Deceiver

  I walk into the nurses’ station at nine o’clock on the dot and dive right in.

  “Good morning!” Dr. Carter strolls to the counter and gives me a warm, welcoming smile.

  Of all the doctors here, he’s definitely my favorite, which is a good thing since he’s also the Chief.

  “Good morning! You’re here early today.”

  “Yeah. I really wanted to check on Mrs. Sheeley. I don’t like the look of that leg.” He sits down in front of the shared computer and begins pulling up Mrs. Sheeley’s history.

  “Ms. Putnam!” Nurse Ratchet is screaming for me from around the corner.

  Dr. Carter looks at me, gauging my reaction, and I simply roll my eyes. Maybe I shouldn’t goad the Chief? Fortunately, he tries to stifle a grin, and I figure I’m good. So I go ahead and ignore the battle-axe.

  “Nurse Putnam!” she shouts as she marches up to the counter in front of me.

  “Oh! Nurse Ratchet. Sorry. Were you looking for me?” I look up, blinking innocently.

  Dr. Carter laughs and then tries to cover it up by coughing. Nurse Hatchet cuts her eyes at him and then squares her shoulders at me.

  “When I ask you to make contact with a patient’s family, that’s exactly what I mean for you to do.”

  I look at her, surprised. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure what you’re referring to?”

  “Did I or did I not ask you to reach out to patient Donovan’s son?” She sticks her pointy nose in my face, and I want to smack her in it.

  “Yes, ma’am. You did.”

  “Yet, you chose to disregard my order?”

  What? I glance around her toward a dark-haired man standing with his back against the wall, staring down at his feet.

  “Of course, not. I called Mr. Donovan’s son, Robert, just as you instructed. One moment and I’ll look it up for you on the computer. I noted the time, as well as everything that was said.”

  “You do that. I’ll wait,” she snaps as if I’m lying.

  All eyes are on me, including Dr. Carter’s, as I look up the information and read aloud to Nurse Wretched all the details of our conversation that day.

  “And, yesterday? Did you call Mr. Donovan’s son to let him know that his father had passed?”

  “No, ma’am. I did not. Nurse Crossland did.”

  “Well, apparently, that did not happen, and I’m not interested in Nurse Crossland or what she did or did not do. It was your responsibility. I told you to do it. This poor man had no idea of his father’s passing when he arrived here today. I’m afraid this calls for extreme discipline. Follow me to see the Administrator.”

  A few people walk past, craning their necks to observe the loud, unwarranted reprimand.

  I stand up, embarrassed, and more than a little pissed that she chose to do this in front of Dr. Carter. What must he think of me now?

  “Hold on a minute.” Dr. Carter stands and walks over to us, eyeballing the dark-haired man across the way. “Are you Mr. Donovan’s son?”

  He stands up, pushing out his chest. “Yes, I am.”

  “Are you saying that Nurse Putnam did not call you and tell you that you needed to come as soon as possible?”

  “Well…uh…” He glances at me and then at Nurse Hatchet. “No, not that part. I did talk to her, but no one called me back to tell me that he had died. I had no idea when I got here.”

  Dr. Carter looks at me critically. “Were you asked to contact Mr. Donovan to let him know about his father’s passing?”

  I shake my head. “No.”

  “That’s a lie! I told you to call him when we were standing there in his room!” Nurse Hatchet shakes her finger at me.

  “Nurse Ratchet, you need to calm down, and don’t forget that I was there in that room, too. You did not issue any such order.” He turns to look at me again. “Did Nurse Crossland tell you that she was contacting Mr. Donovan’s son?”

  “Yes, sir. She did,” I reply, hoping that I don’t get Jen into trouble.

  He sighs.

  “Nurse Ratchet. I think you’re right. We do need to make a trip to see the Administrator, but we don’t need Nurse Putnam to accompany us.” He steps around the counter toward our visitor, who looks as though some of the air has been let out of his tires. “Mr. Donovan, I’m terribly sorry if we failed to call you promptly to let you know of your father’s passing, but I assure you that I will get to the bottom of any failure on our part, if there was one. It’s a shame that you weren’t able to get here sooner after Nurse Putnam contacted you so that you could have said goodbye. If you’d like to file a formal complaint, you can certainly come with me now to the Administrator’s office.”

