Page 122 of Cross & Crown

Nick glanced at him, shaking his head as he tended to

breakfast. He knew Hagan would give him hell.

“Where’s your boy?” Hagan asked. He slid into the

banquette on the other side of the kitchen counter so he

could watch Nick cook.

“Still in bed.” Nick glanced at him, glaring briefly. “Okay,

go on.”

“I didn’t hear a thing,” Hagan claimed, and he reached

for the plate of food that was ready. “How long have you

been up?”

“Not long. I got a search going for robberies where papers

or historical documents were taken. It’s worldwide, though,

so might be a while.”

“Solid. What are we going to do with your hit man?”

Nick shrugged, glancing at the stairs. “Help him, I guess.

That’s what I promised him I’d do.”

“You ever make a promise and then think, ehhhh?”

Nick snickered, flipped a pancake in the air, and then

dropped it back in the pan.

“Got any coffee?”

“I don’t drink coffee. I’ve got tea.”

123

Hagan shrugged, wrinkling his nose. “This city was

founded on the concept of tossing tea into the harbor.”

“That is . . . no. It was not.”

There was a thump from below. A few moments later

Kelly popped his head over the railing and sniffed the air like a dog. “Is that bacon?”

“And eggs, and pancakes. Come on,” Nick said to him. He

looked back to Hagan. “Appointment with the shrink at nine.

Can you handle it, or should we get a few uniforms on it?”

---