One of the nurses, who was seated at the desk, sprang into action as she jumped out of her chair and jogged down the hall with Gloria hot on her heels. She made her way over to the opposite side of the bed and began speaking to Brian.
Again, he responded and Gloria silently thanked God. Things began to move quickly as more hospital staff entered the room.
One of the nurses asked them to step into the hall and the girls headed out of the room. Tears streamed down Andrea’s cheeks as they hovered outside the door. “I-I can’t believe it.” She buried her head in her hands and began sobbing.
“Oh dear Lord. Please don’t tell me he’s gone!” A woman’s anguished voice echoed behind them. Gloria turned to see a woman who appeared to be close to her age and with the clearest blue eyes she had ever seen. It was like looking into Brian’s eyes.
“He’s starting to come to,” Gloria said.
“Thank God.” The woman burst into tears and now both Andrea and Brian’s mother were bawling. A man standing behind the woman put an arm around her shoulders.
Doctor Cline, who had hurried to Brian’s side when he began to respond, strode out of the room.
Mr. Sellers released his grip on his wife and faced the doctor. “We’re Brian’s parents. Andrea told us our son is starting to respond.”
The doctor adjusted the stethoscope around his neck. “Yes. He opened his eyes a short time ago. We need a few more minutes and will call you to come in when we’re finished.”
Gloria led Andrea and Brian’s parents to the family waiting room. The parents paced the floor while Gloria called her friends and Paul to let them know Brian was starting to come around.
It seemed like forever, but was only just under an hour before another doctor greeted them in the waiting room. He explained Brian was a real trooper and had started to speak. They had taken another MRI and the swelling had stopped, which was another good sign.
“He is having some memory issues so I’m only going to allow a brief visit while we gauge the level of memory loss he’s experiencing.”
They followed the doctor to Brian’s room, and Gloria and Andrea stood off to one side as Brian’s parents approached the bed. They spoke to their son in low voices and kept it brief.
“He can’t remember what happened.” Brian’s mother whispered to Gloria as they stepped away from the bed.
Andrea nodded and approached the side. She reached for Brian’s hand and he pulled back. She spoke a couple more words to Brian and he responded. They were talking too softly for Gloria to hear what they were saying.
Andrea slowly turned and walked away, a stricken look on her face.
“Well? What did he say?” Brian’s father asked in a quiet voice.
“That he has no idea who I am,” Andrea said.
Chapter 4
Gloria’s jaw dropped. “At all?”
“He asked me who I was,” she whispered. “I want to go home.”
Peter Sellers put a light hand on Andrea’s shoulder. “Brian loves you, Andrea. He’ll remember. Maybe not tonight, but he’ll remember.”
“Go home, dear. Get some rest. We’ll stay here with Brian,” Joan Sellers added.
Gloria nodded. “We’ll call in the morning.” She tugged on Andrea’s arm and the two of them made their way out of the hospital and to the SUV.
At first, Gloria couldn’t find her vehicle, having completely forgotten Annabelle was in the repair shop. Finally, she remembered. “Over there,” she pointed to the SUV that looked like every other vehicle in the parking lot.
On the way home, Gloria drove through a fast food drive-thru to pick up some burgers and fries, although Andrea insisted she still wasn’t hungry. Not convinced and knowing that if she weren’t there, Andrea probably wouldn’t eat, she ordered the food and then practically had to force Andrea to eat part of her cheeseburger and a handful of fries.
After she choked down a few bites of food, Andrea called Alice, who was home waiting for her. Gloria coasted into Andrea’s drive and shifted the SUV into park. They both wearily climbed out of the vehicle.
Alice met them at the door. She wrapped her arms around Andrea and the young woman sobbed her heartbreaking story to the woman who was like a mother.
Finally, Andrea’s tears subsided and Gloria followed them into the kitchen where Alice had fixed a pot of tea. Gloria stayed long enough to have a cup of tea and then told them it was time to head home.
