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

eyes. “You know perfectly well that Milena has no such suspicions. Besides, if I went home to her, all I’d do is constantly text you for updates and not sleep and not enjoy her lamb stew.”
    Beth’s eyes widened. “She’s making her lamb stew and you’re
still
staying here? They are not paying you enough for this, Bedraj.”
    Knowing that he’d have to fight to get the overtime request approved, a fight he was fairly certain he was going to lose, Bedraj agreed with her.
    Jessica and Emmett walked up to him, Emmett lagging a bit behind and surreptitiously trying tohike his pants up, pushed down as they were by his prodigious beer gut.
    “What’s the badge party for, Bedraj?” Jessica asked.
    Before Bedraj could reply, the captain from Westchester stepped forward. “I’m Captain Frank Irving from Sleepy Hollow. We believe that one of your pieces is being targeted by a thief who doesn’t like it when security guards get in the way. He’s already killed three people. Our job tonight is to make sure they don’t get Tench Tilghman’s Independence Cross.”
    Jessica got a dubious look on her face. “All the valuables up in here, and
that’s
what they’re after? What the hell for?”
    “Your guess is as good as mine,” Irving said, “but three others just like it have been stolen, with other merchandise left alone, and that’s a good enough reason for us to not let him have this one. We’re augmenting you two with three officers from the two-three, Ms. Nugent from IYS, myself, and Mr. Dezan.”
    “Great, a stakeout. Just like the good old days.” Jessica was grinning.
    Emmett wasn’t. “Y’know, Bedraj, I ain’t feelin’ so good. I only didn’t call in sick ’cause I didn’t wanna leave Jess alone, but looks like you’re covered, so if it’s all’a same to you …”
    Now Jessica was rolling her eyes. “For cryin’ out loud, Emmett, grow a pair, willya please?”
    Putting his hands on his large hips, Emmett said, “I got me a pair, Jess. And I wanna
keep
’em. ’Sides, even Bedraj is stayin’.”
    “Gave up Milena’s lamb stew, too,” Beth said with a twinkle in her eye.
    That, in turn, made Emmett’s eyes go wide. “Oh,
hell
, no. If you’re
that
worried, I don’t want no part’a this. Overnight gig’s supposed to be cushy. I retired from the docks so I wouldn’t have to risk my life no more.”
    Jessica was about to object again, but Bedraj interrupted. “It’s fine, Emmett, go home. It’ll come out of your sick leave.”
    A look of relief washed over Emmett’s face, his shoulders slumping. “
Thank
you, Bedraj. I owe you one. Hell, I owe you
six
.” He turned and practically ran out the door.
    Beth chuckled. “And then there were seven.”
    “It’s fine,” Jessica said. “Only thing he was good for was being a second set of eyes when I take a piss. So what’s the plan?”
    Bedraj had actually been thinking about it all day, and the plan he came up with would work just fine—he just put himself where he’d originally put Emmett. “Captain, Beth, I think you two should stay on the third floor—that’s where the cross is, in the south gallery.”
    Irving nodded. “Makes sense.”
    “Sure, that’s perfect,” Beth added.
    “I’ll stay up on five and monitor everyone andkeep an eye on the roof, since that’s an access point. Jessica, you and the three officers do roving patrols of the other floors.”
    “That’s four people for six floors,” Jessica said.
    “No,” Bedraj said slowly, “that’s four people for four floors. Captain Irving and Beth will be on three and I’ll be on five. The rest of you will cover the ground floor, the first floor, the second floor, and the fourth.”
    “Why bother with the ground floor?” Beth asked. “It’s just got the kids’ thing, right?”
    Bedraj nodded. Beth was referring to the Frederick A. O. Schwarz Children’s Center. “Yeah, c’mon, Beth, you know as well as I that thieves tend to come in from either