Boji Stones

by Sandra Cox

  Three nurses and two security guards crowded in. A gray-haired, heavyset nurse pushed Bella out of the way, stepped over Victor then moved Maureen aside. “Let me see my patient.” She frowned at the monitor then took Jack’s pulse. “He’s okay. Thought we had a code blue. The system must have malfunctioned.” She frowned at his bloody hands. “Who did this to my patient? What happened here? A bar brawl? Somebody better give me some answers and give them to me quick.”

  Victor groaned.

  Bella planted her stiletto firmly on his chest. “Get this man cuffed and call Detective Macko and tell him Bella and Maureen have a present for him,” she ordered.

  A large black security officer pushed Victor on his stomach and cuffed him.

  One of the nurses looked at Victor uneasily. “He needs medical treatment.”

  “Then look after him,” the nurse in charge snapped.

  “But don’t take off the cuffs,” Bella added.

  “What’s this bracelet doing on Dr. Wolfe?” the gray-haired nurse asked.

  “It’s my good luck charm. I know it’s foolish but it made me feel better. Does it hurt anything? Is okay to leave it?” Maureen asked.

  The nurse snapped it off his wrist then caught her breath as she made contact with the stones. Her eyes contracted ’til they were nearly white. She shoved it at Maureen, “Here,” she said, her voice breathless, “it has germs. We can’t have germs in his precarious situation.”

  A long look passed between Bella and Maureen. Bella nodded encouragement.

  Maureen took a deep breath. As soon as this mess got cleared up and she could spend some time with him, she would start bringing him back. All it would take was contact with the boji stones. She would spend the night with him.

  The nurse whirled like a dervish, making shooing motions with her hands. “I want everybody out.” She leaned over the bed and spoke in crisp tones, “Dr. Wolfe can you hear me?”

  His eyes opened. His head, as always, faced the door. Maureen moved ‘til she was in his line of vision. She rubbed the amulet. “I’ll be back, Jack,” she said, knowing he would figure it out then trooped out with the rest of the contingency.

  The blue-uniformed security guard dragged Victor out into the brightly lit hall. “Where do you want him?” he asked the younger nurse who’d shown concern about his welfare.

  “Room 300 is empty.”

  Bella turned to the guard. “I know you can squash this yahoo like a bug. But be careful. He doesn’t look it but he’s dangerous.” She made a circular motion with her right hand at her head.

  “Yes, ma’am,” he nodded with a sharp jerk of his chin. “I appreciate the warning and the concern.” He took a moment to look her over before hauling Victor down the corridor.

  Maureen grinned and shook her head. “I tremble to think of the effect you’ll have now that you have the beauty amulet back on.”

  Bella grinned and fluffed her blonde locks. “You ain’t seen nothing yet, shug. So what’s the plan?”

  “As soon as we get this mess straightened out, I’ll sit with Jack.” She winked. “By morning there should be a major improvement.”

  “Want me to stay with you?”

  Maureen rubbed her forehead. “No need for that but if you could possibly explain all this to Macko, it would be a huge help.”

  Bella winked. “Consider it done.”

  Maureen took a deep breath and let it out. She swirled in a circle her arms spread wide and nearly hit a nurse in the process. “I feel at peace with the world. This must be what a junkie feels like after a fix. To be wearing the amulet again feels wonderful, like I could take on the world while walking on water.”

  “Wow! And I just feel more beautiful.”

  They both laughed.

  Bella slipped her arm through Maureen’s. “Let’s go to the cafeteria and get something to eat or at least a bad cup of coffee. By the time we get back Macko should be here and Jack’s room should be straightened up where you can slip in and sit with him.” With a gentle tug, she pulled Maureen forward. “We’ll just let the nurse at the station know where we are at in case someone needs to reach us.”

  After a few words with the nurse, they rode the elevator downstairs, followed the yellow painted line to the cafeteria and for the first time in a long time just relaxed. They ate sandwiches, drank coffee and exchanged laughs.

  When they went back upstairs they were still laughing. Maureen’s laugh changed to a chuckle then disappeared all together when she saw the large nurse, her arms akimbo and Macko waiting at the elevator.

