Chapter 10: But by Degrees

The rest of my hospital stay was pretty dull. I had a rather obsequious reporter show up and ‘no commented’ my way through an interview. Alex brought me three copies of the paper it was published in. It never hit television as far as I was aware.

Deputy Davis showed up twice more for ‘clarification.’ So, the slightly fictionalized version of what happened became an easily repeatable script. Off the record he informed me they found plenty of evidence at the garage, but I was almost certainly going to have testify in court several times. He never mentioned the phone call again.

After three days, they finally let me go. Lis had drawn first lot on ‘nurse maid’ duties and brought me a pair of jeans, shirt, and trainers. I’m pretty sure they were new. I finally got a look at my face and a shower. The left side of face was still incredibly swollen and about six shades of purple, but I didn’t see any lasting damage.

The screwdriver wound on my side on the other hand was going to scar. One more for the collection. My discharge instructions were mostly about caring for the wound (as if I didn’t have years of experience in treating my wounds) and that my vision would eventually return to normal once the swelling was down. They gave me an eye patch, but told me not to wear it unless I ‘needed to see.’

As the nurse pushed me out of the front door I le
apt from the wheelchair and ran into Lis’ little white car as quickly as humanly possible shouting back, “Thank you!”

Lis gave me a bemused smile, “In A hurry?”

“Three days in that place was a bit long for my taste ... I need to make a couple of stops before the grandmother’s house.”

The grandmother had decided I was going to do my convalescence there ... and I found that comforting. Even though I spent far more time at Robert’s then, the grandmother’s house was far more of a ‘home’ to me. It felt nice to have a safe place to go.

“By your place for clothes and books and stuff?”

“Yeah. And the garage.”

Lis bemused smile drained, “You want to go back there.”

Statement not a question.

“I know it’s weird, but if the cops are gone. I might be able to get something specific off the roof. Assuming the state’s finest aren’t competent enough to have climbed up to the roof and searched it.”

“What is it?”

“First your marker. No one ... and I mean no one can know about this. Your word on your very life.”

“I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

“Did you talk to your dad about what happened? About the phone call?”

“He said you joked about you making it and tying yourself back up, but I just overheard that.”

I wonder if she is as bad about eavesdropping as Mindy is.

“What I told your dad jokingly is what happened. I woke up tied to a chair, untied myself, called the cops, then tied myself back to the chair and let them beat on me to get caught in the act.”

Her jaw literally dropped, “That’s fucking insane.’

“Probably, but they had a few duffle bags full of money. Before I tied myself back up, I tossed one on the roof. Not sure how much, but if it’s still there it’s mine.”

“Why not more?”

“It was risky to begin with. People tend to notice when shit hits the roof. But even if it wasn’t I couldn’t risk more than one. One the dragons will think a dirty cop slid into his trunk instead of submitting it to evidence; more than one and that becomes ‘who the fuck stole my money? I’ll gut them when I get out of sing-sing.”

“Okay, but you’re buying me something pretty.”

“Not as pretty as you.”

She arrived and I hopped out of the car and moved behind the garage, there wasn’t an access ladder, but the hillside had a couple trees that would work. I climbed up and saw the bag. I hoped my temporary eye patch wouldn’t make me misjudge the jump and dove, rolling on the roof when I hit. I grabbed the bag and tossed it over and then hopped down. I carried the bag back and got in the car.

She reached across me and rubbed my shirt, “You’re bleeding.”

I glanced down and sure enough my t-shirt had a growing spot of blood.” “Must’ve reopened the stab wound. Let’s go to the grandmother’s house and I can sew it up there.”

We double-backed to Robert’s for some quick packing, then to the grandmother’s and she met me at the door with a hug. GG was at work. I carried the two bags up to my attic room. I didn’t hesitate and opened the duffle and dumped it on the floor near the bed. Then treated my wound, they’d given me a roll of sutures or rather I’d palmed one, so it wasn’t that bad. Just some disinfectant and a quick sew job.

Then I picked up and examined the money. I looked at the pile of money. Lis had followed me up with her own bag in hand and stared at the pile. Alternating between gazing at the cash and me, “What are you thinking?”

“I’m not thinking I’m doing Math.”

“What?”

‘It’s mixed denominations, so it’s a rough estimate. If I’m right, it’s about 60 grand.”

“Jesus what are you going to do with it?”

“It’ll help cover expenses for a while. I can probably find a decent used car for when I actually get my license. Oooh and we can fuck on a big pile of money!”

That turned out to be a terrible idea. I wasn’t fit for anything athletic and popped my fresh stitches. Anything beyond her riding me was out of the question for a bit.

On day three Tracy switched out with Lis. Just after the mandatory lunch. I’d headed back upstairs while she’d stayed back to speak to the grandmother. She came up about 30 minutes later carrying a white plastic bowl with a lid on it.

I was a bit confused since we’d just eaten. As such I was compelled to ask, “‘What is that?”

She sat the bowl on the nightstand, “A bowl of warm water and a cloth.”

“Why?”

“Lis mentioned you were showering every couple of hours to decrust your eye. We can do it here.”

“You shouldn’t have to do that, little one.”

“I volunteered to help you. I’m not afraid of a little blood and tearage. Just hold still.”

“I can do it.”

Her hand pressed against my chest, “Your heart is going a mile a minute.”