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“I better go check on Giddy, too,” Jazz says, just as I look her way to speak to her, and she walks away quickly.
Does she, like Tank, blame me for what went down?
Or is she trying to hide something?
I don’t like being suspicious of these people. Honeybee sits on a nearby bench to wait for Bricker’s exit, and Pony catches my eye. “I need to talk to Cap,” he says in a low voice. “Think he’ll give me a minute?”
Pony wanted to tell Bricker something back at the Valley house, too. It could be important. “You heard him in there,” I say mildly. “Bricker’s here for all of you. He’ll give you some time when he’s done with Nico.”
Bricker comes out at that moment, looking a little shaken, and Honeybee dashes back in at once. “Pony wants a word,” I tell Bricker. “I’ll make myself scarce.”
“No.” Pony crosses his arms, huddling in on himself, and gestures with his head for us to come in closer. “You should hear it too, Peds. Maybe you can tell me I’m crazy.”
Bricker’s eyes flick to me as we lean in, but he gives his full attention to Pony. “What is it?”
Pony gives a sigh before whispering, “I don’t like what I’m about to say. But what with Nico and Giddy a-and Rook…”
“Spit it out,” Bricker whispers impatiently.
“I saw Van making a text just before we went out to First National,” Pony says. “I don’t know who he was talking to. But when he saw I’d seen him, he got all…squirrelly. Shoved his phone in his pocket. I asked him who the fuck was that, and he said it was just a scam text.”
There’s a brief pause as Bricker takes it in. “Maybe it was,” I say. “Maybe it was nothing.”
“Yeah,” Pony says darkly, “and maybe it was something. Look, all I know is, I saw Van acting real weird, and then things went sideways at the bank. It’s been playing on my mind, and I wanted to tell you, Cap. Now I have. So—” He shrugs. “—do what you want with the info, I just wanted to get it off my chest.”
He turns and walks away, and Bricker watches him go.
I keep quiet. Nothing I say will help things.
After a minute, Bricker just says, “Let’s go.”
CHAPTER27
MAX
As we setoff through the hospital for the entrance, I think again about Honeybee’s change of outfit—and that takeout coffee she brought in with her. It wasn’t the hospital cafe’s coffee. In fact, the branded cardboard cup tells me she went offsite to a coffeeshop.
She took the time to go offsite when the guy she’s fallen for is lying there in a hospital bed? To go home and shower and get changed?
It seems unlike her. My mind keeps turning it over as we make our way downstairs.
“Max,” Bricker says quietly when we get back to the car, “we need to get on this. Find the fucker who did this, ASAP.”
“Yeah. We do.” Once the car doors are closed, I say, “Something’s bothering me about Honeybee.”
Bricker raises an eyebrow, clearly surprised by my suggestion. “Honeybee?” I guess he expected me to pick on Delligatti after Pony’s news. “What’s bothering you about her?”
“Call it a hunch,” I say, remembering the way she hesitated before explaining her change of clothes. “But something doesn’t add up.” I explain about the clothes, the coffee.
Bricker looks skeptical.
“You’d prefer me to land on your buddy Van?” I ask. “Because I can do that.” He gives a snort and leans forward to start the car. “Look, I’m not saying she’s the mole. But we need to cover all bases—including Delligatti, including Honeybee.”
Bricker runs a hand through his hair in that habitual gesture that tells me he’s irritated. “Yeah. We’ll keep an eye on everyone, Honeybee included. But just…give me a minute? Seeing Nico like that…”
I shut my mouth and let him have his moment, staying quiet as he pulls out of the parking lot and we get back on the road.
“Listen,” Bricker suddenly says, eyes on the road, “I want you to know that I appreciate everything you’ve done. And you even had my back with Castellani. That means a lot to me.” He pulls up at a light and only now does he look at me. “So promise me something, Max. Promise me that we’ll find them. No matter who it turns out to be.”
