"Jochem Vandersteen - Hard Upbringing (A Noah Milano Story)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vandersteen Jochem)

"What do you mean?" Her sweet voice sounded even more concerned.

"I just went two rounds with the village people," I said and got up on my haunches. "But I think I can still drive. Listen, I'm coming over to your place if it's all right with you. I'd appreciate it if you'd have a first aid kit handy."

"Don't tell me I have to play doctor again?"

I chuckled. It made me bend over in pain. "You love it and you know it."

***

I managed to drive to Minnie's place. When I entered her appartment she looked even better than she usually did. A brown-eyed angel with a first aid kit. She supported my weight and walked me over to her couch.

"God, Noah! You look like crap," she said.

"Thanks, Slammer," I said. I'd been calling her Slammer ever since she'd managed to drink me under the table with Tequila Slammers. "You look pretty too."

She set me down on the couch. I almost crushed a plush Carebear with my butt.

"Take off your shirt," she said.

I smiled and winked. "And I thought we were just friends."

"You're in no position to make any sexist jokes. From the looks of things I'd be able to whup your ass right now."

I nodded. "I guess you're right. All right, doc." I pulled my tee shirt over my head. The fabric chafed the places I'd been hit. It hurt like hell. Not as much as the time I got my peepee between my zipper though.

"Christ," Minnie said as she got a look at my bruises. "Who did this to you?"

"Your colleagues of LA's finest," I said. I winced as she gently touched one of the bruises. "I pissed them off, accusing one of their colleagues."

"Who did you accuse?" she asked and started to wrap me up in bandages. We used to play doctor when we were kids as well. Of course, with Minnie that meant we really played doctor.

"A guy from Robbery Homicide. Hardcase name of Stewart Merrick," I said. I glanced at the bandages. "What do you think I am? A mummy?"

"Shut up," she said. Then she shook her head. "God, I can't believe you. You really accused Stu Merrick? That guy's a hero among most LA cops!"

"So I noticed," I said. "Enough of a hero for a few fascists to kick me around like a pinata. Why do they look up to him like that anyway?"

"Quite a few things, actually," Minnie said. "I believe he actually took a bullet for his partner once. He's a guy who's known for not taking any crap from anybody."

"That's not Stewart Merrick, you're talking about. That's John Wayne!" I exclaimed.

She gave me a gentle push that almost made me scream in pain. I decided to keep my smartass remarks to a minimum.

"There's more. He saved this hooker from the streets. A lot of the guys on the force were skeptical of this at first, especially when he married her. But eventually he gained their respect, saying he was going to teach that woman to respect herself again. To give the other girls on the street an example, so they'd quit the life as well. It wasn't easy, though. Her pimp, Hispanic guy called Billy Manero wasn't that willing to let his best working girl go. Seems she'd been popular with the better paying customers. He didn't want to dissapoint his customers. Stu had to kick his behind to make him back off."

"Did you say Billy Manero?" I asked.

The street was silent, except for the ticking of the Buick's engine cooling off. Meaning Stewart had just gotten home when I'd arrived. Did he have the time to beat his child to death in that small amount of time? I believe he actually took a bullet for his partner once. That's the description of someone who beats his kid?