2. Rishi Rao
2
Rishi Rao
I had enjoyed my work at True Colors. My last night there was spent with the kids coming around to say hi, and I knew I would miss them. Most of them were pretty quiet, but when they decided that I was on their side, they would come around and chat, show me projects, or ask me about things. My mathematical aptitude turned out to be very popular, and I helped at least half the kids with some kind of math homework while I was there.
I had been staying in a hotel room, which wasn’t as nice as my apartment near the Alden Security building in Fort Collins, but it had one perk that my apartment did not: my ex-boyfriend was not there. As I packed everything but one set of clothes and my oral hygiene supplies in preparation to leave early the following day, my thoughts strayed to the unpleasantness I was sure would be coming when I arrived home. One of us was going to have to move. I wasn’t sure who it would be, but I had a feeling it would have to be me.
He had a solid job in Denver, while I had jumped at the chance to go to California and work at the shelter to escape the awkwardness of seeing him. Once I got back, I wasn’t sure what my next post would be, though the firm was getting plenty of requests, and I doubted I would be waiting long to find out. If my next posting was out of town — or even better, out of state! — it would make more sense for me to move my things out. I was sure that Alden had a place where I could store them. Even though the solution was pretty simple, I wasn’t looking forward to seeing my ex again or dealing with the awkwardness.
I was in bed when my phone rang, the tone telling me it was John Alden. I grabbed it and swiped to answer, sitting up against the pillows. “Hello?”
“Rishi. I hope I haven’t disturbed your rest, but I wanted to discuss something with you. The sooner, the better. How are you finding California?”
I frowned. “California is very nice,” I replied. “The shelter was a good place to work.”
“Fantastic, that’s great. I have another job in California, if you’d be willing to take it on? You’re already there, and it would cut down on the overhead and the time it would take to get a team member in place. Not only are you qualified, it would be very convenient.”
Oh, that would be convenient. “Of course, sir, I would be thrilled to have another detail here in California. Where is it?”
“Right there where you are,” John said. “Have you heard the name Cas Hallie? He’s Saint Durand’s friend, and he was the victim of the drive-by shooting that was aimed at Mr. Durand before you arrived in California. As you know, Ms. Fernandez was relocated, and your position at the shelter has ended, but what you may not know is Officer Hallie facilitated the relocation for Ms. Fernandez. Mr. Fernandez is very… enthusiastic in the methods he is willing to employ to reclaim his daughter. Gregorio Torrez and I were talking, and he felt that it might be wise for a guard to be placed on Officer Hallie, at least until he had more time to heal. He lost his leg in the shooting, and I understand that he will be released from his in-patient rehab program soon.”
I did know a few details about Officer Hallie’s part in Ms. Fernandez’s relocation, but I hadn’t thought about being his protection. “Absolutely,” I said. “Where and when do you need me?”
“Thank you, Rishi. I knew I could count on you. I’ll have the details for you tomorrow. I wanted to be sure you were willing to take the job first. I’ll have Marie email all the pertinent information in the morning.”
“Thank you, sir.”
We ended the call, and I laid back in bed, pondering my newest assignment.
***
The email that arrived the next morning was full of information on both Casimir Hallie and managing amputee patients. I read through everything, did some Googling, and then went to shower and get dressed.
Mr. Hallie was to be released from his in-patient facility later that day, and I was to meet him at the facility and accompany him to his apartment. I would be staying there for the time being, which was unsurprising.
I had a rental Hyundai, and I thought about trading it in for something bigger — I knew he would be in a wheelchair, at least for now — but I decided to hold off and see how things went with him. Perhaps his car was big enough to accommodate his needs.
I found the facility with little issue, and after speaking to a very curious but very polite nurse, I was led to Mr. Hallie’s room. The nurse knocked once, pushed the door open, and ushered me inside.
Casimir Hallie sat in a wheelchair with a tablet in a Bluetooth keyboard case. His hands were still on the keyboard, but he looked at us curiously. I’d heard of the man but hadn’t met him, and the mental image of a middle-aged, overweight desk cop vanished in a swirl of confusion and attraction. He smiled at the nurse, then swept his eyes over me from top to bottom and tipped his head a little, his expression becoming guarded. I felt my stomach jump inappropriately at the thorough survey and gave myself a quick internal lecture.
“Hiya, Cas,” the nurse said cheerfully. “I have someone to see you. This is Rishi Rao. He told me that he’s going to help you get home.”
Mr. Hallie blinked at the nurse and then shot me a raised eyebrow. I nodded professionally and extended my hand as I approached him. “Good morning, Mr. Hallie. I’m Rishi Rao from Alden Security. Until recently, I was working at True Colors, but my bosses, and Mr. Durand and Mr. Torrez, felt that my services might serve you better at this point.”
Mr. Hallie’s jaw slackened, though his mouth remained closed. “Oh,” he said as he took my hand. His grip was sure, his hand larger than mine and warm. “Saint didn’t mention that.”
“Oh? I apologize. I was led to believe that everything was arranged,” I said, aware that the nurse was backing out of the room.
He sighed. “I’ve been getting that a lot. Things get decided for me, and then I find out once everything is all finalized, like when I lost my leg, I also lost my ability to think and plan.”
