Cindy's face bunched in an effort to hold back tears, but she was angry, too. "I know what this is about. You want to get rid of me because I know what you're really up to. I know what's going on here."
"Either leave now, or I'll call the police." Taking a deep breath, Jane seemed to belatedly realize the whole scene was taking place in public. "You're upsetting the patients."
Arie glanced around. Outside of her and Belinda, nobody seemed the least bit upset.
Cindy finally burst into tears and ran to the staff lounge.
Jane motioned to Carly, who had been standing near the TV, watching the drama unfold. "Follow her, and make sure she hands in her keys." Jane hurried back to her office, slamming the door behind her.
Stunned, Arie turned back to the group at the table. "But Cindy really did ask Karen. I was there. Alan, you were, too."
Alan looked surprised. He touched the Dora the Explorer Band-Aid on his forehead as if it would activate his memory. Apparently, it didn't, because he shook his head and shrugged.
"Oh, honey," Kathy said. "Don't worry about it. That girl can get a job at a half-dozen other homes in this town. Nurses are hard to find these days. My granddaughter is a CNA, and she quits her job every six weeks. She gets bored easy. And she never has any trouble finding another job."
"But it's so unfair," Arie said. "I'm going to talk to Jane."
"Girl, I wouldn't do that if I were you," Merilee said. "Looks like Jane's in one of her wild-hair-up-her-butt moods. They aren't pretty."
"I think she's got the bipolar," Larry said.
"I hate when people use diagnostic terms so flippantly," Belinda said, her normally placid voice tinged with irritability. "Jane isn't bipolar."
Larry didn't take to being chided very graciously. He pooched his lower lip out and asked, "Then what's with her crazy mood swings?"
"Maybe it's pain," Viv piped in. "Her knee, you know? From the accident? Pain often affects people that way. That's why Bernie was so cranky. He had back issues."
"Who doesn't have back issues?" Larry said. "Or knee issues?"
"Oh gosh," Kathy said. "With me, it's my shoulder. You know, when it rains, it feels like someone is stabbing me with a knitting needle." She rubbed her left shoulder. "Right here. I think it's from when I had that car accident in '84. Dang near died. Did I ever tell you about tha—"
"I'll come with you," Belinda told Arie.
Despite it being her idea, Arie wasn't certain she wanted to talk to Jane right then. She hated confrontations of any sort. Also, Jane did seem pretty worked up already. Still... the incident with Cindy was just wrong.
Even though Arie was slightly squeamish at the idea of confronting someone with a wild hair embedded in her posterior, she and Belinda approached Jane's door, and Arie knocked. At that moment, Cindy pushed through the door of the staff lounge and bumbled her way, crying hard, past them. She stood in the social hall and faced the residents. "Good-bye, everyone. Take care of yourselves." Still crying, she rushed outside.
Thinking she'd heard Jane call "Enter," Arie pushed open the director's door to find the woman struggling with a prescription bottle. It fell from her hand, rolling to Arie's feet. When Arie picked it up, she noticed the label had been torn off.
"What do you want?" Jane snapped. She snatched the bottle away from Arie.
"Oh," Arie said again. "I, uh, wanted to talk to you about Cindy. I was there when she asked Karen to cover her shift. I can verify that—"
"You heard Karen agree to come in for her?"
"Well, not exactly. I mean, I heard Cindy ask her, and I'm pretty sure Karen agreed. We were in the break room. I, uh, was a little distracted because I was talking to Alan at the time, but I really think—"
"Look, Miss Wilston—"
"Arie."
"Yes, fine. The point is that the situation is settled, and I plan to leave it at that."
"Even if Cindy—"
Jane heaved a sigh. Placing her hands on her hips, she snapped, "You know, I've been meaning to ask: how is your grandfather adjusting?"
"Grumpa? He's doing fine," Arie said. "But can't I explain about—"
"I understand from Karen that he had an altercation with one of our residents. Is that when you supposedly overheard this conversation between my two staff?"
Arie hesitated. Behind her, she sensed Belinda slipping away. "He... he's getting settled in. He enjoys his time here a lot."
