climbed up a slight embankment onto the nursing home lawn facing the rear wall. It was a large, one story brick building. It appeared to be square, but the tops of palm trees jutting above the roofline told me the building had a central courtyard. They build the nursing homes in the shape of a square donut. That allows every room to have windows. The daylight is necessary to keep the old folks from getting depressed. I crept along the outside wall until I came to the last window on the right. I pushed up on the bottom and it moved easily. The windowsill was about three feet above the grass. I threw my right leg over the sill and stepped into room 204. So far, so good.
The room was empty as promised. I slowly opened the door to the hall and looked both ways. Nobody there. I stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind me. Room 205 was just across the hall. I moved quietly and turned the doorknob on 205. It was unlocked. I opened the door and slipped inside. The only light in the room came from a night light low on the wall. I approached the bed and looked down at the sleeping woman. She must have been good looking, but now she was all banged up. I gently touched her arm and she awoke with a start.
"It's alright," I said. "Your daughter, Jennifer sent me." She relaxed a little, but she was still unsure.
I said, "She wants you to tell me what you know about Flaherty Construction and I'll pass it on to the FBI."
"They tried to kill me," she said. "And they almost succeeded, the bastards. I never know if they'll send somebody in here to finish me off." I could hear the fear in her voice.
I said, "If it makes you feel any safer, the FBI is watching this building every night."
"Thank you, that does make me feel safer."
I had to ask. "Hattie, the car that hit you, was it a big, black car with tinted windows?"
"Yes, how did you know that?"
"The same car tried to run me down. I barely escaped with my life."
"Why would they want to kill you?" Hattie asked.
"Because I was trying to stop Flaherty from bulldozing the mobile home park that I live in. He wants to build condos there."
"They're no good bastards," she said. She reached out and opened the drawer of a small table that stood next to the bed. She took out a pocket notebook and handed it to me. "Here is everything I know about those sub-human pigs. I hope it puts them away for life." I put the notebook in my pocket.
"Is there anything you want me to tell your daughter?" I asked.
"Yes. Please tell her to be careful. Tell her not to come here to visit me. It could put her in danger."
"I'll pass it on," I said. I nodded and went to the door. I peeked out into the hall. No one was out there. I waved goodbye to Hattie and closed the door softly behind me. Then I headed back to room 204. I had only taken a few steps when a tall, gaunt, old man in a nightgown stood up from behind a tray cart. Damn, how was I going to talk my way out of this? I nodded at the old gent and said, "Good evening."
"She's mine," he hissed.
"Huh?"
"She's mine, you can't have her." He lifted his right hand, which held one of the nastiest looking carving knifes I'd ever seen. He must have swiped it from the kitchen. Don't they watch these old coots? He started shuffling towards me, holding the knife over his head, ready to stab me. I took off in the opposite direction. He kept up with me even though he was
The room was empty as promised. I slowly opened the door to the hall and looked both ways. Nobody there. I stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind me. Room 205 was just across the hall. I moved quietly and turned the doorknob on 205. It was unlocked. I opened the door and slipped inside. The only light in the room came from a night light low on the wall. I approached the bed and looked down at the sleeping woman. She must have been good looking, but now she was all banged up. I gently touched her arm and she awoke with a start.
"It's alright," I said. "Your daughter, Jennifer sent me." She relaxed a little, but she was still unsure.
I said, "She wants you to tell me what you know about Flaherty Construction and I'll pass it on to the FBI."
"They tried to kill me," she said. "And they almost succeeded, the bastards. I never know if they'll send somebody in here to finish me off." I could hear the fear in her voice.
I said, "If it makes you feel any safer, the FBI is watching this building every night."
"Thank you, that does make me feel safer."
I had to ask. "Hattie, the car that hit you, was it a big, black car with tinted windows?"
"Yes, how did you know that?"
"The same car tried to run me down. I barely escaped with my life."
"Why would they want to kill you?" Hattie asked.
"Because I was trying to stop Flaherty from bulldozing the mobile home park that I live in. He wants to build condos there."
"They're no good bastards," she said. She reached out and opened the drawer of a small table that stood next to the bed. She took out a pocket notebook and handed it to me. "Here is everything I know about those sub-human pigs. I hope it puts them away for life." I put the notebook in my pocket.
"Is there anything you want me to tell your daughter?" I asked.
"Yes. Please tell her to be careful. Tell her not to come here to visit me. It could put her in danger."
"I'll pass it on," I said. I nodded and went to the door. I peeked out into the hall. No one was out there. I waved goodbye to Hattie and closed the door softly behind me. Then I headed back to room 204. I had only taken a few steps when a tall, gaunt, old man in a nightgown stood up from behind a tray cart. Damn, how was I going to talk my way out of this? I nodded at the old gent and said, "Good evening."
"She's mine," he hissed.
"Huh?"
"She's mine, you can't have her." He lifted his right hand, which held one of the nastiest looking carving knifes I'd ever seen. He must have swiped it from the kitchen. Don't they watch these old coots? He started shuffling towards me, holding the knife over his head, ready to stab me. I took off in the opposite direction. He kept up with me even though he was
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