I was really intrigued to see what they were both talking about, but it would wait until after the shower. “Thanks a lot, buddy. Hope you’ll forgive me for bein’ such an asshole.”
He grinned. “You’re forgiven. Faced with what you’re dealing with, I’m not sure I’d be any different, Rex. Look after yourself and try and get some sleep.”
“Thanks again, Alain.”
“Cheerio.” He waved at all of us and nearly ran right into Andy as he practically bowled him over walking into the room.
“Oops, didn’t see you there, Alain.”
“Quite alright, Andy.” I saw him lean close and lower his voice. “He worked terrifically hard today, so if he says he doesn’t need painkillers for his sore arms, he’s jolly well lying.”
Andy chuckled and patted Alain on the back as he left the room. Andy nodded to Candy and Mickey before looking me up and down. “Wow, look at you. Sweated right through your shirt. Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
“Thanks, Andy.” I watched him go to the set of drawers in the room and pull out clean underwear, a T-shirt, socks, and sweatpants. He handed them to me then wheeled me into the bathroom.
It was embarrassing every time I had to have him strip me down and help me slide onto the seat in the shower. He usually hovered close by just to make sure I didn’t slip off and then held the nozzle over my head to wash all the bodywash down the drain. The worst part of the shower came when he pulled me to a standing position and held onto me while I washed my backside which I insisted I could do myself.
Showers had become humiliating events, but I always felt better when I put on clean clothes after Andy dried me off. He was always on shower duty because he was one of the few nurses on the floor who could heft my weight without help. I always wondered what would happen once I got home and had to do it all by myself. The reminder that Cachi wouldn’t be around to help was always on my mind whenever it came time to shower. The decision to send him away was still painful even if it had been necessary.
By the time Andy helped me back into the chair and rolled me into the room, I was exhausted. Between the wheelchair workout and the shower, all I wanted to do was sleep.
“Let me get you a pain pill, Rex,” Andy said.
I nodded my thanks as he left the room. I wasn’t going to argue with him. Not today. Mickey stood and rolled the table over to my chair, lowering it so that I could reach the box of food.I opened it up and inhaled the scent of an animal style Double-Double with extra pepperoncini peppers and pickles on it, just the way I liked. The addition of animal style fries was the icing on the cake. I looked up at Candy who’d walked over, holding the folder.
“Did you guys eat?”
“Before we came,” Mickey said. “Dig in, buddy.”
I glanced at Candy. “Do you mind if I eat while we talk?”
“Not at all, Rex. I just have a few pictures to show you as I explain what we’re planning.”
Just then, the door to my room opened and Andy came in holding a small paper cup. “Got your pill, Rex.” He handed it to me with a big grin. “Mm, mm. In-N-Out…my favorite,” he said as he poured me a cup of water from the pitcher on the table. “Now you’ve got me craving a Double-Double.”
I smiled and downed the pill, setting the cup on the table. “Nothin’ better than burgers.”
“You got that right,” Andy said. “I’ll leave you be now.”
“Thanks, Andy.” I watched him walk out and shut the door before turning to Candy. “Okay, boss…shoot.” I picked up my burger and dug in.
He opened the folder and pulled out pictures of several nasty looking guys, setting them on the table. Every one of them wore prison garb and sneers on their faces. “These are guys Raven and Judy have identified as attendees at the Luca Hernandez’ party. They tracked them down and ID’d them by using traffic cams on Roscomare Road.”
“How?”
“Do you recall the cars lined up on Roscomare the day of the party, waiting their turn to drive up to the valet?”
“Yeah, as soon as Mars took Castillion out, they made a quick U-turn and tore outta there as fast as they could.”
“Right.” Candy tapped the photos. “These guys were in those cars.”
“How do you know?”
“Like I said, Raven and Judy tracked seven vehicles using the traffic cams on Roscomare and then through the city. They all went to the same place after the shooting.”
“Where?” I chewed a french fry, hanging on every word as I practically inhaled my burger. It was amazing as always.
“A commercial building on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City,” Candy said.