A Thymely Death, page 18
Once inside her office, she put her purse in the bottom drawer, keeping her autoharp on the desk. She continued to hum, "You make me happy when skies are gray." To her surprise, even more administrative work arrived in her email. This time it did not pertain to death. Olivia took a sigh of relief and got to work. Maybe I passed a trial period at corporate and they feel ready to give me more to do.
After half an hour she felt the old restlessness return. I'm going to take a walk. That might help. With her office key tucked in her hand, she left, passing the nurse's station on her way to the front lobby. She stopped at the reception desk to ask, "How do I sign up for karaoke night?"
Elsie handed Olivia a slip of paper. "Put your name here and the song you want to sing." She watched as Olivia read and checked boxes. "I'm happy you like us enough to share your gifts and talents. Staff who volunteer their own time mean a lot to Hello Age."
Olivia glanced up quickly. "One question about the form. I won't need backup music. I'll bring the autoharp and provide my own."
Elsie shook her head. "That's not how we usually do things. We have electronic music for the vocalists. But I'll tell Flex, he has the final word on karaoke night." She took the slip from Olivia's hands.
Flex has a lot of authority about nearly everything at Hello Age. And then as if she'd conjured him with her thoughts, she heard his voice speaking loudly from the front entrance.
"Step over here, ladies. We'll be leaving in five minutes. I'll bring the bus around."
Olivia turned to watch the gaggle of residents forming a line, preparing to walk onto the Hello Age bus. Sasha and Echo stood in the back together as if chaperoning the elders.
"Where's Flex taking the gang so early in the morning?" Olivia asked.
Elsie leaned over the counter, speaking in a conspiratorial voice. "It's a secret mission. Every three to four months, different people, depending on the specialist's schedule, are transported down the hill for appointments. I have to leave the desk now to join them."
"See you later."
Elsie took off her name tag, dropping it in a drawer beneath the counter. Then she headed toward the back of the line.
Olivia watched as Flex counted heads. He wrote on his clipboard and then glared straight at her.
She made it a point to smile, making her way around the corner and out of sight. Her curiosity increasing, she stopped to listen to the voices from the lobby. A bulletin board gave her an excuse to linger. Her eyes looking intently at the notices, she kept her ears open for more conversation.
"I can only take seven more on the bus," Flex insisted. "You went the last time, Berta. So you can't come this morning."
"Will we be back in time for lunch?" Olivia recognized Elsie's voice.
"Of course we will. Do I ever make you ladies late for a meal?" Flex sounded injured.
"Oh Flex, we love you." An unfamiliar voice spoke in a high-pitched tone. "Here you go, sweetie, I'll put this in your pocket. A little extra for a rainy day." Olivia assumed the resident paid Flex for the inconvenience that vexed him.
A special doctor's appointment for a few select residents. Maybe I'll mosey down to reception again to observe the residents coming off the bus. I can find out more about Elsie's specialist.
Back in her office, Olivia turned on the computer. As she waited for the login screen, she felt her edginess return. Just do the work, she told herself. Then she typed in her password to read the entire Ulrich file once again. Olivia scratched her head.
I'm going to break a rule and print this file for Janis. If she hasn't heard from the coroner about cause of death, at least she'd see what I see and would realize that Raleigh was their granddad's number one choice to make end-of-life decisions.
Olivia glanced at the printer sitting next to her autoharp.
Of course, I could get fired if I print Robert's file. It's against all the regulations that protect patient confidentiality.
But I have to help Raleigh.
Olivia moved her cursor to the corner and clicked Print. Within moments Robert Bartholomew Ulrich Sr.'s records spewed onto the desk. She secured the papers with a clip in the corner, shoving them into her purse in the bottom drawer.
Since Flex is out with the bus, I could take a look in his office one more time. I may poke around and see if I can find Raleigh while I'm at it.
She put the computer to sleep.
