Gotta Get Next To You

by Emery, Lynn

  “This is about the inventory and invoices for the past three months. Forget the last director and what happened then.” Andrea picked up the printed record from the database. “Over fifteen numbered invoices have disappeared. And this bill seems to indicate two very expensive digital drug scales and a microscope were ordered.” She waved the discarded carbon of the clinic credit card.

  “I don’t know,” Denny mumbled. “You can’t even read all the numbers. How you know when that stuff was ordered?”

  Andrea could not argue with him. She could only read the brand names and a few numbers. Most of it had been tom off. The slip of paper had fallen out from between two rolling file cabinets.

  Andrea nodded. ‘True. But what’s with this attitude, Denny?”

  “I can’t do my work with everybody looking over my shoulder, giving me orders. Man, it’s working my nerves.”

  “I’m not asking any more from you than I expect from all the staff, including myself. We can’t afford many mistakes. All eyes are on us.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Denny mumbled under his breath. He stared at the floor.

  “Excuse me. Maybe I can help.” Jamal stood in the door, but did not come in. He glanced from Andrea to Denny.

  Andrea looked up and smiled. “No, but thanks any—” Denny jumped from the chair. “Man, she riding me about some stupid reports. Tell her, Jamal. We’ve put those records back together.”

  “He’s right. We keep finding missing forms. But we did the best we could.” Jamal nodded.

  “Yeah, even Dr. B says they’re in the best shape he’s ever seen ’em.” Denny referred to the pharmacist.

  Andrea placed both hands on her desk, palm down. “Fine. Then I need to know which sets of invoices have been ordered since my first day here.”

  “There’s no way to know that,” Denny said promptly. “The box with sixty packs was opened. They were all jumbled up.”

  “Yeah, you’re right,” Jamal added.

  “Who opened the box?” Andrea said tightly. This was beginning to seem like a game of dodge.

  “The previous director—” Jamal began.

  “Shonda did it—” Denny said.

  They broke off at the same time. Denny cast a side-long glance at Jamal. Jamal did not look at him but shrugged.

  “Like we said, no way to tell. I mean, we both think somebody else did it,” Jamal said calmly. “You’d probably get a different answer from each staff person.”

  Andrea turned to Denny. “I want you to put all the invoices in order. Make a list of any missing numbers and give it to me by the end of the day.”

  Denny seemed on the verge of another angry outburst as he stared hard at Andrea for a few seconds. “Okay,” was all he said. He walked out with one last furtive glance at Jamal.

  “I thought a war was about to break out in here,” Jamal said. He wore a jaunty grin as he closed the door.

  “It started off peaceful enough. Then all of a sudden I’ve got this attitude coming at me.” Andrea relaxed against the back of her chair. “I don’t know what got into him.”

  “He’s under a lot of pressure. Take it easy on him.” Jamal sat down across from her.

  “I’ve been doing that since I walked through the door,” Andrea replied. “But I can’t go back to the old way this place was run.”

  “What’s the big deal? A few missing invoices and a few extra drug cartons. I’ll bet we can make it all come out right.” Jamal waved a hand.

  Andrea wondered at his casual response to her concerns. “We’ve got to go beyond doing better. Bayou Blue Clinic has to be damn near perfect. We’ve talked about that.”

  “Yeah, but hell, it’s like the contracts. Nothing is going to be perfect. You oughta know.”

  There was something beneath Jamal’s smile, and it wasn’t humor. Andrea studied him for several seconds. “I don’t get it. What do contracts have to do with the drug inventories?”

  “I’m just saying it’s all the same thing. We do what we can to keep the right people happy.”

  “Yes, and part of that is doing things the right way.” Andrea studied his expression. She sensed some change in him.

  He shrugged and stood up. “Whatever. I’ll help Denny as much as I can.”

  “Want to have dinner later?” Andrea asked. “I make a mean spaghetti and meatballs. It’s about the only thing I can cook.”

  “I’ve got plans with a couple of buddies.”

  “Why don’t we make it Friday then?” Andrea said. “Yeah, I’ll call you.” He left and shut the door behind him.

