rowan. “How’s it looking here?”
“Mr. Hoskins been bumped up to critical but stable,” said Delacroix.
“I’ve communicated with building security.
The building already has limited public entrances and security uses a metal detector.
No one but staff and immediate family are allowed into the ward, and then only one at a time.
Staff use a badged entrance and I’ve got eyes on the only public entrance.
It’s not foolproof, but someone would have to work pretty hard to get in. What’s the situation out there.”
“We’ve identified a suspect. Charles Tate Junior AKA Chucky. Unfortunately, we think he hired out, so I don’t have an identity on the shooters yet. But Teddy’s working on the vehicle.”
Rowan’s phone lit up with an alert and he looked at a message from Barb at the Hoskins Building.
Here’s the asshole you’re looking for. In case anyone needs to identify him.
“And now I’m forwarding you a photo of the suspect.”
“Nice,” said Delacroix, but the younger man looked tired.
“What’s the rotation schedule?” asked Rowan.
“Mark said he’d send someone, but I don’t know when.”
“I’ll check in with him,” said Rowan, dialing.
He walked a few feet away, still trying to keep an eye on Vivian and Delacroix.
Harborview seemed to be various shades of cream and boring ass gray.
It also had a faint aroma of industrial cleanser that always gave Rowan the heebie-jeebies.
He knew it meant that staff took cleaning seriously, but somewhere in his various trips to hospitals and medic tents his subconscious had also picked it as the smell of death.
“Hey,” said Mark, picking up. “I got your texts. Good progress. How are you doing?”
“Sore,” said Rowan. “But I’ve been worse. I’m at Harborview while Vivian checks on the Hoskins family. Delacroix’s looking a little beat.”
“I’ve got Germany coming to replace him in an hour.”
“Great.”
Rowan was aware that their roster of personnel sounded like a fridge poetry magnet set, but since he rarely had to explain it to anyone, he never bothered to do anything but enjoy it.
“How’s Viv?” asked Mark.
“Um… Super in denial about being a target and also hating being guarded so hard, but trying not to say anything about it.”
“Yeah, but how’d she take you moving all her stuff?”
“She thought it was convenient. Particularly once I pointed out that her ice cream was now in my freezer.”
Mark burst out in a guffaw of laughter. “So, being defacto moved in with you doesn’t bother her in the slightest, but you bossing her around and trying to keep her from getting killed, that’s a problem.”
“That’s my girl,” said Rowan with a shrug. “The sooner we can get this wrapped up the better.”
“OK, I’ve got Teddy and José at some junkyard. I’m waiting on an update.”
“Yeah, I got a text from him, but it was a while ago. I’m starting to worry.”
“Yeah, me too,” agreed Mark. “I can send out another team, but—”
“He’s calling,” said Rowan as the phone buzzed in his ear. “I’ll patch him in.”
Rowan merged Teddy into the call and then put his phone back to his ear.
“Hey, Teddy. Mark’s on the line. You’re a go.”
“I’m not a go. I’m dead in the water because I ran out of cash.”
“Where’d you get to?” asked Mark.
“We traced the vehicle to a junkyard out in Issaquah. I can see the damn bullet holes from here—nice grouping, by the way—but the owner’s giving us the big fuck you.”
“We can call the cops?” suggested Mark.
“Yeah, except we got here because of José’s cousin and if we blow shit up for him it’s going to blow back on José at Christmas.”
“OK, so what we need is to pay the junkyard owner enough to call the cops for himself,” said Rowan.
“That’s how I’m reading it,” said Teddy. “And if we want the names and or security footage of who sold it to him, that’s going to be extra.”
“How much are we talking?” asked Rowan.
Rowan heard Teddy ask José something in Spanish. There seemed to be some discussion that he couldn’t catch. Somehow his Arabic wasn’t as handy stateside as Teddy’s four years of high school Spanish.
“José thinks two grand and flash more hardware. I say three or the owner is going to tell the cops we were here.”
“Yeah, no problem,” said Rowan, thinking that it was ridiculous how little money it took change someone’s mind. “I’ve got that in the safe back at work.”
“I’ll meet you there,” said Mark. “I’ll drive it out to Teddy. You should stick with Viv.”
“You mean I should stick to injured reserve,” said Rowan drily.
“I don’t know what Mark means, but what I mean is that you’re the boss of the company and we’re going to need you to bail us out if the cops get annoyed,” said Teddy.
All of which was reasonable, but Rowan still felt like he was being benched.
“Mm-hmm,” said Rowan. “OK, Mark, give me a couple of minutes to get back over there. I’m going to leave Viv here with the Hoskins and Delacroix.”
“Got it. Over and out.” Mark’s portion of the call went dark.
“Hang tight, Teddy,” said Rowan. “The cash cow is on the way.”
“Can I start calling Mark that?”
“If it annoys him, then sure.”
Teddy chuckled. “You know, I’m definitely going to blow my caffeine allotment for the day, but this is kind of fun. Except for Mr. Hoskins getting shot. Sorry, that probably wasn’t cool to say.”
“It is fun to use your skills to find bad guys,” said Rowan. “Doesn’t make us care less about Howard. You can feel two things at once.”
“Yeah. Just don’t tell Viv I said that.”
“She’d probably understand, but no, that’s one of the things that stays within the team.”
“Thanks, boss,” said Teddy. “Over and out.”
Rowan hit the red button and turned back to Delacroix.
“Germany will be here in an hour. I have to meet Mark at the office, and I’m going to leave Vivian here. I will talk to her, but let’s just keep her here in this nice locked down building until I get back, shall we?”
Delacroix grinned. “Yes, sir.”
Rowan knocked lightly on the door before opening it.
“Sorry,” he said, looking in at the tearful faces of the family.
“You can come in,” said Mrs. Hoskins, trying to smile.
“I don’t want to bother you. I just need to borrow Vivian for a moment.”
Vivian looked puzzled but stood up and came out of the family lounge.
“You really could come in. Dr. Mendez—the one who brought Howard here and did the surgery—told them what you did. I’m not sure they know what to say to you, but they’d be happy to say thank you.”
“I don’t know what to say to them either,” said Rowan honestly. “I never know. I wish I’d been faster. I hope Howard comes through this.”
Vivian opened her mouth, closed it again and then took a breath. “I think this is a longer conversation than the time and location allow.”
Rowan shrugged awkwardly. “I don’t really… It doesn’t matter. But yes, I now have a time crunch. Teddy has a line on the vehicle but needs money. I’m meeting Mark at the office to open the safe.”
“Teddy splashed all of his cash around?” asked Vivian, a smile sneaking onto her lips.
“Yes, exactly. It shouldn’t take me that long, but I don’t see any reason for you to have to go with me.”
“OK,” said Vivian. “I haven’t gotten a chance to ask about the will yet.”
“Great. Then I’ll meet you back here in an hour or so.”
She nodded.
“But uh… do me a favor. Help keep my pulse rate under 100 and don’t go anywhere else?”
Her mouth had pinched into a straight line and her chin tilted down.
“I know, I know. You don’t think you could possibly be in danger, but I do, so please humor me, and stay here.”
“Do as I’m told?” she asked, eyes narrowing.
“Just this once,” he said and then wished he hadn’t.
“Yes, sir,” she growled with a mock salute and went back into the family lounge.
“Hating it so hard,” Rowan muttered.