“Well, I’ve seen him before, dear, but it’s great to finally meet him officially. Come on in, but watch out for my oxygen cord.”
We followed Elsie inside and I saw that the interior was the same as before, with all white walls and carpet, flowers positioned on end tables. Yup, it still looked like a funeral home to me.
“Come on into the dining room. I don’t use the living room.”
Lord, didn’t I know it. I couldn’t blame her for not wanting to mar her all white sofa and loveseat. I felt a little stab in my heart. I sure missed my house in the woods. Hopefully by the time this case was done, I’d be able to move in.
We piled into the room and we each took a seat at the table while Elsie motioned to a woman standing in the corner, dressed in blue scrubs. “Bring us a pitcher of lemonade.”
“But Ms. Elsie, I’m only here to take your vital signs.”
“Come now, dear. We’re all thirsty. You don’t want one of us dropping off, do you?”
El slapped her head and said, “I feel about ready to fall out.”
The woman rolled her eyes and disappeared into the other room, returning with the lemonade and glasses. “I’m on a tight schedule today.”
Elsie dutifully held out an arm for the woman to place a cuff around and with a whish, it inflated as the woman stared at the dial.
“That’s not even a real blood pressure cuff,” El said. “You can buy one of those yourself at any drug store.”
The woman cocked her head. “I know that, but the company doesn’t want to pay for a real one with a stethoscope.”
“Then how are you going to listen to her lungs? With all the lemonade this one drinks, she might be overloaded with fluids.”
“You tell her, Eleanor,” Elsie said with a chuckle.
El wouldn’t leave it alone. “Are you even a nurse?”
“No ma’am. I’m a nursing care assistant.”
“Don’t ruin this for me, El,” Elsie said. “This is the only company I have had recently.”
I straightened in my chair. “What about your sister Mildred? Isn’t she staying with you?”
Elsie sipped her lemonade and choked out, “No. I can barely tolerate her at family functions, which shouldn’t be that much of a surprise to you, Aggie.”
“I thought you were mad at me because of Mildred.”
“Don’t be silly. We’ve been friends far too long to let something like my sister come between us. I’ve missed our visits and our card parties.”
I was taken aback by her admission. “Thanks for saying that, Elsie. I’ve missed you too.”
Andrew smiled. “See, what did I tell you? And here you were worried.”
“Well, I did fornicate with Mildred’s husband years ago.”
El slapped her knee. “Old news, dear.”
“I agree,” Elsie said. “I know how my sister can get sometimes, but since she began dating Hal Peterson I thought she had turned over a new leaf. It’s just awful what happened to Raul.”
I rested the rim of my glass on my chin. “What did Mildred say happened to Raul?”
“Just that Raul was so cross with Hal that it was no wonder he fell down the stairs.”
“I don’t understand. How would Raul being cross with Hal result in him falling down the stairs?”
“Well, Hal pushed him of course.”
“Is that what Mildred said?”
“Not in so many words, but she got her point across.”
“Which means what?”
“That Hal and Raul were fighting on the stairs the day they left for Mt. Pleasant.”
“Did Mildred witness the whole thing?”
“She said she went to wait in the car.”
“So Mildred never saw anything other than an argument?”
“That’s enough isn’t it? Hal must have pushed him.”
“Even if they were arguing that day it doesn’t mean he pushed him. There’s no evidence to suggest Raul didn’t accidentally fall down the stairs.”
Elsie nodded. “I’m sure you’re right, Aggie, but he stole Raul’s credit card all the same.”
“Yes, and Mildred knew that, but Hal claims it was her idea to steal Raul’s card she stole the card .”
“My sister wouldn’t do that. She might be a bit crazy, but she’s not about to be involved in a theft a thief .”
“That remains to be seen, and why it’s so important that I speak with your sister. Do you know where she’s staying?”
“She’s at the County Medical Facility for a few weeks. She’s there for physical therapy.”
