Undercover Passion

by Raye Morgan

  “Sorry,” he said. “Didn’t mean to get you into trouble with the big boss.”

  She looked up at him but she didn’t smile. He could tell she’d had it with him, and she was ready to let him know that.

  “I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to leave,” she said shortly.

  “Okay,” he said amiably. “But I’ll be back when—”

  “Out.” Her dark eyes smoldered with anger and she pointed at the door. “And don’t come back here.”

  With a shrug, he started toward the door. “I’ll see you at the seminar tomorrow,” he said, glancing back at her.

  “Fine. But you won’t be talking to me.” She followed as though ready to shove him out into the hallway if he balked. “There is really no need for us to have any further communication. I’ll make sure they assign a good counselor to you.”

  He stepped through the doorway and looked back.

  “Someone who will be a good match for your needs,” she added.

  That stopped him cold. “My needs?”

  “You know. That little problem you have.” With a look of quiet triumph, she closed the door.

  “Women!” Daniel said a few minutes later to his grandmother as he strode back into her hospital room. “Who needs them?”

  “I’m a woman, darling.” Phoebe looked up with a loving smile.

  “Yeah, but you’re sane. Not many other women can say that.”

  “Watch your tongue, young man,” a tart voice stated, emanating from the tiny bathroom off to the side. “In the war between the sexes, I’m a major general.” A woman about his grandmother’s age emerged, carrying a vase full of roses.

  Phoebe laughed. “Ella, meet Daniel O’Callahan, my grandson. Daniel, Ella Crown is the hospital florist and she has kindly delivered the flowers your brothers sent me.”

  Ella nodded but she didn’t smile. Instead, she went on grumbling as she carried the vase to a shelf where Phoebe could have a good view of it. Her long white hair was twisted into a braided ring at the top of her head, and her naturally craggy face was enhanced by some of the brightest blue eye shadow he’d ever seen.

  “So you’re an expert on relationships, are you?” Daniel noted casually. “Then you might be the one who can explain to me why women are so perverse.”

  “I’m not explaining anything,” she said, turning to fix him with a steady stare, her hands on her slender hips. “Why should I give secret intelligence to the enemy?”

  Daniel grinned. She was a feisty one, and probably annoying as all get out in the long run, but he found her amusing. “Don’t you want to make this a fair fight?” he asked.

  “Heck no.” She snorted. “Listen, youngster, I’ve married, harried and buried four men. I’ve done my part.”

  Daniel nodded, impressed. “Going for a fifth?” he asked her.

  She practically snarled. “I think not. I’ve retired from those battles. Hung up my spurs. I think I’ve probably had more than my share of heartbreak. Why would I ask for any more punishment?”

  “Oh, come on, Ella,” Phoebe remonstrated, her eyes dancing. “You work every day with flowers, the language of love. How can you ignore the effect on you?”

  “I keep my vaccinations up to date,” she snapped back. “I’m not falling for any of this romantic twaddle. There’s enough of that going on around here to choke a horse, anyway.”

  “You’ve noticed it, too?” Daniel said quickly. So few would admit it.

  “Noticed it?” Ella rolled her eyes, an interesting movement backed as it was with the heavy blue eye shadow. “You can’t get down the hallways without tripping over lip-locked lovers these days. I don’t know what’s come over everyone.”

  That was a relief. He was beginning to think he was the only one who saw the difference. The thing was, he knew this hospital pretty well. His partner had taken a round in his leg a few years ago, the by-product of a major drug bust, and he’d visited Jimmy almost every day until they’d let him out. And there had been others—Minnie the office secretary when she’d had her heart attack, Kirk with his hip replacement, Mike with the broken back from falling off a roof while chasing a kidnapper. And then when Jimmy and his wife had decided to adopt a child, he’d become well-acquainted with Maggie Sullivan, a social worker with Children’s Connection, which was affiliated with the hospital. All in all, he’d been in and out of the place dozens of times. If things had been like this he would have noticed. It had only been this summer that he had begun to notice people here acting strangely. Only since the new clinic had opened its doors.

