“So, Novitiate Lalli and good ol’ Spike were lovers,” I whispered to Jagger as if anyone could hear us in the exam room. The staff must have thought I was getting intensive therapy, since Jagger and I met so often. He’d come to get me before lights out, which worked out perfectly. For once I didn’t have to call him to give him the information that I’d found.
Mason had politely excused himself, and Jagger’s glare followed Mason all the way down the hallway.
How cute.
“Good job, Sherlock.”
I smiled. “Thanks. Now we need to find out more from her. From Lalli. Don’t you think?”
“Do you?”
“Why, yes—” I curled my lips at him. “Don’t give me that psychobabble, Jag. I catch onto medical stuff too easily.”
We both laughed. It was nice, for a change. All in all, today wasn’t such a bad day. Especially since I got to get out of the Institute, even if only temporarily.
I thought of the spa and felt my face burn.
Jagger took out a toothpick, unwrapped it and held it near his lips.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the little stick of wood.
Before he touched it to his mouth, he said, “Look, Sherlock, forget about this morning or we’re not going to get past it enough to work together.” He popped the end of the toothpick into his mouth and stared.
If my face had been burning, it had just exploded from the heat. But he was right. I had to forget that he’d seen my butt and I his. That was going to be hard to do, but I would force myself. So again with humor, I said, “Oh.” I laughed. “Sure, it’s already forgotten. A butt’s a butt.”
He grinned. “I was talking about you missing your parents, because if you get too emotional, you could mess up. It could get dangerous.”
I wondered if my face was redder than “Santa’s” pj’s. “Yeah. I knew that, but a butt is still a butt,” I mumbled, and had to cover my mouth with my hand to shut myself up.
Maybe I really couldn’t work with a guy like Jagger.
I let out a breath, removed my hand and said, “So, I’ll see if I can get anything else from Lalli. I’m not even going to call her Novitiate Lalli. She doesn’t deserve it, and maybe she isn’t even going to be a nun. And with the info from Mason and Margaret, I’m guessing Spike was driving the white van that followed me from Dr. De Jong’s.”
He nodded. “Lieutenant Shatley said there were no fingerprints on the broom handle that was used to kill Vito. They have no leads.”
“Not even Terry? He did seem like a real sick man. I mean, didn’t Terry kill him?”
“Or Spike.”
I disliked the guy, but murder? “Do you think he did?”
“Sherlock, I don’t think in this business. It’s all common sense. We find evidence and tie two and two together, then deliver it to the cops.” With that he stood, leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. “Get some sleep.”
I stood and walked to the door. “Okay. You too.” When I walked toward my room, I touched my forehead. Couldn’t I have come up with something better, maybe more romantic? Then again, he had kissed my forehead, like one of my brothers.
The next day passed along as usual. A few patients had “incidents” that ended them up in wet packs or solitary confinement. I successfully avoided swallowing the Green Demon all day and met up with Mason and Margaret for meals. Novitiate Lalli was nowhere to be found. We concluded that she either had the day off or was working another shift since she’d worked last night. It seemed the staff changed shifts around here quite often. That was odd to me, but then again, this was a mental institution. I couldn’t compare working here to working on an obstetrical ward at a regular hospital.
After dinner, I sat in the television dayroom while Margaret and Mason went to the other one to see if they could find out anything. Good luck, I thought. I hoped they would do better than I could around here. My only hope was talking to Joanna, who was once again arguing about the television remote with the older man in the red pajamas.
Oh, well. It wasn’t as if I had anything better to do. I got up and went over to the glass window of the nurses’ station, which was part of the dayroom. Sister Barbie was working the evening shift. “Hi, Sister.”
Ignoring me, she kept working on the computer. Damn. I leaned a little closer to the opening in the glass window where patients had to talk into. “Good evening, Sister Barbara.”
She slowly finished typing and looked up. “Oh, Pauline. I didn’t hear you. Sorry. Have you been there long?”
Good. I didn’t want to be on all the staff’s black list. “No. I just wanted to tell you that Joanna and . . . I don’t know the gentleman’s name but he is wearing the red pajamas—are arguing about the remote—”
The plastic Barbie doll came flying at me, hitting my shoulder. I felt the key Jagger had given me pinch into my skin. “Ouch!”
