“Are you a cop, Mr. Barrington?”
“Used to be.”
“You look too young to be retired.”
“That’s what I told them, but they retired me anyway.”
“There,” the resident said. “What with your scalp wound and this one, you have seventeen stitches in your head.”
“A record,” he replied.
“I sincerely hope so.” She turned to the nurse. “Dress these two wounds, and let’s get him admitted.”
“I don’t want to be admitted,” Stone said.
The resident paused at the door. “Put restraints on him if he gives you a hard time.”
Dino walked into the hospital room. “Now what?” he demanded.
Stone had the bed cranked to a sitting position. “I want to make a complaint,” he said.
“A complaint? You look very happy to me.”
“I want to file aggravated battery charges against Thomas and Charles Bruce.”
“It’s already been done. When the cop called me I got it in the computer and onto the street.”
“So now you can arrest them.”
“Their photographs are being printed up as we speak; the next shift will be carrying them.”
“Check hotels,” Stone said. “I don’t think they’re going apartment hunting now.”
“Right.” Dino said. “You really look like shit, you know?”
“Thanks.”
“By tomorrow morning you’re going to look like you fought for the championship and lost.”
Stone shifted the ice pack on his face. “They’re looking to make some kind of a big score, Dino, but I don’t know what.”
“Another burglary?”
“Doesn’t sound like that; they’re talking big money. That’s what Tommy told his sister, anyway.”
“What I don’t understand is why they beat you up so bad.”
“I told them I fucked their sister.”
“Oh, you wanted them to kick the shit out of you.”
“You ought to see the other guy. He should have a door sticking out of his forehead; I kicked it in on him.”
“Great, that’ll really help nail them for battery, you kicking in the door of their room.”
The door opened and Arrington walked in, carrying two large suitcases. She dropped them and rushed over to the bed. “Is he dead?” she asked Dino.
“Not yet.”