by Debby Giusti
Hand in hand, Phil and Kelly walked toward the main door of the healthcare facility. Give her the comfort she needs now, Lord, Phil prayed. Then he stopped short, realizing what he had just done.
After all these years of denying the existence of a loving God, Phil had just uttered a prayer, brief through it was, to help Kelly.
He glanced down at her. Was she a good influence on him? Or was he going off in a direction he would soon regret?
Déjà vu, Kelly thought as she entered the nursing home with Phil. Once again he was supporting her, just as he’d done the night she had been caught in the trap. She wouldn’t have had the courage to come back to Magnolia Gardens if he hadn’t promised to be at her side.
Phil glanced down the long hallway and squeezed her hand. “Which way?”
“My…my mother’s room was to the left. The nurses’ station is not far beyond her room. I should be able to ask one of the nurses on duty about Mildred.”
Pulling in a deep breath, Kelly turned down the hallway she had walked so many times before. Every night for a whole year she had stopped by to see her mom.
“My mother eventually got so weak,” Kelly told Phil. “I tried to get here in time to feed her.”
“Which she appreciated, I’m sure.”
Kelly didn’t say anything to the contrary. Instead she thought about the routine into which she and her mother had fallen. A routine that left neither of them interested in getting to the bottom of the main issue that stood between them. Ignoring the problem was easier than giving voice to the pain of the past that each woman preferred to leave buried.
Now that her mother was gone, Kelly knew they should have brought that deep-seated pain to the surface. Although, Kelly couldn’t have stood more condemnation. Once upon a time, she had heaped enough on her own shoulders.
She’d worked through most of the guilt and her own self-doubt. At least, she told herself she had. Although now, returning to Magnolia Gardens, she knew there were issues deep within her that still needed to heal.
“My mother’s room is just around the corner.” Kelly clutched Phil’s arm, unable to remember the last time she had felt so needy. She had handled the paperwork and burial arrangements by herself and had remained strong throughout the funeral. Today, the pain of losing her mother seemed so raw.
A gray-haired woman in a wheelchair sat in the doorway of her mother’s room. Recognizing Kelly, her mocha face opened with a wide smile. “Sure is good to see you again, sugar.”
“Mrs. Baker, how are you?”
“Fair to middling. You know what I always tell the good Lord. I’m ready whenever He is. So far, He keeps saying I’m needed here.”
Tears burned Kelly’s eyes as she released hold of Phil’s hand and bent down to hug the sweet older lady. The woman pulled her close and patted her shoulders as if she was a babe needing to be soothed.
Kelly stepped back and, once again, took Phil’s hand. “Mrs. Baker, I want to introduce my friend, Captain Jean Philippe Thibodeaux.”
His smile matched the woman’s. “A pleasure, ma’am.”
“Nice to meet such a fine-looking soldier.” Her eyes twinkled as she glanced from Phil to Kelly. “Your mama would be so happy about you having a boyfriend.”
“Oh, Mrs. Baker.” Kelly started to object. “Phil and I are—”
The woman continued to talk as if she hadn’t heard Kelly’s protest. “Your mama was worried about you, honey child. Being alone and all. She said the military wasn’t a good life for her daughter.”
Kelly bit her lip. Her mother hadn’t approved of much of what she had done, but she didn’t want to deter Mrs. Baker. The woman had a heart as big as the sky, and Kelly enjoyed basking in the love that seemed to flow out to all those around her.
Mrs. Baker smiled up at Phil and grabbed his free hand. “You’ve got a jewel here with Kelly.”
“Yes, ma’am, I’m well aware of how special she is.”
He glanced at Kelly over Mrs. Baker’s head, causing Kelly’s cheeks to heat. She tilted her head and rolled her eyes, trying to signal that Mrs. Baker often jumped to the wrong conclusions, which she was doing at the present time.
His smile remained in place, and he seemed totally engaged with the older woman. “Now, Mrs. Baker, you know a lot of young men are interested in Kelly, so I feel extremely blessed that she singled me out.”
