Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
She lets out a sigh as if I just asked her to single handedly change all the bedsheets in the place. “Yeah. I really shouldn’t leave the desk so let me buzz up a CNA.”
“Great, thanks.” I fake a smile, already feeling bad for the CNA that’s going to be taken away from a job they’re most likely already behind on. I know from Laney and Keith, who both work in the medical field, that nurses and CNA are in short supply across the nation.
It takes a good five minutes for someone to come up, and an older woman with tired eyes joins us at the desk.
“Yeah, this girl wants to see Bernice.”
I offer a kind smile and the CNA waves for me to follow.
“Sorry to take you away from work,” I say.
“Nah, it’s okay. Two visitors in one week! You another friend of Bernie’s?”
“No, but we share a mutual friend who I, uh, just realized knew her.”
“Uh-huh.” The CNA nods and I probably could have said just about anything and gotten the same response. “That’s her. Pink blanket.” She points to an old lady sitting alone in a wheelchair. She’s next to a bird cage and is facing a wall. God, this is sad.
“Hi,” I say, coming over to her. Keith didn’t warn me about her failing mental stage or anything, but I assume she’s in a nursing home for a reason. “Are you Bernice?”
“Depends on who’s asking.” She laughs and turns with a smile on her face.
“Hi. I’m Anora. You talked to my friend, Keith, not that long ago.”
“Ahh, I did. Such a handsome young man. Is he your boyfriend?”
“No, he’s just a friend.” I smile and pull a chair around. “Do you want to move over here?” I motion to the window.
“Oh, that would be lovely.” I go behind the wheelchair, take the brake off, and move her so she’s in the sun, making sure it’s not shining right in her eyes. “Do you have a boyfriend? Or a husband, perhaps?”
“I do have a boyfriend. His name is Ethan.”
“You’re smiling just talking about him. He must be a good one.”
“He really is. I can tell you more about him, if you’d like.”
“I would.” She smiles up at me as I sit down. “But I’m more curious to know why you’re here. I’ve never seen you before. I’d remember. My hair was red like yours once upon a time.” She reaches up, touching her wispy gray hair.
“I did come here with a mission,” I say honestly. “I’ve been helping Keith with the renovations of the big old house I believe you used to live in.”
“Ahh. He did ask me about it. What do you want to know, dear?”
“There’s a shed in the backyard, but we think it might have been used as a cottage or cabin years ago. Do you happen to remember who would have lived there?”
“There was a groundskeeper. Older gentleman who liked to garden. His name…Stuart, I believe. Yes, that was his name. He’d get angry if you called him Stu.”
“He worked the grounds when the two women were murdered?”
“Yes,” she says after a moment’s consideration. “He did.”
“Was he a suspect?”
“If he’d been in town I would say most definitely,” Bernice says. “He was an imposing fellow. Gave me the creeps.”
“You don’t happen to remember why he was out of town, do you?” I ask.
“Oh yeah.” She nods. “He’d won some sort of award at a horticulture club and was invited to a weekend event in Michigan, I believe. I remember the award because he used that as another excuse for yelling at the kids messing near his prize winning garden. He died of a heart attack only three years later. I can only assume all that anger finally got to him.”
“Probably had high blood pressure,” I say, thinking it’s not out of the question to murder someone here and then make it to Michigan the next day…depending on where in Michigan the event was held. We’re close to the state line and slipping away from something like that would be easy at night.
“Those poor girls.” Bernice shudders. “No one deserves to go out like that.”
“No, they don’t. Thank you so much for answering my questions. I hope it wasn’t too traumatic to bring up the past like that.”
“It wasn’t. I think about them from time to time. I hope they’re at peace.”
“Me too.”
I end up staying for another half hour, visiting with Bernice, leaving when it’s time for her to go to lunch. I check in with Ethan on my way to the Covenstead and then pocket my phone, walking with Hunter through the woods. I say the spell to open the door, carefully pricking a finger with a pin to use my blood as the key to get in. Hunter and I step through and the door closes behind us.