by Harry Brady
LaKeisha stood at his desk and continued, “Let me think. That makes three confirmed cases there and one questionable case with the football player”.
“Who was the third case?” Cash asked.
“I got a call from the administrator at Holy Angels that there is a lawsuit filed against them by the mother of one of the ninety-five year old residents in the nursing unit, who died from a fentanyl overdose confirmed by autopsy. She wants me to check out that football player again.”
“Why would anyone want to do an autopsy on a ninety-five year old in a nursing home?’
“Her daughter claimed that there were several sudden overnight deaths in the nursing unit over the last couple of months with no plausible cause of death noted.”
“I`m free this afternoon,” Cash said, “And this could end up as a homicide. Why don`t I come along and see what kind of bag of worms you are opening. Let`s catch some lunch first. Do you have any place you`d like to go?”
“There`s a snitch of mine, who has some info on the on the Korean muscle. He`s supposed to meet me up on Wylie Avenue. I`ll treat you to some real soul food.”
Fifteen minutes later, they walked into Big Mama`s Soul Food Emporium. Cash knew he would be the only white face in the crowd and he wondered if his Native American genes would give him any street credibility.
Big Mamma was behind the cash register and when she saw Lakeisha she moved her massive body around the counter and gave Lakeisha a big hug and said, “What brings you up on the hill, Detective?”
“It`s your fantastic food, Big Mama, and I need to teach this paleface how to enjoy soul food.” She then introduced Cash.
“Well, Detective Cash you came to the right place. We are gonna fatten you up a bit.”
Lakeisha asked for a table up front, so she could watch the door. After they were seated and placed the order, Cash realized that everyone had stopped staring at him. So he felt comfortable enough to ask who was this guy who wanted to talk with her.
“His name is Rudolph, and he`s a former addict, I helped him out one time by talking to the judge about probation rather than jail time. Basically he`s a runner for a local loan shark, so he knows who owes who and how much.” About this time, Cash was confronted with a massive amount of food that would have fed his airborne unit in Afghanistan for a month. He and Lakeisha dug in and about halfway through the meal, a tall skinny man in an oversized black hoodie stopped outside the front door. He looked nervously up and down Wylie Avenue and then quickly entered the restaurant. He spotted Lakeisha who motioned him to come to their table.
“Pull up a chair Rudolph so we can talk.”
Shifting back and forth on his feet as though he was a little kid who needed to go to the bathroom he pointed at Cash and asked, “Is he o.k.?” Lakeisha nodded. So Rudolph sat down and continued, “The Koreans is squeezing all the dealers. Everybody is cryin` for money. They are really mean guys. They be the ones that gunned down that Northside dealer. That`s all I have for you now.”
Lakeisha smiled and said, “Let me know if you hear anything more. ” She then palmed a twenty dollar bill and put it under a napkin on the table. It disappeared into Rudolph`s pocket and he disappeared out the front door.
Pushing away from the table, Cash said, “Well that confirms your suspicion of s drug war, LaKeisha. What do we do next?”
“First of all, we go to Holy Angels and find out if there really is a fentanyl problem there.”
Having seen Cash push back from the table Big Mama came rushing over and asked, “How about some sweet potato pie?”
Suppressing a belch, Cash put his hands up in surrender and politely declined. Lakeisha also declined and pushing her chair back stood up. Cash did likewise and asked for the check. Big Mama smiled and taking Cash`s hand said, ”Paleface, anytime Detective Johnson brings a guest it`s on the house.”
Driving back to the Northside LaKeisha asked what he thought of the meal.
“Fantastic!! The breaded fatback with cornmeal bread was the best followed by the Hoppin John as a side dish. All in all at this point, I would prefer to take a nap than go to Holy Angels.”