Sister and Vinny were up and hurrying over to Joanna. They talked to both patients while I picked up Missile Barbie. The staff had Joanna fairly calm now though she insisted she had nothing to do with the doll flying at me. The man in red was watching whatever was on the television.
I started to walk toward Joanna and had a thought. I learned “Santa’s” name was Stanley when I heard Sister Barbara call him. He moved to a chair that was closer to the television. I smiled to myself wondering why he even cared what was on TV, as he’d probably be fast asleep soon. They didn’t whisk Joanna off. She sat there silently. I held the Barbie doll close and sat next to her.
Joanna didn’t look at me.
I looked around the dayroom. No one was paying attention. Vinny, now back on his perch, was reading a magazine. So I held the Barbie doll up on my lap and in my best high-pitched tone said, “Joanna, I’m glad you are all right.”
She looked at Barbie. “Yeah, right. Big help you were.”
I bent Barbie forward in an apologetic stance. “I am sorry. Will you still be my friend?”
Joanna paused. Thank goodness she didn’t look at me. I think the poor thing really thought the doll was talking to her. Then again, judging by her past behavior, I guessed a doll talking to her wasn’t anything new to Joanna.
I leaned Barbie closer to her. I pushed her left hand out with my finger. Good thing I had nieces that I’d played with in the past. “Hey, Joanna, let’s talk about that nun. The young one who dresses differently from the others.”
Joanna stared at Barbie and then patted her plastic hand. I couldn’t believe she didn’t yank the doll from my hold. I wondered if Joanna was enjoying the Barbie doll being animated on its own.
“Lalli. I told you her name was Lalli.”
“Yeah, she’s the one. Let’s talk about her. It’ll be fun!”
Santa snored.
Joanna’s attention was broken.
Damn. Thinking quickly, I raised both of Barbie’s hands and “hugged” Joanna. “I love you,” I sang out.
She pulled her glance back to the doll. “Then eat your bread at breakfast.”
Barbie doll nodded. “Tell me more about Lalli. I think she’s mean.”
“We know she is mean. She always makes me put you to bed when you are done with breakfast. I hope that man gets her in trouble.”
My eyebrows rose—and I think Barbie’s did too.
“Trouble?” Barbie asked.
“Yeah,” Joanna whispered. “You know they are dating. They actually live together. Ha. Ha. Ha.” She looked as if she’d just told a hilarious joke.
Me, I was stuck on the “are” part. Spike and Lalli were still living together?
“Tell me more! Tell me more!” Barbie insisted. I almost felt that if I let her go, she’d still keep talking—as if she was taking control.
I shook my head and persisted.
“Shh!” Joanna ordered. “Don’t be so loud.”
I thought my “ventriloquist” voice was barely audible. But I softened it further. “Yes, Joanna. And I will eat my bread.”
She smiled. “Okay. Well, they live in such a poor neighborhood, with her father too, that Lalli’s relative came up with a wonderful idea to make money. They are all so smart!”
“What relative?”
“I . . . Joanna doesn’t know. Lalli never said a name, but she did say she was pissed at them and hoped Spike would go back to jail with them all.” She leaned close to the doll and stroked her hair. “Lalli doesn’t think she’s getting enough of the money. Wants a bigger cut.”
Bingo!
Suddenly I caught the Barbie doll looking at me and wanted to say, “What?” Then I realized what she was trying to tell me. How reliable was Joanna? Damn it all. This sounded too good to be true.
Motive.
I may have stumbled upon the motive for the fraud scam.
Joanna was yanking at Barbie. “I asked you a question!”
Darn. I hadn’t heard it. “Sorry, Joanna. I didn’t—”
Before I knew it, Barbie was flying across the room yet again. Joanna had grabbed her and scratched my hand in the process. Vinny was up and out of his chair in seconds, subduing a freaked-out Joanna, who kept screaming about the insolent Barbie.
I rubbed my hand and sat back.
Santa, obviously awakened by the noise, looked at me. “If she thinks she’s getting another one of those for Christmas, she’s whacky.”
I could only wonder at the thought of Santa speaking like that.
In all the hubbub, Dr. Dick came walking into the unit. He whisked me off to the exam room, and before I knew it, I was filling Jagger in on the entire scoop.
He nodded. “Good job, Sherlock.”
