Chapter 2

“You have no ties, no one you’re responsible to or for, for starters.”

“True. I’m not happy about it, but…” He shrugged.

“If you were given a chance to change that, would you?”

Ben’s initial instinct was to say “Damned right I would.” But he didn’t. He knew there had to be something more to Ray’s interest in him than his being some kind of do-gooder. He didn’t ask, though. Not at that moment. Instead he picked up the cup, putting the change and bills, all three of them, in his jacket pocket. Ray was standing by then and held out his hand. Ben ignored it as he got to his feet. Not an easy project but he’d done it so often in the past year that he had his movements down pat—hand on the wall for support, push up with his good leg until he was erect, then put his weight on his other leg as well.

“You’re a stubborn bastard,” Ray said as he watched.

“Yep.” Ben bent to pick up his backpack, slung it over one shoulder, and then said, “Let’s take this conversation somewhere more private.”

“Such as?”

Ben shrugged. “I could say the nearest alley, but I doubt you’d like the ambiance. You can buy me lunch down there.” He gestured toward a fast-food restaurant that he knew didn’t care who you were or how you were dressed as long as you were sober, didn’t stink, and bought something. “It’s mid-afternoon so I figure we’ll be able to find a table.”

Ray agreed, they walked—well, Ben limped but it’s how he moved—down to the restaurant. When they were at the counter, Ray told him to get whatever he wanted. Ben took him at his word and ordered two large burgers with the works, fries, a shake, and a brownie. Ray was more circumspect, as Ben thought of it, only getting a regular burger and coffee. They found a table along one wall, away from the windows, and Ben dug in, scarfing down the first burger before he came up for air.

“How long since you had a decent meal?” Ray asked.

“I forget, but it’s been a while.” He ate a couple of fries, took a drink, and then said, “Why me?”

“Because you were a good cop who got a raw deal.”

“No shit,” Ben replied bitterly. “That didn’t answer my question, but before you do, how did you find me? Wander the streets and there I was?”

Ray chuckled. “Not quite that bad. We put out the word, a week or so ago, that we were looking for you. Someone saw you in the area a couple of days later and let us know. After that it was just a case of my coming down here, hoping you hadn’t moved on.”

“‘We,’ ‘us’? You work for…for what? An organization I presume.”

With a nod, Ray said, “We’ll get to that in a moment. Part of your record while you were on the force said you were a crack shot. Think you still are?”

Ben spread his hands. “It’s been a while since I’ve held a gun, to say the least of firing one, so it’s hard to tell. That said, I don’t see why I wouldn’t be. It’s all in hand-eye coordination and mine was damned good.”

“It’s also your mindset,” Ray said. “You might be able to hit the bull’s-eye every time, but if you freeze when you have to deal with a person who is about to kill you or someone else, all the training in the world won’t keep you or their target alive.”

“Very true. Since you’ve obviously read my record, you know I had no problem in that respect. I was due to become part of the SWAT team as one of their snipers when all that shit happened.”

“We know. Next thing. As I said, when we learned where you were most recently I came down here to find you, which obviously I have. I followed you yesterday and this morning. You don’t seem to have too much trouble getting around, despite the limp.”

Ben shrugged. “On the ground, no. Climbing up to a roof is another story. I can do it, but it takes time and stresses my knee more than I like.”

“What about running?”

“I can, in a pinch.” Ben smiled wryly. “Like when I’m trying to avoid being hassled by the cops or punks. Not that I run from the punks unless there’s too many of them. I stand my ground when it’s one or two. I still throw a mean punch and I’m good with a makeshift weapon like a piece of pipe or hunk of wood.”

“That’s good to know.” Ray leaned back, eyeing him. When he didn’t say anything, Ben picked up his second burger, which was starting to get cold, and made quick work of finishing it off.