Youre telling me.

Well look, I just wanted to see if you were alive, it looked pretty bad watching TV.

Think I might be a star? He sounded halfway hopeful.

Maybe not just yet, Freddy.

s.h.i.t, he said and then his eyes started to flutter until they gradually closed. I checked the pulse monitor just to make sure he was still alive then pulled a business card out of my wallet and placed it on the bed table in front of him. I only made one wrong turn on my way back to the elevators then drove to the office.

Sleeping in, Louie asked when I came through the door, then he went back to the files spread across the picnic table in front of him.

Actually, I was down at Regions, visiting Fat Freddy.

Louie sat back in his chair and tossed his pen on the pad in front of him. How bad is it?

Bad enough, but h.e.l.l live. I dont think anything was broken. I said then settled into my chair, picked up the binoculars and scanned the building across the street.

Did you even ask if anything was broken?

He was on meds, pain killers most likely, G.o.d the poor b.a.s.t.a.r.d fell asleep while he was talking to me.

Im not sure thats the fault of the meds.

He was black and blue, swollen, had a splint on his nose and maybe some teeth knocked out, but h.e.l.l live.

Jesus.

Oh, and get this, they fired him.

Who fired him?

Bulldog, it was him and that night crew of bouncers that a.s.saulted Freddy.

They physically a.s.saulted another employee, in broad daylight, in the company parking lot?

Yeah, and then fired him.

G.o.d, Id like to sue that organization.

I dont think thats exactly how they settle their issues, Louie.

Well, yeah, but Jesus.

I set the binoculars down and turned back to face Louie. You know, there might be a silver lining here, an opportunity.

Hows that?

Im not sure yet, I just have a feeling. I said then turned round and scanned the third floor again. I thought the refrigerator door might look like it was open when suddenly a girl stood up from behind the kitchen counter. She had a towel wrapped around her head and was wearing a smile. My luck was definitely changing.

Chapter Twenty-Five.

My positive vibe was relatively short lived. I was in the den at Caseys sipping a cranberry juice because Id run out of beer and the liquor stores were closed. Id called Heidi to see if she wanted to come over and misbehave, but she was getting ready for a hot date. I was watching the Twins slowly being beaten to death, one long inning at a time. There had been a light rain falling, unfortunately not heavy enough to call the game. My phone rang. I could only hope it was Heidi calling to tell me her hot date had turned out to be gay.

Haskell Investigations.

Dev? Caseys voice cried from the other end of the phone.

Casey? Whats wrong?

Someone ran into my car and theyre towing it away. Its all smashed up and wrecked.

Are you okay?

I think so, but my car, what am I going to do?

Where are you?

Im at University and Western, in front of some big old empty building.

I knew exactly where she was, it was an old bakery building from the 1930s. There was a Green Line stop there, our attempt at light rail. Not the best corner for a woman to be on foot after dark unless she was working the street.

Im going to come and get you, Im about ten minutes away.

G.o.d, Dev, what else can go wrong? My life is just s.h.i.t, she sobbed.

You just hang on, Casey. Im coming.

I dashed out the door, climbed in my car and took off. I probably made it in six minutes, only because the cops didnt nail me for speeding. I saw her standing on the corner looking very distraught. Her arms were folded across her chest and she was obviously crying. The car ahead of me slowed down like they were going to stop then sped up once they got a closer look at her. I pulled to the curb and got out.

She saw it was me, but remained where she was and started shaking her head from side to side. First her shoulders started shuddering and then her entire body followed suit. I hurried over to her.

Dev, was all she said and then she just broke down and sobbed uncontrollably. All I could do was wrap my arms around her and hold her as she released a flood of emotion. After all shed been through, all shed lost, Dermot, their house, what she knew as her life, this was where she finally cracked, on the corner of University and Western, late at night with the light rail clanging its bell as it pa.s.sed through the intersection and I was the guy holding her in the rain. Life aint fair.

After a bit she regained control and pushed herself back. Oh G.o.d, Im so sorry. Look at me, Im just a mess. G.o.d, how can you stand me? How can anyone?

Youre okay, Casey, thats the important thing. Youre not hurt, are you?

She shook her head. No, Im okay, well except that Im royally f.u.c.ked. G.o.d, she said then looked to be on the verge of breaking down again. I wrapped my arms around her and said, Youre whats important, you can always get another car. Some jerk driving past leaned on his horn and let it blare for another half-a-block.

Come on lets get you in my car before all these guys driving by start hitting on you.

You kidding, I look like s.h.i.t, she said and sniffled.

I think youre beautiful, I said.

That just proves youre not in your right mind.

I held the door open for her and she slid into the pa.s.senger seat.

Buckle up now, youve had enough excitement for one night.

You think it would make any difference at this point? she said then pulled the seat belt across her. I ignored her comment and waited until I heard the buckle click then closed her door and hurried over to the drivers side. I started the car then pushed the b.u.t.ton to lock our doors.

Where to, Madam?

Can you take me to Tommys, Dev? Jesus, I must really look like s.h.i.t. Sorry for that back there, I just sort of snapped.

I think under the circ.u.mstances you may be ent.i.tled. Hey, if you open that glove compartment I think theres some Kleenex in there.

She opened the glove compartment and the box of Kleenex sort of slid halfway out. Two wrapped condoms lay next to it.

Oh, back to dating high school girls are we?

Oh, sorry about that, I said.