That was better than getting out on a pass.
“So, can you check on all of that to see if it’s real?” I asked.
“Done.”
“You already did?” My voice sounded shocked and disappointed all at once.
Jagger chuckled. “No, Sherlock, I didn’t already do it. I meant ‘done’ as in, ‘You got it.’ I’ll do it.”
“Oh.” I leaned back on the exam table. “Now we need to find out who Lalli’s relatives are.”
Jagger looked at me as if to say, “No kidding,” but he didn’t. He didn’t say the words and embarrass me further. What he did say was, “I’ll see if I can find out. Shatley may have more info now or at least maybe get more with all that you have given us.”
I puffed up like a stupid peacock. Made me think of Goldie.
“Shatley did say Spike is out after being questioned.”
Damn. But I wasn’t going to let that get me down. I needed my moment of glory.
Jagger must have noticed my peacock stance and said, “Well, Sherlock, guess it was worth it to get you into this place.”
My bubble broke when I remembered him standing in the doorway at Bradley International Airport and watching me get taken away. But, damn it all, he was right.
We were getting very close to ending this fraud ring and sending innocent victims like Mason and Margaret home.
Deciding to be big about it, I said, “You know, Jag, it was worth it. I can just picture Margaret getting back with her family and hugging Kyle.”
“Kids should be with their folks,” he said.
Taken aback, I looked at him and noticed a sadness in his eyes. Where had Jagger come from, and was he talking about something to do with him? His childhood?
Before I knew it, he gently lifted me to stand and took me into his arms! He held me for a few seconds and then looked at me. “You have the key?”
I nodded.
“I’m going to talk to Lieutenant Shatley. When I find out where Lalli and Spike live, I’ll take a look. In the meantime, stay out of your room and in the dayroom with the TV. The busier room. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
He brushed some hair from my forehead and after I nodded (since I couldn’t speak), he leaned forward and kissed me again.
Not at all like a brother.
I watched a rerun of Gilligan’s Island with Santa and a few other patients. Jackie Dee, now terribly bald on the back of her head, had been moved to Ward 200B. I said a prayer to Saint Theresa for her.
Callie Jo slept near Vinny, who apparently was doing a double shift since Spike was gone.
I know Jagger had told me to stay out here, but I had to go to the little girls’ room. So, I walked down toward my room with an eagle eye out. No one seemed suspicious. But when I got to the end of the hallway, I noticed the night staff coming in the door from the tunnel.
Novitiate Lalli was there.
Damn.
I scooted into my room and went into the john. There on the sink sat a can of pine-scented Renuzit. For a second I feared someone had connected me to my mother. My family. But that was ridiculous. Even if there were spies on this unit, no one could have ever known about my “always soothing, nostalgic fetish.”
My fears were relieved when I noticed a toothpick, the flat kind, still in its wrapper next to the can.
I lifted the Renuzit. There was no red dot on the can either. Jagger must have paid full price, I thought, and smiled.
’Cause he sure didn’t get it from Stella Sokol.
After I hid my Renuzit, I was back in the safety of the dayroom. Not much had changed since I’d left, but now Margaret was sitting next to Santa, telling him about her son. My heart ached. We had to get her out of there soon. Mason seemed to be holding out better, but then again, Margaret had been there longer, and as a mother, missing her child had to be devastating.
She started to weep. I couldn’t take it, so I got up and went to her. “Let’s take a walk.” Sitting next to Santa, even a nutty one, had to be too much of a reminder for Margaret.
Remembering Jagger’s warning, I figured walking around with someone was safe. Margaret and I headed down the hallway away from the nurses’ station. When we passed by Jackie Dee’s old room, I noticed a janitor cleaning.
“Hold on, Margaret. Wait right here for me.” I went into the room.
At first the guy jumped. Guess he didn’t like being in a room alone with a “patient.” “Hi. I’m just curious.”
“And I’m a janitor, lady. Go on now.” He started to sweep. I noticed a few broom straws on the floor.
“Looks as if your broom is coming apart.”
He cursed. “Cheap place. Won’t even buy us good brooms.”
“Has that been happening long?”
He looked at me as if I were certifiable but said, “Last few months these old ones have all given out.”
So that could be why I found so many straws around. Maybe they really weren’t some kind of warning to me. Maybe no one had any idea who I was. Maybe my mind had been playing tricks on me after being in here too long.
