The Legacy: A Kimberly & Sykes Mystery Novel by Kasey Mulligan Page B
Authors: Kasey Mulligan
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door. The woman’s face was red from exertion and her breathing was heavy and labored. Her ample frame was supported by two crutches.
“Sorry, two knee surgeries. I move slowly,” she said, looking from Sykes to Lauren with a pained expression on her face.
Lauren’s hand was pressed against her chest. “Oh my goodness, I am so sorry we got you up!” she said. The last thing Lauren wanted was for this woman to do herself more damage. “Please, don’t exert yourself; we can come back another time. I’m just trying to find someone who knew Mike Kimberly, my father. He used to live here.”
“No time like the right time. I’m so sick of lying down. I shouldn’t be up but there is only so long I can stay down! I am supposed to walk a few steps every day and was just doing that when you knocked on the door. Come in, please, close and lock the door behind ya.” The woman turned slowly and grimaced. She paused to lean forward and lower her head so she could wipe the sweat off her face with of the palm her hand while still lean on the crutches. She wiped her hand on her muumuu and hobbled at a slow pace down the hall. “I’m so sorry to hear about your dad, he was a good friend. I miss him already. Come in, come in, and don’t forget to lock the door.”
Lauren mouthed ‘Yes’ to Sykes and gave him a high five behind the woman’s back. She had no idea who her father’s friends were yet, she wouldn’t have expected this huge woman and her colourful muumuu to be one of them. Sykes looked pensive as he pointed in the direction of the woman’s and gave Lauren a jerk of his head. Lauren knew he wanted her to follow the woman and responded with a frown. Of course, she was going to follow her. What else would she be doing she thought. Behind her, she heard the unmistakable sounds of the locks engaging.
Slow, but skillful with the crutches, the woman swung her whole body forward several inches at a time. She appeared to have no use of her legs at all and made tiny squeals of pain each time her feet touched the floor. By the time they made it to the living room sweat was pouring down her forehead, and she was clearly showing signs of pain.
A hospital bed was set in the corner of the room. It was in an acute vertical position and the woman manoeuvred herself against it, standing on a metal plate that appeared to be attached to the bed. She pressed the electronic controls and the bed moved slowly into a near horizontal position. The woman punched the controls again and the bed adjusted so that she was upright and able to look at them without straining to sit up.
During the whole process, Lauren hovered helplessly while Sykes went to the window and looked up and down the street. Lauren saw the corner of his lips raise in a smile and tilted her head questioningly. Sykes lifted his hand and raised his thumb. Lauren assumed he meant they had not been followed.
The woman shuffled on the bed, fussing with her muumuu and Lauren gasped when she saw the woman’s feet poke out.
“You’re the cast woman!”
Sticking out from the end of the muumuu were two feet encased in plaster.
Chapter 18
“What on earth happened to you?”
“‘You don’t have to whisper, I’m not dying, I had knee surgery. I had the first one done a month ago, but it didn’t set properly. They decided to reset it and do the other knee at the same time. I had to fight for it but I wanted to have them both done at the same time and get it over and done with. That way I only have to miss work once.” The woman’s face creased in pain as she used her hands and arms to adjust her position. “What did you say your name was? Laurie?”
Lauren was moving from foot to foot at the end of the bed. “No. Lauren, Lauren Kimberly. And this is… this is my friend, Sykes.”
“Wendy, Wendy Barton. This is my brother, Brian’s place,” she said in a strained voice.
“I’m so sorry, we won’t keep you, you are obviously in pain. Can you tell
“Sorry, two knee surgeries. I move slowly,” she said, looking from Sykes to Lauren with a pained expression on her face.
Lauren’s hand was pressed against her chest. “Oh my goodness, I am so sorry we got you up!” she said. The last thing Lauren wanted was for this woman to do herself more damage. “Please, don’t exert yourself; we can come back another time. I’m just trying to find someone who knew Mike Kimberly, my father. He used to live here.”
“No time like the right time. I’m so sick of lying down. I shouldn’t be up but there is only so long I can stay down! I am supposed to walk a few steps every day and was just doing that when you knocked on the door. Come in, please, close and lock the door behind ya.” The woman turned slowly and grimaced. She paused to lean forward and lower her head so she could wipe the sweat off her face with of the palm her hand while still lean on the crutches. She wiped her hand on her muumuu and hobbled at a slow pace down the hall. “I’m so sorry to hear about your dad, he was a good friend. I miss him already. Come in, come in, and don’t forget to lock the door.”
Lauren mouthed ‘Yes’ to Sykes and gave him a high five behind the woman’s back. She had no idea who her father’s friends were yet, she wouldn’t have expected this huge woman and her colourful muumuu to be one of them. Sykes looked pensive as he pointed in the direction of the woman’s and gave Lauren a jerk of his head. Lauren knew he wanted her to follow the woman and responded with a frown. Of course, she was going to follow her. What else would she be doing she thought. Behind her, she heard the unmistakable sounds of the locks engaging.
Slow, but skillful with the crutches, the woman swung her whole body forward several inches at a time. She appeared to have no use of her legs at all and made tiny squeals of pain each time her feet touched the floor. By the time they made it to the living room sweat was pouring down her forehead, and she was clearly showing signs of pain.
A hospital bed was set in the corner of the room. It was in an acute vertical position and the woman manoeuvred herself against it, standing on a metal plate that appeared to be attached to the bed. She pressed the electronic controls and the bed moved slowly into a near horizontal position. The woman punched the controls again and the bed adjusted so that she was upright and able to look at them without straining to sit up.
During the whole process, Lauren hovered helplessly while Sykes went to the window and looked up and down the street. Lauren saw the corner of his lips raise in a smile and tilted her head questioningly. Sykes lifted his hand and raised his thumb. Lauren assumed he meant they had not been followed.
The woman shuffled on the bed, fussing with her muumuu and Lauren gasped when she saw the woman’s feet poke out.
“You’re the cast woman!”
Sticking out from the end of the muumuu were two feet encased in plaster.
Chapter 18
“What on earth happened to you?”
“‘You don’t have to whisper, I’m not dying, I had knee surgery. I had the first one done a month ago, but it didn’t set properly. They decided to reset it and do the other knee at the same time. I had to fight for it but I wanted to have them both done at the same time and get it over and done with. That way I only have to miss work once.” The woman’s face creased in pain as she used her hands and arms to adjust her position. “What did you say your name was? Laurie?”
Lauren was moving from foot to foot at the end of the bed. “No. Lauren, Lauren Kimberly. And this is… this is my friend, Sykes.”
“Wendy, Wendy Barton. This is my brother, Brian’s place,” she said in a strained voice.
“I’m so sorry, we won’t keep you, you are obviously in pain. Can you tell
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