She just shook her head and smiled.

I drove around the block and headed back in the general direction of Caseys house although I didnt think that would be a very good idea. You want me to take you to Tommys?

Yeah, I guess. I dont know what else I can do. I just cant think right now. That guy had to have seen me, and he just plowed into me, didnt even slow down. What a complete and utter Dont worry about any of that right now. Well get it sorted out, let the police deal with it. Where does Tommy live?

Hunh? Oh yeah, I guess that would help, wouldnt it? she said then gave me his address.

We pulled up in front of her brothers house fifteen minutes later. It was a nice looking Cape Cod-style two-story house with a brick front and a trimmed hedge running across the front. An attached two-stall garage was on the right hand side. There was a light post halfway up the curved front sidewalk with the light on and a plaque with the address numbers. Other than an outside light over the front door the rest of the house was dark.

G.o.d, I hate when they go out and dont leave any lights on. They went to a concert or something tonight.

I nodded then got out and walked her to the door.

I guess I can make it from here, she said reaching a tentative arm inside and flicking on the light. There were actually three light switches and she turned on all three. One went on just inside the front door, another lit up an area at the base of the staircase running up to the second floor and the third light was inside the front hall closet. Casey didnt look all that thrilled.

How bout if I walk through the place just to make sure youre okay?

Oh G.o.d, would you mind?

Not a problem, Id be happy to, in fact, I insist.

Do you have a gun?

I think I can manage, I said and stepped in past her. She followed behind me.

I turned on lights as we walked from the front entry, through the dining room and into the kitchen. At the back door I turned on the exterior lights and illuminated the well-kept back yard. Let me check the bas.e.m.e.nt, Casey. Ill be back up in a moment.

She nodded and looked relieved. The bas.e.m.e.nt was a refinished den with a giant flat screen on the wall over a wood burning fireplace. What looked like high school graduation pictures of two girls were framed and sitting on the fireplace mantel. Off that room was a laundry area and workbench next to the furnace. I came back upstairs just as Casey was opening one of the kitchen cabinets. I noticed shed turned on two additional lamps in the living room, the lights in a china cabinet in the dining room and the light in the small bathroom that was just off the kitchen.

Could I talk you into a gla.s.s of wine? she asked, there was just the hint of a plea in her voice.

Id like that, let me just walk through the upstairs and Ill be right down.

G.o.d, I feel like such a dope making you do all this, Dev.

Forget it, youve had a pretty busy night, you just take care of that wine and Ill be right back down.

I open and closed the doors on the second floor so it sounded like I was being thorough, but I wasnt going to go into the bedrooms looking in closets and under the beds. I came down the stairs and walked back to the kitchen. Casey had the foil around the neck of the wine bottle partially torn off and lying on the Formica counter. She had the arms on the cork screw lifted up and was attempting to uncork the bottle, it wasnt working.

G.o.d I hate these things. Why dont they just buy the d.a.m.n bottles with the screw off caps? Its so much easier.

Can I give you a hand? I said and took the corkscrew from her, lowered the arms then turned the handle making the arms raise.

Why wouldnt it work for me?

You just had the arms already up and it doesnt work that way. The cork rose three-quarters of the way out of the bottle then I pulled it out the rest of the way. It made a satisfied popping sound. Should we let it breathe for a moment?

No, Casey said with some authority then grabbed the wine bottle from me. She filled her gla.s.s then mine, picked up the bottle along with her gla.s.s and marched into the living room.

I followed.

There were two small couches facing each other on either side of the living room, a gla.s.s topped coffee table was positioned between them. Casey set the wine bottle on the coffee table and curled up in the corner of a couch. I sat down opposite her. She took about three healthy gulps from her gla.s.s then closed her eyes and twisted her head from side to side.

What a day, Jesus wept, she said then drank a little more wine although this time it was more of a demure sip.

You feel like talking about the accident?

Whats to tell? Some stupid idiot guy came around the corner and plowed into me.

You think he was drunk or asleep, any idea?

Not the faintest. Who the h.e.l.l knows? To tell you the truth I was sort of nervous, I thought some creep was following me, but he turned off into that restaurant parking lot just as I stopped for the red light. A half minute later some car comes around the corner and plows right into me. I think I panicked or something and tried to get out of the way. I must have because my car jumped forward and then he smashed into me. The idiot hit me at about my back tire, the air bag went off and knocked me down onto the seat. He pushed my car up over the curb and into a phone pole. Then he took off, he had to be drunk or high on something. Im sure my cars totaled. s.h.i.t, she said then took another healthy swallow of wine and shook her head.

What did the cops say?

What could they say? They got the tow truck there, told me my car was probably totaled and that based on the damage, I was really lucky. G.o.d, if they only knew, she said and drained her gla.s.s.

You got any idea what the car looked like that hit you, or maybe the driver?

Casey shook her head and reached for the bottle. More wine?

No thanks, I still got this gla.s.s going.

She refilled her gla.s.s then set the bottle back on the coffee table. The cops asked me the same thing. To tell you the truth, it all happened so fast I have no idea. I cant tell you if it was a man or a woman driving. I dont know if there was anyone else in the car. It was just a pair of headlights and then boom.

She raised her head for a moment like she was thinking then closed her eyes. Oh G.o.d, youll just freak at this. I think it was a black car. G.o.d, do you believe it? What the h.e.l.l is it with me and black cars? she said then took a couple of healthy swallows.