  “Well… I…,” he stutters. “I guess there’s no need for that. I see you’re addressing it, and I just want to get my father’s stuff and go make the necessary arrangements.”

  Dick.

  “Nurse Putnam.” Dr. Carter looks at me again. “Can you get Mr. Donovan his father’s things while Nurse Ratchet and I go speak with the Administrator?”

  I glance at the old hag who looks like she’s just swallowed a mothball. “Of course, Doctor.” I smile.

  Dr. Carter and Nurse Ratchet head off toward the elevators, and I turn my attention to the young Mr. Donovan. I should really kick him in the nuts but I still almost feel obligated to tell him about Juliet.

  “If you’ll follow me, Mr. Donovan. They’re holding your father’s belongings downstairs in the morgue. Would you like to see him?”

  He looks at me like I’m daft. “No. I don’t think so. Just give me his stuff so I can go.”

  That’s what I figured. I decide not to tell him anything about Juliet. I seriously doubt he'd care, anyway.

  After getting his father’s few meager belongings, Mr. Donovan can’t leave fast enough. Although, it still wasn’t fast enough to suit me. I return to the nurses’ station after I do all my rounds and am in the process of filling out some patient medication refills when Dr. Carter returns.

  “Nurse Putnam! Just the nurse I was looking for!” He smiles as he places a new stack of patient charts on the end of counter.

  “For me? You really shouldn’t have,” I tease as I stand to scoop them up.

  “No. Leave those for now. I need you to come with me,” he says sternly as he slaps his hand on top of the folders.

  Oh. Okay. I walk around the counter to follow him down the hall to his office. I know this is about Nurse Hatchet’s blow-up earlier. What did that conniving bitch tell him? He’s going to write me up or put me on leave for something. I just know it. How will I explain it to Josh and Dan? I’ve never performed less than stellar at work, and I bust my ass for my patients.

  “Have a seat,” he says, holding the door open for me.

  I nod solemnly and sit in the chair opposite his desk as he closes the door behind us. My hands are shaking, so I sit on them. He strolls over to the desk and leans against it, casting a serious gaze down at me.

  “I guess you’re wondering why you’re here?”

  Because that awful, mean-ass heifer has finally managed to get me fired? I will never understand why she hates me so much.

  “I have a sneaking suspicion,” I reply less than enthusiastically.

  “Unfortunately, I’m afraid it’s my sad duty to have to inform you…”

  I cringe, squeezing my eyes shut. I will not cry, dammit.

  “…that we had to let Nurse Ratchet go.” A hint of a smile plays on his lips.

  Wait. What? My eyes pop open in surprise.

  “Sorry? Come again?” I cock my ear toward him in case I misheard him the first time.

  He chuckles. “You heard me right. There was absolutely no reason in the world for the way she behaved toward you this morning. Toward anyone, for that matter. It was an embarrassment to us all.”

  “Oh.” I stare at him, still not sure whether this is a joke. I keep waiting for the old battle axe to walk in and scream “got ya!” as soon as I start to dance. So, I try to look sad, d
eciding to reserve my cheers of joy for later. “Well, thank you for telling me personally.”

  I stand to leave.

  “Well, wait a minute.” He laughs.

  Oh, no. There’s more. I knew it!

  “Yes?” I sit back down.

  “I’ve talked with the Administrator, and we both would like for you to take over Nurse Ratchet’s duties.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes, you.”

  I blink at him. “You mean for good?”

  “Well, for now, it’s just interim until we formally replace the position, but it’s our hope that you would want to keep it permanently.”

  I smile. “So you mean, no more shift work? Straight days and a promotion?”

  He nods. “Yes. That’s exactly what I mean. If you want it, of course.”

  I bite my lip as I contemplate all the different ways I can spend the extra money, all the normal things I can do in the evenings with Josh and Dan, no more having to check my schedule to see if I’m free before I commit to something. I almost cry.