Chapter
15
Marilyn Cassidy, the Executive Director, was waiting at the reception desk for the detectives as Phillip Cash and LaKeisha Johnson walked by the concrete angel guards at the front entrance and entered the lobby of Holy Angels. Marilyn was dressed in a similar business suit that LaKeisha had remembered from their last meeting. Extending her hand to LaKeisha she said, “Thanks for coming over on short notice. I really appreciate it.”
Taking her hand in a soft manner, she replied, “Not a problem investigation is what we do.” She introduced Cash and added “Detective Cash is with the homicide unit and it looks like Holy Angels may have a problem in that area.”
“I`m not sure what`s going on. Let`s go to my office and talk. Maybe you can help us get to the bottom of this.” She turned and started walking down the hall to the right. Arriving there she opened the door and ushered the two detectives in. As they entered, Jeannie Edwards arose to meet them and she nodded to LaKeisha. Marilyn Cassidy then introduced Detective Cash to Jeannie reiterating that Cash was from the homicide unit.
After they all were seated, LaKeisha began, “From our phone conversation you said one of your residents died suddenly overnight in the nursing unit several weeks ago and the daughter demanded an autopsy. When the report came back that the cause of death was a fentanyl overdose the daughter threatened Holy Angels with a lawsuit.”
“That`s right Detective, but my first question is the lab report accurate?’
LaKeisha took the initiative. “Our lab guys are really good and they are getting plenty of experience with the current drug problems.” She continued “Opioids, both prescription and street drugs are everywhere. We need to know if they are here in your retirement community and how they got here.”
Cash entered the conversation with, “You had two overdoses in your parking lot Saturday night. One of the deceased was an employee here. You had and another questionable overdosing with the football player episode. So I agree that as you said, we need to get to the bottom of this.” He continued “What is the story about the sudden unexplained deaths in the nursing unit.”
At this point Marilyn appeared to be a little flustered and confused, “That`s why I asked Mrs. Edwards to come to the meeting. Jeannie would you please tell us what you know.”
A consummate professional Jeannie responded, ” First, the unexpected sudden deaths. In the last three months we have had four deaths on our unit. The first death was an eighty-six year old male who died from lung cancer. In early October a ninety-five year old female with a long history of heart disease ate lunch, sat back in her bed, and died from a cardiac arrest. She had a DNR form on her chart, so no resuscitation was performed. The other two deaths were unexpected. On October twenty-ninth, an eighty-six year old female died at 12:23 A.M. for no apparent reason. She was a diabetic who had an ulcer on her right ankle and was doing well at bed rest. The fourth death was on November fifteenth, an 84 year old female, who had cataract surgery in her only good eye that day, and was here for an overnight stay. She was found dead on midnight rounds. I have the charts here if you would like to review them.” Mrs. Edwards, can make copies for you” Marilyn volunteered. “‘Jeannie, tell them about the nursing notes the night of the alleged overdose.”
“The night of that incident, the story is that Mrs. Bailey told me was that our night orderly had come into her room and given her a new blood pressure pill that the doctor had called in. She took the pill and felt like she was having an out of body experience and seeing flashing colored lights. The next thing she remembered was seeing her friends standing at the bedside. The thing that concerned me was that there was no doctor`s order on the chart for a new blood pressure medication. I`m sure of that because I`m the only R.N. on duty to take a doc
tor`s order”
Cash interrupted to ask, “Did you check with the doctor to see if he had called in an order for an additional medicine?”
“Yes, I did and the answer was no”.
Cash continued “My understanding is that orderlies cannot give out medications. Is that correct?”
“You are correct.”
“Then it looks like we need to talk with that orderly again.”
“That`s Raymond Benson, “ the Executive Director offered. “He`s not due to report for work until 4 P.M. Would you like his home address?”
“We already have it, but let Mr. Benson know that we will be contacting him again. Are the other residents here today that were present the night of the Narcan incident? We would like to ask them a few more questions.”
By this point, Marilyn Cassidy knew that she was way over her head and responded, “I don`t know. I just don`t know. Let me have the receptionist check and see if the residents are available.”
