“Always careful,” Chase told him.
“I didn’t see today as—”
“That’s because you weren’t looking. I am always careful,” Chase assured him.
Hank’s face—half smile and half frown—showed his pride in his grandson. Sky, of course, was grateful. Chase did seem to have a knack for getting the bad guys.
Her father had given him that determination.
Of course, she was proud, too. And still a little bit scared. She’d been angry that he hadn’t trusted her. But inwardly, she could admit she now understood. He was undercover. Undercover...as himself. And all his classes had been real—apparently, he’d learned a great deal about drugs, drug overdoses and how to reverse them.
He also seemed to have instinct, something one probably couldn’t get in any class, more likely something that was basic to certain people.
She was quiet as they headed to the last rehearsal before the concert.
She was surprised when Chase spoke, his voice pained. “I’m thinking we should cancel the show. Wellington even mentioned it to me.”
“What?” she demanded.
He shook his head. “It’s one thing for me to step into something that could turn very bad—I made that choice. But after the events at the hospital, I don’t know what we’re looking at.”
“I put me in it—I’m choosing to do so.”
“It’s a concert. No one should die over a concert.”
“People are dying without the concert. The concert is your way of finding out what is really going on, just how deep it all runs. Chase, I want to do it. Not just for...not just for one reason. I want to do it for my father. Hank reminded me of something today. My dad loved the band—he created it. He truly believed in that saying, that music could soothe the savage beast. And I’ve got it—someone is using Skyhawk events for something so bad it’s pure evil. But this is the chance to stop it. To save lives. You got to do that today. Chase, I want my chance to be a part of something bigger, too.”
He was silent.
“Wellington would understand. Oh, and Wellington will make sure the metal detectors are working overtime, and the audience is half cops and agents, probably, Louisiana State Police, you name it.”
Again, he was silent.
“I’m right, aren’t I?”
“You’ll be center stage,” he said quietly.
“You betcha!” she said determinedly. “Chase, people have seen on the news that drugs have been laced and contaminated, that people are dying. I don’t think so many will be wanting to buy stuff. But I do think that whoever was doing what—the person my father knew was involved—is going to be there. And under these circumstances...”
“Yeah, he could slip up,” Chase admitted. “Still—”
“I’m going to be all right. Chase, Charlie made a point—none of us touches equipment. If something is going to happen, it will be to one of them. Not that I want anything to happen, I don’t mean it that way, but—”
“I don’t think whoever from our group is involved is the kingpin—but if we can get someone who can talk—”
“Bobby didn’t help any?”
“I think he will help. Wellington is getting a computer whiz in there with him.” He hesitated and shrugged. “Bobby knows he almost died. And he has a great wife, a good job.”
“So what did he tell you?”
“The dark web.”
“It is real,” she murmured.
“Very real.”
“I mean, I knew that, I just...”
“We’ll see,” he said. They’d reached parking for the performers, and he turned to her again. “Sky, if anything was to happen to you—”
“And if anything was to happen to you,” she interrupted.
He nodded slowly. She set her hands on his. “Okay, seriously, I know you think you’re stronger, that some machismo is kicking in—”
“No. Honestly. Training. Sky, you know I’ve been to a million classes—”
“That won’t stop a bullet.”
“No. But I know how to watch and hit a fly at a hundred yards when I need to. But I don’t think there are going to be firearms at the concert—”
“Then, you don’t need to be worried that I’ll be a target.”
He was silent. She knew he really didn’t think firearms were something they needed to concerned about.
But he was still worried.
“I’m not going to touch any equipment, Chase,” she told him. “I’m just going to be there—drawing out whoever might be doing something, or not even drawing them out. I’ll just be making sure the show goes on so they can do whatever it is they do.”
