School of Fish (Fish Out of Water #6) - Amy Lane Page 0,91
Kevlar was needed. Doing what Jackson and I do, I can see why I might need to get fitted for a lightweight tactical vest, just on, you know, the off chance someone’s going to shoot at us. But she’s a teacher. She shouldn’t have to worry about wearing a full metal jacket, you know?”
Jackson grunted in agreement, chewing—thank God—an actual bite of sandwich. “The idea that people expect that to be a job requirement is unreal,” he said after he’d swallowed. “But in this case, I think it was very specific to the mob ties between Ziggy and Dima. You know, she told me that James Cosgrove wasn’t his original name. I wonder if we could look up and see what his original name was and why someone would want to cover that up.”
“And we never did get around to asking her about Ziggy,” Henry said glumly.
“No,” Jackson agreed, “but as Ellery just reminded me, I can do some damage on the phone this afternoon while you guys go out and get a rental for Galen and John.”
Henry grunted. “So you’re going back to the air-conditioning to rest? And we don’t have to fight you or put you in an armlock or anything? Seriously?”
“Well, Ellery may want to hide the keys to the Tank, but if he does that, I’ve got no choice but to stay home and be a good boy,” Jackson admitted.
On the one hand, Ellery’s chest buzzed with the knowledge that Jackson’s promises were being kept to the spirit as well as the letter.
On the other hand, he seriously considered taking the keys to the Tank.
Ducks, Row, Truck
JACKSON WAS a good boy when he got back to the house. He changed, finished his sandwich at the table, and then, ass hurting, brain jumpy and incoherent from exhaustion, he sat on the couch with the cat on his lap and let Ellery and Henry leave without fussing at them.
He actually napped for about fifteen minutes, but when he came to, his head was clearer, and he found himself sitting in the quiet with his eyes closed and Billy Bob purring in his lap.
His brain—usually busy and restless—went still, and he found the people and the events of the case appearing, in order, while he played with the pieces and tried to make them fit. He didn’t get frustrated when they didn’t fit immediately. He just went to the next piece and turned that around a little, and then the next.
No urgency. His body was spent. He’d promised Ellery he would take care of this body because it was the only one Ellery got, and Ellery was fond of it for whatever reason. For once, he couldn’t urge himself toward healing or push his brain any further than it had already been. He had himself, the quiet, and the materials at hand.
After about half an hour, he sat up. Billy Bob—who had been drooling complacently on his clean T-shirt—extended his claws and let him know delicately that the cat preferred Jackson where he was. Jackson smiled slightly, snagged his phone from the end table where Ellery had left it charging, and opened his notes.
Family—James Cosgrove part of the Siderov Family. Is ZIGGY part of the family? Did “family” shoot at us because we were asking Schroeder questions? Is SCHROEDER family?
—Need: hard search on Siderov’s family members—see if AJ turns anything up on Ziggy or “the German”
—Action: Text Mira and ask her too
He looked at the note in surprise because it really seemed to help him think. Go figure. He almost died and came back with a more effective way to use his brain. He knew there had to be a benny, right?
But that wasn’t the only thing that occurred to him. He kept typing.
Ty Townsend—student athlete. Who would want him out of commission?
—Need: info on who’s making book on Ty and who would benefit most if he loses his full ride and student athlete status
—Action: Hardison says he can get it. Text Hardison near end of shift to remind him.
Okay, that was good too. He’d managed to make some contacts in the police force besides Kryzynski. Which reminded him….
Kryzynski—his stabbing makes Ziggy pretty hot on the street. Too hot for the “family” to handle?
Need: buzz on the street
He tapped his finger on his lips for a moment because “buzz on the street” wasn’t easy to get, particularly when you were laid up.
Action: Call Kryzynski just because it’s the nice thing to do