“For what?”
“She bruised her hip and she’s having a devil of a time walking.”
“Bruised hip you say?” El asked. She stood, as did we all. We said our goodbyes and thanked Elsie for her information.
Once we were back in the LX I blurted out. “I wonder how she bruised her hip?”
“Maybe you don’t want to know,” El said with a wink.
“Maybe she bruised it when she pushed Raul down the stairs?”
“Oh come now, Agnes,” Andrew said. “How big was this Raul?”
“He was a big guy,” El said. “But you know how strong crazy old bats can be.”
“I know it sounds farfetched, but it’s all we have to go on for now.”
“I thought you had another suspect?” Andrew asked.
“We do,” El admitted. “Harry Hunan.”
“Is that his real name? It sounds like an alias of some sort.”
“I thought that too, but he’s married to a famous writer. S.S. Murphy. She writes erotica.”
Andrew looked at me through the rearview mirror. “Figures, but what makes you think he was involved in Raul’s mishap?”
“He was on Raul’s Facebook page and also on Marie Sanchez’s. We think it sounds like a worthwhile lead since both of them are now dead. I think their deaths were made to look like accidents.”
“For what possible motive?”
“We’re not sure, but we found a deed to a house where the writer is living with her husband, Harry. She told us her husband owned the house.”
“I’d like to take a look at that deed.”
“I’ll show you later, but right now I want to question Mildred.”
“Okay, but I have a hard time believing she’s involved in Raul’s death. Have you considered whether his death was really an accident?”
“Yes, but my gut says otherwise.”
“I understand, Aggie, but this might just be a waste of your time.”
“Since when does your man call the shots?” El asked.
“He doesn’t—”
Andrew cut in with, “I was just making an observation.”
“Point taken, Andrew, but Aggie and I need to figure this out by ourselves. Maybe you should wait outside in the car.”
Andrew expelled a breath. “Fine. I’ll wait in the car.”
He pulled into the County Medical Facility and El and I went inside. We inquired at the desk where we would find Mildred Winfree and the receptionist took us to a private room. “Maybe she’ll cheer up with a little company.”
Before either of us could question her, the receptionist took off down the long hallway.
I pushed the door open slightly and heard a loud shrill voice yell, “I told you to leave me alone!”
We walked in and I flipped on the light. Mildred was in the bed with the covers over her head. The room was sparsely furnished with a bed, dresser, and bedside table that held an uneaten tray of food.
Slowly the blankets came down. Mildred was dressed in brown slacks and shirt, tennis shoes on her feet. “Are you planning to go somewhere?” I asked Mildred.
“When third shift gets here, I’m outta here.”
“You won’t get far,” Eleanor said. “All the doors have alarms on them.”
“I know, but they can’t catch us all.”
“All, you mean you’re not the only one escaping tonight?” I asked.
I shifted to my good hip. “Oh really? She convinced you that she doesn’t have it?”
“Oh she might have it, but Helen is more with it than they think and she sure keeps them on their toes. At one a.m., residents will open all the doors. There is no way they can catch us all.”
Eleanor giggled. “Great plan, but it sounds dangerous. You should know most of the residents here would get hurt if they got outside.”
Mildred sat up with a wince. “Who says?”
“Hal has dementia and look at what trouble he got into.”
“We managed to get to Mt. Pleasant without incident, and if that fool hadn’t lost all the money, we’d be sitting pretty right now.”
“You can’t keep it rolling forever. Even if you had won at the casino, the odds are stacked up against you.”
“Ya,” El added. “The House rules.”
“I hate to admit you’re right so I won’t. Get lost you two before you mess up our plan.”
“We’ll talk about that later. For now, I want to ask you a few questions.”
“Always the consummate investigators aren’t you?”
“We try,” El said. “Hal seemed upset.”
“He hasn’t heard from you. Didn’t you tell him where you are?” I asked.