  So he nodded in agreement with the woman.

  “I don’t suppose you’ve visited the Healthy Living Clinic by any chance?” he asked. “Or had any dealings with their products?”

  “Heck no. I’m fit as a spring colt, thank you very much. I don’t need any of that alfalfa-sprout mumbo-jumbo.”

  She started for the door, then glanced back at Phoebe. “You take care, honey. Enjoy your flowers.” Looking back at Daniel she added, “And you take care of this little lady. Don’t go running off after some flirty skirt and leaving her to fend for herself. You hear?”

  Daniel put his hand over his heart. “On my honor,” he told her earnestly.

  She nodded as though satisfied and went on her way, her high heels clicking on the tiled floor.

  Phoebe laughed. “Quite a character, isn’t she? I’ve known her since we were in the Oregonian Historical Society together, years ago. I’ve even met a couple of her husbands.”

  “Sounds like you had to work fast to do that,” Daniel noted. “None of them lasted very long.” He looked thoughtful. “I wonder just what the circumstances were.”

  “Oh, no you don’t!” Phoebe cried. “You leave Ella alone.” She gave him a look of pure exasperation—a look he’d seen many times before. “She’s a peach. Look, she stopped by the travel bureau and picked up some brochures on cruises for me.” She waved the brightly colored leaflets at him. “I’ve already got my cruise picked out.”

  Daniel stopped, groaning internally. “Gram, I don’t think you’re going to be in any condition for cruising for some time,” he said carefully. “I hate to see you get your hopes up when—”

  “Don’t start with me, young man.”

  He bit his tongue. There was no way she was going on a cruise. It was impossible. The summer had begun with her being hospitalized with circulatory problems, and then there had been the fall she’d taken, an accident that had left her lying helpless in the street. He couldn’t bear to think of her risking another accident like that. And even if she were in physical shape to do it, the money wasn’t there.

  He’d just sunk every penny in a wonderful retirement community for her. Now all he had to do was convince her that she wanted to move in. But there would be plenty of time for that once she was back on her feet again.

  “You just get over here and adjust these pillows for me,” she was saying. “Then you can turn on my television and go out and find a nice girl to date.”

  He obliged about the pillows right away. “That’s just my complaint, you know,” he said with a sad smile, meant to get her sympathy. “There are no nice girls left.”

  Phoebe looked up at him, her eyes narrowing speculatively. “That cute little redheaded nurse was asking about you again.”

  He threw out his hands in a mock gesture of irritation. “Now see, that’s what I mean. That’s just plain weird.”

  “Why?”

  He shrugged, ready to pass her question by. But the way she was looking at him, he could tell she wasn’t going to be satisfied with that, so he tried to explain. “Women just don’t do things like that around me. I’m not that type of guy. Never have been.”

  “Oh, Danny, don’t be so dense,” his grandmother said crossly. “Women would love you if you just give them half a chance. And the redhead is the proof.”

  “No, Gram.” He shook his head. This was one thing in his life that he didn’t doubt. “There’s something wro
ng here. Women have never fallen all over me like this before. And in such strange ways. I don’t trust it.”

  “Oh, Danny.”

  “It’s the truth. Women just don’t act like that around me.”

  “Well, how do women usually act?”

  He grimaced. “Most of the women I deal with these days reach for their license first, and then for their cell phone.”

  She looked bewildered. “Their cell phone?”

  “To call their lawyer.”

  “Oh.” She laughed. “Of course. They’re afraid you’re going to arrest them.” She shook her head. “Well, very few here know you’re a cop so that isn’t the problem.”

  He slumped down into the chair beside her bed and squinted his eyes, thinking. “That’s just it. It’s driving me nuts. I’ve got to get to the bottom of it. I’ve got women making goo-goo eyes at me all over the place.”

