Chapter 275: Bock Beer and Catching Up

"Holy shit," the shocked woman said even before she hugged me. "I knew you were going to look different after three months, but I thought it would be worse. God you look ten years younger. If it wasn't for the hair, I wouldn't recognize you. Well sure you look like you did ten years ago."

"Take a breath Jen, you are running on like a teenager on a first date," I said.

"I know, but damn what did you have done?" she asked.

"What was the use accumulating all that money, if I couldn't have a nip and tuck?" I asked.

"So they grew you a new spinal cord, then did plastic surgery as well. Shit I want to go there on my next spa vacation," she said.

"It's a very private clinic that Eve knows about. Ask her for the details, they wouldn't even tell me where I was. They all spoke with accents though," I said.

"I'll bet that scared the hell out of you?" Jen suggested.

"Yes, I was afraid that they wouldn't kill me. Then of course they began putting me back together. Hell they even grew me a new calf muscle. I had to learn to walk again." It was true that I had to learn to walk again. It just wasn't for the new calf muscle, or some spinal transplant. It was the new body that I had to learn to push and pull around.

"Well damn, if you don't look great," she said.

"Thanks, now give me a beer and start spilling your guts," I demanded.

I had the beer when she started, "Well the nanny is in the wind. Blevins and his baby detective decided that the shootout was the worst case of murder/ suicide they ever saw." she said. "In other words they said in a whisper, job well done."

"How about the nanny's boyfriend? Did we get him in the shootout?" I asked.

"No we think he is the one who pulled the trigger on you," she said.

"Who thinks that?" I asked.

"Vlad and Anya mostly, everybody else was content to let it go or to wait for the cops to stumble on them. Especially when they all thought you would die or worse." Jen said. "Vlad and Anya wouldn't let it go though. Too bad they don't have your connections."

"No it isn't. I would not want them to find those two without some supervision. It would be the Russians in Afghanistan I fear. Torture, just for the fun of it, is not justice."

"No, but I bet it is satisfying for the torturer now and then," she said.

"It destroys the soul," I said. "Okay, so the nanny cunt is in the wind, is the boyfriend with her or do you have any idea."

"Here is a present from Blevins. He gave it to me for you. If you ever came back that is." she said handing me an envelop. It was too small and light to be a gun, so it had to be the case file. It would have the bread crumbs to look out for along the paper trail leading back to the nanny cunt. How did I know, because it is what I would have done.

"Okay, so why didn't I get to go into the Drugstore Condo?" I asked.

"I have to warn you that the locks and codes have all been changed. That was Kate's idea. I didn't want you kicking the door in. I have your keys here and your codes for the front and rear door's master lock. Also in the packet is the web address for the video camera feeds on the doors, parking lot and stairs. Lucas set those up for Kate."

"So what is the status of the last two units?" I asked.

"The place got a lot of publicity after the shooting. I managed to keep Leon and Vlad out of the news. Anya being a woman, got her picture made a few times, but nothing more widespread than the local TV channel. It didn't get picked up anywhere else.

The Admiral sent a high profile retiree. She decided that she wanted the 'room without a view' unit. Her balcony over the closed off alley has all the view she needs, according to her." Jen said.

"How about the the place with all the views of old buildings?" I asked.

"Believe it or not that one went to a square John and his Wife. They are super fans of yours, I think."

"Jen tell me you didn't sell that place to groupies?" I asked with a laugh.

"Ah I think so, but they are rich and retired groupies," she said.

"But you know who their neighbors are, it could get to be a problem," I suggested.

"Kate pushed hard for the sale, and I gave in finally. They have been model homeowners so far," she said.

"Of course no one knew when, or if you were coming back. I have no idea what they will do now that you are here," she actually had a evil smile on her face, the wicked bitch.

"So has Helen used the reception hall yet?" I asked.

"Every Saturday for the last month or so," she said. "Kate also had a couple of lodges book it for dances and that kind of thing."

"Good, if you didn't cut too many deals, the building has paid for itself now and I have the income from the reception hall as profit." I said, proving to myself that even small detail from the primitive brain had survived.

"Oh you made a few bucks on the sale of the units. It's not as much as you could have gotten had you not insisted I be picky with the buyers," she said. "By the way Leon got elected president of the homeowner's association."

"That actually was a good choice. At least maybe he won't pull a gun on the window washer," I said.

Did you organize the clubhouse in the basement, or do I get to do something myself?" I asked.

"We cleaned it out, just as you had planned and we stopped right there. Vlad insisted that he oversee the cleaning for some reason." Jen said.