by Leena Clover
“Same difference,” Jenny muttered.
“Are you saying you support this heinous undertaking?” Barb scowled at her. “I was counting on you, Jenny.”
“My mind’s not made up either way,” Jenny said, wiping her mouth with a paper napkin. “I need more information.”
“I agree with Jenny,” Molly said softly.
“You too?” Barb pounced on Molly. “Have you forgotten what we did to save your job?”
“I am grateful for what the town did for me, Barb,” Molly spoke up. “But this is a different issue.”
“Stop blabbering,” Betty Sue commanded. “You are giving me a headache.”
“Put that knitting down, Betty Sue, and come with me,” Barb pressed. “We should all go.”
“You know Ada doesn’t see people without an appointment,” Betty Sue pleaded.
Ada Newbury never let anyone forget that she was the richest woman in town. She looked down her nose at everyone and was a trial to be around.
Barb and Betty Sue argued a bit more and Betty Sue finally gave in. They all set off in two cars, Jenny looking forward to seeing someone take Ada down a peg or two.
The guard at the gate let them in when he spied Betty Sue in Jenny’s back seat. Ada kept them waiting for half an hour before she emerged, dressed to the nines.
“Ladies,” she said with her nose in the air. “Is it an emergency? I am getting late for a party.”
“Sit down, Ada,” Barb Norton said brusquely. “We have come to talk about this drug farm of yours.”
“My husband handles the business,” Ada snipped. “People generally take an appointment and meet him in his office.”
“Your husband has gone too far this time,” Barb quipped. “We need you to bring him to his senses.”
“Be very careful what you say next, Barb,” Ada said angrily. “Don’t forget you are sitting in my parlor.”
“We love our town, Ada,” Barb said. “It’s rustic but simple and we manage it as well as possible with the limited resources we have.”
Ada reminded them she donated liberally to those resources.
“The town has always been grateful for your largesse,” Barb said firmly. “But we cannot open our doors to a drug business.”
“I think there is some misunderstanding,” Ada clucked. “We are planning to open a dispensary that will treat people.”
“A marijuana dispensary?” Barb said hoarsely. “Over my dead body!”
“Stop being so dramatic,” Ada said in a bored voice.
The conversation derailed after that. Ada clapped her hands and a couple of maids ran into the room. She ordered them to escort the women out.
“Now what?” Jenny asked as they stood outside the Boardwalk Café.
“We march on,” Barb said, plunging her fist in the air. “Say no to cannabis!” she yelled. “Say no to drugs!”
Chapter 7
Jenny sat in Jason’s office, moodily sipping from a bottle of juice. Jason leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head, staring at a corner.
“Are you sure about this, Jenny?”
“I only have Tiffany’s word for it, but why would she lie?”
“I can think of a number of reasons. She says Gianni told her about the girls he dated. But we only have her word for it.”
“Any other wife would have been shocked.”
“We don’t know if she was really okay with all this,” Jason warned. “All I am saying is, take anything she says with a pinch of salt. You just met the woman.”
Jenny didn’t like to be called gullible. She thought she had a good eye for people.
“What about the other stuff she said?”
“That’s also her word against his.”
“So you don’t think he was shady? Any man who can cheat on his wife and sweet talk a young girl into going around with him …”
“We all know what he did with Heather,” Jason said, warding her off. “But medical fraud …”
Jason went back to staring in the distance.
“We can’t just sit around talking about this,” Jenny said. “Let’s go out and do something.”
“Like what? Raid Gianni’s office?”
Jenny’s eyes gleamed and a smile lit up her face.
“Who’s going to stop us?”
“I’m a lawyer, Jenny. I can’t just go breaking and entering.”
“We may not have to,” Jenny said, springing to her feet.
She almost dragged Jason along with her.
Gianni Costa lived in a ranch style house a few blocks off Main Street. There was another ranch adjoining his which had served as his clinic. The shingle hanging off a pole announced it as the family practice of Dr. Gianni Costa, MD. Jenny walked up to the door and turned the handle. The door opened easily.