“Uh-huh. You’re right about the other men. Mrs. Walker in room 205 has a son who asked Kelly out more than once, but she always turned him down.”
“She was saving her love for me.” Phil winked at the sweet woman.
“She sure was, Jean Philippe. Looks like she found herself a good man, for sure. But I need you to promise me something.”
Phil raised his brow. “What’s that, ma’am?”
“That you’ll take good care of my Kelly.”
“Yes, ma’am. I promise.” He glanced at Kelly and his smile made her cheeks burn. “Cross my heart.”
Not wanting to encourage Mrs. Baker any more and hoping to keep Phil from embarrassing himself and her as well, Kelly turned her back on the two of them and glanced into the small double bedroom.
A new resident rested on the bed her mother had previously occupied. The plump woman with full cheeks and an equally wide smile raised her head from the pillow and waved a greeting, which Kelly instantly returned, feeling a sense of relief.
She had been so worried about how she would handle seeing her mother’s empty bed, but the new resident and her friendly smile drove home the point that life went on.
Kelly turned back to Mrs. Baker. “Is Grace on duty this afternoon?”
“She sure is. I saw her a few minutes ago and asked her to bring me some ice cream.”
“I’ll get it for you.” Kelly reached for Phil’s arm. “Why don’t you come with me, Captain. We’ll find the nurse and Mrs. Baker’s ice cream.”
“But we were enjoying our conversation.” He waved jovially at the older woman as Kelly pulled him away.
Kelly pretended annoyance as she ushered him toward the nurses’ station. “Do you attract women wherever you go?”
“It’s the Cajun charm, ma chère.” His eyes twinkled and the rich sound of his laughter filled the hallway. She laughed, too, which surprised her almost as much as her lifted spirits.
“Mrs. Baker likes strawberry ice cream, which you’ll find in the freezer in that room.” Kelly pointed to a small utility closet. “I’ll locate Grace, if you would be kind enough to take Mrs. Baker her snack. Spoons are beside the refrigerator.”
“Yes, ma’am.” As he headed off, Kelly called after him. “But don’t stay too long with Mrs. Baker. We need to talk to the nurse.” Phil raised his hand in agreement before he stepped toward the freezer.
Kelly found the nurse at the far end of the hallway. Grace, a tall woman with a big heart, opened her arms and wrapped Kelly in a welcoming embrace. Once again, Kelly felt acceptance and support. Grace had cared for her mother and had loved her as much as Kelly did.
“I should have stopped by before now. You were so good to Mom.”
Grace kept one arm around Kelly’s shoulder as they walked back to the nurses’ station. “I know how hard it is to come back. Lots of family members say they will visit. Few actually do. The memories are just too painful.”
Kelly nodded. “That’s how I felt, but seeing the new resident in Mom’s room had the opposite effect on me.”
The nurse squeezed Kelly’s shoulder. “I’m glad. Mrs. Peters moved here from Augusta to be close to her children.”
“Like my mother had to move to be with me.”
“It happens often, Kelly. You were very attentive to her needs. She often told me how lucky she was to have such a wonderful daughter.”
Kelly stopped and stared at the nurse. “Are you sure you’re not thinking of Mrs. Baker?”
“Although Mrs. Baker says the same thing about her children, I certainly remember your mother on more than one occasion mentionin
g her love for you.”
The nurse’s comment was like a stab to Kelly heart. She couldn’t determine if it was pain or relief that brought tears to her eyes.
Hearing footsteps, she turned to find Phil staring at her. Understanding was clearly written on his face. Swiping her hand across her cheeks, she introduced him to Grace before explaining they needed to ask her a few questions.
The nurse guided them into a small side room and invited them both to take a seat around the conference table. “Would you like some coffee?”
“No, thanks. We’ll only keep you for a minute.” Kelly hoped the nurse would provide the answers they needed. “I’m trying to locate Kutter Geriatric Clinic in one of the surrounding towns. The physician’s name is Addison Kutter.”
