She nodded, and even though he didn’t sense any disapproval,Dutch kept talking.
“It’s not lost on me he’s a Black guy, but it’s just areally good book.”
“He readSkinny Legs and Alllast week,” sheshared.
Dutch felt something in his chest loosen.
As far as he knew, nothing he’d tried these last months hadgotten in there, and it wasn’t just books.He’d offered Carlyle his time.He’doffered to share his story.He’d asked the kid if he wanted to work out withhim at his boxing gym.
Nothing got in there.
But he’d broughtSkinny Legs and Allthe weekbefore.
“Shouldabrought inBluebeard,”he muttered.
“Cops came yesterday, looking for him,” she went on.
Shit, shit,shit.
“Any news?”Dutch asked.
She shook her head, letting the concern leak into her eyes.“I talked to Eddie, the case is cold.They’re closing loops, moving on.”
Shit, shit, shit.
Dutch just stared at her, but he did it meaningfully.
She got closer so he knew she read his meaning.
“Dutch, every time a kid with promise, which is every kidthat walks through those doors, comes here, and there’s a situation, I have toweigh whether or not I ask my husband and his band of badass brothers to wadein and sort out that situation.Carlyle is no different.And Vance and the guyscannot spend all their time sorting out the problems of the kids at King’s.They all have mortgages to pay, for one.For another, that’smyjob.”
“Carlyle is a kid with a one hundred and forty-nine IQ whohas full rides to MIT, Stanford and Columbia whose dad was shot dead whilesaving the life of a neighbor who had an intruder who was set ondoin’ more thanstealin’ from thewoman.Carlyle is this fuckin’ close,” he held a thumb and forefinger in frontof her eyes to demonstrate a point she knew better than him, “to flushing hisentire life down the toilet.So I think Vance, Lee, Luke and company should tapin on this one and find the person who killed Carlyle’s dad because the copsobviously cannot.”
Vance—her husband—Lee, Luke and company being part of theband of badass brothers that made up Nightingale Investigations.
And while the cops had limited resources and rules they hadto abide by, the boys at Nightingale did not.
“You know that I know about your dad, Dutch,” she saidsoftly.
He dropped his hand and stepped away.
“I know he was targeted because he was fighting the goodfight,” she kept at him.
“We’re not talking about my father,” he bit out.
“Aren’t we?”she asked carefully.
“I had a mountain of support and I’m not a certifiedgenius,” he shot back.
“Carlyle has the same support, it just takes some kids timeto work the hurt out, and the best we can do is make sure they don’t stray toofar while they’re doing it,” she returned.
“And what if he strays too far?”
Her eyes narrowed.
Her husband might be in a badass brotherhood, but JulietCrowe used to be known as The Law.Years ago, she’d gone rogue when one of herkids overdosed, and she’d set about vigilante-ingtheshit out of the drug dealers of Denver.
She’d been good at it.