“Viola!” she said to Jason. “We are not breaking any laws going through an open door.”
“I guess not,” Jason shrugged.
Jenny rushed through the waiting room at the front and entered a door marked ‘Staff only’.
“He must have kept some records,” she mumbled to herself.
Gianni turned out to be a meticulous record keeper. Jenny spotted files in a drawer and started rifling through them.
“What are you looking for, exactly?” Jason asked.
“Anything out of the ordinary,” Jenny quipped. “Heather was a patient?” she murmured as she pulled out a thick file.
Her mouth was hanging open two minutes later.
“Look at what this says,” she said, pulling at Jason’s sleeve. “According to this, Heather was Gianni’s patient and visited him every day of the week.”
“She visited him alright,” Jason sniggered.
“Can you be serious for a minute?” Jenny taunted. “It’s all written here. Heather Morse is a patient. There are prescription records too.”
Jenny slumped into a chair, looking worried.
“Is Heather sick?” she exclaimed. “Does she have some terrible illness she’s hiding from everyone?”
“You’re being dramatic, Jenny,” Jason said lightly. “She might have had some minor complaint.”
“This says she had an appointment every day. There is some kind of code under diagnosis but I don’t know what that means.”
“Let’s go talk to Heather.”
Jason sounded resigned. He knew Jenny wouldn’t rest until she got to the bottom of this.
Jenny called Heather from the clinic and asked her to wait at home. She started for the Bayview Inn with Jason.
Betty Sue fussed over them when they got to the inn, plying them with hot tea and cookies.
“Why don’t you take a nap, Grandma,” Heather suggested. “I’ve got things under control here.”
“You’re just trying to get rid of me,” Betty Sue glowered.
Jenny sighed with relief when she went up the stairs to her room.
“What have you been hiding, Heather?” she asked, turning to look at her friend. “Please tell me nothing’s wrong with you.”
“What do you mean, Jenny?”
Heather looked bewildered as Jenny narrated what she had seen.
“I never saw Gianni professionally,” Heather said firmly. “There must be some mistake.”
“As far as I know, there’s only one Heather Morse in Pelican Cove,” Jenny said stoutly. “Something is fishy here.”
“I still go to old Dr. Smith,” Heather said again. “He’s treated me since I came to live with Grandma.”
“So Tiffany was right,” Jenny said to Jason, slapping her leg. “That Gianni was doing something illegal.”
“When did you talk to Tiffany?” Heather asked, springing to her feet. “She had it in for Gianni.”
“I don’t care what her relationship was with Gianni,” Jenny dismissed. “She told us Gianni cheated his patients. I am beginning to think she was right.”
“Just because Gianni’s not here to defend himself …”
Heather curl
ed her fists and looked anguished. Her eyes filled with tears.
“Get hold of yourself, Heather,” Jenny said, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her. “Gianni’s gone, and I say you are well rid of him.”
“He was a good man,” Heather blubbered through her tears.
“He was a nasty crook who was just taking you for a ride,” Jenny said mercilessly. “I’m going to prove it to you.”
Jenny stomped out of the Bayview Inn, muttering to herself.
“Can you give me a ride home?” she requested Jason. “I have to get ready for dinner. We are going on a double date with Molly and Chris.”
“We could have triple dated,” Jason said in a hurt tone.
Jenny didn’t think she could tolerate another evening with Kandy the lawyer.
“Some other time,” she said glibly.
Jenny took a quick shower and agonized over what to wear. She tried on and discarded four dresses. Finally, she settled on a sunflower yellow dress with a cowl neck. She rubbed the heart shaped charm around her neck as she gazed at herself in the mirror. The phone rang just then and Jenny’s face lit up when she saw it was her son. She pressed the video button. She needed to see her beloved Nicky.
