Page 62 of Healing Love

Blushing, she admitted, “The women were…um…well kept. They were dressed in what looked to be expensive clothes and there we were, four nurses dressed in drab scrubs. The whole dinner was weird!”

“Describe weird, baby,” Cam gently ordered.

“You don’t already see the weirdness?” Miriam asked, looking up at him.

“Yeah, I can. But we need to hear exactly from you what your impressions were about the people around that table.”

“Oh. Well, Dr. Villogas was always very professional in the infirmary, but kind of flirty, and he continued that at dinner. With his wife sitting there! And Mr. Guzman? He looked like he would like to devour us, and his wife was sitting right there also. The two women talked to each other in Spanish, looked at us like we were bugs to be squashed, and their husbands flirted right in front of them. And even though the women glared at us, they soon left the table and we never saw them again.”

“How did the night end?” Blaise asked.

Sighing, she said, “Sharon definitely had dollar signs in her eyes, and she began flirting back. Lorainne was feeling ill and very nervous. I just wanted out of there, and it was Sister Genovia who made that possible. She took charge, hustled us out after dinner and the men didn’t argue with a nun.”

“Anyone else?”

“Um, there were other men around, if that’s what you mean. Men at the compound. Men who guarded us or drove us places. Oh, also, one day, two of Juaquim’sbrothers came to the infirmary. I only knew that because Dr. Villogas introduced them.” Wrinkling her nose once more, she added, “They were…kind of…sleazy. I definitely felt as though I wasn’t wearing nursing scrubs and with Dr. Villogas around, they would be the type to take what they wanted. Um…if you know what I mean.”

Cam growled once more, giving her another shoulder squeeze.

Luke had been typing while Miriam gave her responses and said, “This is good information.”

“So, any ideas?” she asked tentatively, her eyes darting around the room.

“The caller had a Hispanic accent, you said. But their English was clear?” Bart asked.

She nodded and said, “And it didn’t sound…like they were having trouble speaking.”

“Good to know,” Blaise added. “So, it probably wasn’t one of workers or guards, who would have no idea how to get ahold of you and would not be speaking distinct English.”

“Could be Juaquim or someone who works for him. Someone who knows what happened and would like to get in good with him,” Chad added.

“One of his brothers?” Marc asked as they all brainstormed.

Jack would have preferred to brainstorm when Miriam was not with them, but since she was the only one who heard the voice, he needed her input.

“It could have been,” she said, trying to remember exactly how the voice sounded. “The caller spoke in anexaggerated manner, so that makes it hard to tell who it was even if I knew them.”

Her hand nervously twisted on the tabletop and Cam gave Jack a silent signal. Understanding, Jack ended the meeting.

“Miriam, you did good,” Jack said, standing. “I know this is hard. We were conferencing earlier with your brother and Tony Alvarez’s group to keep them in the loop.”

She rose from her seat, Cam’s arm still around her. Twisting her head to look up into his face, she said, “So, what now? I refuse to keep living in fear. In fact, Bethany was going to take me this afternoon to visit her grandmother. I’d like to see the facility she lives in.”

“Cariña, I’m not sure—” Cam started.

“You can come or send someone with us,” she prodded, her eyes begging.

“Okay, but I’ll go,” he agreed.

Jack nodded, saying, “We’re going to see what we can find out about Juaquim and his brothers. While the call did not come from Mexico, they will have contacts here in the U.S. and we’ll see about following the trail.”

With that, Bethany and Miriam followed Cam out to his SUV for the trip to the nursing home.

Days later, Miriam was sitting in the administrative office of the Glen Arbor Nursing Home interviewing for a position. Nervously wiping her palms on her skirt, she waited as Tonya Barlow read over her resume.

Ms. Barlow smiled at Miriam, saying, “You are very well qualified for our position. To be honest, my only concern is that you will find this job to be infinitely more boring than your past positions.” She quickly amended, “Not that working here is boring, you understand. But it certainly is not as fast paced as a hospital ER.”

“I understand your concern,” Miriam admitted honestly. “I had the opportunity to provide some home nursing care to a friend’s mom last year and it was wonderful. I also came last week to visit Ann Bridwell, since I now have become friends with her granddaughter.” Miriam was not sure how much to share with the administrator, not wanting to announce her notoriety, so she cautiously said, “I also have had recent events which have left me…no longer comfortable with the loud, busy ER in a large hospital. I…um…need a chance to get to know the patients in a calmer environment.”

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