Deadly Dosage by Cheryl Richards

you want.”
         “Yes, if you don’t mind.”
         “Okay, but it can’t hurt him.” She turned into
Phyllis’s office and I returned to mine.
         Fine, that’s settled. Now what. Oh yeah, work.
    On my way back to my office, I
passed the activity director who informed me she needed five dollars from every
resident on the list of paper she handed to me, for the residents’ luncheon
outing. I told her I’d check to see if they had the necessary funds, and would
have the money waiting for her at the front desk before lunchtime.
    It took me a few minutes to
check all the accounts. Only one resident was short the funds needed to attend.
All of his checks for the month were posted and it was too early in the month
to float the withdrawal. According to his recent transactions, he purchased a
new hearing aid that wiped out his funds. Poor man. Feeling generous, I coughed
up the five bucks myself. Good thing I like TV dinners. Perhaps God would
recognize this simple act of kindness and bestow a little good luck my way…like
Brandi moving out.

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter
16
     
     
    At 12:15, Donna came up to the front desk to ask if I
wanted to join her for lunch. She was going out for a sub and she had a coupon
for buy one, get one free.
    “Hold on a sec,” I said. “I
have to check if I have enough money?” 
    “That’s okay, I’ll treat you,”
Donna said. She made more than me but I didn’t want her to pay for my meal.
    I left the front desk and went
into my office. I opened my desk drawer and pulled out my handbag. Time to
clean out the inside of this thing, I thought, fighting my way through tissues
and makeup to find my wallet. Opening it, I discovered what I expected; I gave
all of my money, with the exception of fifty cents, to the activity director.
Phooey. Wrong day to be generous. I really didn’t want to eat my leftovers.
    “Hey, Donna,” I said when I
returned. “Let me pay for it with my credit card. I don’t have any cash on me.”
    “Well, okay, but I’ll give you
the money for my half.”
    “Not necessary. I”ll meet you
in fifteen minutes, if Shantel returns on time.”
    Guess I would be saving my
pathetic leftover lunch for tomorrow. That is if a nurse or aide didn’t steal
it. They did that in this place, stole stuff right out of the employee break
room. I’d keep the lunches in my desk but occasionally they need to be
refrigerated.
    Fifteen minutes later Donna
was waiting at the front desk, and I was waiting impatiently for Shantel,
tapping my foot on the floor, and glancing at my watch.
    The phone rang, and I picked
up with my usual warm-hearted greeting. “Good afternoon, Ageless Grace Nursing
Home. How may I assist you?” I looked to Donna and rolled my eyes.
    “Is Shantel there?” said a
husky male voice.
    “I’m sorry, she’s out to
lunch,” I said, pulling out the message pad. “Would you like to leave a
message, or call back?” Call back, I said under my breath.
    “Um…yeah, sure, dat be fine.
Jez say Leroy be back in town.” He hung up and I placed my hand over my heart.
    “Who was that?! All of the
color drained from your face.” Donna’s eyes were wide with curiosity.
    “Leroy’s back,” I said in a
whisper.
    “Ohhhh,” Donna said.
    We both knew Shantel had no
desire to see Leroy, ever again. This was not a message I wanted to give her.
As if on cue, Shantel walked through the front door.
    “Brrrrr. Colder than a gang
banger’s steely-eyed gaze out there.”
    “Cold as all that,” Donna
added with a smile.
    I decided the message could
wait a while. “Donna and I are heading to the Sub Shop. Be back in an hour.”
    “Let your car warm up first,”
she advised, pulling off her coat.
    Shantel was right. With the
wind blowing at a steady fifteen knots, I could have sworn I was in Russia. My
love for winter ended with the first snow.
    Donna beeped her car open and
we both jumped in. She let her car run for less than a minute and pulled