“When are you getting home, scamp?” she asked lovingly. “A little bird told me you are spending spring break in Pelican Cove.”
“No way, Mom,” Nick groaned. “You know I am going to Cancun with my friends.”
They chatted for a while and Nick hung up after promising to visit soon. Jenny’s face lit up in a thousand watt smile. There was a knock on the door.
Adam stood outside, leaning on his cane. He looked handsome in a black silk shirt. His faded jeans hugged his lean body.
“Ready to roll, Madam?” he grinned.
“Are we picking them up?” Jenny asked Adam as she got into the car.
They were going to an Italian restaurant in a nearby town. The Eastern Shore was home to plenty of small towns like Pelican Cove. The area was paradise for foodies, with eclectic restaurants lining the shore from north to south.
“Chris mentioned some errands,” Adam told her. “They will meet us at the restaurant.”
“Good,” Jenny smiled, placing her hand in Adam’s.
Molly and Chris were sipping wine and munching on garlic bread when the hostess ushered Adam and Jenny to their table. Jenny let out a shriek merely seconds after she sat down.
“Is that a ring, Molly?”
Molly’s face glowed in the candle light.
Jenny whipped her head toward Chris. He was beaming at Molly. Molly clasped his hand in hers and held it up for Jenny.
“Congratulations, man!” Adam said, slapping Chris on the back.
“It’s a promise ring,” Chris said, clearing his throat. “Sort of a pre-engagement ring.”
“Chris surprised me with the most beautiful engagement ring.” Molly sounded hushed. “But I thought we would wear a promise ring first.”
“But why?” Jenny wailed. “I can’t wait to plan your wedding.”
“We are taking it slow,” Molly said, looking lovingly at Chris. “There’s no rush.”
“That’s just mumbo jumbo,” Adam dismissed. “As far as I am concerned, congratulations are in order. We need some champagne here.”
They poured the bubbly and toasted the happy couple. Molly chattered nonstop over the osso buco, a slow cooked dish of wine braised veal. They had tiramisu for dessert and Jenny ordered an espresso to round off the meal.
“Am I allowed to tell people about this?” Jenny asked Molly.
“I’ll tell them tomorrow,” Molly said shyly. “I’m so happy, Jenny,” she said later as they waited outside for the men to bring their cars around. “I feel like I’m in a dream.”
“Chris is a good guy,” Jenny assured her. “You couldn’t have chosen better.”
“I want to be sure he loves me,” Molly said with a hint of doubt in her voice. “Technically, I’m his rebound relationship.”
“Is that why you went for the promise ring?” Jenny asked her.
Molly nodded. “I want him to be sure. Very sure.”
“You’re one brave girl, Molly. Anyone in your position would have dragged Chris to the altar.”
“I’ve been there,” Molly reminded her, referring to her previous marriage. “You understand, don’t you, Jenny? When I tie the knot again, it will be for the last time.”
Jenny reflected over how different Molly was from Heather. Molly was timid but level headed. Heather was headstrong and impulsive. Chris had fallen for both these women at one time or another.
Adam accompanied Chris to the other end of the parking lot. It was late and the lot had emptied while they lingered over their meal.
“So you are almost leg-shackled,” Adam laughed as he patted Chris on the back. “How does it feel?”
Chris wrung a hand through his hair. The smile he had worn all evening was nowhere to be seen.
“You know what’s happening with Heather?” he muttered. “I felt pressured.”
“You don’t love Molly?” Adam scowled. “Are you messing with her, Chris?”
“I do love her,” Chris said uncertainly. “But what if Heather needs me? I promised I would always be there for her.”
“Are you kidding me?” Adam snapped at Chris. “You should have thought of that before you slipped on that ring.”
He put his hand on Chris’s shoulder.
“I think you are getting cold feet. Happens to the best of us.”
“But what about Heather?” Chris asked with a frown.
“Heather will be fine,” Adam said. “She left you, Chris. You accepted that and moved on. You need to look ahead now. Molly’s a good soul. She will make you happy for the rest of your days.”
