Page 151 of Daddy P.I. 3.0

“Thirty seconds and I’m leaving you behind,” Myles snipes back.

I know banter is their love-language but this feels a little more loaded. The nerves of the op working on both of them maybe.

Despite the finger, Max is out of the plane and in the car in just under thirty seconds. He directs Myles to a mom-and-pop store just off the secondary road we take out of Bangor. Theyhave paper bags of sandwiches and snacks ready for us. I pay cash and we’re back on the road in less than two minutes.

“I picked that place because I couldn’t find any sign they had a CCTV system,” Max tells me once we’re back in the car. “Did you see any cameras?”

I shake my head but Sacrum was wired to the eyeteeth without me seeing any cameras, either.

“On the way back, if we have time, I want to stop and sweep that place for signals,” Max tells Myles.

“Relax keyboard warrior,” Myles responds as he steers the big car with one hand gripping the wheel and bites into a breakfast burrito. “I’ll make time.”

Max grumbles but settles into his own food.

forty-two

BATMAN DADDY

We meetTen on a bend of the Penobscot River outside the city limits. Turning past another small store, bizarrely proclaiming it’s full line of “western wear,” since we’re nearly as far east as you can go and still be in the States, we roll down a quiet street and pull up next to a green pick-up truck.

Ten climbs out of the truck and into the front passenger seat next to Myles.

“House is at the end of the cul-de-sac,” Ten tells us, tipping his head further down the street. “Two cars still outside. No signs of movement yet.”

“I like the street,” Myles says, still munching on his burrito. “Only one way out. What’s past the house?”

“River,” Ten responds. “There’s a dock but the boat’s up for the winter.”

“Still, we don’t want to chase him through the water.”

“Nope,” Ten agrees. “It’s fucking cold.”

There’s more snow on the ground here than in New York, icy and compacted, and it looks like it’s here to stay. Myles has theheat on in the SUV and I’m warm in the armored hoodie but I’m glad I brought my parka.

Max offers Ten the paper bag of food. He takes out a sandwich, picks out the pickles, and eats.

“Fleur wake up yet?” Ten asks after he’s eaten half the sandwich and washed it down with a bottle of water.

“No,” Max answers him. “But her doctors think it will be today or tomorrow.”

Ten grunts and sips more water. “Maude’s got her good care. I don’t know how she’s going to afford the co-pay but Presbyterian’s one of the best.”

“No names,” Myles says quietly. With the sunglasses on, I can’t tell where he’s looking but I think he’s watching the street. “It’s taken care of. All she needs to do is get better.”

“High-handed,” Ten grumbles.

Myles shrugs. “Whatever it takes.”

There’s a long silence that Ten finally breaks. “I want to be involved.”

“I only have two tranq guns. Are you a better shot than D?”

“D?” Ten twists around and looks at me, resting his arm across the back of his seat. “Oh, right. Dunnow, we’ve never been to the range together. Your head injury affect your aim?”

“No.”

“I outshot you the last time we played pool,” Ten points out.

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