I opened my mouth, but I didn’t know what to say, so I closed it again and nodded. “I’m sorry, Mr. Hallie.” I settled on finally, after a brief silence. “Would you rather I not? I understand that Mr. Julio Fernandez is very persistent, but if you’d rather hire your own security or—”
Cas sighed sharply. “No. You’re here now, at least for the time being.” He closed the tablet case. “By the way, I’m going to need you to call me Cas. Mr. Hallie is just weird. I’m going home today. I assume they told you that?”
I nodded. “Marie sent an email with all the pertinent information.” I wondered now how they had some of the information that was included in my briefing if Cas hadn’t been involved in hiring me, but I didn’t want to upset him any further. “Do you have transportation? I was considering a different rental car if it would help, but I thought I should speak to you first.”
“There’s a patient transport van,” Cas said. “I’m hoping to be out of the chair soon.”
I nodded, glancing around the room. It looked like his things were packed up and stacked on the visitor chairs. “When are they going to cut you loose?”
He huffed. “Hopefully sooner rather than later. I’m waiting for the paperwork and some other stuff. Do you need to go get lunch or something?”
I shook my head. “I am ready for whatever you might need,” I said, clasping my hands behind my back.
He eyed me from top to toe again, and one side of his mouth lifted, just a little.
***
By the time we got to Cas’s apartment building, he was much, much less cheerful. In all honesty, I didn’t blame him, considering how the driver of the patient transport van spoke to him. His nurses and doctors had given him — and, with his blessing, me — all the care instructions and information for at home, his appointment lists, medications, and restrictions. He had PT appointments and follow-ups, and a nurse would be coming in several times a week to check on his wound, help him bathe, and provide other assistance. The assumption that Cas was letting them make was that I would be providing any other care that he needed.
I don’t think he actually expected me to, but that was precisely what I was prepared to do if necessary.
I kept my expression neutral when Cas told them that his sister would be taking shifts to help care for him when I knew from the email from Marie that he had only one younger brother who lived in Las Vegas.
I hadn’t been able to keep a neutral expression, though, by the time we were unloading at the apartment. The driver of the patient transport vehicle had completely ignored Cas, instead directing his attention to me as though Cas had no idea what was going on around him. The transport van was built for the wheelchair to be strapped in, which the driver did, but when Cas asked a question about the process, the driver acted as though he hadn’t heard him.
I followed the van in my rental, and when we parked outside the building the driver got out, looked at the building, and sighed. “Dunno how he expected to get up there,” he observed, gesturing at the concrete stairs that led up to the second story.
I wondered the same thing, but I would carry him if it came to it. Looking at that staircase, I figured it would. Cas was tall and well-built, but he didn’t look that heavy, and even if he was, I was confident I could do it. I’d carried larger men than him a lot farther.
“Well, let’s get him out,” the driver muttered begrudgingly. He unfastened the straps that held the chair in place and wheeled Cas down the ramp, parking him on the sidewalk. “Good luck,” he said to me with an eye roll that I knew Cas saw. I shot him a glare, and he hustled back to get the bags out. After he dropped the luggage at our feet, he climbed in, slammed the door, and drove away.
A muscle in Cas’s jaw was flexing, and his fingers were drumming on the arms of the wheelchair. He looked at the stairs and down at his lap, then shook his head at me. “I’m a fucking idiot,” he said.
“No,” I said quietly, “you aren’t an idiot. I assume you just wanted to come home and thought it would all work out? Maybe you’d have crutches or something?”
“Yeah,” Cas said. “I just didn’t think about it. But I don’t have crutches, and even if he had stayed, I wouldn’t have let that dick help me.” He glanced in the direction the transport van had gone.
“He was a dick,” I agreed seriously, “and seems particularly unsuited for his chosen profession.” Cas cracked a smile at that. “Also, we don’t need him. I’ve hauled heavier things than you, wearing full gear.” I let him see me pointedly eye him up and down, then smiled. I didn’t expect the way he flushed, his throat working as he swallowed. I hid a smile and wondered exactly what interesting thought had just gone through his head.
“How secure is your neighborhood?” I asked, changing the subject. “I’d rather leave your things down here for a few minutes than leave you alone, but if you think your things will disappear, I can come up with another solution.”
Cas shrugged. “It’ll probably be fine, but you could run it up to the top of the steps just to get it off the sidewalk.”
Okay, that was a good idea. I did just that, leaving the bags at the top of the stairs, tucked to the side, while I kept an eye on Cas and our surroundings.
When I got back down to him, I smiled professionally. “Ready to head up? I presume you have your keys?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I do…” He looked at the stairs again and blew out a breath, then shifted so I could lift him and head up the steps.
He was solid but not that heavy, and up close, he smelled very, very good, even if his clothes smelled like institutional laundry detergent. I maneuvered carefully, keeping his leg protected, and we made it to the second floor quickly. He had his keys out and unlocked the door without issue. He gestured to a chair, and I helped him sit down and did a quick sweep of the apartment before I hurried out to get his luggage and his chair.
Cas’s face was bright red, and the muscle in his jaw was clenching again when I got everything in the apartment and the door locked behind us. I wasn’t sure what had gone wrong. “Did I hurt you?” I asked, concerned. “I tried not to bump you—”
“You didn’t hurt me,” Cas said tightly. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Do you need your medication? I think it’s almost time,” I said, still trying to problem solve.
“No,” Cas snapped, and I firmly shut my mouth. He huffed and put his chin to his chest. “I apologize,” he said. “You didn’t do anything wrong, and I don’t need you to do anything now. You’ve done far more than your job entails already.”