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Once his boots are off, he stretches, cracking his back and neck.

“Are you gonna tell me about it?” I ask.

“Since you might have a vested interest in this particular case. Sure. I got the guy they call The Prophet in the back seat of my car.”

Chapter Nine

Georgie

“That’s him.” My voice is a terrified rattle in my dry throat.

I never expected to be wearing boxer shorts and a pair of Crocs five sizes too big the next time I saw The Prophet.

In fact, I never expected to lay eyes on Orlyn Moffatt again.

I have so many questions. “Why is he tied up like that?”

With Jefferson and Joaquin on either side of me, I shiver in the alleyway with a blanket wrapped around me, staring into the back seat of Joaquin’s Lexus SUV. The Prophet lies there in the back seat, unconscious, with his hands zip-tied behind his back.

“He’s a slippery fucker. That’s why,” Joaquin says.

“And why is he unconscious?” Do I want to know?

Joaquin scratches his head. “Uh, because he’s more compliant that way?”

“Joaquin, did you kill him?” Jefferson’s question makes my stomach roil in panic.

“No, I didn’t kill him,” Joaquin says, sounding offended. “He wouldn’t shut up so I gave him a night-night shot.”

“Shit. How much did you use?” Jefferson asks, tapping on the glass.

Joaquin shrugs. “A little ACP goes a long way for a skinny guy like that.”

“I’m sorry, ACP?” The only thing coming to mind is arroz con pollo. I have food on the brain.

“Acepromazine,” Jefferson explains.

Oh. I know what that is. This is not good at all. “That is the stuff they sedate pigs with on the compound. But that comes from the vet. Are you a vet?”

“Yes. I’m a veterinarian,” Joaquin says. “Let’s go with that.”

Jefferson shakes his head. “I don’t know whether to be pissed or impressed.”

“You were busy,” Joaquin says.

“Where did you find him?” I ask.

“That’s classified.”

I cluck my tongue.

“I had it under control,” Jefferson seethes.

I turn to Jefferson. “You had what under control?”

He doesn’t answer before Joaquin interjects. “You need to learn to ask for help sometimes.”

“I told you, I had this.”