Once in the parking lot, Olivia stopped to catch her breath and look around. She pulled her phone from her back pocket, pointing the camera in the direction of the outbuilding. With her fingers on the screen, she zoomed in, directing it toward Flex's office door to see if he had left it open.
Olivia pocketed her phone and headed across the lot. If anyone asks, I wanted to talk to Flex about karaoke. She pulled on the door, stepping inside.
To her surprise someone else was already in the room.
"Raleigh, I wanted to talk to you!"
Bent over a cardboard packing box, Raleigh stood up, face flushed.
Olivia's eyes lingered on an old-fashioned clock that they held in both hands. "What are you doing?" she asked.
Raleigh glanced at Olivia, then back to the clock. "I help Flex out sometimes, when I'm not at work in town." Raleigh put the clock back in the box, bending the cardboard flaps closed.
"Was that one of Sheila's? She told me about her collection."
"Yeah, Flex keeps resident stuff in this building, his office."
"Sheila told me Flex couldn't locate her belongings."
"That's why I came out here. To look around and see if I could help. I like Sheila and Walter."
When Raleigh didn't say any more, Olivia switched to another subject. "I'm glad we ran into each other. I'd like you to sing with me at karaoke night in the community hall."
"Sing with you?" Raleigh's voice sounded confused.
"I miss working with the Tone Rangers and I know what an incredible voice you have."
"I haven't sung since the music academy. What songs do you have in mind?"
"I know we get one song and I signed up for an old favorite that I'm sure you must know. 'You are My Sunshine'?"
To Olivia's surprise, Raleigh's eyes filled with tears. "That was Granddad's favorite. He'd ask me to sing with him whenever we were together."
I'm onto something here. Go gently and don't scare them. Olivia waited a moment, giving Raleigh a chance to harness their tears. "Did you sing that last time, when you met your granddad in the garden?"
Raleigh sniffed. "I did. We sang together before I went back to Thyme Out. Granddad was very supportive of my job at Thyme Out. He thought I'd make a good baker."
Raleigh's eyes filled again. Olivia used her voice to comfort rather than an embrace. "So I'm not supposed to tell you this, but I've been looking at your grandfather's intake papers, the ones he signed when he first came to Hello Age. Did you realize he put you down as the one to consult for end-of-life decisions?"
"He told me a couple of months ago when he wrote up another will."
Raleigh looked perplexed. "I can't find the will, but he might have left it with his lawyer or with someone else."
"Did Sasha come across it by any chance?"
"She might have, but she hasn't spoken to me since the memorial, which is fine with me." Their jaw tightened and their eyes glanced furtively back and forth. "I'd better get going. Flex will be here soon."
"Will you take the clock to Sheila?" She pointed to the box.
"I'm gonna wait. But I'll tell her I found it for sure."
"Be sure you do. I don't want you to be held responsible for it being misplaced. You seem to have a gift for showing up at the wrong time and the wrong place. Maybe Officer Jets can help and get you on the right path."
"I know," Raleigh mumbled. "I'll tell Sheila." Raleigh looked closely at Olivia. "So that's why I'm here, but you never said what you came for."
Olivia scrambled for an excuse. "I needed to iron out some karaoke details with Flex."
They both looked at each other. I think they knows I'm lying.
When Raleigh didn't say any more, she swallowed uncomfortably. "This is a complete change of subject, but do you think that telling the truth sets you free?"
"Yeah, but only if you're able to speak the truth without getting the crap beat out of you."
A warning tingle ran up Olivia's neck. The kind that happened when something important had been said. I suppose if you're trans and you know your truth but no one wants to hear you, you learn to duck and tell lies to keep safe. That may be why Raleigh looks so guilty all the time.
Of course, they may still be guilty. They broke into a cabin and took up residence. If angry and frustrated, they may have painted the bakery walls with slogans and keyed Cookie's car. They may even have been ready to steal an old lady's clock.
Filled with doubt, she inhaled, reminding herself, But I believe in Raleigh. I don't know why, but I do.
