Page 19 of Rat

Rory bowed his head. He knew his dad was—a good man, a good police officer, a good dad to him and his sister. A different sting grew in Rory’s chest, one of loss.

“This assignment is important,” Hamish said. “Sebastian… We have good intel that he’s planning something for when he’s released. All his old gang members have reappeared and are hovering around the city like a bad smell.”

“Why not let them do something incriminating when he gets out, then arrest the whole lot?”

“Let them do something incriminating?” Hamish glanced at Morris, who shook her head. “Did you not read the file I gave you about him?”

Rory didn’t reply. He’d read the file, knew Sebastian was dangerous, but he couldn’t get close to him, and someone had stabbed him, and they might try again.

“He went down for murder, but he did a whole lot worse. Selling illegal firearms to gangs, complex explosives to terrorists. He’s a danger to society. We need to be one step ahead.”

“I…I don’t know if I can do this—”

“Of course you can,” Hamish said firmly. “You’ve got your father’s blood in you, haven’t you?”

The sting of loss became a burning band across his lungs. “Yes.”

“Don’t let thisscratchtake the fight out of you. Your cover is still intact, right?”

Rory nodded.

“The best thing you can do is march straight back onto that wing. Remember why you’re doing this.” Hamish’s eyebrows jumped, and Rory got his meaning even if the governor and Morris didn’t.

Rory owed Hamish.

“Okay,” he whispered.

“Great.” Hamish clapped a hand on Rory’s shoulder, then he turned to Morris. “Phone?”

Morris stared at Rory for a long moment, then sighed and pulled it from her trousers.

“Why are you giving me a phone?” Rory asked.

“So you can speak to Erica.”

Rory’s heart skipped a beat at his sister’s name.

“For obvious reasons, she can’t come, and we don’t want you phoning her on the prison phones in case you let something slip, but the governor has kindly allowed us to meet in his office once a month away from the prisoners. Which means you can call her.”

Rory widened his eyes. “Really?”

“Of course.” Hamish glanced back at the governor, who’d been a silent bystander throughout. “Me and Dean have things to discuss in the other room.” He checked his watch. “Ten minutes, Rory.”

“Your sister’s number is already programmed into the phone,” Morris said.

Hamish and the governor excused themselves and disappeared through a door at the back of the office. Rory waited for Morris to leave too, but she crossed her arms and perched on the edge of the desk.

“Clock’s ticking,” she said.

Rory sat down on the chair in front of the desk and called Erica’s number.

It connected after a few rings.

“Erica, it’s me.”

“Rory! Holy shit, why are you calling me?”

He blinked back the sting in his eyes. “Can a brother not call his sister?”

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