ackie came very close to asking this Nick character why he had been arrested. Twice. But it seemed bad form to admit that the only officer of the law in the room didn’t know why anyone in the vicinity had been placed under arrest.

“Was there something in particular you wanted to say to Miss Taft?” Mackie prodded Nick. If he could just direct this conversation a little…

Nick turned to the girl in question. “Incoming.”

Incoming? Mackie puzzled over that. Incoming what?

“Excuse me, Officer.”

Mackie did not startle. He did not jump. He simply turned slowly to face the person who’d spoken behind him.

Another boy.

“I’m here for my sister,” the boy said—more order than statement.

Before Mackie could respond, the one called Nick leaned back against the bars of the cell and snorted. “Which one?”