  Andrea frowned. There seemed to be a flippant, al-most sarcastic tone underlying Jamal’s words. Strange that he happened to come in during her meeting with Denny. She looked down at the printed reports again and thought of Jamal’s comments. A meeting that was supposed to be open and shut had left her with two mysteries on her hands. What was going on?

  ***

  The scene should have been idyllic. The sunset on the Mississippi River in downtown New Orleans was lovely. Andrea and Jamal strolled along the Riverwalk. Dinner had been nice, but Jamal was back to being the charmer, all bright and shiny on the surface. Andrea tried all evening to pierce through the act to find the sensitive man underneath. Jamal seemed to dance away with the agility of a boxer ducking punches. His emotional defenses were up and she didn’t know why. She was frustrated and struggling not to show it. This wasn’t the man she’d gotten to know.

  “Let’s sit here for a while,” Andrea said. She took his hand and led him to a bench.

  “Sure.” He held her hand lightly, but let go when they sat down.

  “I’m glad the week is over.” Andrea sighed. She put an arm on the bench seat behind his back. “But this is a perfect way to end it. I haven’t seen much of you all week.”

  “That place has been crazy.” Jamal gazed at passersby.

  “Let’s not talk about the you-know-what,” Andrea said in a stage whisper.

  “I don’t blame you with the way things are going.” Jamal glanced at her, and then went back to people-watching.

  “You mean with Denny and the invoices?” Andrea sighed. “Yeah. I still haven’t figured out what’s up with him.”

  “Maybe he’s right. It’s not like a few missing pieces of paper are the worst thing that’s happened.”

  “I know the staff must get tired of hearing it, but we can’t afford mistakes.” Andrea frowned at him. “You think I’m too demanding?”

  Jamal turned to her with a half smile. “Nah, just judge him by the same standard you set. You know, the contracts.”

  Andrea was confused by the sudden turn away from Denny to herself. He’d made a reference to the contracts the other day after the confrontation with Denny.

  “You keep bringing that up. Is there something bothering you about the contracts?” she said.

  “Oh, c’mon. Allgood Healthcare, Inc. has a fat contract. Most of that equipment is overpriced,” Jamal said.

  “You’re right, but it’s what the market pays. Medicare and Medicaid allow suppliers to charge them higher prices. It makes no sense, but it’s legal.”

  “Yeah, I guess that makes it okay,” Jamal said, his voice laced with cynicism.

  Andrea took her arm from around him and sat up straight. “No, but it means I have to set priorities. So a few small companies pad their profits. The state and federal folks need to fix the problem.”

  “Right, let somebody else worry that shoddy equipment costs everybody big bucks. That’s the way it goes.” Jamal looked at her.

  “I haven’t heard complaints about shoddy equipment,” Andrea said.

  “Have you asked? Or are you too busy ‘networking’ with the big dogs?” Jamal looked away.

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “Nothing. Just forget it,” he said.

  Andrea was through being patient. “Oh, no. You’ve dropped a few nasty little comments that need to be explained, and fast.”

  “Look, it�
��s your business. You’ve got people you want to take care of,” he said with a tight smile. “I know how it is.”

  “I have no idea what or who you’re talking about, Jamal. And I’m tired of playing guessing games. If you’ve got something to say, say it,” Andrea said with a glare.

  “Like you don’t know John Mandeville owns a big part of Allgood Healthcare.”

  “Felice Allgood owns that company. It’s registered with the state as a female-owned firm and gets extra help getting contracts.”

  “Felice Allgood fronts for her husband, Norman, one of Mandeville’s pals. The happy couple was at that fancy party a few weeks ago.” He rattled off the facts in a dry voice.

  “You talk like they’re my friends, too. I don’t know them personally,” Andrea broke in.

  “Poor Norm. He thinks he got a good deal. He doesn’t realize that Mandeville slept with his wife.” Jamal gave a harsh laugh.

  Andrea had a sick feeling in her stomach at his revelations about John. Her mind raced with the implications until all else was blocked out. She’d wondered about John’s sudden devotion to his civic duty. For all she knew of him, John only wrote checks and let his wife deliver them at society charity functions. Andrea definitely intended to find out more. Suddenly she looked at Jamal through narrowed eyes.

