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* * *
“Is thereanyone that you can think of that has a vendetta against you?”
“No.”
Two police detectives were questioning me. They’d already asked me all the standard questions about the shooting. I didn’t have any answers for them.
“We’ve had a couple of leads, but they’ve all been dead ends. We were hoping that you at least caught a glimpse of the perpetrator,” the female detective said.
“I can’t say that I did. If I did, I can’t remember. My memory is of someone wearing a mask.”
“There were reports that he did have on a ski mask,” the male detective confirmed.
“Well, we will let you rest, Mr. Valentine. We will keep you informed of any updates,” the female detective said, handing me one of her cards, “If you think of anything about that day that may have been out of the ordinary, please give us a call. We want to get some answers for you.”
“I will. Thanks.”
“I will show you back to the elevators,” Ray said leading them out of my room.
As soon as they left one of the nurses entered the room.
“Mr. Valentine, I am going to take you down for a couple of tests.”
I hadn’t committed her name to memory, but she was the one who called Averie for me.
“Okay. What is your name again?”
“It’s Victoria.”
“Victoria, thanks.”
“You know,” she continued as she and two orderlies helped me from the bed to a wheelchair, “You are fortunate to have Ms. Patterson. She’s had the entire hospital working together to take care of you.”
“Really?”
“Yes, she had a meeting with those of us that would be providing your care, and she laid down the law and set her expectations. At first, I thought who does this lady think she is? We are professionals, so we know how to do our jobs. But then she learned all our names and has celebrated grandbabies being born. She brings us food and tells us thank you all the time. We don’t really hear thank you a lot but working with her has been a joy. She has been here every day to check on you. She watched how we cared for you and learned to do some things herself. She won’t let us touch your beard,” she chuckled, “She has been amazing. I know she loves you and she told you every day when she walked into the room and before she left—if she left. Don’t get me wrong, your entire family has been great, but Ms. Patterson has been a rock. She even had the hospital chief up here checking in on you.”
I didn’t know her well enough to discuss the intimacies of my relationship with Averie, so I chose a diplomatic response, “I chose smart, wouldn’t you say?”
“You did.”
* * *
Arriving backto my room after the tests, I was greeted by Countee, Xavier, Ray, and Roc. Victoria started to help me back into my bed, but the fellas stepped in to do it. Aside from some slight pain from my wounds and my legs being a little weak, I was feeling well.
“Welcome back,” Xavier started after Victoria left the room.
“It's good to be back. How is your arm?”
I remembered seeing blood coming from Xavier's arm while we waited for the ambulance to arrive.
“It's good. That didn’t do nothing but get my street cred up,” he laughed.
“And some sympathy,” Countee added, “You should've seen all the women in the family doting on him. His sister flew in and everything.”
“Nette came in? Did Vee finally get to meet her?”
“She did, and yes they met. She and Blue came by here to see you. The other Bluettes did too.”
