What Stella Wants

Outside Baby’s room I heard footsteps stop and Marygrace’s voice as she spoke to whoever was with her.

“The door’s closed. The aide is probably with her, getting her changed and back into bed. We’d better not go in just yet. I really don’t think it’s in Mrs. Blankenship’s best interest to talk to you now. Surely this can wait until morning?”

Marygrace had pitched her voice just high enough to carry into the room, signaling me. The deep rumble of an insistent male voice told me that time was of the essence. I turned back to Baby and smiled.

“Baby, did someone come in here and take something that belonged to you? Is that how you got hurt?”

Baby frowned. As I watched her lower lip began to tremble as her watery blue eyes filled with unshed tears.

“Oh, did they? How awful!” she murmured. “I thought that girl wanted something. She was mean to me!”

“Who was mean, Baby? Was it your aide?”

Baby shook her head emphatically. “No, not Lunta. Lunta’s good to me.” She picked nervously at her cotton coverlet. “Barbara came to see me the other day. She’s almost grown-up now.” Baby closed her eyes and appeared to have fallen asleep.

“Baby?”

Her eyelids fluttered as she focused on my face, smiling. “Oh, hello. Am I dead?”

I sighed silently. This was not going to be something I could rush. “No, dear. I’m a chaplain. I came to see if you’re all right and to keep you safe.” I decided to take a risk. “Your granddaughter, Bitsy, sent me. She said someone took something that belongs to you and I’m here to help get it back.”

The door creaked open and instead of turning around I began to pray, hoping it would deter Baby’s visitors from entering the room. “Our Father who art in Heaven…”

Baby obediently closed her eyes and I kept on praying until I heard the door click shut again.

“Baby?”

This time she was truly sleeping. I slipped my hand into the deep pocket of my robe, pulled out my cell phone and dialed Jake.

“Hey, what’s going on?” he answered.

“Marygrace is trying to keep two guys out of Baby’s room and I’m in here with her. She’s sleeping. I asked her about what happened earlier and if someone had taken anything from her room but she’s not all there. I got nothing.”

Jake chuckled softly. “She apparently thought I was one of her old boyfriends but she did tell me Bitsy came to see her.”

“Well, you got further than I did.”

I looked around the spare little room, feeling sad for the small woman lying asleep in her bed. What an awful way to spend the last days of your life.

“Maybe we ought to look at this from the other end,” Jake said. “Maybe we should find out why Bitsy was in such a hurry to talk to us.”

I looked back at Baby’s door and saw shadows moving past the bottom of the door frame. I had no doubt the feds, or whoever they really were, wouldn’t give up and leave without coming into the old woman’s room and questioning her for themselves.

“Those guys are still here,” I said.

“I know. I’m in the woods behind the parking lot. Open Baby’s blinds and I’ll be able to see which room she’s in.”

I crossed to the window, pulled open the blinds and saw nothing but darkness. The sun had slipped below the horizon, and night had fallen in the short time I’d been inside Brookhaven Manor.

“Nice get-up,” Jake murmured. “I was looking forward to Nurse Barbie but now this is something…”

“Jake!” I warned. “This really isn’t the time for games. Can you call Nina and see if she can come relieve me later? That should free us up to pursue the Bitsy angle.”

Jake chuckled softly before switching gears and returning to the business at hand. “I’ll call her. You want her to come as an aide?”

Before I could answer, the door began to open behind me. I slipped the tiny cell phone back into my pocket and turned just as the two alleged state “investigators” entered the room, accompanied by Marygrace and her boss.

“I’m sorry, Sister,” Marygrace said, not looking the least bit sorry. “These gentlemen are with the state adult services division and need to talk with Mrs. Blankenship about an episode that occurred earlier today. Would it be too much trouble…”

I interrupted her before she could finish. “Gentlemen, this lady is exhausted, not to mention, heavily sedated. I doubt you’ll be able to rouse her before tomorrow. I was here when the ambulance attendants gave their report. Her doctor gave her the medication right before she left the hospital.” I looked at Baby and smiled. “The poor dear fought the sedative as long as she could and only agreed to close her eyes if I stayed with her.” I looked back up at the two men, letting the smile fade as I gave them my best-remembered impression of the meanest nun in my parochial school. “I’ll be sitting right here by her side when she awakens in the morning. I suggest you come back in the afternoon if you want to talk to her. It would be cruel to awaken the dear.”