  “I’m honored. I would love to do it.” I give him my mega-watt smile.

  “Great! We’ll start Monday, then? Finish your shift today, and then take the weekend off. I’ll make sure we’re covered over the weekend. I want you rested up and ready to rock and roll on Monday morning.”

  “That sounds great!” I stand up and shake his hand. “I’ve been working on the stockroom inventory. I’ll go finish that up so Jen doesn’t haven’t to start over.”

  “That sounds good. Congratulations, Candy.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Carter.”

  I close the door, working hard to restrain myself and not skip down the hallway. I’m also sorely tempted to text Dan right away, but I don’t have my phone with me. I’ll call him when I get back.

  I have one more thing I need to do before I leave. I head down the long hallway, veering left, and then right, until I reach the stockroom. Locking the door tightly behind me, I turn on the lights. I’ve actually finished inventorying already, but I need to find some beta blockers, the kind that Mr. Stratford takes. I stride over to the blood pressure medication, unlock the cabinet, and skim through the free samples that we get from all the pharmacy reps. Here they are! I take six packages of the Bisoprolol and stuff them into my pocket. Then I lock the cabinet and hightail it back to the nurses’ station.

  “Well, hello there.” Nurse Crossland looks up from the computer, smiling radiantly as always.

  “Hey! You’re here early today.”

  “Yeah, Nurse Ratchet asked me to do some extra hours today.”

  I contemplate telling her what just happened with Nurse Hatchet, but decide it’s too much like gossiping. I’ll wait for the memo to come out.

  “Hey.” I look at her questioningly. “Did you call Mr. Donovan’s son to let him know that his father passed?”

  “Yeah. Well, I tried. I had to leave a message. Why? Did he call back?”

  I smile and shake my head. “Nothing. It doesn’t matter.”

  “Okay.” She shrugs and goes back to her paperwork. Suddenly, she snaps to attention. “Oh! Did you know someone was looking for you?”

  “No. Who?”

  “She didn’t leave her name. She was kind of small, long brown hair, tan, real pretty…”

  Billie. “Did she leave?”

  “I don’t know.” Jen stands up, swiveling her head from side to side. “I don’t see her now.”

  “Forget it. I’ll see if I can find her.” I scurry back toward the elevators, anxious to tell her about Albus.

  “Hey!” I spy her getting ready to enter the elevator.

  “There you are!” She walks over to me, giving me a huge hug so she can whisper in my ear. “I need to talk to you.” She takes a step back, smiling. “I just thought I’d stop by and see if you wanted to have lunch?”

  Lunch? Is it lunchtime already? “Sure. Do you want to go downstairs to the cafeteria?”

  “That’s fine,” she agrees, and I press the button again.

  “I need to tell you what happened to me this morning, too.” I glance around nervously. “I had a visitor.”

  The elevator dings, and we step inside to join a half-dozen others.

  “Well, I’ve been studying all day, and I’m starving.”

  “Studying?”

  “Yep. Studying.” She nods.

  “Well, I hope you learned a lot.”

  “Oh, I did.” She smiles. “I did.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  “So, it’s Oleander, then?” I whisper.

  “Yep. We just need to get him to eat it.”

  “I’ve got that covered.” I take a big bite of my cheeseburger and chew, amazed by how hungry I am, like the run-in with Albus this morning never happened. I know it did, though, and I need to tell Billie about it.

  She motions for to me to wipe my chin, and I swipe at it with my napkin as I glance around the cafeteria. Even though we’ve selected a table in the corner for privacy, I still don’t want to take any chances.

  “I’ve got his pills,” I say quietly. “His blood pressure medication.”

  Billie squints. “Are they capsules?”

  I nod. “All we have to do is replace the medication inside with the Oleander, and we’re good.”

  I take another bite, smiling at her as I chew. She motions for me to wipe my chin again.

  “I have time today,” she says, picking at her salad. Rabbit groceries, my father used to call it. “If you want me to take them over to Gabby’s and see what we can do?”

  “That would be very helpful. Thank you.” Gives me more time with Dan.

