Brody nodded, jumped up and actual y ran out of the room.

“I don’t like this,” Mace was back to sitting, apparently relaxed but anything but. His eyes were sharp and angry and they were trained on Lee.

“I know you don’t. I was in your spot, I wouldn’t either. I’m sorry, Mace, but you got no choice,” Lee replied.

“Don’t like that either,” Mace told Lee.

“We gonna have a problem about this?” Lee asked.

“Yeah,” Mace responded instantly.

Hank intervened. “Mace, you know Luke took a bul et for Roxie.”

Mace knew immediately where Hank was heading and shot back, “Flesh wound.”

“Lucky chance, it could have been worse,” Hank returned and Mace pressed his lips together because he knew Hank was right.

Hank went on, “You know what Eddie and Darius did for Indy. You know that gets out, Eddie’s f**ked; his career in the toilet. Eddie’s also pul ed back from Marcus, he hates it but he’s done it, for Jet. And you watched Jet get shot and we al know what that meant.”

“Hank –” Mace broke in but Hank kept going.

“We al know what Darius had to do to disentangle himself from the shit swirling around Jules too. We know what Hector’s livin’ with because he f**ked up and nearly got Jules kil ed tryin’ to protect Roam’s street cred, of al f**kin’ things.”

“I get it,” Mace snapped.

“You don’t,” Hank replied. “You’re new to this so I’l tel you, bein’ tangled up with a Rock Chick means makin’

certain sacrifices and livin’ with your decisions. The time to make yours is now.”

The vibe in the room stayed hot as the three men stared at each other.

Final y, Mace muttered, “Fuckin’ hel .”

Hank glanced at Lee. Lee returned his look, took in a breath and Lee’s gaze moved back to Mace.

“Turner cal ed last night.”

As Mace’s head snapped toward Lee, the vibe in the room shot back to hot, so hot it was combustible.

“He’s on side,” Lee finished.

“What the f**k does that mean?” Mace asked.

“That means he quizzed Stel a. He didn’t find out dick and encouraged me to look into your Dad. He told me she didn’t know about your sister but I’m guessin’, since they obviously had the conversation, she knows the basics now and she’s curious. He’s on board with keepin’ her in the dark. I know you don’t like it but you got an al y in that guy.

He’l take care of her.”

“I’m gettin’ her back,” Mace returned.

“Hold off,” Lee advised.

“No f**kin’ way,” Mace responded.

“You get her back, you’l force your father’s hand. We don’t need that right now.”

Mace hesitated a beat then he shot out of his chair and exploded, “God damn it! ”

Hank winced then he went tense. Mace, angry, could be Hank winced then he went tense. Mace, angry, could be practical y uncontrol able, even double-teamed by himself and Lee.

“Calm down, Mace,” Hank said low.

“Fuck that. I don’t play by his rules,” Mace growled, his entire body visibly tight, such was the hold he had on himself.

“That isn’t smart,” Lee warned.

Mace stood there, straight, taut and furious then, out of nowhere, his body relaxed. He took another breath in through his nose and a slow grin spread on his face.

His voice was quiet when he said, “I’l be smart.” Without another word, Mace moved to leave and Lee glanced at Hank before cal ing, “Where the f**k you goin’?” Mace didn’t turn when he replied, “Gotta get some keys cut.”

Then he was gone.

* * * * *

Roxie

I was sitting on the couch in the television room, my monogrammed stationery on my lap, a half written letter to a friend in Charleston lying there forgotten. Shamus, Hank and my chocolate lab, was curled into himself on his huge, denim doggie bed in front of the wood-burning stove.

It was the first evening I’d been home in days. The front windows had been replaced. There were cameras everywhere and the new alarm system on al the doors and windows was armed the way Vance, who brought me home, showed me how to do.

I was sitting there staring out the window (or, more accurately, staring at the drawn curtains over the window, Vance told me to do that too) and I wasn’t thinking about my letter.

I was thinking about Hank.

Or, more to the point, about what Hank said to me earlier that day.

Then, because if I thought about it any longer my patience at waiting for Hank to come home would run out, I let my mind wander to Mace.

Or, more to the point, Mace walking into Fortnum’s late that morning under the direct gaze of al the Rock Chicks (except Shirleen, who was fielding cal s at the office and Jules, who was at work at the Shelter), Tex and Duke.

Stel a was there too with her new hot guy, Eric and, I had to admit as much as I didn’t want to, Eric was definitely hot. I was thinking about how Mace without a word handed Stel a the keys to her apartment.

Or, even more to the point, Stel a’s face when Mace turned around and walked away.

Or, even more to the point, Al y losing it and fol owing Mace in order to scream at him on the sidewalk outside of Fortnum’s in clear view (and easy hearing) of everyone inside who stood watching the show.

Al y went on about Mace being a “fucking macho idiot” and quoting the lyrics of Bil y Joel’s “And So It Goes”, informing Mace that Stel a sang it to him the day before even though he wasn’t there to see it. Then taking her life in her hands by going so far as to shove his shoulder and asking him, in a near shriek, “What the f**k’s the matter with you? ”

At that, clearly done, Mace put a shoulder to her bel y, picked her up, carried her back into the bookstore, set her on her feet and, again without a word, turned on his boot and walked away.

Stel a, frozen through al of this, had gone pale as a ghost when Mace returned and then left without glancing in her direction.

Al y stared angrily at the door and then declared,

“Electric shock treatment. That’l bring him around.” At Al y’s words, Stel a came unstuck, turned to Eric and murmured, “I’m sorry,” and then she bolted into the back of the store.

Daisy and Indy took off after Stel a.

Ava and Jet laid into Al y.

I watched Eric who was staring into the bookshelves after Stel a.