His cell phone rings. It's Bumpus, calling to see how it's going. Fine, he says, but she should rest. He shakes his head. His youngest daughter has some health problems, he says, but nothing compared to Karen's daughter.
Hours pass, the dark heat pressing down.
Finally, the undercovers call and say they've made a buy. Again, the adrenalin begins to pump. It's an insignificant drug bust, and yet there's always a chance the action can get hairy. They wear helmets and 45-pound bulletproof vests and carry assault weapons and semiautomatic shotguns. Their .40-caliber handguns are slung low on their thighs.