“Mrs. Caron says come ahead. I think she just wants people around to take her mind off what’s happened. Ash says her grandmother will feel better if she can serve coffee and cake and keep her hands busy.”
“Sure, I understand,” Anna nodded, although inside, she was elated. She was about to plug another variable into the equation. The identity of Carla’s friend, Julie. Anna was sure of it.
To her surprise, it was Mia that answered Anna’s ring.
“C’mon in,” Mia urged. “Mrs. Caron and Ash are in the kitchen, killing the fatted calf.”
“I thought you said coffee and cake,” Anna said, confused.
“Just an expression, but I think they are baking several different kinds of cookies.”
“Yes. I can smell the chocolate from here,” Anna smiled. She, too, liked to bake whenever she felt restless.
“Where’s Mr. Caron?” Anna asked.
“Oh, he’s retreated to his workshop in the basement. I think he’s going to build something,” Mia giggled.
“The male equivalent of baking,” Anna laughed.
“So, how did Michael get from Julie in 1946 to current day Ashley Caron?”
“He didn’t tell you?” Mia asked.
“Not the details, no,” Anna replied and that was true enough.
“Probably had to run off and do some manly reporter stuff and left the little woman behind.”
“Something like that,” Anna laughed again. “Sorry, Annie, gotta go. Stuck me with the check, too.”
“The fiend!” Mia gasped. “We’ll get him for this. But now, let me fill you in before we have to stuff ourselves with chocolate chip cookies.”
“Well, that’s not a fate worse than death,” Anna pointed out.
“True. But here’s the story.” Mia quickly brought Anna up to date and finished by showing her the reverse-aged photo of Julie.
“Unbelievable,” Anna breathed. “The resemblance is remarkable.”
“Uh-huh. But Ash didn’t see it at first.”
“Or didn’t want to see it,” Anna added. “It must have been quite a shock.”
“We’re all in shock, really. But that’s only the beginning of the problem. The family wants to bring Julie here to live, and in her condition, I don’t see how they can cope.”
“Then the first thing to do is talk to Doc. He must have evaluated her. From there, we make the rounds of all the county and state agencies and see what kind of help is available. I can deal with that,” Anna offered.
“I couldn’t help but overhear what you said,” Juliana interrupted, setting down a tray heaped with a variety of cookies. “We’ll need all the support we can get.”
“I’ll start checking around first thing tomorrow,” Anna assured her.
“Thanks, but I need to do something first,” Juliana said. “I need to see my mother. Now.”
“Grandma, it’s late and you’re tired. Wait until tomorrow when you’re not so keyed up.”
“I won’t be able to sleep a wink unless I see her. She gave birth to me.”
“But she gave you up,” Ashley added, not in condemnation of Julie’s actions, but in hopes she could persuade her grandmother to wait until the morning.
“No. That doesn’t matter. Back then, unwed mothers weren’t allowed to keep their babies. It may or may not be what Julie wanted, but she didn’t have a choice. She probably never got to see me, or hold me, or even know what happened to me,” Juliana whispered, burying her face in her hands.
“Alright, Grandma,” Ashley said, hurrying to her grandmother’s side and putting her arms around her. “We’ll see what we can do.”
“Chief,” Mia said. “He can arrange it. I’ll call him right now.”
Mia went out on the porch to make her phone call. If Chief gave her a hard time, she didn’t want Mrs. Caron to be upset any more than she already was. But Mia wasted the speeches she made up in her mind to convince Chief because he agreed to help immediately.
“Chief is calling the hospital. He’s going to tell them that he needs you to identify the woman they know as Jane Doe. That makes it official and they have to allow it.”
“Oh, thank you so much, Mia,” Juliana cried, rising to put her arms around her granddaughter’s friend. “I’ll never forget this.”
