“We track that asshole down and put him out of commission,”Hawk replied immediately.
And it didn’t take long to slide right into the gray areawith Hawk Delgado.
No, that wasn’t it.
Lee could do gray and did.All the time.
When it came to Delgado, shit got downright murky.
“What would that entail?”Smithie asked.
“Do you care?”Hawk returned.
“Kinda, considering I’mpayin’ youfor this shit,” Smithie told him.
“Whatever it needs to entail,” Hawk answered.“That letter,”Hawk did another head jerk, “we’ll need to make absolutely certain our messageis received.Could be building a case to hand over to the cops.Could besomething else.”
Right.For now, he could deal with that.
“Mac needs protection,” Smithie stated.
Hawk nodded his agreement.“And she’ll have Mo.Twenty-fourseven.We aren’t Secret Servicing this shit, even if we are.He’s on her, dayand night.He sleeps on the floor by her bed if she doesn’t have a chair orsomething in her bedroom.He goes to the grocery store with her.He standsoutside the bathroom while she’s showering.I’m thinking you can fill in therest of that picture.”
He could fill in the picture, but Smithie wasn’t sure he wastotally following.
“Secret Servicing this shit?”
“Secret Service passes off.They do shifts.There will be nopass off.Mo’s hers for as long as it takes to find this guy.”
Now Smithie wasn’t sure he was liking what he was following.
“Is that smart?”
“I’m sure I can make a passable attempt at finding a decentstripper.Though I couldn’t pick a headliner if she tapped me on the shoulder.So how ’bout you let me make the calls Igottamake’causeyou assume I know what I’mdoin’like I would do for you if my business got caught up in yours.Something that’shappening right now.But I’ll let you do yours if you let me do mine.”
“Gotcha,” Smithie murmured.
“Your staff, on heightened alert.The dancers.The bouncers.The bartenders and the waitresses.I’ll brief them, tell them what they’relookin’ for, this being after we interview them toascertain if they’ve already clocked someone of interest.You tell McAlister.She needs to know and make smart choices.I’ll coach her on that.”
Smithie flicked his gaze to Mo and back to Hawk.“Won’t Mocoach her on that?”
“Mo’s not a communicator.”
This was not a surprise.
Hawk spoke on.
“Call her.Tell her she’s got Mo.Tell her he’s not on herhouse, he’sgonnabeinher house.Tell hershe’sgottacome in early.Tell herMo’llbebringin’ her in early.I’ll be here when she gets here, and you andme’llshare.I’ll tell her what she needs to know.And we’ll go from there.”
Smithie nodded.
Without another word, both men turned as one to walk out thedoor.
Smithie watched them go.
After Mo disappeared out the door, Hawk stopped there andturned back.
“Secret Service is also trained to put themselves in thepath of the bullet,” Hawk said.