After getting the doctor`s name, address, and phone number for the detectives Marilyn checked with the receptionist and told the detectives that Mrs. Estel and Mrs. Bailey were available and on their way down. Mr. Skrcyzinski was not in his room. Marilyn offered her office for the questioning and poured the two detectives some coffee. At this point Jeannie Edwards said that if there were no more questions for her that she would be leaving. Both detectives thanked her for the information she had provided. LaKeisha handed her a business card and asked her to call if she thought of anything more that might be helpful. When Mrs. Estel and Mrs. Bailey arrived, the Executive Director escorted them in and then she conducted the introductions and excused herself. As she was leaving she said, “Detectives, Holy Angels desperately needs your help.”
The questioning of Millie Estel and Rita Bailey did not uncover any new information. However both ladies agreed, Damien Skrcyzinski was only defending Millie in the Narcan episode and he never would try to hurt anyone intentionally.
Chapter
16
After Cash and Lakeisha left Holy Angels, they called Raymond with the phone number Marilyn Cassidy had given them. He answered with his usual, “Yeah.” When he heard that they wanted to talk to him again. He said he didn`t have time to talk and hung up.
The thought of talking to the police a second time confused and unnerved Raymond and he decided that he needed a plan. The cops are suspicious about the fentanyl he thought but they will never find it. Maybe he would have to move on to some warm place, but he needed to get even with that big SOB first. To clear his mind, he went to the refrigerator and took out the last can of Iron City Beer. Opening it he flopped back on the couch. After 20 minutes of racking his brain and nothing of substance was forthcoming, so he decided to prime the pump with some meth. Reaching under the seat cushion of the couch, he pulled out a baggie and popped one of his dwindling supply of pills into his mouth and swallowed it with more beer.
Getting up he put on his warm socks, combat boots, quilted jacket and Elmer Fudd hat and set out for Taco Bell. The cold air and meth sharpened his mind by the time he got there. Eating inside at one of the tables he hatched what he thought was a brilliant plan to deflect any suspicions the cops had about him and also how to get even with the big football player.
About ten that evening, the desk sergeant at Zone One headquarters got an anonymous phone call that the cops should check the football player’s room at Holy Angels for fentanyl. Texting this to LaKeisha`s cell phone, she immediately picked up and reading the message she contacted Cash. ”With the episode of suspected fentanyl overdose and a proven death at Holy Angels we have probable cause to get a search warrant,” she told him.
“You pick out the judge and I`ll take the paperwork over first thing in the morning and get it to him in his chamber before court begins.”
”You got it, Cash.” she answered “Let me know when you have the warrant ready and we`ll both go to Holy Angels.”
December fourth at seven-forty A.M., Cash, LaKeisha, and two uniformed officers arrived at Damien`s apartment. Knocking on the door Cash announced their arrival. Damien responded with, “Come on in it`s unlocked.”
Opening the door cautiously they saw Damien sitting on a couch watching television. Stepping into the apartment Cash crossed the room and presented the warrant. The others came in behind him.
Damien saw the uniformed officers and stood up. Holding the warrant in his right hand he asked, “I don`t understand what this is all about?”
Cash said, “Please sit back down, Mr. Skrcyzinski. The warrant is permission for us to search your apartment.”
“What are you looking for?”
“We`ll let you know when we find it.”
Within a matter of two minutes, LaKeisha was holding up a baggie she had found in a desk drawer. Inside the baggie were some light brown pills. Showing it to Damien she asked “What`s this?”
Looking at the bag in her hand he said, “I don`t know. It`s not mine.”
“Well how did it get there if it`s not yours?”
“I don`t know.”
After another 15 minutes of searching the apartment nothing else of interest was found.
“We need you to come down to the station and answer some more questions” Cash advised him.
“Okay, but do I have time to go to the skilled nursing unit to help with breakfast. Some of the older people have trouble feeding themselves and I help with the trays.”