  She dipped her chin. “Detective. Nurse…” She looked at the nametag. “Brandon,” and started to slip on past when the beefy arm of the nurse hauled her back. “Just a minute, Ms. Sinclair.”

  “I need to check on Dr. Wolfe. Ms. Tremaine here will explain everything,” Maureen said, as she tried, with no success, to edge away.

  “I don’t want you anywhere near my patient. Someone ripped out his tubes and until I get to the bottom of this no one is going near him. The back of that poor man’s hand is black and blue.”

  Maureen felt her heartbeat accelerate and her breathing become shallow. She touched the amethyst and felt the calm seep in and take over. “I understand your concern, Nurse Brandon and appreciate it. Do you need us both? I’d be happy to cooperate in any way I can but I’d like to look in on my brother first.”

  Macko raised his eyebrows when she mentioned brother but didn’t say anything.

  “Victor Price ripped them out when he attacked us with the IV holder,” Bella put in helpfully.

  Nurse Brandon’s arms were crossed, her square features forbidding. “I found a syringe on the floor. Do you know anything about that?”

  Maureen kept touching the amethyst to stay calm. I need to get to Jack. “He came at me with the syringe. I’m guessing it’s filled with whatever he used on my brother.”

  “So did he pick up the IV holder before or after he came after you with the syringe?” Macko asked. “And why did Mr. Price have a red mark across his face like someone bashed him with it?”

  “I did it after Maureen got it away from him,” Bella put in.

  The detective rubbed the spot between his eyebrows as if pushing back a headache.

  Maureen straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. “I want to see my brother.”

  “I said…” the nurse began.

  “And I appreciate your concern for him but I want to see him and I want to see him now,” Maureen said, calm but determined.

  Nurse Brandon capitulated…after a fashion. “Five minutes. I’ll give you five minutes.”

  As Maureen turned, the nurse called after her. “Put on a disposable gown and gloves. We are going to keep that room as sanitary as possible.”

  Maureen paused. I’ve never tried to transmit through gloves before. “Okay.”

  She hurried to the desk, got a disposable gown and gloves and slipped into Jack’s room.

  Sliding into the chair she picked up his hand. The nurse was right. It was black and blue. “Poor hand.” She brought it to her lips and kissed it then held it between her own. Closing her eyes, she concentrated then caught her breath as a dull sluggish substance, the consistency of gelatin, tried to push into her veins. The gloves are hindering the entry. She tried to take them off but couldn’t. She felt like her muscles were doing a melt down. The substance pushed into her, expanding her veins as it wiggled upward toward the amulet.

  She willed herself to think of something else, racing down the trail at a full gallop on her beautiful black Arabian, Wings, the sun at her back and the wind in her hair, the bracing scent of pine filling her lungs, and the pungent scent of meadow flowers.

  “Okay, Miss Sinclair, it’s time to leave now.”

  Maureen came back to the present with a jolt. Her head felt wobbly and she had to force her eyes open.

  The nurse stood arms akimbo looking down at her. “Are you all right?”

  She pried her jaws apart
but couldn’t force any words out.

  “Lean back, I’m going to get you a cold compress to put on your forehead.”

  Great advice, wish I could do something about it.

  Pain, like that of a bruise, crept in along with the thick substance turning her muscles to pudding. She could hear running water and moments later the nurse tipped Maureen’s head back against the chair and placed a cold compress on it. Maureen also became aware she was no longer holding Jack’s hand. She didn’t have the strength. Which meant he was holding hers, barely but enough to keep the contact going. That’s it, Jack, stay with me.

  “Miss Sinclair, can you hear me?”

  Maureen blinked much as she had seen Jack do.

  “Miss Sinclair, I want you to stand up. We are going to take a little walk down the hall.”

  No, mustn’t break contact.

  The nurse took Maureen’s hand away from Jack’s. Like a ball shot out of a cannon the viscous substance shot up her veins and into the amulet. She slumped forward.

  “Miss Sinclair. Miss Sinclair.”

  Maureen drew air deep into her lungs in a huge gulp. It had only been a few minutes and distilled by the plastic gloves. Poor Jack, he must be living in hell.