  “Well, of course you do, darling.” She patted his arm. “I think you just never noticed it before. You’re quite a handsome man. I’m sure there are lots of women sizing you up as a very good catch. You just don’t pay enough attention.”

  He gave his grandmother a patient look. “That’s not it, Gram. I pay a lot of attention. It’s part of my job to pay attention. And I’ve never been a ladies’ man before.” He sighed, mulling things over. “Anyway, it’s not just me. Half the people in this hospital seem to be wandering around in a lovesick daze. You heard your friend Ella. She’s noticed it, too. Something deeply suspicious is going on around here.”

  Phoebe still looked dubious, but she was lost in memories for the moment. “The trouble is, you don’t take advantage of opportunities when they slap you right in the face. I remember that talkative Taffy Williams who used to come around to see you. She wasn’t a beauty, but she seemed to be such a nice girl. You never did ask her out, though, did you?”

  Daniel looked at her, considered for a moment, then decided to tell her the truth. “Gram, Taffy had a sex-change operation three years ago. She’s now a he. You can stop trying to get me to ask her out. Uh, him out… Oh, hell!”

  “My goodness. I’m sorry to hear that.” She put a finger to the side of her nose, thinking. “I must send her a get-well card.”

  Daniel laughed out loud. “You don’t ‘get well’ from a sex change.” He sobered. “At least, I don’t think you do.”

  “Never mind. Everyone likes to get a card showing concern. Even if we’re not too clear what that concern is all about.” She smiled at him, then looked eager. “Now tell me. What is your investigation turning up?”

  He turned to look at the wall. “Nothing so far.”

  “Danny! Don’t hold out on me now. Tell me what’s up.”

  He looked back at her. “Gram, I don’t think you need to—”

  “It has to do with that Healthy Living Clinic place, doesn’t it?”

  He reacted with surprise, then resignation. “How did you figure that out?”

  Her smile was smug. “Where do you think you got your inquisitive genes? I heard what you said to Ella. That snapped it into place right away. So give.”

  “There’s nothing to ‘give,’ you rascal.” Leaning forward, he kissed her cheek with genuine affection. “I’ve been snooping around, but so far nothing looks even vaguely promising.”

  She pouted. “At least tell me what I can do to help.”

  He gazed at her, loving the way she wanted to get involved, but knowing it was something she just couldn’t do. He would lay down his life for this woman who had stepped in and taken over when his parents had been killed in a boating accident. She’d been way past her most energetic years at the time. By all rights, she should have been spending her days having tea and cookies with her lady friends, joining the gardening club, taking tours of Europe. Instead, she’d pitched in and taken over parenting duties that had helped keep him and his three younger brothers together.

  It had been no bed of roses for her, either. He and his brothers hadn’t appreciated her at first, and they’d rebelled, each in his own way. As he looked back now, with the perspective of time, he could see that he had been emotionally devastated by the death of his parents, that he had taken it out on his grandmother, his community and, probably most of all, himself. There had been a time when it had been a toss-up as to which side of the law he would end up on. If it hadn’t been for his grandmother, always a steady rock of love and understanding, he wasn’t sure he would have made it back.

  Oh, what the hell. If she wanted to help, there must be something he could think up to let her feel useful.

  “Okay, here’s what you can do. You can ask around about the Healthy Living Clinic. Just casually work it into the conversation. When nurses and therapists drop by, ask if they know anything about it, or if anything strange is going on there.”

  “What is going on there?” she asked in a stage whisper, her eyes huge.

  He looked at her and hid his grin, answering her with the same sort of whisper. “That’s what I’m trying to find out.”

  “Ah.”

  “It’s not anything big or deep or dangerous. I don’t think. I’m just curious.”

  “I see.” She nodded wisely and gave him a little wink.

  “No, Gram, I mean it. Just ask around. No big deal.”

  She stuck her nose in the air. “I know how to keep my cool, as we used to say in the jazz age.”

  “The jazz age.” He laughed softly. “Okay, Gram, have your fun.”