“I`m sure that the older folks will get something to eat without your help. As of right now, you are officially under arrest for possession of illegal drugs. Let`s go.”
After hand cuffing Damien one of the uniformed officers put Damien`s overcoat over his shoulders and the procession marched out past the concrete guardian angels and headed for the Zone One station house.
Chapter
17
The breakfast clatter was winding down in the skilled nursing care unit at Holy Angels Retirement Community, as Millie Estel collected the trays from the patients rooms. As a volunteer in the nursing care unit, this had been her morning ritual that had been going on for more than three years since she had moved into apartment 371 at Holy Angels.
Millie is an eighty- six year old widow and mother of four grown children. She had been the bread winner in the family and she had to work full time to support and educate her brood. She had also been active in church activities and was the neighborhood air raid warden during World War II. Now that she is in a retirement community, she dedicated her time to helping the “old folks.”
Now that her chores were finished, she left the nursing care unit and headed for her special place of serenity, a small chapel on the same floor as the nursing unit. She sat down on one of the benches and she was at peace with herself and the world. The soft pastel blue walls and the sun shining through a stained-glass window made this an ideal place for quiet meditation. After a few moments, Millie got up and as she left the chapel she stopped to admire the simplicity of the this special place. Then it was off to meet Rita and Damien her best friends for breakfast. She took the elevator to the first floor rather than the steps, as part of her condescendence to her 86 years on this planet. As the elevator opened, she walked down the long hall to the brightly lit cafeteria. The dinner menu had already been posted and as advertised today was an ethnic day that featured Italian cuisine. Italian wedding soup, two different pasta dishes and spumoni for dessert were promised and would be well received by the residents. Millie spotted Rita who was already there at their usual table. Valerie and Warren were also seated at the same table. Millie went over to the service bar and filled her bowl with cream of wheat and added a few cranberries. She found an empty chair at the table and joined the group. “How are all the movers and shakers this lovely morning?” she asked. Warren said, “Fair to middling,” Rita agreed with that assessment and Valerie nodded her approval. “Has anyone seen Damien this
morning? He never misses helping at breakfast in the nursing unit.” Warren opined Damien liked to stay up late some nights to watch the old gangster movies in black and white on Turner Classic Movies. “Maybe he just overslept,” Valerie offered.
Just then Millie’s cell phone beeped and she excused herself to pick up the call. “What!! Where is he? I can`t believe this. I`ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Millie, what was that all about?” asked Rita.
“Damien is in the city jail and he won`t talk to anyone there. The detective I talked to says Damien is in big trouble and refuses to get a lawyer until he talks to me”.
Pushing his chair back Warren said” I’ll get my car and drive you. The jail is on Brighton Road just off North Avenue.”
“I’m going too” said Rita.
Valerie chimed in, “We`ll all go. If Damien is in trouble, he needs all the help he can get. Wait for me I have to get my walker.”
After loading the walker into the trunk, the four octogenarians all piled into a faded silver blue 2006 Lincoln town car which had two missing hub caps and set off for the trip down North Avenue toward Zone One headquarters and the city jail.
Zone One headquarters and the city jail were situated in a drab concrete building on Brighton Avenue. At one time the façade was a bright gray color but the many years of the smog before pollution control had turned it to this grimy gray foreboding monstrosity.
Warren pulled into a handicapped parking space in the front row of the parking lot. He pulled the blue plastic handicapped sticker out of the glove compartment and hung it on the rearview mirror. Millie and her gang exited the town car and entered the building. She approached the desk manned by Sargent O`Connor and she announced that they were there to help Damien. After a few questions the Sargent asked them to be seated and made a brief phone call.
The intercom in the squad room barked out, “Hey Cash, it looks like you have the entire old folks home waiting for you out here in the lobby.” Detective Phillip Cash put on his jacket and tightened his tie and went down to the front desk. After Introducing himself to the group a five-minute discussion convinced him that Millie would be the one he wanted to interview and after that she would be the only one allowed to talk to Damien.