“I have my own problems. I can’t be worrying about his. Plus, I heard he was arrested.”
What a sweetheart. “He was, but he’s out on bail.”
“I see. Well, that’s good and all, but I think I should find me a new beau. One who owns a yacht.”
I smiled to myself. “Where are you planning to find one of those?”
“Not here in East Tawas,” El said. “Most of those men are married except for the young ones.”
“Plenty of able-bodied men looking to date an older woman,” Mildred said. “They like a woman with a steady income.”
It took all of my efforts to not laugh outright. “You mean your social security checks, don’t you dear?”
“I just love the direct deposits they do these days, but I won’t get a red cent if I stay in this place.”
“We have another question for you,” El began. “We were led to believe that you were the one who decided to steal Raul’s credit card.”
“What? That old fool is trying to pin this on me? Sure I suggested it, but I was only joking. I had no idea he’d really go through with it.”
“But you did know he was using the stolen card so you’re not blameless,” I reminded her. “Maybe you should come clean and tell the police you were also involved.”
“Agnes Barton, have you lost your mind?”
“Is that a rhetorical question?” El asked. “Because—”
“Are you insinuating I’m nuts, El?” I bellowed.
Mildred’s eyes widened. “Girls, calm down before someone comes!”
There was a knock, and a nurse stood at the door. “Is everything alright in here? Mildred?”
“Of course. My friends were just mad when they saw the slop you were trying to feed me. They were just leaving.”
I glared at Mildred. “She’s right, we’re leaving, but we’d like some privacy to say our goodbyes.”
The nurse nodded and left, closing the door softly behind her.
“What happened between Raul and Hal that day you left?”
“They had an argument, but I waited outside.”
“So you didn’t want to get involved?”
“Raul and Hal always fought, it was a daily occurrence. Hal is quite stubborn at times and Raul just wouldn’t give us any time alone.”
“I see. And then what happened?”
Hal told me he had locked Raul in the upstairs bathroom. The door knob was broke and it fell off sometimes from the inside. And when it did, whoever was in the bathroom was stranded until someone came along to help out.”
“Who’s car did you take?”
“Raul’s, but we left it in the Walmart parking lot and took the bus to Mt. Pleasant.”
“Did you believe Hal’s story about the bathroom?”
“Yes, no reason to think otherwise. Hal is incapable of harming a flea despite his rough exterior. He was once a sheriff in Iosco County.”
“I know. Thanks Mildred, and good luck tonight.”
She struggled to stand, but fell back and winced. “Ugh!”
I was shocked at her condition. “Can you walk?”
“Awww. Awwww. My hip hurts like the dickens.”
“What happened to your hip?”
“I fell at my sisters. I tripped over her oxygen tubing.”
I gave her a sympathetic glance and had a twinge of my own on my bad hip. “Maybe you should postpone your plan tonight.”
“No way! I’ll be okay. My car is parked in the parking lot.”
“No it’s not,” Eleanor said. “We saw it back at your sister’s house.”
“So how are you planning to leave?”
“You could always give me a ride.”
I shook my head. I couldn’t believe she thought I’d help her out. “Take care Mildred,” I said as I left with Eleanor in tow.
I stared up the hall at the wheel chairs and walkers moving down the hall. I could not in good conscience let Mildred or her accomplices leave tonight from this facility or any other night. It simply wasn’t safe, and for that reason alone, I reported the plan to the receptionists. “Oh my! Oh my! Thanks for telling us. I’ll put the staff on high alert.”
I felt a pang of guilt at doing that to Mildred, but it was obvious that she was not in any condition to leave this facility just yet. With hard work, I ’m was sure she’d be out soon.
Chapter S ixteen eventeen
I had barely made it out of bed the next morning when a rattled Leotyne knocked on the door. I threw open the door and she pulled me outside. “Woman on the beach is talking bad about that sheriff of yours. She has brought a vicious bird with her!”