  He sobered, realizing he might be unleashing a whirlwind.

  “But under no circumstances are you to take any products from that place. No vitamins or tonics or lozenges. Don’t do any of their exercises either.”

  He thought for a moment and added, “In fact, don’t let any people from that place into your room. Okay?”

  “You can trust me,” she said stoutly.

  “Good. Now can I trust you to get some rest?”

  “Of course. Just turn the TV to my favorite soap and I’ll be out like a light in no time.”

  If only he could believe it was really that easy.

  He headed down the hallway toward the elevator, punching the button and looking up as the doors opened to reveal the very attractive redheaded nurse already ensconced.

  He hesitated. There was something about the look in her eye that reminded him of a cat with a captured mouse.

  “Come on in,” she said, batting her eyelashes. “There’s plenty of room.”

  He nodded to her warily and stepped into the opposite corner of the car. She immediately moved toward him, and as the doors closed again, she reached out and fingered the fabric of his suit coat.

  “Nice,” she said softly.

  He frowned at her, unable to believe this. “You like this suit?” he said incredulously. It was off the rack at a discount store.

  She smiled up at him seductively. “I like what’s in it.”

  He stared at her, aghast. Now that just wasn’t natural. Nice, but not natural. And when the doors opened again, he escaped as quickly as he could.

  Abby was just passing through and she really didn’t have time for this. That was what she told herself as she stepped lightly down the hall in search of Room 707.

  She’d stopped by the nurses’ station to pick up some reports and they had told her of a lady who wanted more information about the clinic. That wasn’t really her function, but she didn’t want to be rude. She supposed she could drop by and be friendly at least. If she could only find the room.

  There it was.

  She stuck her head in and found a little gray-haired woman dozing in her bed.

  “Hi, there,” she said brightly.

  The woman looked up and smiled a welcome. “Hello.”

  “Are you Phoebe—” she glanced at the chart on the wall “—O’Callahan?” She turned and stared at the woman, suddenly remembering the O’Callahan she’d met the day before. Frowning, she decided there must be a lot of O’Callahans in the city. Funny coincidence, though.
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  “The nurse at the station told me you were asking about the Healthy Living Clinic, and since I’m spending some time on this floor, I thought I’d stop by and see if I can answer any of your questions. I’m the public relations representative.”

  Phoebe beamed. “Well, thank you, dear. Come right in.”

  Abby made her way to the side of the bed. “I wish I had some literature to give you, but we’ve recently revamped the brochure and new ones won’t be available until later this evening. But I’ll be sure to have some sent over for you.”

  “Isn’t that nice of you.” Phoebe gestured toward the chair. “In the meantime, you just come and sit right down here where I can look at you and you can tell me everything.”

  Abby laughed, pulling the chair over and dropping down into it. “Everything? Well, the clinic was started—”

  “No, honey. That’s not what I mean.” Phoebe’s eyes sparkled. “First off, are you married?”

  “Married?” Abby was startled by the question. “Why, no.”

  “How nice. Got a fella in mind?”

  “N-not really.”

  “Wonderful.” She was grinning ear to ear. “Now tell me about your job. How did a nice girl like you get mixed up with that bunch?”

  “Mrs. O’Callahan!”

  “Call me Phoebe. And tell me what that good-looking Dr. Richie is really like.”

  Abby laughed. “Well…”

  Half an hour later they were still chatting, though Abby was beginning to glance at her watch. She was just getting her things together and preparing to say goodbye when a figure appeared in the doorway. Looking up, her smile froze on her face.

  Darn! This was the same O’Callahan after all.

  The man had been plaguing her mind for the last day and a half. Whenever she got a moment of rest, his image came back to her and she found herself wondering what his visit to her office had been all about. His attitude had been so strange and his requests sort of oddball. She’d tried hard to accommodate him, to the point where Dr. Richie had thought he had to give her what she considered a humiliating reprimand. But now that she thought it over, she knew her employer was right, and she also knew that Daniel was someone she should avoid.