"Please. Remind me,” Carl said. “It excites me. My middle initial doesn't stand for Raymond, it stands for Revenge.” Carl's lips curved into a crooked smile as he put his hands behind his head and leaned back.
"I'm going to present an offer Nan can't refuse,” Paul said. “I also bought another piece of land south of town on the highway. It would make a good spot for a new mortuary. She doesn't know about it, though.” Paul stretched his long legs and crossed one foot over the other. “I'm keeping that surprise on hold in case I need ammunition. If she turns me down, I'll sell it to someone else."
"Is she still on a kick to find that man who screwed her dad over a patent?"
"She mentioned it again today."
"Do you think she'll find him?"
"I doubt it. I told her to give it up, but you know Nan. It's all about family loyalty."
The dispatcher entered the room and lifted the lid on a plastic container she carried. Angie waved the box under Carl's nose. “Try one. My daughter baked them this morning."
Carl inhaled one of the gooey cookies in two bites before grabbing a second one and stuffing the whole thing in his mouth.
Paul took a cookie and broke off small sections. Staring at the chocolate smears on Carl's lips, Paul placed a piece in his mouth before flicking at the crumbs on his grey slacks. He didn't want chocolate stains to soil his new three-hundred-dollar pants.
"By the way, Carl,” Angie said, “I forgot to tell you Mr. Fossum's sister called yesterday. She won't be back for a few more days. She wondered if you'd keep an eye on the Fossums’ property.” Angie handed Carl three more cookies. “She's meeting a realtor out there when she gets back."
As Carl licked the chocolate off his fingers, Lon Friborg entered through the side door. Lon rummaged through the stack of papers in his hand, pulled out an envelope, and tossed it at Carl. The envelope slid across the desk and hit Carl in the stomach. “Here's the letter you wanted. It looks like the union's going to back your election."
"Holy shit,” Carl said with a whoop. “It's about time they back the better candidate. With their vote and your campaigning, it'll seal my victory tighter than a virgin's ass."
"Congrats, buddy.” Paul grabbed Carl's hand and pumped it. “Things are going your way."
"I wonder why?” Lon said under his breath.
Carl pulled the cookies out of Lon's reach. “If you've got something to say, say it to my face.” He shoved a whole cookie in his mouth, glaring at Lon.
"I wonder why things are going your way. It wouldn't have anything to do with that fishing excursion with Judge Kimmer, would it?"
"That's none of your damn concern, Deputy,” Carl said. “You better keep your nose out of my business. If your brain was as big as your ears, I wouldn't have to remind you."
Carl gestured with a stab of his finger. “You're trying to sabotage my election by conducting an investigation behind my back. You're going to get somebody in a whole shit load of trouble, and it ain't gonna be me."
22
Sadie draped her arm over the back of the driver's chair as she tried to interpret Lora's frantic ramblings. After calming the woman, Sadie stomped out of the van and marched through the sliding glass doors into the nursing home.
"Hi, Miss Sadie,” a nursing home resident shouted as she hurried past him and continued down the hall. Her bare heels slapped against her sandals.
"I'll catch up with you later, Elmer.” Sadie rounded a corner. Cursing her sandals for slowing her down, she paused in a doorway and kicked them off. She called out to Aanders.
A gnarled hand pointed in the direction of the dining room. “I just saw him pushing that empty wheelchair down the hall.” The resident attempted to clear the gravel from his voice. “Don't that kid have nothing better to do than wander the halls all day?"
Sadie waved briskly as she passed a woman inching her way down the hall supporting her weight on a walker. Clutching her sandals, Sadie scurried past two more residents in wheelchairs. A conversation at the end of the corridor caught her attention. A funeral director from a town located seventeen miles north of Pinecone Landing loaded a body bag into his vehicle. Sadie watched him thank the nurse who had assisted him and hand her a sheet of paper. The nurse attached it to a clipboard and returned to the nursing station.
"You better be pushing an empty chair this time, young man,” Sadie said under her breath. The dining room was filled with residents waiting for their evening meal. Weaving through the crowd, she spotted Aanders sitting at a table in the far corner. She balled her fists when Aanders shifted to the side and she saw Tim in the wheelchair.
Aanders pushed the wheel-lock lever into position before placing his hands under Tim's arms and hoisting him up. He uttered a cry as he felt a hand grasp his shoulder.
"I just had a conversation with Lora. I'm here to see if what she told me is true.” She leaned close to Aanders so he could appreciate her anger. “The fact that Tim is still here tells me it is."
Aanders traced the leaf pattern in the table top with his finger.
Tim's head slouched toward his chest before he peeked up at her then back down to avoid the shards of rage emanating from the angry woman.
"Aanders, I'm talking to you.” Realizing she'd attracted attention, she grabbed the handles on Tim's wheelchair and rolled him through the crowd. Looking back at Aanders, she jabbed her finger toward him and then down at her side. He fell into place next to her.
"Ma'am. Oh Ma'am,” one of the dietary aides shouted. “You'll have to put your shoes on. You can't be in here with bare feet."
Dropping her sandals on the floor, Sadie slipped them on and gave the aide a look that could boil water. “Are you satisfied? I don't know what difference it makes anyway."
Sadie and Aanders left the aide standing in the dining room. “Blah, blah, blah,” Sadie mocked as they rounded the corner and continued down the hall. The aide hurried to catch them, all the while reciting the merits of infection control.
Elmer and a few of his cronies watched Sadie push the empty wheelchair up to the van door.
"Help him into the van while I return the wheelchair,” Sadie said.
Theo climbed down and took one of Tim's arms while Aanders grasped the other. They assisted Tim up the steps. Aanders avoided Lora as he walked to the rear of the van. Theo took his usual seat across from the driver.
"Sorry I don't have time to visit,” Sadie shouted to Elmer. “I'll catch up with you next time.” She pushed the door release and the door swooshed closed.
Elmer smiled and returned the greeting with a wave of his hand. The residents watched the van disappear around the corner. Elmer said, “Sure is hot today."
The woman with a straw hat said, “Sure is.” Not one of them gave voice to what they had witnessed.
The tension in the van swelled as Sadie pulled away from the no-parking sign. She adjusted the rear view mirror so she could see Aanders. “Did you keep Tim from going through the light?"
Hearing no reply, Sadie raised her voice. “I'm talking to you, young man. If I don't get an answer, I'll pull this van over and hound you until you tell me the truth.” Her voice faltered as she repeated the question. “Did you prevent Tim from going through the light?"
"Yes."
Sadie let out a disgusted breath. “I can muster four hours a day of being nice and I've already used them up.” When Aanders’ eyes finally met hers, Sadie said, “I'm furious with you. You need to realize what a terrible thing you've done."