Martha jumped up, as did El, who had spent the night. We met outside once we were dressed, then made our way for the beach. Mrs. Barry stood in the middle of a group of women. Her friends, the bird sisters, were there too, cackling like birds. Was that what Leotyne was talking about?
“Crazy lady. Crazy lady,” a bird screeched.
My eyes widened when I saw a red, green, and black McCaw on the beach, no less. He was standing on a perch that was on a picnic table.
“You better listen to that bird.” I said. “Mrs. Barry is a crazy lady!”
Mrs. Barry whirled with her teeth bared. “You!” she screeched.
We circled one another, both of us breathing heavily.
“What are you carrying on about now?”
“How unfit that sheriff is. His father is under arrest as we speak.”
“No, he was bailed out yesterday.”
“It doesn’t matter. He’s a lawbreaker!”
“No, he was once a sheriff in Iosco County and a good one at that. He was a well-respected sheriff when he tackled the Robinson Murder case. Unfortunately it turned cold, but that man never for a moment forgot about that case.”
“Aggie and I solved that case with the sitting sheriff’s help, not to mention Trooper Sales.” El said, pointing a bony finger in Mrs. Barry’s face. “This woman would have you believe that Sheriff Peterson doesn’t deserve to be re-elected, but we know better. If Clay Barry is elected, Agnes and I won’t be allowed to solve crimes. What do you think about that?” El asked the group of beachgoers.
“What do I care,” a man said. “I don’t even live here.”
“Then why are you speaking?” El asked.
“That would be a shame,” Rosa Lee Hill said. “Agnes convinced me to stop growing marijuana and I now have respectable potpourri business.”
I smiled. I hadn’t known I had gotten through to her. “Thanks, Rosa. Where are your boys these days?”
“They are at summer camp.”
Sure the Hill boys were. They were part of the Michigan Militia. Those are two boys you’d want on your side.
“I don’t know where this Clay character came from, but he’s not the type of man we need for sheriff,” Dorothy Alton said. “He’s been hitting on our granddaughter Sally. And he doesn’t take no for an answer.”
Mrs. Barry’s face turned fire engine red. “Take that back!” She raised a bony fist, “Or else!”
Boom… pow… Mrs. Barry fell to the beach with a thump.
I stared at Mrs. Barry and then to Dorothy who smiled like a champ. “I can’t have you girls put out of commission. Who knows when our next crime wave will happen?”
“I sure hope you girls figure out what really happened to Raul Perez,” Frank Alton said. “And that poor girl at the beach. Do you think the crimes are connected?”
“We’re working on solving the crimes, but sure could use some help. Does anyone know about a Hummer seen in the area recently?”
“I’ve seen one over at Walmart,” Dorothy said. “It’s just crazy to drive a gas guzzler like that these days with the price of gas.”
I had to agree with that. “When was that?”
“Yesterday.”
I thanked Dorothy and the others and left before Mrs. Barry found her tongue. I was glad this time around I wasn’t the one tussling with Barry. I was too old to be fighting with anyone. Besides, it takes too long for bruises to heal.
“Mother, would you wait up?” Martha said. “That was so cool of your friends, sticking up for you.”
“Especially when some of them weren’t friends like Dorothy Alton.”
“Aww come on. You sure got along with her in Florida.”
“That’s true. She was quite helpful then, and El and I did save her life.”
Martha smiled. “I just love all you old birds getting along. Next thing you know, you’ll patch things up with Mildred Winfree.”
I waved to Leotyne and sat down at the picnic table. “I doubt that. She’s at the County Medical Facility and I told them she was planning to escape last night.”
Martha frowned, but then said, “Maybe she won’t figure out it was you that told.”
“I sure hope not.”
“It’s a good thing you did, telling them I mean. Old people shouldn’t be allowed to roam the streets.”
Madison Johns - Agnes Barton 04 - Trouble in Tawas Page 13