I said I was sure.And I was.I enjoyed the penthouse, but taking on the responsibility for Edwina had made things more difficult.Not that apartment-dwellers can’t have dogs.But if the last couple of days were any indication of what life together would be like, she might be happier in Hillwood.
Or with someone other than me.But we weren’t going to go there.
The discharge nurse insisted on getting Rachel into a wheelchair.“Procedure,” she explained while she expertly hefted Rachel from the bed into the chair.
“We’re going to visit someone in another room,” I explained.
“Take the chair.”
Fine.We took the chair.I pushed it into the elevator, and pushed it down the hall to Zachary’s room.
He was alone, and awake, watching something on TV.It had lots of explosions and people running.When we walked—and rolled—in, he turned the sound down.“What happened to you?”
“Concussion,” Rachel said.
“One of the Russian guys who beat you up hit her over the head,” I added.
Zachary’s eyes widened.
He actually looked worse today than yesterday, if that was possible.The cuts and bruises had reached maximum color by now, and his face looked like a boxer’s after a title match.But he seemed more alert, and more able to follow what we were saying.He also talked more.And the whooshing machine that had been helping him breathe yesterday was gone, and he was managing on his own.
I went over the whole thing, the way I’d done with Diana earlier, and with Mendoza before that.By now, I was really getting the telling of it down to a science.It made for an exciting narrative.
When I finished, the first words out of Zachary’s mouth were, “What’ll happen to the girls?”
I told him I had no idea.“ICE took them.For debriefing, I’m sure.I don’t know whether they’ll be sent back to Russia or what will happen.”
They were here on some sort of student visa, Mendoza had said, so maybe they’d actually be allowed to stay if they wanted to.“You should ask him,” I told Zachary.“He’s down there with the detectives from vice, who were also part of the sting.Mendoza’s everybody’s hero at the moment.”
Zachary nodded.
“He’ll probably stop by later, to talk to you about it.”In fact, I’d give him a call and make sure he did.“Meanwhile, I’m taking Rachel back to the house in Hillwood for a day or two.Until she’s OK to be on her own again.We thought maybe, when you’re released, you’d like to join us.”
The parts of Zachary’s face that weren’t scabby or bruised, flushed red.“I guess Detective Mendoza told you about my mother, huh?”
“Just that you’re not living with her anymore,” I said.“It’s none of my business.”
He pleated a corner of the sheet between his thumb and forefinger.“She got angry when I quit my job at the Apex to work for you.She said I shouldn’t quit a real job to play detective.”
“You’re not playing detective,” I said.“You were instrumental in stopping a human trafficking operation and saving three Russian women from a life of prostitution.You put your own life and health at risk for someone else.That makes you a hero.”
He flushed again, but shook his head.“I don’t think my mom’s gonna see it that way.And anyway, you were the one who told me what to do.”
“But you were the one who did it.You’re the one who got beat up for it.But you don’t have to take my word for it.When Mendoza stops by, he’ll tell you the same thing.So would the guys from ICE and vice, I’m sure.”
He didn’t answer, but he looked a little more cheerful.
“So would you like to come stay in the house in Hillwood until we can figure something else out?At least until you feel better physically?”
Zachary allowed as how he might see his way clear to doing that.
“Good.”I got to my feet.“I’ll go get Rachel settled.Any idea when they’re likely to let you out of here?”
“They said tomorrow morning,” Zachary said.
“Then I’ll be back later today to see you.And tomorrow we’ll get you out of here.”
He nodded.“Thanks, Gina.”