The nurse hesitated for a moment, her gaze going between Kelly and Phil. “It’s in Carmichael. About an hour-and-a-half drive from here.”
Kelly’s spirits sagged as she looked at Phil. “That’s too far for us to go this afternoon and a long distance for an older person to travel to see a doctor. Do you have their phone number?” Grace wrote it on a piece of paper and handed it to Kelly.
Then the nurse folded her hands on the table and looked a bit uncomfortable. “I probably shouldn’t say anything, but rumors have been floating around.”
“About the clinic?”
Grace took a deep breath. “And about Dr. Addison Kutter who owns the place. Evidently a whistle-blower came forward.”
“Someone who works for him?”
The nurse nodded. “His treatments have been questioned by a number of leading physicians in the state. I heard recently his records are being reviewed for ethical standards violations.”
“Meaning what?” Kelly asked.
“From what I’ve heard, the doctor is heavy-handed with his medication protocols.”
“So he overprescribes?”
Grace shrugged. “Let’s just say he’s aggressive.”
“The woman I’m concerned about suffers from osteoarthritis and dementia and may have some problem regulating her blood sugar. Kutter prescribed oxycodone, 80 milligrams.”
“She may need it for her pain, but I wouldn’t want him treating anyone I knew, that’s for sure.”
Kelly scooted to the edge of her chair. “Do you remember a resident named Mildred Taylor?”
“When was she here?”
“A year ago,” Kelly answered. Then she added, “But you started working at Magnolia Gardens after my mother moved in.”
“That’s right. I’ve had this job for ten months, so I wouldn’t have known Mildred, but Sally Jacobs might. She’s been here for over five years and is working tomorrow. I can ask her if she remembers Mildred.”
“That would help.” Kelly pulled her business card from her pocket and gave it to the nurse. “You can reach me on my cell phone.”
“I’ll let you know what Sally says.” Grace glanced at her watch. “It’s time for me to distribute the meds, so I’d better get going. Both of you need to come back and see us again.” Kelly promised they would.
Mrs. Baker was still in the hallway when they walked by her room. After giving her a parting hug, Kelly happened to ask, “Mrs. Baker, do you remember a resident named Mildred Taylor?”
The old woman shook her head. “Don’t recall anyone name Mildred. ’Course there was a Millie Taylor.”
Kelly’s pulse quickened. “Did she move out about a year ago?”
Ms. Baker pursed her full lips. “Seems about right. She said she was going to be with her son. Millie was cute as a pie. She could walk. Why, she’d do laps around the other residents. All of us were real happy that she was doing so good and could go home.”
The old woman glanced at Phil. “That’s what everyone wants, you know.”
“I know it’s hard to leave your home.” Kelly patted Mrs. Baker’s hand before she asked, “Do you remember if Millie’s son was in the army?”
The old woman nodded. “He had been in Kentucky, but the army moved him down here. Made Millie real happy.”
“I’m sure it did.” A strange feeling swept over Kelly. “Now that you mention it, I seem to remember hearing about Millie.”
Mrs. Baker smiled knowingly. “Why sure, honey child. Your mama moved in a day or two after Millie left. Don’t you remember me telling you about Millie Taylor? She was my old roommate. Your mama got her bed.”
TWELVE
As Phil drove them back to post, Kelly called Dr. Kutter’s clinic and inquired about Mildred Taylor. No one by that name had been admitted into the short-term care center or to the Freemont Hospital when she called that facility.
Her third call was to the Labor Department’s office in Atlanta that handled Medicare fraud in Georgia. Although the agent with whom she spoke couldn’t reveal specific information, he did indicate there was some question about Dr. Kutter’s practice.
Ironic though it was that Mildred Taylor had left Magnolia Gardens at the time when Kelly needed to find a bed for her own mother, Phil wondered if releasing Millie to Lola’s care had been in the older woman’s best interest. He was beginning to agree with Kelly that the daughter-in-law’s actions seemed questionable.