The coffee went cold in the pot and the cookies went untasted as they gathered up Will Caron and headed out the door. Ashley drove her grandparents and Anna took Mia in her car. This was about to be one of the most exciting moments of their lives and they weren’t going to miss it for anything. Besides, miracles did happen and seeing the daughter she’d given up over seventy years ago might spark a memory inside of Julie. Nobody wanted to miss that, either.
They were all surprised to see Doc Adams from the clinic in Joseph waiting for them in the lobby.
“Juliana, Chief Sutherland told me you were coming and the real reason for your visit.”
“I hope you’re not going to try to stop me,” Juliana told him, raising her chin and looking him in the eye.
“No, not at all,” he smiled. “But I did want to talk to you so you’d know what to expect.” Doc led them over to a small conference room off the lobby. Upholstered chairs surrounded an oval table and bright pictures drawn by young patients brought life to what could have been a somber room.
Doc held Juliana’s chair and then waved the others into their seats.
“First, I know all of you will want to see Jane Doe … her real name is being withheld for the moment … and I can understand that … but my patient is still in a fragile state.”
“Alright, Doc,” Juliana replied with a smile, “but I do get to see my own mother, right?”
“Yes, of course,” he nodded, smiling back. “But my latest report is that Jane is sleeping peacefully, and I think you can understand that if she wakes up and sees a gang of strangers in her room, she’s liable to be frightened.”
“I wouldn’t want that to happen,” Juliana declared, “but perhaps I could just tiptoe in and see her.”
“And touch her hand and maybe cry a bit,” Doc added.
“Yes. I’m beginning to see what you mean,” Juliana agreed, somewhat deflated.
“That doesn’t mean you can’t see your mother,” Doc assured her, taking her hand. “She’s in observation with a large window overlooking her bed. Her room is dimly lit, but you can easily see her from the window.”
“But I so wanted …,” Juliana began, choking on her words.
“And you will be able to speak to her tomorrow,” Doc said, squeezing the small hand he held. “We just have to prepare her for visitors ahead of time.”
“Will … will she understand?”
“Well, now, that’s the good news,” Doc told her, but looked around the room at all of them. “With good food and proper care, Jane is starting to be aware of people around her. She actually recognized one of the nurses who brought her dinner and called her by name.”
“What?” Ashley gasped. “You mean she might not have Alzheimer’s?”
“We don’t know for sure, Ash. But we’ve seen it before. Incorrect medicine or lack of medication has caused cognitive deficiencies. Whether or not that’s permanent in this case, only time will tell.”
“So, there’s hope we can bring her home and take care of her?”
“Yes, there’s hope. In fact, she’s been eating well, and that’s a good sign.”
“May we see her now?” Juliana asked, her voice husky with unshed tears. But now not tears of sadness. These were tears of hope.
Juliana took a deep breath and allowed Doc Adams to help her out of her chair. First, he took them to the guard station where they had their pictures taken and were given badges with their destination. Somehow, Juliana had hoped to avoid this step since they were being escorted by a doctor. It seemed that one thing after another was keeping her away from the woman who’d given her life.
Doc waited for them on the other side of the scanner while the women’s purse
s were gone through. No amount of vouching for his little group would stop the security guards from following procedure. Normally that was a good thing, but he was getting concerned for Juliana. She looked awfully pale and for an older woman with normally fair skin, that took a lot of doing. Still, she walked steadily behind him and stepped into the elevator without a wobble. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to keep a close eye on her.
Finally, they were buzzed into ICU. All the abandoned seniors were kept there so they could be kept under close observation.
“Jane is down at the end,” Doc whispered, careful not to call her by her real name.
Juliana’s steps slowed as they neared the large window through which she could see almost the entire room, including the elderly woman with her head raised against the bed. Honestly, she didn’t know what she was feeling, and reached her hand behind her before she could go any further. Both Will and Ashley took her hands and guided her those last few steps.
For the first time in her life, Juliana gazed upon the face of her birth mother. Funny, how she’d told herself so many times over the years that she had no desire to find out where she’d come from. And now she knew that was a lie.
