Page 36 of Rules of Engagement

"It's only a phone. How much important information can you store on your phone?"

"Lots of stuff!"

"Would you store a death threat on it?"

"No, I try to keep those in a drawer at the agency."

Lily's jaw dropped. "Really?!"

"Yeah, we have a drawer and the best death threat for the month wins a prize. No, Lily, I'm making that up! If we get any threats, they are turned over to Solomon and he checks them out. Mostly they’re just people shooting their mouths off because they got caught doing something they shouldn't have been. I need to go back to the office," I decided. I wanted to take a look inside that file.

"I can take you there."

"I might take you up on that shortly, but I just realized I can't go anywhere just yet. Maddox is on his way over here, and I'm not leaving until Solomon is being guarded by someone we trust."

"He's here," said Lily as she inclined her head to the corridor. I looked up. Maddox stood in the hallway. He flashed his FBI badge to the police officer and raised a hand when he saw me notice him. He wore jeans, a blue sweater only a fractionally lighter shade than his eyes, and a black leather jacket. While his clothes were casual, his expression was business.

"Can you stay with Solomon, please?" I asked.

"Sure. I’ll talk to him while you're gone."

"Be nice," I said. "He can't answer back." I got up and, after taking a last look at Solomon, stepped out the room. Maddox walked over, put his arms around me and hugged me. He smelled nice and his hug was warm and comforting.

"How is he?" he asked, releasing me.

"Stable, but still in a coma," I said.

He assessed me. "How are you?"

I wracked my brain for something appropriate to say but all I could settle on was, "I don't know."

"Someplace we can talk?"

"Over there." I nodded to the chairs stationed under the window at the end of the corridor, just a few feet past the next bay. We walked over and sat down. I realized the corridor hadn’t ended but instead made a sharp turn and continued to the right.

"I got an update on the way over here so I already know what happened. I also know they haven't found the guy yet," said Maddox, breaking the silence.

"Is there anything you can help me with?"

"Officially, no. This isn't a federal matter. Unofficially, whatever you need, I'll try and do it."

"Solomon said something to me before he passed out," I said. I stopped when I saw the medical staff moving around and chose my words carefully. I wondered what to say. It seemed to me that going simple was probably best. "He told me to go to you. Do you have any idea why?"

"To go to me? Are you sure?"

"He said 'go to Maddox,' and yeah, I'm sure."

"I have no idea why he would say that. Didn't he tell you?"

"No, there wasn't enough time. Could it have anything to do with why he got shot?"

"As in, do I know anything?" Maddox pointed a finger at his chest. "No. When I heard about it this morning, I was floored that anyone could manage to get the jump on him. He is not an easy guy to sneak up on."

"They didn't sneak up. They rang the damn doorbell! Solomon answered and someone shot him twice."

"I heard you didn't see who it was."

"No, I didn't. They were gone by the time I got to the door. We think it was someone riding a motorcycle and probably wearing a helmet."

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