C23 THE RAID.

"Mr. Blackwood," he started, "sorry for barging into your office—"

"You better be," I cut him off. "And it better be for a damn good reason."

The man straightened, trying to recover. "I'm Detective Harrington Smith," he said.

I tilted my head, unimpressed. Surveying the man at the front of the pack, I was able to tell that he was middle-aged, balding, and reeked of bureaucratic arrogance