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was afraid … I don’t know … I was afraid Angel’s luck wouldn’t hold out. That maybe he wouldn’t remember later. And I wanted to catch him fresh, so I borrowed the EMT’s cell phone, called my answering machine, and got him to give his statement into it. We had to call it three times, because it kept cutting us off, but it worked.”
    Awed, I shook my head. “Cougar, that was brilliant.”
    I glimpsed the pain in his eyes before he looked away. “I wish it was unnecessary. That Angel could speak for himself.” He glared at Barnes. “You smug bastard. If he dies, you’ll wish you’d used that bullet on yourself.”
    “Captain!” the lawyer barked. “I won’t allow my client to be threatened.”
    The captain sighed. “Bill, please control your agent.”
    Bill opened his mouth, and Cougar held up his hands. “Okay,” he said, and walked toward the window.
    “Excuse me,” a redheaded deputy mumbled, and I twisted to let him by. He handed a small tape player to his boss and retreated.
    In a moment, Cougar’s breezy recorded voice filledthe room. “This is Jason. You know what to do.” Along beep followed, then a different version of his voice, this one tight and stilted, announced the time and date. “Please state your name and badge number for the record.”
    “John Angelino, Special Agent. Badge number BA7803655.”
    “Where are you?”
    “Um, the back of an ambulance.”
    “What are your injuries?”
    “I’ve, uh, been shot.”
    “Jason Stratton, Special Agent. Badge number AS0514198. I, along with Special Agent Denise Bramhall, found Agent Angelino in the forest behind Frank Barnes’s house as we conducted an early morning raid. He was tied to a tree and unconscious from a small caliber shot to his forehead. Do you remember what occurred just prior to our finding you?”
    Angel’s voice cracked. “I, um … I was working undercover in a sting to net Frank Barnes. I’m not sure what happened exactly. I met him at his house for dinner Wednesday night. We had some mahimahi, and I guess it was drugged, because next thing I knew, I was sitting in the snow. I was messed up, couldn’t talk, couldn’t move. Barnes stood over me. He said, ‘Whatever the DEA paid you, son, it wasn’t enough.’ Then he pointed a gun at me and pulled the trigger. I sort of remember my head snapping back, but I didn’t feel anything yet. Iguess I passed out, because the next thing I remember is you and Necie showing up.”
    Cougar led him through another series of questions that I realized were meant to show cognizance. Cougar’s voice sounded dull and heavy, perhaps toneless to a stranger, but it was stark to the ears of someone who knew him. My admiration for him swelled when I realized how smart he’d been, and how much strength it must’ve taken. He’d all but wrapped Barnes up with a bow and hand delivered him to the DA.
    A deputy led Barnes away to be fingerprinted. He gave me a searching look when he passed, but I turned my head. We briefed the captain and talked among ourselves for a moment.
    Finally, I spotted an empty desk and sat behind it to write out my report.
    I was nearly done fifteen minutes later when the squad room door burst open and a disheveled, wild-eyed Grady barreled inside.
    “Necie!” he cried, and I think every cop in the building reached for his piece.
    “It’s okay,” I said, jumping up to intercept him. Grabbing his arm, I dragged Grady to a corner. I dreaded the scene to come, but saw no way to avoid it. I didn’t want my co-workers to see us fight.
    “I called the office when I woke up and found you gone,” he said. “They told me you were here. Somethingabout a wreck, so I called a cab—”
    Taking his hands, I launched into a feverish explanation. “Grady, let me tell you what happened. My defroster was broken, so I took your car. I’m sorry. I’ll pay for the damages—”
    “Necie—”
    “We got Barnes, but his driver rammed the Porsche when we were