Sleepy Hollow: Children of the Revolution by Keith R.A. DeCandido

someone else from the two-three. So cut the crap and tell me what’s going on.”
    For the first time, Irving spoke up. “Mr. Dezan, your current exhibit from the Society of the Cincinnati has an Independence Cross that was awarded to Tench Tilghman as part of the exhibit, am I right?”
    “Of course it’s right.”
    “The Metropolitan Museum of Art has two IndependenceCrosses, and the Cortlandt Museum in Tarrytown has another. All three have been stolen in the last week.”
    For the first time, Bedraj sat up in his chair and viewed this meeting as something other than an annoyance. He’d been humoring Tomas and Beth because of his past relationship with them, but now—now, this really
was
a credible threat.
    “Yeah, normally, this’d be the part where I tell you we have state-of-the-art security—and on top of that, the Society put a webcam on the damn exhibit, so the whole world can see it 24/7—but the Met has even better security than we do.” He gave Beth a glance.
    She’d been uncharacteristically quiet up until now. “Look, Bedraj, SOP would be to go to the Society and MCNY’s board for this, but I know you. I know you hate the crap they pull, and besides, this is a security matter. So we’re doing you the courtesy of coming to you first.”
    Bedraj nodded. “I appreciate that, Beth.”
    Beth returned the nod. “Look, I know you don’t have the money to hire more guards, so the two-three’s gonna have three officers here during closing hours on foot patrol, and Frank and I’ll be here, too.”
    A response died on Bedraj’s lips at that last phrase. “Hang on. Beth, you I can make a case for, but—well, no offense, Captain, but you’re way out of your jurisdiction.”
    “Only recently,” he said. “I was NYPD before I transferred up to Sleepy Hollow. In fact,” and for the first time, the captain’s expression changed from the stony one he’d been using, “I used to be her partner. Taught her everything she knows.”
    Snorting, Bedraj said, “So it’s
your
fault.” He shook his head. “Yeah, I don’t think I can allow it. I mean—”
    “Mr. Dezan, they’ve already killed to achieve their goal.”
    “What!?” Nobody had told Bedraj anything about murder.
    “Show him,” Irving said to Beth, who pulled a tablet out of her purse.
    Tomas shook his head. “No wonder you left the force, Nugent. We ain’t got the budget for the nice toys.”
    Beth swiped her index finger across the tablet screen a few times and then showed Bedraj a gruesome photo of a bunch of body parts spread out across a lobby area.
    As Bedraj’s breakfast started to well up to his throat, Beth took the tablet back and swiped over to another photo, but he held a hand up. “Yeah, I get the idea.”
    “The vics,” Irving said, “were the three security guards on duty at the Cortlandt. The other two looked like that guy.”
    “Dammit.” Bedraj swallowed down bile. “Yeah, why exactly didn’t you lead with that?”
    “This kinda stuff,” Beth said, indicating the tablet, “it’s better to work your way up to.”
    “Says you.” Bedraj shuddered. “Yeah, fine, come on over. We close at six, and thanks to the Sphincter of the Cincinnati”—the others chuckled at the malapropism—“I’ve got foot patrols overnight, but it’s only two guards. If something that can do
that
wants the cross, I’m more than happy to make it seven.”
    “Good.” Irving moved toward the door. “I’ve got some other business to take care of. I’ll be back at six.”
    Tomas got up as well. “I’ve gotta get back to the house. I’m gonna leave my guys here until closing. Then I got three guys from the night shift coming in later, okay?”
    Bedraj nodded, barely noticing Tomas and Beth follow Irving out the door.
    All he could see was that dead security guard chopped to pieces.
    He debated whether or not to tell the two overnight guards when they reported what they were in for. Jessica, he wasn’t worried about, as