  “What was that crack about me wanting to take care of certain people?” she said tightly.

  “Hey, Mandeville is an important man in a lot of ways. That’s why he gets the goods. Right?” Jamal wore a sly grin.

  Andrea was startled by his expression. His eyes glittered with scorn. In an instant it vanished and he laughed lightly. Jamal turned his head. When he glanced back at her, his expression was all charm again. Could he really believe that she’d agree to such a slimy scheme?

  Once again her parents had succeeded in messing up her life. Andrea felt sure Charlene knew about Mandeville’s real motives. They were two of a kind in a lot of ways. Even though she had no part in it, Andrea felt guilty.

  “Sins of the father,” she whispered low.

  “What?”

  Andrea shook her head. “Nothing. I didn’t know about John Mandeville’s connection to the Allgood contract.”

  “Politics rules down here. And powerful people get their way, especially rich ones.” Jamal shrugged again. “That’s the first dung I learned when I moved to Louisiana.”

  “I’ve monitored compliance with each contractor, including Allgood. I didn’t find anything irregular,” Andrea said. “Just being politically connected doesn’t make them crooks.”

  “Uh-huh.” His expression was still cynical.

  Andrea glared at him. “Not everyone in Louisiana is a scumbag crook.”

  Jamal held up both palms. “Hey, it’s cool with me. My only point was Denny might be doing business as usual.”

  “Then he’ll be doing business according to regulations and state law. That’s business as usual now.” Andrea was offended by his attitude.

  “Sure.”

  “Are you saying I’m in on some kind of under-the- table activity?” Andrea’s voice rose with anger.

  “Maybe it’s hard to fight the system.” Jamal looked away. “Or fight against certain people. Like I said, Mandeville is one of the richest and most powerful men in the state.”

  Jamal thought she’d been influenced by Mandeville’s position. Andrea hated the resignation in his tone. She cared deeply what Jamal thought of her, and it hurt that he assumed she’d compromise herself in any way. What else could he think, given the facts?

  Yet this was not the time or place to tell him about Mandeville and her mother. She simply was not ready. Especially since her mind still reeled from this new information. First she would find out more from the best source possible. If John Mandeville wanted to have a relationship with her, it would have to be built on honesty. This would be a perfect chance to see if rumors she’d heard about him were true.

  “You’re right.”

  Jamal gazed at her with an impassive expression. “I am?”

  “Status and money make a difference in this country, not just in Louisiana. I can’t change some things. But I would never, never let a patient suffer because of politics. Do you think I would? Well?” she said angrily when he didn’t answer immediately.

  Jamal twisted a stray tendril of her hair around one finger. “I wouldn’t want to believe it,” he whispered.

  “Then don’t. I thought you knew me better.” Andrea brushed his hand away.

  He sighed deeply and his expression softened. “I’m sorry. Come on now, forgive me. I should know better. Please, baby.”

  Andrea slowly put her arms around his neck and touched her forehead to his. “There will always be gossip floating around Bayou Blue. Not much else to do in town.”

  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The aroma of soap and shaving cream on his skin was delightful. He stroked her cheek with one forefinger. Their noses touched first, then their lips.

  ‘To hell with it,” Jamal said fiercely. “I don’t care about contracts or anything else. Not when I’m holding you.”

  He enfolded her in a strong embrace and kissed her deeply. Jamal seemed determined to drive out the world. It worked. Andrea stroked the hard muscles of his back, wishing she could rip the shirt off and feel his bare skin against hers. She gasped for air when he pulled away.

  “Are we ready to go home?” he said close to her ear.

  Andrea pressed her cheek against his smoothly shaven cheek. “Yes indeed.”

  Hours later she was alone in her apartment with sweet memories. She could still feel his arms holding her as they’d made love. Andrea sat on the side of the bed, brushing her hair and humming. She watched the small television without really paying attention to it. An old black-and-white movie was on. A hard-boiled detective was grilling a suspect.