The tingling stopped. She glanced toward the exit and then gestured to Raleigh. "Let's go together." Olivia stepped aside, losing her balance when her boot hit against a metal object. Looking down, she stared. At least it doesn't look dangerous.
"It's a trap," Raleigh told her. "They call it a have-a-heart trap, when you catch critters without harm, and then release them into the woods."
Olivia felt another tingle up her spine. "Would it by any chance be good for catching, let's say, squirrels?"
"Oh yeah, perfect for that. Flex does it all the time. He traps and then releases them behind the outbuilding."
So that's how Flex did it. Olivia bit her bottom lip. "I'm going to go back to work. If I don't see you, let's meet before karaoke begins. We can run the song and some harmonies ahead of time."
"You are my sunshine," their clear tenor began to sing.
She smiled in response.
Outside, Raleigh lagged behind Olivia, and then abruptly cut around the building without a word. She made her way across the parking lot. She hurried to the lobby, stopping with a sigh, sighting the Hello Age bus pulling away from the curb. All the residents had disappeared.
I must have missed them.
Walter stood at the reception desk by himself. A plate of food lay in front of him. He reached down to pick up the sandwich, smiling at her. "Need any help?" he asked, then took a bite of his food. Dabbing his lips with a napkin, he swallowed. "Sorry about the hasty bite. I'm feeling a bit peckish. Anyway, do you need something?"
"No, I was just wondering if the bus had returned. I have a question for Flex."
"I think he's eating in the dining room today. One of his special ladies always treats him to lunch on Friday. It's part of their arrangement."
"What kind of arrangement?" Olivia asked.
"He takes them off campus down the hill at least once a month for beauty trips, he calls them. The beauty parlor, the nail salon, and then the skin guy."
"The skin guy?"
"The one who gives Botox injections. Residents visit him a lot."
Walter didn't smile nor did he look perplexed. He just took another bite of sandwich.
So that's why so many of the women at Hello Age have frozen expressions and no crow's feet.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
On Saturday morning Olivia and Michael lingered on the deck, cool breezes rustling the trees above. Michael stretched his arms over his head. "So good to have time to ourselves," he remarked, reaching to take a mug of coffee from Olivia's outstretched hand.
"I think Sage is sleeping in." Olivia balanced her mug in her hand as she sat next to him facing the woods. Leaning back in the chair, she propped her feet on the rail. "Lily Rock is shimmering this morning," she said, admiring the rock formation rising above the tree line.
"So the first week at the new job and you haven't found one dead body," Michael remarked in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Nope," she said.
"That's excellent news." He reached for her hand. "I'm thinking after our dinner date with Janis and Cookie, we could relax in the hot tub."
She felt her pulse quicken. "We've been in the house for months but never gone in the hot tub."
He stood, leaning over the rail. "Marla and I had long talks about the perfect location for her hot tub. I walked the space for weeks until I found a break in the trees. I wanted her to have a clear view of the stars at night. She laughed so hard when I marked a big X with my boot in the dirt." He looked up to smile at her.
"I loved Marla's laugh," Olivia added. "And now the hot tub is for us."
"I guess it is, but it still feels a bit awkward."
"Awkward and sad," admitted Olivia. "It's like borrowing a prom dress from a friend. It never fits exactly right because it was meant for someone else."
"We're alike, you know. Neither of us expected the house to be ours." Before he could expound on his feelings, a voice came from inside the house.
"Hey, you guys started coffee without me. Is there more in the pot?"
Sage stood in the doorway.
"I made twelve cups," Olivia said calmly, "help yourself."
As Sage retreated toward the kitchen, Michael continued to stare at Lily Rock. "Would you grab her a chair?" Olivia asked.
"Will do." His voice sounded serious.
"Anything the matter?" Olivia felt uneasy. Is Michael upset about something?
"Not a thing. I'll get the chair."
By the time Sage returned with her mug of coffee, the third chair had been arranged on Olivia's other side. Sage sat down, holding the mug in both hands, looking out at the view.
