'What about Bobby Horse?' I said.
'Mr. del Rio has a friend at UCLA Medical Center,' Chollo said.
'I didn't know del Rio had friends.'
'When he needs them,' Chollo said. 'Like you.'
I put out my right hand, clenched in a fist. Chollo tapped his fist lightly on top of it, nodded at Hawk and walked to the car. Bobby Horse never glanced back as they drove away.
'We through here?' Hawk said.
'Everybody but me,' I said.
Vinnie came out with Tedy Sapp. Bernard J. Fortunato hobbled along with them, Tedy had an arm around him holding him up. Bernard had one arm around Sapp's shoulder.
'We're going to Vegas,' Bernard said. 'I'm going to drink six Mai Tais and fuck six women the first day.'
'Better do it the other way around,' I said.
'I'll take the rental,' Sapp said. 'Drop Bernard off. Turn it in at the airport. Fly home from Vegas.'
'My best to the opthalmologist,' I said.
Sapp grinned.
'And to the shrink,' Sapp said.
The three of them headed for the car and got Bernard in the back. Sapp got in the driver's side. Vinnie went around to the passenger side. He stopped before he got in and looked over the roof of the car.
'I left my guns all packed,' Vinnie said. 'Drive them home for me.'
'You're going to Vegas?' I said.
'One drive between Boston and here is enough,' Vinnie said. 'Gonna help Bernard with the Mai Tais and the broads, then I'll fly home.'
'Viva Las Vegas,' I said.
'You gonna pay me?'
'When I get back to Boston.'
Vinnie nodded.
'I packed my guns in the back of the Explorer,' he said. 'I'll pick them up in Boston.'
'Spenser's long haul,' I said. 'No package too illegal.'
Vinnie nodded at Hawk and at me, and slid into the car, and the car slid into gear and went down the road.
'You still worrying 'bout the guy got killed?'
'Steve Buckman.'
'Going to stick around until you sort that out?' Hawk said.
'Yes.'
Hawk had his feet up on the railing, his hands locked behind his head and his chair tilted back. He looked out at the sage and cactus and shale and sand that stretched in front of the house up the hill.
'Me too,' he said.
Chapter 63
'ARE YOU OKAY?' Susan said when I called her.
'I'm fine,' I said. 'Just wanted to listen to your voice for a little while.'
'It'll have to be a very little while. I have another patient in… three minutes.'
'Maybe he'll be late,' I said.
'He's never late. When are you coming home?'
'Not quite yet. I got everything done but one thing.'
'Have you done your thing with the Dell yet?'
'Yep.'
'Successful?'
'Yep.'
'I was scared about that,' Susan said.
'Me too.'
'What's the one thing?'
'Who killed Steve Buckman?'
