Page 74 of Cross & Crown

out of his suit coat and put it around JD’s shoulders, and he

stole a Red Sox hat from the coat rack as they passed by it and placed it on JD’s head.

“Eyes on the ground,” Nick murmured close to his ear.

JD pulled the hat lower and hunched his shoulders,

shrugging into Nick’s coat as they stepped into the narrow

alleyway behind the pub. He and Hagan started off toward

the end of the alley, but Nick stopped and pulled Kelly aside.

“If the words ‘I want you to go home until it’s safe’ come

out of your mouth, I’m going to break one of your ribs,” Kelly

told him before Nick could speak.

Nick finally tore his eyes away from JD’s retreating form

and met Kelly’s with a small smile. “You know me better than

that.” He bent and took his spare gun from a holster at his

ankle, then pressed it into Kelly’s hands. “I do want you do

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go back to theFiddler, though, and get two spares for us. You know where I keep them?”

“In every nook and cranny you can find.” Kelly

automatically checked the gun, even though he knew Nick

would have it loaded and ready.

“Good. Ammo’s in a galley drawer. If you’re going to be

shot at, you might as well be able to shoot back.”

Kelly nodded silently. “What’s the plan? With the witness,

I mean?”

“We’ll have to find him a new safe house. Make sure we’re

not tailed. They knew he was at the precinct; we have to

assume the hotel is blown.” Nick chewed on the inside of his

cheek, his eyes focused on something over Kelly’s shoulder.

“I’m thinking about putting him on theFiddler.”

Kelly glanced up at him, eyes widening. “You’re going to

hide a witness on your boat?”

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