Tracking Shot by Colin Campbell (best book reader .TXT) 📕

heart rate. It boiled down to this. A broken nose that had been reset and taped with a metal clamp bent across the bridge. Two cracked ribs that had been tightly wrapped. Various cuts and abrasions, and a nasty dog bite he’d been given a shot for. He’d been strapped to the bed because he kept thrashing about in his sleep and was likely to rip out the needle.

Now it was just McNulty and Amy, no bindings or needles. He looked at Amy and indicated his face. “It’s gonna take a lot of your makeup magic to put this right.”

Amy smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. “With those black eyes you look like Kung Fu Panda.”

He patted his flat stomach. “Without the gut.”

Amy rested a hand on his stomach. “I think you’re putting a bit of weight on.”

McNulty laid his hand on hers. “I’ll start worrying when I look like Larry.”

This time Amy’s eyes crinkled. “Not unless you shrink as well.”

McNulty glanced at the door. “Where is the little fat fella?”

Amy leaned forward to be closer to him. “He was down earlier.”

She looked into his eyes. “Gave us all a couple of days off. You should get run over more often.”

“It was the dog that nearly got run over.”

“Run off the road then.”

She focused on his face. “Or is there another reason we’re taking a break?”

McNulty shrugged then wished he hadn’t. His ribs were sore and everything ached. Even smiling hurt, but it was hard not to smile with Amy holding his hand. “I thought you Americans took the Fourth of July seriously.”

She was looking for any hint in his face. “Larry takes money seriously.”

McNulty raised his eyebrows instead of shrugging. “Well, it’s been a shitty week. He’s under a lot of pressure.”

“He hasn’t got the cops wanting to drag him away.”

McNulty shifted halfway into a sitting position, releasing Amy’s hand. “The police were here?”

Amy nodded. “That detective in charge of taking statements the other day.” She lowered her voice. “I don’t think he likes you.”

McNulty frowned. “He doesn’t trust me, that’s for sure.”

Amy sat back in her chair and crossed her legs. “He reckons you’re mixed up with Randy and the missing film, doesn’t he?”

McNulty didn’t say anything. Amy sat still. “Kept going on about a red van and some guys trying to get the film back.”

“That’s what he thinks?”

“It’s what he said.”

She tilted her head to one side and looked at him. “That CCTV fiasco at the courtroom set didn’t win you any friends.”

McNulty looked at his feet, making twin mounds under the blanket. “There’s no pleasing some people.”

He turned to look out the window. All he could see were trees and a few scattered rooftops. Judging from the angle of the sun he reckoned he was looking south, the shafts of sunlight slanting in from the west. There was a clock on the wall above the door. It was getting toward five p.m. He could hear the rush-hour traffic beginning to build on Washington Street. Everywhere he went in America there seemed to be a Washington Street. Hell, there was even one in Bradford back home. The traffic noise made him think about transportation, something he was without, now that his car had been totaled. “How’d you get here?”

Amy held up a bunch of car keys. “Production manager’s car. He’s sharing with Larry.”

“You mind taking a cab? Some things I’ve got to do.”

Amy snatched the keys into a fist. “Hospital treatment is what you’ve got to do.”

McNulty thought about Newton-Wellesley Hospital not being far from Newtonville and the other road they had back in Yorkshire, Kirkstall Road. Not the reason he needed a car, but a good excuse. “They’ve done all they’re going to do. Take it easy and take your pain medication now.” He jerked a thumb toward the window. “I need to go see Susan.”

There was some activity outside the door, and Amy glanced over her shoulder. She kept hold of the car keys and smiled at McNulty. “If the mountain can’t go to Mohammed…”

McNulty gave her a questioning look, then the door opened and Susan walked in.

FORTY

“You have an appetite for self-destruction like nobody else I know.”

“I didn’t self-destruct. I got run off the road.”

Susan sat where Amy had sat and looked at her brother. Tilly was busy exploring all the buttons and switches dotted around the hospital room after promising not to push any of them. McNulty was amazed how much she looked like her mother at the same age. He hoped she’d never have to go through what Susan had. Looking at his sister, he didn’t think she’d let that happen. Susan had landed on her feet and had a good head on her shoulders. Tilly’s future was rosy.

Susan shifted in her seat. “How you feeling?”

McNulty tried not to move his ribs. “Like I got run off the road.”

Susan rested her hands in her lap. “I hear the dog saved you.”

“Dog bit me, I know that. Don’t recall much else.”

Tilly crawled under the bed.

Susan smiled. “They’re making a big thing of it on TV. Dog rescue in reverse. Hero dog. If it had an agent it could have its own show.”

McNulty took a sip of water from a Maxwell Blum paper cup. “Maybe our producer can give it a bit part.”

Susan got excited at the mention of the movie business. “How’s it going? Filming in Waltham?”

McNulty gave her a sideways glance. “You mean apart from someone shooting our judge and our extras, and blowing up the courthouse?”

The look on Susan’s face made him wish he’d kept quiet. He let out a sigh that hurt his ribs. He deserved the pain. “Sorry.”

He tried to sound optimistic. “A few changes to the script, but otherwise we’re pretty much on schedule. Cast and crew have a few days off.” He nodded toward the windows. “Larry’s doing some pickup shots at the parade tomorrow. Inserts he can cut into the picture for added authenticity.”

He laughed. “If you knew Larry you’d know how