"How was work this week?" Olivia asked.
"The kids are settling down and ready for spring break. So am I," Sage admitted. "Will you guys be around?"
"For spring break? Since I just started a new job, I don't think I have any time off yet."
"Okay, so you don't mind if I meet up with some friends in Colorado? I'm going to drive. I hope to do some hiking."
Sage didn't look at Olivia, which aroused her suspicion.
"There's lots of hiking in Lily Rock," commented Olivia. "Am I to assume it's the company in Colorado that you seek?"
Sage smiled. "Yes, assume it's the company. I'll know more after I get to know him over spring break. Don't worry, I'll report every detail."
Michael cleared his throat. "Company is important," he said calmly. "Speaking of company, I've been thinking about this place and you two a lot lately. I wondered how you're doing with the living arrangement. You and Olivia, newly discovered sisters and all."
"I love living with Olivia! It feels like we've been connected for years. Plus she's been so generous adding my name to the house deed. How could I not love being here?"
Olivia stomach churned. We're all happy, the three of us. Two bedrooms on different floors with lots of privacy. We only come together in the kitchen and sometimes out here on the deck. It's like the perfect roommate arrangement. At least I thought so…
Michael responded to Sage. "So I can see that you and Olivia make great roommates. But I'm like the extra wheel. I'm here all the time, in fact so often that I feel like I might be…kind of a burden."
"You are not a third wheel!" Olivia said instantly. "Isn't that right, Sage?"
When her sister didn't answer immediately, Olivia felt her stomach knot.
Sage finally spoke. "If you must know the truth, I'm the one who feels like the third wheel. When Michael spent most of his time in the cabin, I didn't notice. But now that you live here, I wonder if I should move back with my mom to give you two some privacy."
A rush in her ears told Olivia she'd landed on emotional ground. Her inner voice began to scream. I want you both. Right here. Together as a family. Maybe I need to talk to Sage.
"Gotta put this in the trash," Olivia said, rumpling a napkin in her hand and making her way toward the house.
She hurried through the doorway toward the kitchen. Dropping the paper into the trash, she stood at the sink. Deep breath. She stared out the window at Marla's garden, wondering why she felt so strongly.
Footsteps came from behind. She felt Michael touch her shoulder. He whispered in her ear, "Didn't mean to upset you."
She crossed her arms in front of her chest, refusing to turn around to face him. "Why didn't you just say so before…the third wheel stuff?"
"If I'm not mistaken, I did just say so right now. And see how you reacted? I didn't want to burst your family bubble. Apparently Sage felt the same. We've both been dancing around your feelings for quite a while now."
"I had no idea. I'm sorry," she mumbled.
"For what? Wanting to have a family with a boyfriend and a sister in a huge house all wrapped up like a Hallmark movie?"
A small smile crept to her lips. "I guess it was too good to be true."
He kissed the top of her head. "Actually, I have an idea that might ease this situation. I'm not quite ready to spring it on you, but now that we're out in the open about our feelings, maybe you could be patient a little longer. I'll talk to Sage some more while you whip up a batch of muffins or something."
"I'll do that," she said softly.
He left Olivia staring out the window into the woods.
I feel so foolish, like I'm the only one who didn't notice their discomfort. I was blind because of Marla. She left me this beautiful house and I thought I had to be really grateful to her. I am grateful. But that doesn't mean Michael and Sage feel the same.
Olivia mixed the muffin batter with a wooden spoon. She spooned enough batter to fill each spot on the tin three-quarters full. Once in the oven she made herself busy tidying the dishes in the sink. Then she pulled the glass carafe away and refilled her mug with coffee.
Once through the glass doorway, she stepped outside on the deck. Michael and Sage were laughing at Mayor Maguire, who chased his tail in an endless circle.
"He showed up while you were making coffee," Michael explained.
The mayor stopped to look at Olivia. His right ear raised as if to listen.