  “So how do you know all this? You got too much info for an innocent guy. Talk or I’ll toss you out of here,” the actor growled.

  Andrea sat up straight. She hadn’t thought about it until now, but how did Jamal know so much about Allgood Healthcare, Inc.? He knew more than she did about the clinic contract. That had never been part of his job. He knew details about the company’s owners and more. And he knew way too much about John Mandeville. Andrea tugged at the belt of her terry cloth robe as she considered it all. She went over the scene with Denny in her mind. That was where it had started. But what did it all mean? A knot of anxiety formed in her chest. There was no use pretending. Jamal had behaved strangely for the last few days. The old voice of suspicion came back, and his relationship with Denny took on a more ominous aspect. If Denny was doing something wrong, it was likely Jamal would know. Andrea remembered how he’d stepped in to defend Denny. She shook her head. He was only being overprotective.

  The issue of Denny’s sloppy work was minor. Mandeville was the bigger problem. He was more involved in the clinic than he or her mother had let on. She would meet with John Mandeville. Then she would have a long talk with Jamal. There must be no secrets between them, no matter how well intentioned. They would both have to face unpleasant facts.

  Chapter 17

  “I don’t like it one damn bit!” Sheriff Boudreaux shook his head vigorously. “No sir, not one bit.”

  “That guy is no Sunday school student, Matthews.” Chief Deputy Tullier said with a skeptical expression.

  Lee paced the small square of sickly green tile in the chief’s office. For the last forty-five minutes he’d tried to convince them Denny was just a kid caught up in a bad situation. For a while he’d thought they would agree. Now they had shoved him right back where he’d started. Guilt had eaten away at him for weeks. Andrea’s lovely brown eyes haunted him. There was admiration in them whenever she talked about his special relationship with Denny. For all his swagger, Denny was scared of Ty’Rance. Denny needed to be rescued from himself as much as from Ty’Rance. Part of the young man wanted the easy money. Yet Denny also knew he was in way over
his head. Lee thought about Chris and his mother. He hadn’t been able to save them from the kind of evil Ty’Rance and his gang spread around, but he could damn sure try to save Denny.

  Chief Deputy Tullier’s eyes narrowed. “Did you tell Denny already without talking to us?”

  “Of course not,” Lee said. “I want to be able to tell him he can cut a deal.”

  Sheriff Boudreaux grunted. “The DA is up for reelection. He’s always yappin’ about how he’s tough on crime.”

  “Uh-huh. We gotta get a lecture on what the taxpayers expect every time we go to him.” Tullier’s lip curled with derision. “He’s running scared.”

  “His pitiful conviction rate is why,” Boudreaux said. Lee chafed at the injection of local politics. “Look, he can pull in bigger fish than Denny. That’s the selling point. Tell him how great he’ll look at the press conference.”

  “He’ll love that. I can just see him standing in his office rehearsing his speech. He’s got a big mirror in there,” Tullier said with a grin.

  “Yep, stares in that thing every time he walks past it.” Sheriff Boudreaux chuckled. “Wants to make sure he’s pretty for the cameras.”

  “Ty’Rance is working hard to set up a major drug ring, guys. He’s one mean dude,” Lee said.

  “Yep, we know.” Sheriff Boudreaux’s smile vanished. The three men grew silent. Lee thought back to Ty’Rance and those cold fish eyes. There was not a hint of compassion or human feeling in them. Lee had met men like him before. They could laugh about inflicting pain. Killing rivals was considered part of life.

  “Like I said, your pal could get a lot of nice press if he prosecutes that dirt bag,” Lee said finally.

  “Not to mention if he gets a conviction,” Sheriff Boudreaux said.

  “But he’ll need solid evidence to put Ty’Rance away a long time.” Lee perched on the edge of the sheriff’s metal desk. “Denny can help us get it.”

  “A lot of folks would be happy if we put Ty’Rance in prison.” Tullier shot a glance at his boss. “The DA needs their votes and he knows it.”

  Sheriff Boudreaux rocked in his chair and chewed on his cigar awhile longer. “Say we go along with it. We bring Denny in and put the fear of God into him.”