Page 122 of Lone Star

“I’ve been saying this for weeks,” Fox continued, “but you haven’t listened so far. I expect you to listen now, and that’s an order. Until you settle down a little, you’re to think of me as your superior officer. I’m your handler, alright? You’re to do what I say, when I say it, and trust that I don’t give orders lightly or stupidly. Respect your elders – respect thisclub. It might not be a whole bloody government, but it does undertake some dangerous and important business. Are we clear?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, sir.” Tenny’s blue eyes glittered, but not with obvious defiance or malice. Eagerness, maybe. Fox hoped it was an eagerness to cooperate.

Scuffling, hurried footfalls sounded on the other side of the glass, and Fox turned as the door rushed open to reveal Eden, the agent, and a harried-looking nurse.

Sorry, Eden mouthed over the man’s shoulder.

The nurse said, “Sir, Itold youthe ICU is for family only–”

“It’s fine,” Fox said, standing. “The FBI’s like a bad rash: it’s not going to go away on its own. Let the agent stay and then we’ll all quit mucking up your ICU.” He flashed her his best grin.

She huffed in indignation, but she was flattered, a little, he could tell. She gave a tight nod, said, “Five minutes,” and then hustled on down the hallway.

Fox finally made eye contact with the man. Offered an elaborate gesture. “Won’t you come in, Agent…?”

“Maddox,” he clipped out, his movements stiff and agitated as he paced across the length of the room and moved to stand on the far side of the bed. He was on the younger side for an agent, and looked like he’d spent at least thirty minutes on his hair, his fine-featured face flushed with annoyance. Later, Fox planned on asking what Eden had said to him to get him so worked up, and then congratulate her on it.

He shot her a quick glance as the door slid shut. She had her arms folded, lips pursed, annoyed, but not upset.

Not like Agent Maddox. Who brushed his suit jacket back when he placed his hands on his hips, a flagrant means to show off the gun he wore at his hip.

It was an effort not to laugh.

“Alright,” Maddox said, bristling, chest puffed out, the works. “This is the second shot Mad Dog in–”

“Lean Dog,” Fox corrected.

“What?”

“Lean Dog. You know that,” Fox said calmly, “because Agent Cantrell must have said it a hundred times by now, but you think this is insulting, and you hate us, so you’re calling us the wrong thing on purpose.” He smiled. “Right?”

He looked between the three of them, fast jerks of his head, brows notched together so tightly they looked in danger of putting a permanent wrinkle there, between them. But then his expression eased a fraction, sliding more toward neutral resignation. He gave a little upward nod, chin-first. “You’re the jackass from the Gilliard scene, then. The one who left that big fucking mess to clean up.”

“Yes. You’re welcome.”

Maddox gave an incredulous cough of a laugh. “Didn’t think they’d stick the perp on bedside duty. You people are getting bold.”

“Wepeopleare the only ones who’ve gotten anywhere with this case. I’ll venture to say your boss – and don’t make that face, Cantrell’s running this, I can tell – knows that, which is why he’s told you not to arrest any of us. I saw you in the parking lot with the uniforms – thanks for sending them off, by the way.”

The agent’s jaw worked a moment. He flicked a glance Eden’s way. “I take back what I said: I’d rather deal with you.”

She smirked. “Too late, I’m afraid.”

He sighed, and stared at the polished toes of his shoes a moment, then lifted his head, determined now. Probably, Fox thought, he was a good agent by someone’s standards. “Okay, fine. Walk me through it. What happened tonight?”

“Why, so I can incriminate myself? Have you got your phone recording all this in your pocket?”

“I’d need a warrant for that.”

“Yeah, but we all know ‘by the book’ doesn’t really apply when it comes to my sort, don’t we?”

Maddox controlled his expression this time – carefully blank – though his hands tightened at his hips; his knuckles whitened.

Eden cleared her throat. “Come on and tell the poor man what happened so he’ll go away.”

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