Once they were in his office, Kelly threw her hands in the air, needing to vent some of her frustration. “Mrs. Baker said Mildred was walking and physically fit when she left the home. Now’s she’s bedridden and senile.”
Although Kelly echoed his own concerns, Phil did offer an explanation. “A year can be a long time for someone her age.”
“Yes, but—”
The chirp of Kelly’s cell phone interrupted her reply. “This is Special Agent McQueen.” She glanced down. “That’s right.”
The intense look on Kelly’s face indicated the call was important. Phil watched as she focused her attention on the person on the other end of the line.
“Thanks for rushing the ballistic tests through.”
Phil’s gut tightened. He pulled in a deep breath, wondering what the Atlanta CID lab had determined.
Kelly nodded. “Right.” She made a notation on a tablet she pulled from her purse.
“You’re sure?” Another pause. “Thanks.”
She hung up and looked at Phil. “The CID ballistic testing lab got a match.”
Drawing a second notebook from her purse, she rifled through the pages. “Here it is. The weapon was issued to—”
She glanced up at Phil, her eyes wide. “This is interesting. The round that killed Corporal Taylor was fired from Private Benjamin Stanley’s M-4 carbine.”
“Are you sure?”
“The lab techs said it was a good match.”
Phil walked around his desk. “And Stanley is a good solider.”
“Who’s had the hardest time dealing with Taylor’s death.” She reached for her purse. “I need to talk to Stanley. Would you call Lieutenant Bellows and tell him I’m coming over to the platoon headquarters? See if he can round up the private.”
Phil grabbed his hat. “You’re not going alone. I want to talk to him, as well.”
As they left Phil’s office and headed across the grassy knoll to the platoon area, he turned to Kelly. “How do you plan to handle this?”
“Very carefully. You realize this man more than likely killed another solider. Trust me, Phil, I’m not going to do anything you wouldn’t approve.”
“I’m concerned about Stanley.”
“I’m more concerned about Corporal Taylor. He deserves to have the truth revealed about his death and his killer.”
“You mean the man who accidentally fired the fatal round,” Phil corrected.
“Okay, I need to watch my words, but let me do my job.”
Phil narrowed his eyes, frustrated by the direction of their conversation. “As if I’m not?”
“You’re getting emotional.”
“Kelly, this happens to be my company.”
“Which many of the men think you lead with an iron hand.”
“Meaning?”
“They said you shouldn’t have held the live-fire exercise after four nights in the field. Everyone was tired. Dead tired, a number of them said.”
“We were in the field for four days, and yes, some of the men failed to get much sleep, but they’re young and healthy. You know I couldn’t do something that wasn’t approved by the battalion commander.”
“Who seems to cut you a lot of slack. I’m not saying you did anything wrong, Phil, but fatigue may have played into Taylor’s death.”
“The men will thank me the next time they head for combat. Some of them joined the company in the past month. If they’re not adequately trained, they might not know how to respond in a deployment. I’m not doing the training just to keep the brass happy. You understand that, don’t you, Kelly?
Her voice softened. “Would it make any difference if I said I did?”
“It would make me feel as if at least one person is on my side.”
“I am, Phil. But I’m also on the side of justice, which is what we’re both after.”
“I’m after answers.”
“And justice,” she prodded.
He shrugged. “And justice. But I want to get to the bottom of what happened.”
“As do I. I’ve been assigned to investigate Taylor’s death. My boss and your boss and the commanding general expect answers, which I will provide.”
“You don’t understand. This is personal to me. Not because of what people will think or any efficiency report I might get or reprimand, if you find that I was at fault, but because I won’t continue on as an army officer if something I did wrong caused Taylor’s death.”
“Mistakes happen, Phil. That’s what this investigation is about. If there was a safety issue that wasn’t addressed and should have been then changes will be made. If the blame falls on your shoulders, you go on. You don’t walk away.”
“How would you know?”