Way too long.
I hurried out to share my news with Margaret.
“Hey—” The hallway was empty. Suddenly something didn’t feel right. My old “gut” instinct from my nursing days kicked in. Margaret wouldn’t just take off without a word. She seemed pleased to be talking to me. Damn it.
“No!” I heard a shout coming from the hallway near the tunnel entrance. Sounded like Margaret.
I ran in that direction and stopped short when I saw Spike dragging Margaret out the door!
“Stop it!” I shouted.
He turned and glared at me. “Get the hell out of here.”
I could not let him take her. So, I summoned up the lessons Jagger had given me and slammed Spike one with a fist to his throat. He let go of Margaret.
“Run!” I shouted to her.
“I’ve been waiting a long time for this, bitch!” He tried to punch me in the face, but I turned with the motion of his fist and only got a slight blow to my cheek.
“Damn!” I did a few more moves and told Margaret to leave. “What do you have against me anyway, you jerk?”
He laughed. “Maybe the fact that you could ruin everything has something to do with it.”
Spike knew about me. But how?
“Ruin what, jerk?”
He pushed me up against the wall. “The money. The perfect money scam we got going. You ain’t going to take it all away from us.”
I couldn’t resist. “How the hell did you know?” No sense in denying who I was. It was all coming to a head real soon anyway.
“Let’s just say, Santa don’t need any little elves. He does fine by himself.”
Santa was in on it too! Pretending to be asleep, he must have heard lots of conversations. If you couldn’t trust Santa, whom could you trust?
Margaret reached out. Spike grabbed her arm. With all my weight, I stomped my foot onto his little toe, remembering that Jagger had said it was a more sensitive area.
Spike yelped.
Margaret pulled free.
And I yelled, “Get out of here now!” I waved my hand toward Margaret and my bracelet went flying. The clasp must have broken!
She hesitated while I let Spike have another taste of my Jagger lessons. This time I used the finger to Spike’s nose. He moved his head back before I could scratch him, but still cursed in pain.
“I can’t leave you, Pauline.” She tried to grab at Spike’s hair.
“Yes you can. Do it for Kyle!” I couldn’t even tell her to go get help. We were way too close to solving this crime and I didn’t want to blow it. And now I had much more to blow it all wide open with. I can handle Spike, I thought, smacking him in the eyes with my clawed hands. “Get out . . . of . . . here, Margaret! Go get my doctor!”
With fear in her eyes, she turned and ran.
Good. Now all I had to do was deal with King Kong—all by myself.
Spike is a force to be reckoned with, I thought, as we battled it out. Sure, his strength was no match for mine, but my brains beat the heck out of his.
I was holding my own, since I managed to duck and twist to avoid several of his punches, but I still couldn’t get my taser bracelet from the floor to stun him one.
I had to fight dirty with this creep, so I said, “Lalli sure punked you.” I could hardly believe that I’d used the word “punked.”
“What you talking about, bitch?”
He didn’t let go, but I could feel him relax. Good. My words found his Achilles’ heel. His macho self wouldn’t let a female insult him. “Lalli, your girl. She’s spreading it around that you belong in jail. With all the others. The whole lot of you. Ouch!” He’d tightened his hold. I could only imagine his anger, this time, was against Lalli.
“What’d she say?”
I made a few moves that maneuvered us closer to the doorway. Then, I sneezed in his face and grabbed the key from under my top.
Spike cursed at me and wiped at his face. “You’re gonna pay for that.” He reached out to me.
I tried to flip him as Jagger had shown me, but his foot caught on my robe, sending us both down on the hard tile floor.
The smack sounded in the emptiness.
The grossness of landing on top of Spike was more than I could bear, even in my dizziness from the fall. I pushed up, noticed my bracelet near the radiator and grabbed for it. Before he could get up, I aimed it at him.
He didn’t move.
Oh, shoot. Had I been responsible for another death?
Gingerly I touched his neck. A full pulsing from his carotid artery said he was still alive—but I wouldn’t be for long if he woke up.
I had to get the hell out of there, but first I bent—and tasered the sucker—just in case he woke too soon.
Taking the key, I fumbled in haste to get out of the unit and into the tunnel—not sure where the hell I’d go.