She waited until she was in her bedroom to read through the papers. Her medical training and nursing experience made it easy for her to comprehend the material. Carnie had worked as a nurse for a several years. Until some patients on her floor mysteriously died.
She saw his notes in the margins and understood that he was planning to try a number of different treatment options. Her objective was to get Elmo and Carsie married. And the sooner, the better. How could she use the information in these papers to her advantage? What if Elmo were to quickly find an effective treatment for his mother? Then he could go ahead with the wedding. But it could take months or years to find something that worked. Maybe he never would. In the meantime, his relationship with Carsie could fall apart. No, she had to speed up the process somehow.
What he needed were a few volunteers for a clinical trial. Some women with AD who would each be given different treatments, to see which one worked best. And if none of the treatments were working, Carnie could always alter the results. Or, what if one of the volunteers didn’t actually have Alzheimer’s? The woman could pretend to have it, and then miraculously get better.
Once Elmo saw that his ingenious treatment idea was working, he would feel free to get married, knowing that he had done his best for his mother, and that her condition would rapidly improve.
Carnie could set it up in the sub-basement. Elmo could work in the lab, and she would act as nurse in their own little hospital ward. But who would volunteer for such a thing? No problem. She would bring them in by force, if necessary. And once Elmo and Carsie had gone off for the honeymoon, Carnie could easily dispose of the ‘volunteers.’
But the whole idea was insane. Elmo would never go along with any of it.
Carnie hashed through plan after plan for hours. There had to be a scheme that would work. And given enough time, she would think of it.
12 - HOSPITAL VISITATION
Wednesday was Greg’s assigned hospital visitation day. The pastor took care of it on other days of the week, as needed. Greg would spend time visiting church members who were patients, and sit with the family of those having surgery. But first, there was time for breakfast at Jane’s Diner.
“The usual?” Jane poured him a cup of coffee.
“Yeah.”
“By the way, how’s it going with your girlfriend?”
It seemed like Jane asked that question every day.
“Couldn’t be better. She’s absolutely wonderful. And I’m so in love with her.”
Jane smiled. “Have you told her?”
“Yes. I told her last night.” He beamed with pride.
“Well, all I’ve got to say is: what took you so long?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve known you were in love with her for months. Practically the whole town has.”
“But how could everybody else know before I knew.”
“You knew.”
“No…”
“Yes, you did, Greg. You had feelings for that gorgeous redhead on the very first day you met her.”
“No, that’s not true. Besides, she was married then.”
“So? You can still love somebody, even though you know you can’t act on it or tell them.”
Was Jane right? Had he been in love with Cynthia all along? Before he could come back with a zinger of his own, Jane had turned to walk away. Did Jane learn this wisdom through personal experience? He wondered who the man could be.
As Greg picked up his newspaper and began to read, Jane watched him from behind the counter. He could be so clueless sometimes, she thought. But in all fairness, why should he suspect? After all, Jane was 59 years old. But it had been a lonely life since her husband had died four years ago. Only her customers kept her going. Particularly the one she was currently admiring.
Greg was still reading the sports section when Jane delivered his scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, and buttermilk pancakes. “So, you’re on your way to the hospital?”
“Yeah.” He lowered his voice. “And I hate it.”
“Why?”
“I’m just no good at it. I never know what to say. The person is lying there dying and I’m supposed to comfort them somehow. Today one of our men is having surgery. But at least it’s only back surgery. He’s not likely to die on the operating table. Those aren’t too bad. It’s the heart surgeries and the terminal patients that get to you.”
“But you’re so empathetic, Greg. I’d just tell people to shut up and get a life. Or at least make the best of whatever time they’ve got left.”
**********
“Hello?”
“Carsie, how are you holding up?”
“Hi, Grandma. I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. How could you be? Your wedding got called off. I’m sorry, Honey.”
“But I’m okay. Elmo just needs some time to find the best kind of medicine for his mother. Then we’ll reschedule the wedding. It’ll all work out soon.”
“Well, I hope so. But in the meantime, I want you to come stay with me for a few days.”
“Thanks, Grandma, but I need to stay here and support Elmo.”
“But Carnie tells me he’s spending every waking hour in his study. And that he’s totally ignoring you.”
“No, he’s not ignoring me—he’s just busy doing research. And that’s good. Because the sooner he decides how to treat Mallie Mae’s condition, the sooner we can get married.”
“I understand. But I really miss you, Sweetie. And since your sister moved out, I get so lonely.”
“I’m sorry, Grandma, but you know you’re gonna have to get used to that.”
“But just think, Dear—being here with me would make the time go by faster for you.”
“I guess so.”
“You know it would. And I’ll even make a batch of my cherry divinity.”
“Now you’re bribing me.”
“Well, is it working?”
“I’ll talk to Elmo.”
“Great. I’ll make meatloaf and yams for dinner.”
Her grandmother could be so pushy. And she nearly always got her way. But maybe she was right. A few days with Grandma Sylvia might do her good.
She found Elmo in his study, glued to his computer.
“Honey?”