  Nurse Brandon reached for the button. “I need help here. Stat.”

  Maureen lifted her head. “I’m okay.”

  “Let me be the judge of that.” The nurse spoke in a brisk, no-nonsense voice. She picked up her wrist to take her pulse then dropped her hand. Her eyes widened. “I just got a jolt. One of us is carrying some electricity.”

  She reached for Maureen again but Maureen moved her hands to the side of the chair and shoved herself up. “I’m fine really.“ And said the first thing she could think of, “I’m going out to get some supper, I’ll stop back by afterward.”

  Nurse Brandon put her fists on her ample hips. “No, Miss Sinclair, you won’t. If you are sickening from something, I don’t want you to give it to Dr. Wolfe.”

  They both turned and stared at Jack.

  The nurse glanced at his hands. “Well that’s odd.” She went over and picked his hand up. “The bruising is gone. And his hand doesn’t feel as limp. I think he’s turned a corner.”

  She spun around in a surprisingly tight circle for one of her girth and waved a finger under Maureen’s nose. “I don’t want him having a relapse. And that means you are not to see him tonight. I will leave those instructions at the front desk.”

  Feeling her panic and temper rise, Maureen grasp her amulet and felt calm wash over her like breaker waves. Without a word, she turned and headed for the door. She opened the door and glanced back at Jack, his eyes watched her and his face seemed more defined not just a mass of flaccid muscle. She winked at him.

  He winked back. His mouth moved but no sound came out.

  He’s coming around!

  “I’ll be back,” she mouthed and walked out, the door swinging silently shut behind her.

  She found Bella in the waiting room, reading a magazine, swinging a crossed leg and popping gum. “Let’s get out of here,” Maureen told her partner in crime.

  Bella looked up from her magazine. “What?”

  Maureen reached over and tugged on her arm. “Let’s go.”

  “I thought you wanted to spend some time with Jack.”

  “Later. Come on.” Maureen dragged her to the elevator and pushed the button.

  Nurse Brandon came out of Jack’s room. She looked around and spotted Maureen.

  “Miss Sinclair, you come back here. I want to check your pulse and temperature.”

  Maureen waved her off. As the elevator door swung open, she stepped inside with Bella close behind. She punched the button and the doors closed as Nurse Brandon marched toward her.

  “What was that all about?”

  Maureen grabbed her belly as the elevator started down. “She doesn’t want me seeing Jack tonight. He’s getting better and she’s afraid I’ll give him something, thinks I’ve got a bug.”

  Bella studied her. “You do look a little peaky, sweetie.”

  “It’s a reaction to the amulet. My body works as a conduit.”

  “That must be mighty uncomfortable at times.”

  Maureen shook her head. “I’ve never encountered anything like this before. Poor Jack.”

  The elevator slid to a stop.

  Bella held the door open and motioned Maureen out. “So what’s the plan?”

  “I thought we’d go grab a sandwich. Nurse Ratchet goes off duty in another hour. Have you ever seen anything like her? Not a hair out of place on her lacquered bun. And her expression could make a hardened criminal toe the line. She’s leaving instructions at the desk I’m not to see him, so we’ve got to figure a way in the room.”

  Bella laughed and patted her hair. “Just leave it to me, honey.” She hooked her arm through Maureen’s as they walked out the hospital doors. “Now let’s get you something to eat. You look like a cat that was left out in the rain.”

  They found a fast food place a couple of blocks away and relaxed and chatted over coffee, burgers—a veggie burger in Maureen’s case—and fatty saturated fries.

  Maureen put her feet up on the bright purple plastic seat across from Bella and popped a hot fry in her mouth, ignoring the screaming two-year-old three seats back. She chewed and swallowed. “I’ve misjudged you, blondie.”

  Bella shrugged. “Most women do. I don’t have many women friends.” She bit into her burger.

  “It’s all the makeup,” Maureen explained. “And the load of sex appeal you carry like an atom bomb about to blow up the free world and all the men in it.”

