"They had hoods up. But they weren't street thugs." His tone dropped lower. Forced me to lean closer still. "They knew things, Carlson. Things about the operation. About me."
A chill crawled up my spine. "What kind of things?"
"They knew I'd been working with you for eight months. They knew about the club raids we were planning." His fingers twisted tighter in the blanket. "Whoever sent them had access to information that only cops should have had."
The implication hung heavy in the sterile air between us.
Someone inside the Service. The same someone who'd leaked the CI identities and tanked the case. Still active. Still connected to the drug ring.
And now they'd followed me to 51.
"There's more," Daniel whispered, barely audible now. "The operation is expanding. They're moving into 51's catchment."
I went completely still. "What?"
"Same players. Same drugs. New territory. They're setting up distribution through some of the clubs here." His attention darted to Hawley, then back to me. "They've been working on it for months. Since before your transfer."
The pieces clicked together with sickening clarity.
It wasn't random.
My transfer hadn't been random punishment. It had beencalculated. Put the disgraced detective in the exact division where the operation was expanding. Where he'd have no credibility if he started seeing familiar patterns.
"That's why they came after you now," I said. "They're tying up loose ends before launching here."
Daniel nodded. Then grimaced at the movement. "I heard things. Names. Locations. That's why they didn't just kill me. They needed to know what I knew, who I'd told."
"Did you tell them anything?"
A flash of hurt crossed his battered face. "Give me some credit, Detective C."
"Sorry. I didn't mean..."
"I know." Softening. "But I can't stay here. They'll find me again."
"We can arrange protection. A safe house, officers..."
"No cops." Daniel's good eye hardened. "No offense to your new partner over there, but I don't know who I can trust anymore. Neither do you."
He wasn't wrong.
If there was a leak at 52, there could be connections at 51 too. Every officer was a potential threat until proven otherwise.
I hesitated. Then reached into my pocket. My fingers closed around my spare condo key. The one I'd kept after moving into the Service-assigned housing. I pulled it out along with several folded bills.
"My old place. Lease is paid through the end of the month." I pressed both into his good hand. "Building has decent security. Nobody knows I still have access. You can hole up there until we figure this out."
Daniel stared at the key like I'd handed him a live grenade. "You're giving me your condo?"
"Lending. Temporarily. I've been assigned to departmental housing with Detective Sunshine over there." I nodded toward Hawley. "Consider it bureaucratic redistribution. Nobody needs to know."
A ghost of Daniel's old amusement appeared. "Still breaking rules when it suits you."
"Only the stupid ones." I squeezed his hand gently. Careful of the IV. "You'll be safe there. Just keep a low profile."
Daniel's fingers closed around the key. His face remained grave. "Nowhere is safe, Detective C. Not really." His voice dropping even lower. "These people... they have reach. Money. Connections. They got to someone in your department once. They can do it again."
"I'll handle it." The promise carrying more confidence than I felt. "Just focus on recovering. I'll check on you when I can."