She passed Lucy’s place on her way to the farm and almost stopped to find out what information her friend had on the robbery, but she was whupped. It would simply have to wait until the morning.
Gloria could see Paul inside the kitchen when she pulled the SUV into the drive. He waited for her at the door as she climbed out of the vehicle and made her way up the steps and into the house. Gloria fell into her husband’s open arms.
Over several phone conversations, Paul had already heard the entire story and she was thankful for not having to tell it again. The only part he hadn’t heard was the end.
Gloria released her tight grip on her husband and eased into a chair at the kitchen table. “I’m exhausted,” she admitted as she ran a hand through her hair. “This has been one of the worst days I’ve had in a long time.”
Mally, Gloria’s springer spaniel, waited patiently for Gloria to settle in before she plodded over, dropped to the floor and put her head on Gloria’s feet. “Did you miss me?” She reached down to pat Mally’s head.
Paul pulled out the chair next to Gloria. “I called the sheriff’s station earlier. There wasn’t any new information and they told me what you already knew, that they believe it was a robbery and the robber hit Brian in the back of the head.”
He went on. “They think a customer interrupted the robber, who panicked and escaped through the back door. Whoever it was, emptied the cash register but didn’t take Brian’s wallet.”
Gloria stared out the kitchen window thoughtfully and then turned to Paul. “Do they know what weapon the robber used?”
“Yeah,” Paul grimaced. “It was a large wrench. I won’t go into detail, but I’m not surprised Brian suffered a concussion. He took a heavy blow to the back of his skull.”
“What is this world coming to?” Gloria shook her head. “Maybe they should rename Belhaven, Crimehaven instead.” She slowly lifted her arms above her head and stretched. “I’m whupped.”
Paul nodded. “It’s getting late. Why don’t you go get ready for bed and I’ll let Mally out for a final potty break.”
Gloria nodded wearily and headed to the bathroom. She had a feeling she would need all the rest she could get.
***
Dot poured fresh coffee into Gloria’s coffee cup. “Margaret is on the way and Ruth is waiting for Kenny to arrive at the post office to hold down the fort so gossip, I mean, talk about something other than the robbery until they get here.”
Lucy, who was sitting next to Gloria, sipped her coffee and reached for a raspberry twist. “Are you going to take a break and join us?”
Dot rested the coffee pot on the edge of the table. “Of course.” She shifted to the side and glanced behind her. “Can Rose join us, too? She might feel left out if we don’t include her.”
“The more the merrier,” Gloria said. “She loves to talk and has been here long enough; she may have overhead something that might be useful.”
“Thanks.” Dot looked relieved. “I’ll warn Ray and Johnnie we’re having a girls meeting and they’ll have to hold down the fort for a little while.”
Gloria watched Dot disappear into the back and then turned to Lucy. “Paul drove to Detroit today to move his daughter, Allie, back home.”
“To move in with you?” Lucy asked as she reached for a chocolate covered donut.
“Nope.” Gloria shook her head. Allie had recently lost her job as an event coordinator in the town of Ann Arbor, and although she wanted to stay in the Detroit area, she’d been unable to find a comparable job, one that would earn enough t
o pay her bills and keep her head above water.
Defeated and with no prospects on the horizon, Paul had finally been able to talk Allie into moving back to West Michigan, and into the farmhouse Paul owned. It was the place where he and his wife had raised their children.
“So that means you won’t be bouncing back and forth between his farm and yours?” Lucy asked.
Paul and Gloria had agreed that, since neither of them was willing to sell their family farms, they would split time between both. They spent two weeks at Paul’s place and then two weeks at hers. So far, it had worked out, but now that Allie was moving back, Paul and Gloria agreed to stay at her farm to give Allie, and them, some space.
Allie had assured them both it was only temporary and she was already looking for a job in the area, although steady, good paying jobs were hard to find.
Margaret wandered into the restaurant and made her way over. “I didn’t think you were here. Where’s Annabelle?” she asked Gloria as she settled into the seat across from her.