  When we’ve finished lunch, I walk Billie outside to her car.

  “Here.” I shift my eyes around the parking lot as I pass her the boxes from my pocket.

  “Got it,” she says as she stuffs them inside her console. “Alright. We’ll see what we can do with those. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at noon? Don’t forget, we’re meeting at Lora’s house tomorrow.”

  “I’ll be there.” I stare at her intently.

  “What?”

  “I didn’t tell you about my visitor.”

  “Oh! That’s right! I’m sorry. I got all excited about the Oleander. Who was it?”

  “Well, you were right,” I say, cocking my brow at her. “About Albus, I mean. He was there that night.”

  “What? How do you know?”

  “He told me. He was waiting for me outside your apartment this morning.”

  “Oh my God.” Her jaw goes slack. “That slimy bastard. What’d he say?”

  My stomach rolls as I recall the conversation. “Apparently, Dan suspects him, too, in Derek’s death. And with good reason. He more or less admitted to shooting Derek. Said he saved your life.”

  “Saved my life?”

  “Yeah. He said that Derek was going to rape you and carve you into little pieces.”

  “Maybe. Maybe not,” Billie says stubbornly. “But, I don’t get it. Why did he approach you?”

  I sigh. “He says I have to convince Dan to drop him as a suspect, or he’ll point the finger at us. Or worse.”

  “Dammit.” Billie pounds her fists against the steering wheel. “I knew it. That backstabbing piece of shit.” She pauses, a puzzled look on her face. “Wait a minute. What do you mean ‘or worse?’”

  “He said he’d have Dan killed.” I choke back a sob.

  “Oh, Candy. I’m so sorry.” She rests her hand on mine. “I’m sure he’s bluffing.”

  “Really? Because I’m not so sure, and I have no idea how to get Dan to drop it. He won’t just agree because I ask him.”

  “Please, Candy. Don’t worry about that. I’d happily turn myself in before I let him hurt Dan. It won’t come to that. I promise.”

  I nod, trying to smile. I’ll turn my own self in before I let that happen.

  “And, who can tell? Maybe Albus will have an accident of his own?”

  Is she serious? I look at her
, shocked and awed, and not quite sure if she means what I think she means.

  Billie taps her finger against the steering wheel. “What would Dan do if he found out?”

  Good question. I shrug as I shake my head. “Arrest me? Slap me? Fuck me? I have no idea. What would Adam do?”

  “About Derek? Probably nothing. He’d forgive me, I’m sure. But, Derek and Stratford? I don’t know. That’s a whole different story.”

  “We can’t get caught, Billie. I have too much going for me right now with Dan, and Josh going off to school, and my new promotion at work.”

  “You got a promotion?” Billie lights up. “Honey, that’s wonderful. The girls will be so proud of you.”

  “I’m kind of proud, too, but Albus has taken some of the wind out of my sails,” I confess.

  “Listen, he’s a jerk, for sure, but we’ll handle him. Tomorrow, we’ll celebrate with the girls.”

  I’ll celebrate tonight, naked with Dan. I smile. “That sounds nice.”

  I wave to Billie as she pulls out of the parking lot and then I head back inside, fishing out my phone to text Josh and Dan about my promotion.

  Fortunately, the rest of the day flies by, and I’m too busy to think about anything else. I have three new patients, which means more patient charts, extra rounds, and three times the paperwork. It’s six o’clock before I know it. I glance up, a revelation coming to me. I don’t even have to sneak out through the stairs! I smile to myself as I strut to the elevator.

  “Have a great weekend, Jen. I’ll see you on Monday.”

  I pull out my phone to check my texts. Yep. Dan replied to my text.

  “Congratulations, sweetheart! I know just how to celebrate. Do you think Josh can babysit for us so tonight so we can go out?”

  Josh? Babysit? I thought Amelia went home this morning? I’ve never asked Josh to babysit before, but he loves kids. Why not? I start a new text to Josh.

  “Hey, kid. Can you babysit tonight so Dan and I can go out for dinner and celebrate my promo?”

  He replies before I make it to my car. “Seriously? I guess.”