He went back into the emergency room to find his seat taken. There was standing room in a corner, though, so he put his back to the wall and turned his attention on the front desk again. Wymack showed up a couple minutes later, spoke briefly to the frazzled women at the desk, and handed them the plastic bag. One disappeared into the back with it, and Wymack came to wait with Neil. They said nothing else to each other but waited for Andrew to be released.

When Andrew finally stepped through the back doors, Neil half-wished they'd left him there. He was wearing the fresh clothes Wymack had brought him, but even the hooded sweatshirt couldn't hide the mess Drake made of his face. Worse than the bruises and cuts was the brilliant smile Andrew still wore. Neil saw it and wanted to be sick.

Wymack set off to intercept Andrew on his way to the door, so Neil followed after him. Andrew glanced over when he noticed their approach and laughed. "Coach, hello. I don't remember inviting you to this debacle."

"You didn't," Wymack said.

"Kevin," Andrew guessed. "A traitor to the end."

He sounded amused, not annoyed, and motioned for Wymack to lead the way. He spared Neil only the barest of glances as they followed Wymack into the night. Despite the crowd inside Wymack had gotten a decent parking spot right around the corner of the building. Neil held back as they approached so Andrew could decide the seating arrangement. Andrew opened the passenger door but didn't get in. Instead he drummed his fingers on the door and considered his seat as if it was a great mystery.

Neil didn't understand the hesitation. Wymack did, and he said, "There's more room to stretch out in back."

"Oh, you are right," Andrew said, but he got in front anyway. Neil watched his knuckles go white on the door as he leveraged himself into the car, but it wasn't until Andrew laughed and said, "Ouch," that Neil understood how much pain Andrew was still in.

Neil got in the backseat and fastened his seatbelt with numb fingers. Wymack closed his door hard enough to shake the whole car and got the engine running. He didn't go anywhere, though, and Neil half-wondered if Wymack was going to interrogate Andrew right here in the parking lot.

Instead Wymack flicked Andrew an impatient look and an, "Any time now."

"Right, right," Andrew said. "Safety first."

Andrew yanked his buckle into place, and Wymack got them on the road. Neil expected them to head back to the station, but he started recognizing streets before long. Wymack was bringing them to the cousins' house. The thought of spending the night in Columbia was repulsive, but Neil didn't get a chance to protest. There was a car already parked in the driveway and Andrew recognized it even if Neil didn't.