Memorial.”
“Really?” said Dennis. “I didn’t know about that.”
“No one seems to know. That’s my concern. Maybe there’s a perfectly rational explanation, but in case there’s not, I felt like someone should look into it. Who better to investigate that kind of thing than the FBI?”
“I see. Seems like a good idea to me. Now it’s their problem, not yours.”
The couple ordered their meal and sat back in their chairs.
Dennis took a sip of the house wine. “So, how is your new hire working out?”
“Wonderful, until she mistook her bottle of Percocet for the antibiotics she’s been on the last few days. When she got to work yesterday, she was so loopy, she couldn’t keep her eyes open. I had to send her to a cot in the basement to sleep it off and call in someone else to fill in for her.”
Dennis chuckled. “Hopefully, that’ll be a lesson learned.”
They continued to discuss the day’s events at their respective hospices, falling into the lexicon unique to Stokely’s medical professionals.
After the meal, the couple traveled to Dennis’s condo. He poured two glasses of Chardonnay and carried them to the couch on which Nancy waited, handing her one as he seated himself next to her.
“I have some interesting news,” said Nancy.
Dennis reached over and laid his hand atop Nancy’s. “And what’s that?”
“Ken is going in for surgery tomorrow.”
“Really—what for? That intestinal thing…?”
“You’re thinking about his diverticular disease. No, he’s going in for rhinoplasty—a nose job.”
“Okay…,” said Dennis, sounding perplexed. “And it’s tomorrow, you said?”
“Yes. I just found out yesterday.” Nancy rolled her eyes. “As you know, Ken doesn’t involve me in his life much these days. The only reason he told me is because he wants me to wait on him while he’s in the hospital. I told him I’ll make it when I can. I’m not complaining, though. It’ll be nice.”
“Why? What do you mean?”
““Well, he’ll be in the hospital three or four days after the surgery.”
“For a nose job? Why so long?”
“He’s going to have the doctor fix his deviated septum at the same time. That part will require packing of the surgical site that the nurses will have to inspect as it heals.
“In any case, you and I have been looking for a way to move our relationship forward, right? For the next few days, we’ll have more time together to talk about next steps. We won’t have to plan our time around his schedule.”
“That makes sense,” said Dennis, nodding.
Nancy took a moment to think. “His surgery could help our relationship in other ways, too.”
Before she could elaborate, Dennis set down his wine glass and pulled her closer.
“How about you help me right now, Nurse Goins?” he said with a leer. “I have a swelling that needs some attention.”
“Oh, really?” she laughed. “Let’s just see what I can do.” After untucking his shirt, she ran her hands across his bare stomach and met his lips in a hungry rush. He reciprocated by slowly unbuttoning her blouse. The unfolding events ensured that—as instructed—Nancy would not be waiting up for Ken.
CHAPTER 28
Late in the evening, William Cline pulled his Cadillac CTS into the garage of his relatively modest home and switched off the engine. He remained motionless in the driver’s seat for a minute, staring at the shovel and rake hanging on the wall in front of his car. He finally pulled himself out of the sedan and entered his house.
His wife Sally looked up and smiled as Cline entered. She walked over and gave him a peck on the cheek. “I’m glad you’re home. You’ve been working so late recently!”
“Yes, I have,” replied Cline, gazing in the direction of the television. “Did you make anything for dinner?”
“Yes, I grilled the tilapia. Let me go warm up your plate.” She scurried off to the kitchen, and soon the microwave’s motor could be heard whirring. In
“Really?” said Dennis. “I didn’t know about that.”
“No one seems to know. That’s my concern. Maybe there’s a perfectly rational explanation, but in case there’s not, I felt like someone should look into it. Who better to investigate that kind of thing than the FBI?”
“I see. Seems like a good idea to me. Now it’s their problem, not yours.”
The couple ordered their meal and sat back in their chairs.
Dennis took a sip of the house wine. “So, how is your new hire working out?”
“Wonderful, until she mistook her bottle of Percocet for the antibiotics she’s been on the last few days. When she got to work yesterday, she was so loopy, she couldn’t keep her eyes open. I had to send her to a cot in the basement to sleep it off and call in someone else to fill in for her.”
Dennis chuckled. “Hopefully, that’ll be a lesson learned.”
They continued to discuss the day’s events at their respective hospices, falling into the lexicon unique to Stokely’s medical professionals.
After the meal, the couple traveled to Dennis’s condo. He poured two glasses of Chardonnay and carried them to the couch on which Nancy waited, handing her one as he seated himself next to her.
“I have some interesting news,” said Nancy.
Dennis reached over and laid his hand atop Nancy’s. “And what’s that?”
“Ken is going in for surgery tomorrow.”
“Really—what for? That intestinal thing…?”
“You’re thinking about his diverticular disease. No, he’s going in for rhinoplasty—a nose job.”
“Okay…,” said Dennis, sounding perplexed. “And it’s tomorrow, you said?”
“Yes. I just found out yesterday.” Nancy rolled her eyes. “As you know, Ken doesn’t involve me in his life much these days. The only reason he told me is because he wants me to wait on him while he’s in the hospital. I told him I’ll make it when I can. I’m not complaining, though. It’ll be nice.”
“Why? What do you mean?”
““Well, he’ll be in the hospital three or four days after the surgery.”
“For a nose job? Why so long?”
“He’s going to have the doctor fix his deviated septum at the same time. That part will require packing of the surgical site that the nurses will have to inspect as it heals.
“In any case, you and I have been looking for a way to move our relationship forward, right? For the next few days, we’ll have more time together to talk about next steps. We won’t have to plan our time around his schedule.”
“That makes sense,” said Dennis, nodding.
Nancy took a moment to think. “His surgery could help our relationship in other ways, too.”
Before she could elaborate, Dennis set down his wine glass and pulled her closer.
“How about you help me right now, Nurse Goins?” he said with a leer. “I have a swelling that needs some attention.”
“Oh, really?” she laughed. “Let’s just see what I can do.” After untucking his shirt, she ran her hands across his bare stomach and met his lips in a hungry rush. He reciprocated by slowly unbuttoning her blouse. The unfolding events ensured that—as instructed—Nancy would not be waiting up for Ken.
CHAPTER 28
Late in the evening, William Cline pulled his Cadillac CTS into the garage of his relatively modest home and switched off the engine. He remained motionless in the driver’s seat for a minute, staring at the shovel and rake hanging on the wall in front of his car. He finally pulled himself out of the sedan and entered his house.
His wife Sally looked up and smiled as Cline entered. She walked over and gave him a peck on the cheek. “I’m glad you’re home. You’ve been working so late recently!”
“Yes, I have,” replied Cline, gazing in the direction of the television. “Did you make anything for dinner?”
“Yes, I grilled the tilapia. Let me go warm up your plate.” She scurried off to the kitchen, and soon the microwave’s motor could be heard whirring. In
Similar Books