Jane narrowed her eyes at Arie's indirect reply and nodded. "I see. Well, we'll have to hope that his behavior toward Mr. Berkly was an aberration, won't we?"
Gesturing toward the door, she ushered Arie out of the office and followed her down the hall, her cane clicking sharply against the tiled floor. As they entered the main room, Arie spied Belinda and Grumpa huddled by themselves in the armchair nook by the window. They drew apart when Jane's eyes fell on them. Belinda's face was noncommittal, but Grumpa's looked troubled.
Arie moved in front of Jane to block her view, which might have worked if Arie wasn't five-foot-four and Jane a good seven inches taller. "Well, thank you for your time," Arie said. "I'm sorry if I seemed like I was interfering. I was just concerned."
Jane stared down at her. "Of course. We all are." Then she turned and tap-tap-tapped her way to her office, where she shut the door, followed by the snap of the lock.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The next day, Friday, Arie got called in to work for a chemical spill at a small factory two towns over. After Jane Clarkson's thinly veiled threat, Arie decided both she and Grumpa had best skip a few days at the rec center. Besides, Connor had said he would be coming in to interview the residents. With them gone, he wouldn't be confronted with the sight of Arie continuing to snoop around. Grumpa certainly didn't mind. Viv was getting on his nerves, and he wanted to give her a cooling-down period.
"She's not a car engine," Arie said.
"Well, I ain't a sex machine, either. Maybe she'll start running after Larry if I don't show up."
"Larry doesn't even trim his ear hair. There's little poofs sticking out both sides of his head. There's no way anyone would choose him over you."
"True," Grumpa said complacently. He smoothed his thinning hair back. "But I got things to do today, anyway."
"Like what?"
"Just regular errands. I got to pick up my drugs and make a run to the bank. And some other stuff, too."
"Why do you have to make everything sound like a criminal activity? You're picking up your vitamins and depositing my rent check. And what other stuff?"
"Never you mind, missy. Just because we're undercover crime stoppers together doesn't mean you get to be all up in my business."
"Fine, but your 'errands' better not include any honky-tonk dancing or fried food. Ma hasn't been around in a while, so she's due for a surprise inspection."
"I'm a grown man," Grumpa mumbled. "She's not my boss."
"Tell her that."
Whatever mysterious errands Grumpa had checked off his to-do list, he hadn't made it to the bank. Arie had just gotten a paycheck from Guts, so she offered to run to the bank the next morning.
"It's not open on Saturdays," Grumpa said. He'd woken up cranky, complaining about the oatmeal and raisins she'd served him and arguing about what they would have for dinner later that night. He shoveled the gray, gooey mass around in his bowl, picking the raisins out and placing them in a steadily growing pile next to his napkin.
"Eat those raisins," Arie said. "They're good for your digestion."
"I've lived eighty-plus years without eating these nasty things. I guess I'll live a few more if I don't."
With a sigh, Arie gathered up her purse and Grumpa's check and deposit slip.
"Don't lose those," Grumpa hollered as she went out the door.
"I've lived twenty-plus years without losing any..." Well, that wasn't true, but she certainly didn't need to be reminded to be careful with his stupid check.
On her way downtown, Arie swung by and picke
d up Chandra.
"Where are we headed?" Chandra asked as she buckled her seat belt. "I need to go to Kitchen Connection in Johnson Creek. They're having a sale on some cake tins that I've just got to have."
"Okay, but if we go there, you have to promise not to spend an hour mooning over the baking utensils. Last time, I fell asleep standing up and knocked over their copper-pan display."
"Like I could forget that." Chandra laughed. "But I make no promises. I have to see if they've gotten in anything new and exciting."
Arie groaned. "New and exciting" meant at least an hour hanging around while her friend picked through kitchen gadgets that looked like miniature tools used during the Spanish Inquisition. Arie didn't know what half the things did. "In that case, I'm going to swing by the bank first. I've got to make a deposit for Grumpa, and it closes at noon."
Apparently, everyone and their mother had the same idea. The drive-thru lanes were backed up six cars deep. If Arie wanted to get in line, she'd have to wait in the street until the cars in front moved forward. With her luck, she'd get rear-ended, she figured. Grumpa would never forgive her if she dinged the Caddy. She decided to go inside and pulled into the parking lot.