  The atom bomb grinned and took a sip of her coffee, leaving red lipstick on the Styrofoam container. Planting her elbows on the table she leaned forward. “Here’s a riddle for you. What do Catwoman, Batman and Isabella Tremaine have in common?”

  “Okay I’ll bite.” Suiting actions to words, Maureen bit into her veggie burger. “What?” she mumbled around a mouthful of compressed veggies and bun.

  “We all wear masks, sweetie. The makeup is just what the world sees. It’s not the ‘me’ who resides here. She placed her red lacquered fingertips over her heart.

  Maureen felt both humbled and ashamed. She leaned forward. “Here’s a riddle for you. Do you know what Hank, Jack and I all have in common?”

  Bella’s well-sculpted brows rose and she took on a look of feigned horror, “Please, shug, don’t say you’re after my body too.”

  Maureen laughed. “I wish you hadn’t included Jack in that equation. No. We all want to be your friend. I can’t say that I have many female friends either.” She held out her hand across the table. “Friend?”

  Bella grasped it. “Friend.” Her smile lit up her beautiful face nearly causing Maureen to gasp.

  “I didn’t think that amulet could improve perfection but good God, woman, that face is downright devastating, you should get it insured.”

  Bella winked. “You think it’s not?”

  While Maureen tried to figure out if she was kidding or not, Bella said, “So what’s our plan of attack?”

  “I need to spend the night with Jack.”

  “I’m sure you do, sugar but I’m afraid he’s not going to be able to do you much good right now,” Bella drawled.

  “Hardee-har. If you keep the station nurse busy, I’ll slip into the room.“

  “And when the nurse makes her rounds?”

  “Haven’t got that far in my thinking,” Maureen admitted. She took a large swallow of hot coffee. Not as good as home brew but it would do. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.” She gave Bella a wink and a grin.

  Bella raised her cup in salute. “I’m sure I will.”

  “So what did Detective Macko have to say?” Maureen asked before taking the last bite of her veggie burger.

  Bella tapped her fingernails against the cup making a small raspy sound. “He took notes and listened. I don’t think he’s as starstruck as he pret
ends.” She smiled. “Detective Macko wears his own type of mask. He’s probably just feeding me information and hoping I’ll slip up and let something useful drop.”

  She looked at her diamond studded watch then started tossing discarded wrappers into the tray. “Let’s head back to the hospital.”

  Taking a last sip of coffee, Maureen followed suit.

  As they walked to the car, Bella asked, “What do you think Victor’s doing in Chicago?”

  “I have no idea. Big city anonymity maybe or searching for one of the other amulets,” Maureen said opening the shiny red door and sliding into the car.

  “Probably.” Bella got in and gunned the motor.

  Twenty minutes later they were riding the hospital elevator up to third floor. As the shiny metal doors glided open, Bella scanned the nurses’ station. “Ah, Ben is on duty.” She patted her hair and winked at Maureen. “Watch and learn.”

  Maureen lowered her head in a submissive gesture. “I bow to you, oh great one. If anyone can hook a fish, I mean a male, half her age it’s you. Where’s the other nurse?”

  “I can’t be responsible for everything. Just get to the room and stay out of sight.”

  Maureen watched her sashay across the corridor. As soon as Bella leaned over the desk and engaged the young male nurse in conversation, Maureen scooted down the hall.

  She opened the door to 310 and stuck her head in. A middle-aged nurse with lackluster black hair was bent over the bed. Maureen let the door fall shut and slipped down the hall and into the women’s restroom.

  Standing with the door cracked, she waited what seemed like hours but in reality was probably only a few minutes ’til the nurse came out and went into the room across the hall. She opened the door to dash out, when an attendant collecting dinner trays rolled her cart down the wing Jack was housed in. She put her hand on the amulet and drew a calming breath. Patience.

  The attendant went in 306 and Maureen darted for 310.

  “Jack.” She smiled, placing her hand over her racing heart as she caught her breath. She could have sworn his mouth tipped up a bit at the edges. She approached the bed just as the door began to swish open.

  “Dammit,” she whispered and jumped into the bathroom. This is getting monotonous. She wrinkled her nose, same sterile green walls.