Oh, she loved the mother and father who’d raised her, and she’d been heartbroken when they passed. But those feelings were nothing to the feelings that overwhelmed her now.
How frail Julie looked. She barely lifted the blanket covering her, she was so thin.
“Doc,” Juliana whispered, “did they … did they starve her?”
“Looks like it,” Doc whispered back. He was definitely not going to sugarcoat the situation. He’d known Juliana for several years and would never underestimate her strength.
“Were there any bruises on her when she was found?” Juliana asked, wanting to know it all.
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean she was mistreated in that way,” Doc assured her. “As we get older, our skin becomes more and more fragile. Every little bump causes a bruise. They have to be handled carefully, but no matter how careful the nurse or C.N.A. is, they can easily leave a mark.”
“I guess these are things we need to learn,” Juliana nodded, determined now to bring her mother home. “When can she come home?”
“Not for a while yet,” Doc told her, shaking his head. “Jane needs to be stronger and she needs to get used to you and your family. We don’t know yet if she’s going to need to be in a memory care facility.”
“No!” Juliana told him firmly. “That’s not going to happen.”
“Juliana, it may be the best thing for her.” Doc held his hand up when Juliana opened her mouth to protest. “If Jane needs more care than you can give her … and don’t forget, you and Will are no spring chickens yourselves … you can still spend a lot of time with her at the facility.”
“Alright. I’ll accept that for now,” Juliana said firmly, giving Doc a penetrating look. “When can I see her tomorrow?”
“Come about nine. I’ll leave instructions that you’re allowed to sit with her, and I’ll let the hospitalist know to expect you.”
“Hospitalist?”
“That’s a doctor that works exclusively in a hospital. Many of them are specialists. Dr. Grier is a geriatric specialist and he’s in charge of Jane and all the John Does.”
“Good. Yes, I’ll be here at nine.”
“And I’ll be here with you,” Will said, speaking for the first time. They had a fiftieth wedding anniversary coming up in two years, and Will wasn’t about the leave the side of the woman he’d loved for nearly five decades.
Juliana laid her head on Will’s shoulder, still gripping her granddaughter’s hand. With these two at her side, there was nothing she couldn’t do.
Chapter Eighteen
Mia watched her brother come into the kitchen the next morning looking like he’d lost his best friend. Too bad, she thought. She felt too good to deal with Michael’s melancholy. She hadn’t been able to wait up for him to tell him the wonderful news.
“Okay, big brother, spill it. Where were you last night until what ungodly hour and who were you with, although I can guess that last part,” Mia grinned.
“Huh!”
“Clever answer, Mikey. Now tell the truth. You were with Anna, weren’t you?”
“Yeah. For about half an hour,” Michael admitted, laying his head on his arms. He’d screwed up again. They couldn’t sustain a marriage for fifty or sixty years based on Sorry, I gotta go.
“Half an hour? What did you do? Pass each other on Main Street?”
“Come on, Mims,” Michael groaned. “I feel awful. Didn’t you watch the news last night like I told you?”
“No, I didn’t. I spent the evening with Ashley and her grandparents. Anna dropped by, too.”
“Then how could you think I spent the night with Annie if she was with you?” Michael raised his head slightly, looking at his sister with one bloodshot eye.
Taking pity on him, Mia fixed him a cup of coffee, two creams, one sugar.
“Here you go. Try some of that and maybe we can have a coherent conversation.”
“You converse. I’ll just sit here and contemplate the end of my life.”
“What happened with Anna, Mikey?” Mia asked bluntly, shoving the coffee under his nose. At least he lifted his head all the way and wrapped his hands around the warm mug. It seemed to give him a bit of life after all.
Michael took a gulp of the coffee, burning his mouth. “Jeez, that was hot!”
“Coffee is supposed to be hot. Now quit stalling.”