"I'll be right back."
"I'm coming in, too," Chandra said. "I want to get a sucker."
The bank gave away suckers to kids. Arie would have made some comment about Chandra's lack of maturity, but she was hoping to get a bubblegum-flavored Dum Dum herself—either that or cotton candy.
As she reached the entrance, an elderly woman in a wheelchair, pushed by a much younger woman, was just exiting. Arie stood back to let them pass, when she suddenly recognized the pair.
"Hi, Ruth. Hi, Karen," Arie said. "I'm surprised to see you two. Isn't the center closed on Saturdays?"
Ruth's face lit up. "Why, hello, dear. How nice to see you. Do you do your shopping here, too? Karen thought there might be a sale, but—"
Karen leaned down close to Ruth's ear. "This is the bank, honey. We're going to... the other store next."
"Oh, wonderful," Ruth said. She patted Karen's hand, which rested on her shoulder. "Karen is so good to me. I have a daughter, but she's too busy for me, I guess. But Karen, here, she treats me just like her own family."
"I can see that." Arie looked around the parking lot for the center's van. "Is this a special trip, or did you come with some of the others?"
"No, just me," Ruth said. "Karen likes to take me out, just us two girls. We can visit more easily then, you know. She doesn't have to rush off and take care of all those other people."
"That's very nice of her." Arie kept her voice perky and cheerful, but her stomach felt as if someone had dumped a gallon of acid into it.
"It certainly is. I only hope I can make it up to her someday." Ruth smiled sweetly up over her shoulder at the nurse and patted her hand again.
Karen pulled her hand out from under Ruth's and aimed the chair toward the lot. Arie knelt down next to Ruth and surreptitiously set the chair's brake on that side. "It's a lovely day for an outing. I bet you're glad to be out and about."
"You’re so sweet. Isn't she, Karen? People are so good to me. Not like Sandy—she's my daughter. I can't even tell you when the last time was that she visited."
"That's too bad," Chandra said.
Ruth nodded. Despite relating such sad news, she seemed quite tickled at all the attention. "I don't mind because I have Karen."
"How lucky for you." Arie forced herself to smile.
Karen reached down and disengaged the brake. "Well, it's been nice to see you, but we need to get going. You don't want to hold Arie up, do you, Ruthie? She's probably got lots to do today, and so do we."
"Oh, I'm so sorry." Ruth clasped her hands together. Her skin was paper thin, almost transparent, and stretched taut over knobby knuckles. "Am I keeping you? I can be such a chatterbox."
"No, no, no," Arie said, covering Ruth's hands with her own. "Not at all. It's my fault for holding you up."
Karen pushed the chair down the sidewalk, a chorus of good-byes from Ruth floating like falling leaves in her wake.
Arie stared after the pair long enough that Chandra nudged her. "You okay?"
With a start, she pulled herself together. "I'm fine."
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Arie had planned on skipping Monday at the center as well, but after her run-in with Karen, a vague sense of urgency changed her mind. Besides, Mondays were "Movie Madness" day, and they served popcorn with several assorted seasoning shakers. Arie wanted to try the white cheddar.
Arie had described her accidental meeting with Karen and Ruth to Grumpa. He agreed the relationship sounded fishy. "She's probably trying to get Ruth to stick her in the will. There's all kinds of scams perpetrated against us elderly. It's because we got money. Nobody's going to bother trying to rip off your generation because none of you bother to save anything. Spend, spend, spend. That's all you guys know how to do. Does your job even have a retirement plan?"
Retirement plan? Arie's job didn't even have a steady paycheck.
"Just keep an eye on them," she said.
They arrived at the rec center soon after the morning snack. Karen was on duty, looking grumpy, along with Carly, who was setting up the "theater," which consisted of several rows of chairs and spaces for the wheelchairs in an arc around the TV set. Arie was surprised to see Jane sitting at the small table the nurses had appropriated for their paperwork.
"What's Jane doing here?" Arie whispered to Kathy. Then she had to repeat it in Kathy's other ear, the "good" one.