“She died on me,” Gloria said. “That reminds me. I need to stop by Gus’s after I leave here to see if he has had a chance to look at Annabelle.”
Ruth was the next to arrive. Actually, she nearly ran poor Pastor Nate over in her haste to reach the table. Gloria grinned as she overhead Ruth apologize for elbowing him and then promised him she would be in church on Sunday.
When she reached the table, she dropped her purse on the floor and pulled out a chair. “What did I miss?”
“Nothing, other than Annabelle is in the shop and Allie, Paul’s youngest, is moving back home. We haven’t discussed the robbery yet.”
“Good.” Ruth nodded. “We’re waiting on Dot?”
“And Rose,” Gloria said.
Dot and Rose, noticing that Ruth had finally arrived, hurried over and settled into the last two empty chairs. Dot eyed the almost empty plate of decadent treats. “Uh-oh. We need a refill before we get started.”
“I gotcha covered. Stay where you’re at.” Johnnie, Rose’s husband, patted Dot on the back, reached around her and slid a large plate of decadent goodies onto the table. “I’ll be right back with more coffee.”
“No need. I’m right behind you.” Ray, Dot’s husband, headed to the other side of the table with a fresh pot of coffee and began filling cups. “Now don’t you gals go dragging poor Rose into your new investigation. She might not be ready for the full Garden Girls experience,” he teased.
Johnnie chuckled. “Ray, you ain’t seen my Rose in action. This woman gotta stick her nose into everyone’s business. Wild horses won’t keep her away from a good mystery.”
Rose whacked her husband’s arm and shot him a death look. “Johnnie Morris, you better be watchin’ your tongue and get back to work.”
Her husband rolled his eyes. “Don’t say I didn’t warn ya’ll.”
“Hm,” Rose sniffed as she watched Johnnie head back to the kitchen. “Menfolk need to mind their own business.”
Gloria covered her mouth to hide her grin, certain that Rose was going to add an exciting new dimension to their investigations.
Ruth shifted her attention to Gloria. “Well? Tell us everything.”
“First of all, I’m concerned about Andrea.” Gloria told them how she had called Andrea’s cell phone first thing that morning and it had gone to voice mail so she called the house phone.
Alice answered and told her Andrea had gone to bed shortly after Gloria had left the night before and hadn’t emerged from her room yet. She promised Gloria that if Andrea hadn’t made an appearance within the hour, she would bust down the door and drag her out.
Gloria told the girls everything she knew and ended with how, after she’d called Andrea, she called the hospital to check on Brian’s status. The receptionist couldn’t give her information, but told her the family – Brian’s parents - were still at the hospital.
Gloria left her phone number at the desk and the person on the other end promised to pass the message along. She was still waiting for Brian’s parents to call back. “I’m praying his memory returned. Andrea is heartbroken.”
“I have a home remedy for amnesia,” Rose said. “Works like a charm.”
“You do?” Gloria gazed at Rose.
“Yes siree. Why, I used it on my Uncle Delmore after he was kicked in the head by a mule. He spent a week wandering around, cluckin’ like a chicken, thinkin’ he should be livin’ in a coop so I mixed up my special blend of herbs and voila!” Rose snapped her fingers. “One dose of my miracle potion and the man was in his right mind! Claimed his memory was better than it had been in fifty years!”
“You don’t say,” Margaret gazed at Rose skeptically.
“We’ll keep it on the backburner, just in case.” Dot reached for a glazed donut and looked at Lucy. “What did you find out yesterday at the hardware store?”
“Whew!” Lucy brushed a stray strand of red hair from her eyes. “It’s a good thing I stayed behind to make sure the police locked up. I’ve never seen such a mess. Brian must have put up a good fight.”
She went on to tell them how she’d overhead the police say Brian’s attacker had hit him in the back of the head with a large wrench.
“Did you see the wrench?” Gloria asked.
Lucy shook her head and then pushed her half-eaten donut away. “No, but I saw a large pool of blood. It was awful.”
“Do you remember anything else?” Ruth prompted.
