“Get out of here!” Jack snapped.

The nurse turned wide-eyed. The mayor nodded and she turned tail and ran. The room fell silent, but not for long. Big McAdams launched another tirade. Decker had enough. He didn’t mind having his ass reamed, but the man’s berating wasn’t doing Tyler any good. “Your kid is lying in a hospital bed, having been shot by God only knows who. Can you dial it back, please?”

Jack turned on him. “I damn well know what happened. And let me tell you something. You’d better have good representation right now, Old Man. I hold you responsible for sending my son out in the line of fire.”

Decker said, “I will take full responsibility—”

“You’d better pray that your pension is untouchable because after I’m done with you, you’ll be lucky to get a job as a guard at an old age home, which is where you belong.”

“Dad, enough!” Tyler got out.

“Shut up!”

“I’m serious, Dad. That’s enough!”

“Fucking moron!”

“We’re all idiots and morons: I get it!” Tyler blew out air. “Can you cap it for a second so I can catch my breath?”

No one spoke.

Tyler said, “Dad, I’ll be in Boston by August, ready to join the ranks of all the fine minds of law who came before me. So it’s all good, okay?”

For the first time, the senior McAdams had managed to lower his voice. “I’ve heard that before.”

“I’m serious.”

McAdams weighed the kid’s words. “You’re finally going to do it?”

“I never said I wasn’t. I just wasn’t ready to do it right after graduation.”

“You’ve been stalling to spite me. And now look at you!”

“If I had a crystal ball to see into the future, I might have reconsidered. But I didn’t, so it is what it is. Can we move on?”

“We would have been all set up by now—”

“That’s not moving on, Dad.”

Jack McAdams looked at his watch. “I have to be back in New York. I have an eight A.M. breakfast meeting tomorrow.”

“I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say you can leave.”

“I don’t want you left alone, Tyler. I know you think I’m an asshole but I really do care about your safety.”

“At least until I enter law school.”

“Stop it.”

“Go, Dad. Just . . . go.”

“I’ll be with him,” Decker said.

“How reassuring!”

Tyler said, “Dad, he saved my life. You might try a thank you.”

“He put you in jeopardy in the first place.”

“He didn’t put me in danger, I put me in danger. I took the job, which means I should have learned to use a firearm a long time ago. I fucked up. So if you’re going to sue anyone, sue me. And you know my assets better than anyone. You could walk away with a bundle.”

“Stop it, Tyler. Just . . . shut up!” Then Jack said, “When’s your mother arriving?”

“Tomorrow. I told her I was okay and after very little convincing, she took my word at face value.” A pause. “I didn’t want you two here at the same time.”

“That was smart.”

“Can you please leave? We’ve got it all figured out.”

“Who’s we?”

“Detective Decker and me. I’m moving into his house—”

“Are you out of your mind?” The senior McAdams was pacing again. “You’re coming back to New York just as soon as you’re discharged.”

“No, I’m not. I’m staying here until I know what’s going on. I don’t want anyone else getting hurt, including you believe it or not.”

“Don’t be an idiot!”

“Do you want me in law school, yes or no?”

“Tyler—”

“Let me handle this, Dad. Let me do it my way—”

“I’ve seen what happens when you do it your way.”

“Move . . . on!” Tyler snapped. “You are incredibly impossible. Is it any wonder that I defy you all the time? If you shut up right now, I promise I’ll make the plunge.”

“You know how important that is.”

“I know but ultimately, I hold the cards. So don’t piss me off and we’ll both be happy. Now could you kindly go so I can get a little rest?”

The senior McAdams looked at his watch. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

“Just go home.”

“I don’t want to go home. I want to come back in an hour. Any objections?”

“Would it do any good if I did object?”

“None whatsoever.”

“Fine. I’ll see you in an hour.”

Jack turned to the mayor. “I’m hungry.”

“I’ll take you out, Jack.”

“You damn well better take me out, Logan, if you know what’s good for you.”

Decker could hear Jack’s voice even after the two of them were down the corridor. He tried out a smile. Mike Radar didn’t even bother to fake it. “I think I’m going to go make myself useful. I’d rather deal with just about anything than take abuse like that.”

“I apologize,” Tyler said.

“No, I owe you an apology,” Radar said. “You didn’t want me to call them and I did it anyway. My mistake.”

“Exactly how much money does he give to the town?”

“Enough to make the mayor keep his mouth shut while he berates public servants.”

“Again, I apologize.”

“How are you feeling, Tyler?”

A forced smile. “Once he leaves, I’ll be a lot better.”

To Decker, Radar said, “So you’ll stick around?”

“Yes. I have a little thinking to do and I could use Tyler’s brain. Let’s meet up at the station house at around six in the evening. I’m going to bring Rina with me. I don’t want to leave her alone at night right now even with a cop outside our door.”

“That sounds fine.”

“Who’s outside my house?”

“Wickel until six. Then I have O’Brien from six to twelve. I’ll keep him there even if no one’s home. Kramer’s taking the graveyard shift.”

“Thanks. At some point, I’m going to need to sleep.”

“It’s not a problem. We’ve got a post outside the hospital room so you can leave whenever you need to.” To Tyler, Radar said, “Heal up, son. That’s your sole job.”

After he left, Decker blew out air. “You should probably get some sleep.”

“I’m too pissed to be tired. I was just starting to feel like I’m doing something positive and then . . .” He threw up his hands. “It’s like . . . why bother?”

Decker was about to give a pep talk, but changed his mind. He switched gears. “Why is he so keen on your going to law school?”

“Following in the old man’s way.”

“There’s more to it than that.”

“Yes, there is.” Silence. “I suppose I owe it to you to tell you what’s going on.”

“You don’t owe me anything.”

“That’s not true. Let me ask you this, Decker. That night . . . how long did it take you to realize that I might be in trouble?”

“I didn’t.” Decker felt sheepish. “Rina realized it moments after I made the 911 call.”

McAdams laughed. “Well, you’re honest.”

“I almost broke my shoulder for you if that counts.”

“Maybe a teensy bit. Remind me to send your wife a dozen roses.” The kid tried to shift his position, but his leg was in traction.

“You need help?” Decker asked.

“No, I’m okay.” Tyler said, “My father’s right about one thing. I have been putzing around just to spite him.” He grimaced. “We both can’t fully inherit until I finish Harvard Law. Neither can Harvard Law. My grandfather left a shitload of money to them with the proviso that they take me and I graduate. Needless to say I could sit on my ass drooling for three years and I’d still matriculate. To prevent that, Grandpa stipulated that I have to pass three bars—New York, California, and Massachusetts. So I do actually have to learn something. We get a chunk when I enroll, another chunk when I graduate, and the final chunk when I pass all the bars. And until I do, both Dad and I are on a generous but fixed income. I don’t care. But he does.”

Decker raised his eyebrows. “Wow.”

“Yeah, wow.”

“Are you under a time pressure to accomplish all this?”

“I have until thirty to enter school. Then I have another ten years to pass all the bars. It’s not a problem. I’ve always been an excellent test taker. I’m not worried about passing or anything. I’m just procrastinating.”