"Since she fired Cindy so suddenly, she's stuck helping out. I hear she tried to get some temps in, but it was too short of notice. Serves her right." Seeing the look on Arie's face, she added, "Don't worry. She's in a good mood today."
"Must have taken her meds," Larry said.
Belinda looked at him sharply, and he ducked his head to avoid another scolding from her on the subject of Jane's mental health.
"Come on, Larry," Phyllis said, glaring at Belinda and taking Larry's arm possessively. "Let's get seats in the front. I hate having to look around people's heads."
Larry's face turned beatific at Phyllis's offer, and he led her eagerly away.
Kathy snorted. "Guess she's the only one allowed to swat that puppy."
Arie had been watching Jane, who actually did look pretty cheerful despite having to fill in. She decided to make another attempt to talk to the director about firing Cindy.
Jane's head snapped up as Arie approached the table, and she flipped the med binder shut with a frown. "Can I help you?"
"Checking the meds, huh?" Arie gave a little laugh. "Cindy was always doing that, too. She was really diligent about it."
Jane pursed her lips.
"Um, right, well, speaking of Cindy, I just... I'm almost certain Karen agreed to cover her shift, and I—"
Jane stood. "I'm going to stop you right there. The decision is final." Grabbing her cane, she walked away, leaving Arie standing by the table, feeling stupid.
At least she'd tried.
As Arie walked back to Grumpa, Carly announced the movie was ready.
Viv clapped her hands. Turning to Grumpa, she said with a simper, "Well, how about it, Harlan? Should we find our seats?"
Grumpa blanched. "Uh, sorry, but I need to sit on the aisle in case I need to go to the bathroom."
"There's a seat on the other side of you, isn't there?" Viv giggled.
Grumpa looked desperately at Belinda. When she didn't meet his eyes, he grabbed Arie's wrist so tightly it pinched. "That's where Arie's gotta sit. I don't see very well in the dark, so she might have to take me."
Viv's face slid into a disbelieving scowl. "Your granddaughter takes you to the bathroom?"
"No! But I don't want to trip over anyone's foot and break my hip." Grumpa stood with as much dignity as a man who had just announced he needed help to the toilet could muster and walked over to the TV area.
Getting everyone s
ituated took several minutes. Karen wheeled Ruth over, making sure she had her sweater in case the older woman got cold. Ruth patted Karen's arm before the nurse left to help corral a few straggling individuals over to the viewing area. Viv took a chair directly in front of Arie and Grumpa, shooting irritated looks over her shoulder. Belinda sat to Arie's right, which didn't seem to improve Viv's mood the least little bit. Once everyone was in place, Jane turned off the overhead lights nearest the TV. The movie title, The Letter, blazed across the screen, followed by the opening credits.
"Ooh, Bette Davis," Larry whispered. "I just love her."
"She's got bug eyes," Viv said, not bothering to whisper.
Various shushes came from around the room as the movie, dark and atmospheric, began. On screen, a gunshot fired, then a man stumbled out of a bungalow, falling down the stairs. Bette Davis ran after him, shooting until the revolver clicked empty.
"Aren't we going to have popcorn?" Viv asked.
"Shh!"
The room finally settled in to watch the 1940s classic. Davis was, as usual, uniquely adept at portraying a wily, multilayered villainess. Arie found herself fascinated by the main character, Leslie Crosby, a woman who shot her lover when he told her they were through, and was subsequently blackmailed by the victim's own wife. So fully was she engulfed in the film that when Belinda suddenly gasped and leaped to her feet, Arie almost wet herself.
Belinda lurched toward the aisle but stumbled as she passed the back of Viv's chair. Viv's head snapped back, and she howled. Belinda suddenly sprawled to the floor. Viv continued hollering, her hand clutching the side of her head. Those nearest the women scurried to help, but with two victims to choose from, efforts got confused. Viv was the loudest, and most went to her aid. Grumpa, on the other hand, was closest to Belinda and the first to help her up.
"Are you all right?" He patted her back gently.
Belinda clutched at his arm. "She couldn't stand him leaving her. That's why she shot him."
Scry Me A River: Suspense with a Dash of Humor (Blood Visions Paranormal Mysteries Book 2) Page 13