“No. It was pure chaos. I hung around inside the store until one of the officers told me I would have to wait outside until they finished their investigation. They took forever and finally emerged with bags of stuff, evidence I suppose.”
She went on. “Before they kicked me out, I noticed the cash register was wide open.”
“I wonder what they found.” Gloria drummed her fingers on top of the table. “I wish I could get inside the hardware store to take a look around.”
“Oh, you can,” Lucy said as she reached inside her purse and pulled out a set of keys. “I have the keys.”
Chapter 5
Dot frowned. “Can we do that?”
“Do what?” Ruth asked.
“Break in.”
“We’re not breaking in,” Gloria argued. “Lucy has the keys.”
“We’re making sure the property is secure,” Rose piped up.
“I like your way of thinking,” Margaret grinned and then abruptly stood. “The concerned citizens of Belhaven deserve answers and it’s our duty to give them those answers.”
“You sound like a politician,” Ruth snickered.
Margaret punched her friend in the arm. “I’m serious.”
“I’m with you.” Gloria stood. “Who’s going with us?”
“I am since I have the keys,” Lucy said.
“I’ll go,” Ruth pushed her chair back. “By the way, how did you convince the police to hand over the keys?”
“Officer Joe Nelson arrived during the investigation and he told the other investigators it was okay to give them to me.”
“Sounds like legitimate possession.” Rose rubbed her hands together. “I can hardly wait to see the infamous Garden Girls in action!”
The only one still on the fence was Dot, who gazed at Lucy uncertainly. “Are you sure we’re not breaking the law? What if Brian doesn’t want us snooping around inside his store?”
“Last I knew, Brian doesn’t remember us. He may not even remember he owns a hardware store. He needs us,” Gloria stated matter-of-factly.
“But the police…” Dot’s voice trailed off. She was fighting a battle she wasn’t going to win. The girls were going with - or without - her.
“I guess,” she muttered under her breath. “But if we get arrested.”
“Ray will bail you out of jail.” Lucy hooked her arm through Dot’s arm.
“Don’t be so sure about that.” Ray approached the table and reached for an empty coffee cup. “Let me guess. You’re going to break into Nails and Knobs
to investigate.”
“We’re not breaking in.” Lucy held up the keys. “I have the keys right here.”
“Where are you fine ladies headed?” Johnnie Morris eyed his wife suspiciously.
“To run an errand,” Johnnie’s wife told her husband.
“Uh-huh.”
“They’re going to snoop around the hardware store, searching for clues,” Ray said.
“Rose…” Johnnie warned.
Rose crossed her arms and stared her husband down. “There’s nothing to worry about. I’ll be fine. Right?” She turned to Dot.
“I’m as concerned as Ray and Johnnie,” Dot confessed.
“We’ll be back before you know it.” Gloria steered Dot and Rose toward the door. Lucy, Margaret and Ruth followed behind as they hurried out of the restaurant.
When they reached the hardware store, they circled around back and Gloria unlatched the fence gate. The girls stepped into the fenced-in area and huddled in a tight circle near the rear entrance.
“What’s the plan?” Lucy turned to Gloria, their unofficial ringleader.
Gloria was a fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants type investigator. There wasn’t a plan, but she didn’t tell them that. She shifted her gaze and studied the exterior of the building. “Does anyone know roughly what time the robbery and attack took place?”
“It was early,” Ruth said. “I remember seeing lights on inside the store around 7:30 when I drove by on my way to work. It couldn’t have been more than an hour later I caught a glimpse of the ambulance and police cars as they sped past the post office.”
“A customer found Brian,” Lucy reminded them. “The hardware store doesn’t open until eight.”
Gloria slowly turned her head, her attention on the back gate. “So Brian unlocked the store at eight and if Ruth is correct about the timing, it means the robbery occurred between eight and eight-thirty.”
She went on. “What if the robber followed Brian through the back gate and in through this rear door?”
Forget Me Knot (Garden Girls Christian Cozy Mystery Series Book 13) Page 3