Elmo didn’t even look up at her. “Yes?”
“Grandma wants me to drive up to Jefferson and spend a few days with her.”
“That’s good.”
“So, you don’t mind if I go?”
“Sure.”
“Elmo! Are you even listening to me?”
He stopped reading and looked up at her.
“I’m sorry, Baby. What were you saying?”
“Grandma wants me to go stay with her for a few days.”
“Well, that’s fine. You should go. At least I wouldn’t feel so guilty about ignoring you.”
“Yeah. You’ve dealing with enough guilt already. I don’t want to add to it.”
“Then go to your grandmother’s house. Stay a few days. Maybe it’ll make us both feel better.”
“Okay.”
Elmo stood and took Carsie in his arms. “I love you, Baby. You know that.”
“I love you too.”
After a quick kiss, Carsie went to her bedroom to back a bag.
**********
On his way to the hospital, Greg called Cynthia’s cell phone.
“Hello?”
“Who do you love, Baby? said Greg.
There was a slight pause before Cynthia responded.
Had it all been dream? Had she changed her mind? Was she wishing she had not told him she loved him? How many doubts can the human mind conjure in a mere second?
“I’ll give you a call about it a little later.”
Why was she being so cold to him? Then it hit him. “Are you in a meeting?”
“That’s correct.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Yeah, call me later.”
Greg parked his car and walked into the hospital,
to the surgery waiting room. He recognized the wife, sitting with another woman and a young boy.
“How long has he been in surgery?” said Greg.
“Just a few minutes,” said the wife.
She introduced Greg to her sister and nephew.
“How did Jeff hurt his back?” said Greg.
“He was carrying a big bag of cement. I told him he needed help, but he just wouldn’t listen.”
“They never do,” said the sister.
Greg had already run out of things to say. So, he picked up a magazine and began to read as the two women chatted.
“Jacob’s nose is running,” said the wife.
“Jacob, come here, Honey,” said the sister to her son.
She pulled a tissue out of her purse and wiped his nose.
“You think he’s getting a cold?” said the wife.
“Could be. He’s got a doctor’s appointment this afternoon.”
“That’s good.”
“But when I called they said Dr. Elmo has taken a leave of absence. So we’ll have to see some new doctor.”
“Wonder why Elmo’s taking a leave?”
“Hope it’s not AIDS,” said the sister.
That statement jolted Greg from his magazine article. And he noticed that the nurse standing in the Nurses Station perked up too.
“What? Why would you think that?” said the wife.
“Well, he’s in his 50s and he’s never been married…”
“But I heard he was getting married,” said the wife.
“He backed out.”
“No. Really?”
Greg butted in. “Actually, he postponed the wedding.”
“Yeah. Indefinitely, I’ll bet,” said the sister.
The wife looked at Greg. “Do you know why he postponed it?”
“He just found out that his mother has Alzheimer’s disease.”
“That awful,” said the wife. “My aunt had that. And there wasn’t anything the doctor could do for her. All we could do was watch her go downhill until she finally died. She suffered with it for years.”
Greg noticed that the nurse seemed to be straining to hear the conversation. But when she saw Greg looking at her, she quickly went back to work at the computer. He got up and walked over to her. Her name badge identified her as Mary Magdely.
Greg spoke to her in a confidential manner that could not be heard by the wife and sister. “Do you know the Mobleys, Mrs. Magdely?”
She didn’t look up from the computer. “Uh…yes. Sort of.”
“Well, I just want to apologize. I don’t usually participate in gossip. But I had to speak up and set the record straight.”
Greg figured her to be about 60. She was attractive, and looked very professional.
“I understand. Don’t worry about it.”
She had kind eyes, and a caring face. Just what you’d want from a nurse, thought Greg. But there was something else in her facial expression.
Something she wasn’t saying.
13 - CLEVER DECEPTION
“Our clever deception is working like a charm,” said Mallie Mae.
“I can’t believe he fell for it. You’re such a good actor—it’s scary,” said Macy.
“I do what I have to do.”
“But they’ve only postponed the wedding. They didn’t cancel it.”
“Give it time, my dear.”
“When I went down for a glass of milk last night, Elmo was still in his study. It was after midnight.”
“That’s good. The more time he spends on the computer, the less time he spends with her.”
“Well, I just feel sorry for him. He’s doing all that work to help you because he thinks you’re sick.”
“Don’t feel sorry for him. He brought this on himself. He should have had the good sense to steer clear of that money grubber.”
They both heard the car driving alongside the house. Somebody was leaving. Macy rushed to the window.
“It’s Carsie. Looks like she’s alone.”
“Good. Now we just need to lose the sister.”
“Oh, I’m sure she’s coming back,” said Macy.
“Not necessarily…”
“I’ll find out what’s going on.”
Macy went down to the kitchen and poured coffee into one of Elmo’s favorite cups. Then she put a few of Hadley’s chewy chocolate chip cookies on a plate. They were still warm.
She peeked into the study. “How about a little snack.”