“Okay, okay,” Michael gave in. “I was working with Chief and the agents. They left to get dinner while we were waiting for some information. I decided to go out for a while, too, and thought I’d check in with Annie.” Michael took a moment to take a sip of his coffee to clear his throat and his head. But this time, he blew on it first.
“By the way, once again, would you please call her Annie? I mean, you guys are friends and all.”
“If you insist,” Mia sighed. “So, what did Annie say when you called?”
“That she would meet me at the diner. Her idea. We talked, I ordered, and halfway through my burger, I had to leave.”
“Sticking Annie with the check, no doubt.” Mia already knew this, but it would do Mikey good to confess his sins.
“Yeah,” he groaned, his head drooping with the shame of it all.
“And just how many times have you bailed on her?”
“Too many.”
“Lord, I have an idiot for a big brother,” Mia said with an eye roll. “How are you going to make it up to her?”
“Don’t you understand, Mims? It’s too late and I can’t right now, anyway.”
“Why not?”
“This thing with the seniors. It’s gotten bigger and they need my help.” Briefly, Michael filled her in on the duplex with seniors locked in and abandoned.
For once, Mia was silent, her mouth opened in shock. “No,” she whispered.
“Yes. And the Feds need me, but I can’t tell you why.”
“Oh, Mikey. What can I do to help?” Mia got out, tears in her voice.
“I don’t know,” he said, shaking his head. “Maybe tell Annie what a great guy I am and I’m worth waiting for?”
“If she doesn’t know that already, then she doesn’t deserve you,” Mia told him, reaching for his hand to hold it tight.
Just as Michael was contemplating crawling back into bed and pulling the covers over his head, his phone rang.
“That’s my editor’s ringtone,” he told Mia. “Frank? What’s up?”
At Frank’s excited words, Michael’s head jerked up and he mouthed to Mia, get my tablet.
“Put him on, Frank.” After a slight pause, Michael heard an excited male voice on the phone. He quickly put the man on speaker so he could hear and take notes.
“Hello. Yes, this is Michael Broderick.”
“Are you the guy who’s been writin’ about them old folks?”
&nbs
p; “Yes, I am. How can I help you?” Michael did his best to remain calm, but this man could have vital information.
“Well, I ain’t tellin’ ya who I am, so don’t think of pullin’ anything fancy, hear?”
“I hear, sir, and I’ll respect your privacy.”
“Okay. I guess I have to trust ya’ because if I don’t, lots of those old folks are going to die.”
Michael held his hand up to shush his sister when she gasped audibly at the man’s words.
“How do you know that?” he asked, trying his best to get more information while keeping the man calm.
“I was workin’ in this place, see, and there were six of the old folks when I started but now there are twelve and we wuz told to get rid of ’em.”
Mia didn’t wait to hear another word but picked up her phone to call Chief. As soon as she had him on the phone, she told him she was going to put her phone up to Michael’s so he could hear.
“By get rid of them, do you mean drive them somewhere and abandon them like they’ve done with the others?”
“I don’t know what they meant, but the other two guys that worked with me … the fourth guy disappeared a bit ago … said the boss was too soft and they weren’t going to take the rap for doin’ what the boss told us. No witnesses. They said. They wuz gonna lock everything up tight and turn up the gas. So, I ran out the back door and threw a rock through the window to let out the gas if they tried it.”
“Okay, good job,” Michael said. “Now can you tell me where this place is located?”
“I’m out back of the Atkins farm and the place where the old ’uns are is about a mile north. But don’t go looking for me. I’ll be long gone.”
“I understand,” Michael told him. “But tell the Atkins to stay inside and lock their doors. Those other guys might be out looking for you and you could be in danger.”
“I don’t need tellin’ twict, mister. But them Atkins ain’t even to home.”
“One more thing. The guy that disappeared. Can you describe him?”
“Just average, yanno? But he had dark hair and dark eyes so I think he was Mexican. And that’s all I’m sayin’ about anythin’.”
The phone disconnected and Michael reached for Mia’s phone, putting it on speaker. “Chief? You got all that?”
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