Nick frowned. “I guess I never really had a choice.” She looked at Butch like he’d grown up out of the ground. “You tricked me into making a statement. You tricked me, Butch. I thought you were different than that.”
Noah snickered. “He’s not. He’s a fuckin’ goblin from the goddamn I.A.B. No offense, Butch. You’re a nice enough guy on your own, but when you got on your I.A. costume, you ain’t got no reflection.” Butch chuckled and put his hands in his pockets. He looked back at Noah with eyes much harder than Leah remembered. “See … I know how you feel about I.A., Ramsey. Your fights with us are legendary you and Cain. If you two weren’t so busy firing your weapons every chance you got, you’d never hear from us.”
“We don’t fire our weapons without just cause. You people stick us in life threatening situations and you don’t expect us to protect ourselves? Fuck you on that one, Inspector Harper,” Lucas said, and paused. “With all due respect.”
Butch spread his hands. “I’m not gonna stand here and take shit off you guys.”
“Then don’t. Get outta my sickroom. You got what you came here for. You hoodwinked Nick and you know we won’t let her do this shit alone. So get a sandwich or somethin’, fatso, and we’ll get back to you with the plan.”
Butch shook his head. “You got a big mouth on you, Ramsey, I gotta tell you.”
Noah smirked. “Don’t worry about me and my big mouth, and don’t worry about this Keith Childs bullshit, either. ‘Cause with or without Nick, me and Luke are just like the pizza man. We deliver. See you around, chubby.”
Butch moved to the door. “You know, Nick — for what it’s worth — it is my job.”
If Butch could have died from the look she gave him, he would have hit the floor with no heartbeat. “Yeah, and mine is to be your pup-pet. You could have waited until I was a hundred percent.” Butch looked apologetic as he pushed the door open. “Unfortunately, there’s no time. We have to move as soon as possible. I’m sorry for that but you won’t be unprotected. That’s a promise. We’ve got men to give you ‘round the clock.”
“I’ve already got men to give me ‘round the clock.”
“Your men are hurt,” Butch pointed out.
“Ain’t nothin’ happenin’ until we get outta here. I don’t give two shits about your time frame,” Noah said.
“You’ll be on crutches, Ramsey.”
“Noah on crutches and us working together is better than anyone you can send us,” Leah said, not really caring all that much for Butch any more.
“We’ll keep your protection for backup, if it’s necessary. I got a feeling it won’t be,” Lucas said. The look in his eyes suggested Keith’s imminent demise if he rose up. Leah looked at him standing there all crisp and clean and handsome. She smiled to herself. She’d learned a lot about these guys. Noah was loud, where Lucas was quiet. Noah would talk shit to you and let you know where you stood with him, while Lucas would watch you like a hawk and wait for you to fuck yourself.
Noah was quick to pull his weapon out and shoot you, but unless it was a dire situation, like the one they’d just come out of — you’d probably end up with a permanent disability, but you’d still be breathing.
When Lucas took the safety off his weapon, he was looking to kill you.
End of story. If Keith was willing to play himself with Lucas, he might as well fold himself into a morbid contortion — bend over and kiss his ass goodbye.
Butch nodded. “We’ll work it out. Rest up. I’ll be in touch soon.” He stepped out the door.
“Bye, Fatty,” Noah called after him. “Thanks again.”
“You’re welcome, Asshole,” Butch called back. “See you soon.” Noah leaned back into his pillow and grimaced.
“Are you okay?” Leah asked. She looked at him carefully. He seemed paler than when she’d come in.
Noah sighed. “I’m alright. That bastard just left a few of my nerve endings standing up.” Leah picked up the call button and rang for the nurse. “What are you doin’ that for?” Noah asked, reaching for the button.
Leah stepped out of his way. “Time for her to give you something for the pain. You’re gonna take it, too. It’s not debatable.” Noah thought it over for a moment, seemed to decide he wouldn’t win, and turned his attention to Lucas. Lucas was still standing near Nick, but he was looking out the window. He seemed to be a million miles away.
Noah cleared his throat. “Hey, Luke?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t even think about it. Get it out of your mind.” Lucas’s eyes stayed on whatever he was looking at beyond that window. He ran his hand over his beard, slowly. “I ain’t thinkin’ about nothing, Noah.”
“That’s bullshit, Luke. I know you better than I know myself, bro. I know what’s on your mind. Forget that shit before you let it grow into an idea.”
Lucas turned away from the window and looked at him. Leah didn’t like the look in his eye. It was unsettling.
“What idea is that?” Lucas asked.
Noah shook his head. “You can’t go after Keith yourself, Luke.”
“Says who?”
Noah struggled to sit up. Leah could see the pain in his face and gently put her hand on his shoulder to keep him from hurting himself.
He just as gently took it off. “Lucas! You hear me talkin’ to you? I said don’t do it. Please. Okay? Do you hear me, or are you settin’ the wheels in motion? I can see your mind workin’. Luke, don’t make it personal.” Lucas looked at Noah and his eyes were like fire, but he kept his voice quiet. “Keith made this shit personal a long time ago. Don’t you see, Noah? This is what happens when you leave a lunatic alone, and you don’t nip their shit in the bud at the first sign of disturbing behavior. Look at us, Noah. When you don’t check somebody like that, people get hurt and people die. You’d think I would’ve learned that by now.”
Nick was looking at her lap. She would have been wringing her hands if there wasn’t an IV drip in the back of one. Leah was startled.
She’d never, ever, seen Lucas this mad before. Not even when he was throwing Keith’s ass out of their office.
Noah was watching him close. “Luke, um … I think …” Everybody flinched when Lucas actually started hollering at him.
“I know what you think, Noah! I know, okay? You’re fuckin’ right, too!
Right as fuckin’ rain! I’m tired, Noah! I’m tired of crazy people fuckin' my life up. Do you hear me?” The nurse walked in with her syringe. She took one look around the room and stopped in her tracks. “Is everything okay in here?” Noah looked at the nurse apologetically. “Could you give us a moment? You can come back in a minute with your needle full of pixie dust.” The nurse exited with a wary look.
“Lucas. Could you do me the courtesy of comin’ over here, seein’ as how I can’t get up?” Noah said, quietly.
Lucas took three steps toward him. That was it. “Say what you gotta say, Noah.”
They stared at each other hard. “Alright, Luke, listen to me. I see blood in your eye, bro. Wait for us. If you go out there by yourself, it’s only gonna end one way for Keith — with his ass kicked unmercifully and a bullet in his forehead. Fuck Keith. It’s what he deserves, but I ain’t gonna sit here and be quiet and watch you cross the line between police work and murder. Let’s face it. That’s what it would be. Who knows, walk the line the way you’re supposed to and you