“I do love Molly,” Chris said earnestly. “But I feel responsible for Heather.”
“Heather will be fine,” Adam consoled him. “She’s not alone. We will all take care of her.”
Adam kept quiet about his conversation with Chris. He knew Jenny would fly off the handle if she learned what was going on in Chris’s mind. He said good night to Jenny outside her door and limped to his room in search of pain pills.
Jenny brushed her hair and smiled at herself in the mirror. She was happy for Molly and Chris. Chris had always impressed her as a level headed young guy. He would take care of her friend. Her brows furrowed in concern as her phone trilled suddenly. It was past midnight. Her heart thudded in her chest as she thought of her son. She hoped he was fine.
Jenny checked the caller id and crossed her fingers before answering the phone.
“Jason? Is something wrong? Why are you calling so late?”
Jason’s voice was heavy with emotion.
“Kandy dumped me.”
“What?” Jenny exclaimed. “When?”
“She just sent me an email,” Jason said grimly. “She doesn’t want to see me anymore.”
Chapter 8
Jason refused to speak about Kandy the next day.
“I bet she’s just pulling your leg.”
“Let’s not talk about this, Jenny.”
Jenny didn’t know what to say. Kandy hadn’t seemed like the kind who would settle down, especially in a small, isolated town like Pelican Cove. She had a high flying career in the city. Jenny had been surprised she stuck to Jason all those months.
“Did she give a reason?” Jenny had asked Jason the previous night.
“None,” he had lamented. “It just says our lives don’t align any more. What does that even mean?”
Jason was putting on a stoic face that morning. Her anguished and hurt friend from the previous night was nowhere in evidence.
“She’ll come around,” Jenny said again, giving Jason a hug. “If she doesn’t, it’s her loss.”
“What brings you here, Jenny?” Jason asked with a sigh. “Are you just here to console me or do you have something else on your mind?”
“A bit of both,” Jenny said gr
udgingly.
“Shoot. I’m free for the next few hours.”
“Do you know the other doctor in town?”
“Old Dr. Smith?” Jason asked. “Sure. I’ve been seeing him all my life.”
“I have an idea.”
Dr. Smith’s clinic turned out to be a block away from Jenny’s home. Jason had called ahead for an appointment. An elderly nurse hugged and kissed Jason.
“Your half yearly appointment is overdue,” she scolded.
Dr. Smith was a slim, energetic man in his seventies. Jenny guessed he was a few years older than her aunt. He welcomed Jason with a hug.
“Who’s your friend?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye. “Are you finally taking my advice and starting a family?”
Jenny blushed to the roots of her hair. She hastened to explain.
“Oh, you are the young lady the whole town is talking about,” the doctor said. “I’ve tasted most of your goodies. I just haven’t had a chance to come into the Boardwalk Café myself. I’m as good as chained to this place.”
The small talk went on for a few minutes until Jenny cleared her throat.
Dr. Smith took the hint.
“Look at me ramble on. So what brings you young people here?”
Dr. Smith’s face darkened at the mention of Gianni Costa.
“He was a bad one.”
Jenny told him about the records in the doctor’s office.
“Heather insists she was never his patient. Do you know why he would have a file with her name on it?”
“I can think of a reason or two,” Dr. Smith said grimly.
“Would you please look at some of the papers and give them a once over?”
“I have appointments all day,” Dr. Smith apologized. “Can you bring the files here?”
“I can get you a few samples,” Jenny nodded.
Jason and Jenny went to Gianni’s house again. The door to the clinic portion was locked this time. A fan whirred inside and the radio was playing. Jenny rapped her knuckles on the door.
A tiny, shriveled woman opened the door, her eyes full of fear.
“Do you work here?” Jenny asked.
“I was Dr. Costa’s nurse,” the woman said.
Jenny realized she should have guessed that from the colorful scrubs the woman was wearing.