Without looking away from the monitor, Elmo said, “Not right now, Macy. I’m very busy.” Then he caught a whiff of the coffee and the freshly baked Hadley’s. He smiled at her. “On second thought, sure, that would be great.”
Elmo took a big bite of a cookie. “Mmm. Nobody makes them like Hadley.” He washed it down with a sip of coffee.
“Yeah, they’re irresistible,” said Macy. “By the way, uh, I just saw Carsie leaving in her car.”
“She’s going to Jefferson. Gonna spend a few days with her grandmother.”
“Oh.”
“It’ll be good for her. I just can’t spend any time with her right now, and I know she’s feeling neglected.”
“I see. Any idea how long she’s staying?”
“Not really. Probably a week or two. Why?”
“Just wondering. Well, if you need anything, you know I’m always here for you.”
“I know. Thanks, Macy.”
As she spun around to walk out of the study, her flowered skirt twirled to catch up with her body. She pictured Elmo watching her, admiring her perfectly shaped calves, waiting for her skirt to settle back down across her cute little butt.
Macy knew she could make Elmo forget about his fiancée. She only wished she had pursued him before Carsie came along. She had wasted years of opportunity, spending all those nights alone with him watching movies. She should have grabbed him one night and seduced him with a mind-blowing kiss. A kiss that encompassed all the pent-up lust hidden deep in her heart. She had done it in her mind a thousand times. But instead, she just kept waiting for him to make the first move. And he never did.
Carsie had said that when she accidentally bumped into Elmo in the supermarket she had finally found the man of her dreams. Or had she found the money of her dreams? That’s what Mallie Mae thought. Macy actually believed Carsie’s feelings were real.
But that didn’t change the fact that Macy wanted Elmo for herself. And she had been feeling pretty desperate until the wedding was postponed. Maybe there was still hope for her and Elmo. She promised herself that if she did get another chance, she would not be so timid.
**********
“Thanks for helping tonight. But I hate that you’re missing choir rehearsal,” said Cynthia.
“It’s okay. Henry didn’t mind filling in for me,” said Greg.
They rode along in silence for a few minutes. Beverly had offered to make dinner, since they would get to her house by 6:00. Then they would pack more of her things. Greg had reserved a U-Haul for Saturday.
“I had another one of my crazy dreams this morning,” said Greg.
“What happened this time?
“Well, we were lying in bed and—“
“—in bed? I guess our morals aren’t as good in your dreams.”
“No, no. We were married.”
“Oh. Is that where you think we’re headed?”
“Uh, I don’t know. It was just a dream.”
“Okay. Go on.”
“Anyway…we were making love and—“
“—you had a sex dream about me?”
“But we were married.”
“In your dreams.”
“I see,” said Greg.
“No—I didn’t mean it that way. I wasn’t saying we’d never get married,” she said.
“So, you’re saying we will get married? Can I take that as a yes?”
She grinned at him and blushed.
He went on. “So, there we were, in the middle of it, and your
mother just walked right into our bedroom and announced that breakfast was ready.”
Cynthia started laughing.
“She was standing there staring at us. And I was on top of you!”
Cynthia laughed even harder.
Greg laughed too. He was thrilled that Cynthia was not at all shocked by the talk of marriage. But he would have felt better if she had reassured him that Beverly would not be living with them if they ever got married.
“I love you, no matter how goofy you are,” she said.
“Gee, thanks.”
“In fact, your goofiness is one of the reasons I love you. So, don’t stop being goofy.”
“Don’t worry. I don’t think I can.”
They laughed.
“What about my bald head? Is that one of the reasons you love me?”
“Well…”
“And how about this spare tire? Is that one of the reasons you love me? Are you gonna tell me that you like a man with some meat on his bones?”
“Actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that,” she said.
“Uh-oh. I finally found the deal breaker. You’re dumping me because I’m overweight, right?”
Cynthia chuckled. “No, no.”
“What then?”
“You should go with me when I jog every morning.”
“Ah-ha! I should have known! If I want to keep you, I’ll have to get into shape.”
“Well, let’s just say that if you really want to catch me, you’ll have to be able to catch me.”
“Very funny. Okay. Where do I sign up?”
“There’s no sign-up sheet, soldier. Just report to my quarters at o-six-hundred.”
“Sir! Yes Sir! I will be there, Sir!” Greg saluted her.
“Really, it’ll be fun, Greg.”
“Yes, Sir!”
Cynthia punched him in the arm and he smiled.
**********
Carnie had finished her dinner and gone down into the sub-basement for further investigation. She looked through one of the notebooks, trying once more to make sense of the formulas, but soon decided it was a waste of time. She went through the bathroom and into the four-bed hospital ward. Yes, this would work just fine, she thought.
She walked into one of the two small rooms off the ward and studied it more carefully than before. There were only two metal cabinets in the room, and they were empty. But something about the floor seemed familiar. It was like the floor in her bedroom. She got down on hands and knees. No, it couldn’t be, she thought. She knocked on the floor in several places.
Greg Tenorly Suspense Series Boxed Set Page 24