Page 45 of Dying to Read

Killer followed him out of the room.

“Well, I guess we’re good until we get back, then. Do you want to grab lunch in Flagstaff after we talk with thenursing home?”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll drive; I brought my Suburban today.” Shirley went on a tangent about the cost of gas and how she needed to buy a new car. “Kathy asked if I wanted her to go shopping with me, but I think I’m going to ask Terrance. I told Kathy about our friendship and she seems okaywith it now.”

“She’s probably glad you have someone to talk to,” Rarity added as they leftthe building.

Shirley didn’t answer until she’d gotten into the car, started the engine, and then looked over at Rarity. “I think I’m falling in love with Terrance. If George was gone, I could understand my feelings. But why would my heartbe so fickle?”

Rarity didn’t have a good answer. “Terrance is a good man. If you tell him you need to wait, he’ll wait.”

Shirley nodded and then eased the car into traffic. “My luck, George will outlive us all. Which I hope he does, but on the other hand… See, even talking about it makes me crazy.”

“Then let’s talk about something else.” Rarity thought a moment and then said, “So tell me what you know about William Jully.”

By the time they got to Flagstaff, Shirley had gone over the times she’d met Jully. “He was the one who told me I couldn’t come every day. I guess Sally wasn’t going to say anything, but Jully said that Lizzy kept freaking out at night when I came to see George.”

“You were coming in the evening on days you didn’t work, right?” Rarity was beginning to see a pattern with Jully. “Maybe he didn’t like family in the facility when he was in charge.”

“Marsha Graves, the social worker, would know.” Shirley pointed to an older station wagon with faded paint in the parking lot. “And it looks like we’re in luck. She’s here. She told Sally that she wasn’t going to Jully’s funeral because of hershifts here.”

“Let’s go see if she’ll talk with us. She might even give us a tour of the facility since you two are acquainted. And she knows the George situation.” Rarity didn’t know if anyone would talk badabout William Jully because of the liability it put on the facility. But if anyone knew his effect on and treatment of the patients, the facility social worker would. She might even be able to give them a good understanding of what happened that made Ruth Agee change her will.

And pigs would fly,Rarity thought as they entered the front doors. Institutions stood behind their bad actors because they worried about lawsuits. Ruth Agee didn’t have anyone to worry about her. George was different. He had all kinds of people who had his back. People he didn’t even know. Or remember.

Chapter 18

“We’re here to chat with Marsha Graves if she has a moment,” Shirley said when they walked up to the front desk. “I’m looking at a possible transfer for my husband.”

The woman’s eyes lit up, and she stood. “Are you sure you don’t want to chat with our marketer? Rose usually doesour intakes.”

“No, I know Marsha and I’d feel more comfortable chatting with her if you don’t mind.” Shirley pointed to the conference room near the doors. “Is that the activity room?”

“It’s the next door down. Go ahead and I’ll let her know you’re coming.” The receptionist sat and hit a few buttonson her phone.

As Shirley and Rarity walked in through the double doors, Rarity looked around. “This is set up differently than Sedona is.”

“A little. This one has group rooms and a cafeteria near the front of the building. The patient rooms are behind these rooms.” Shirley pointed areas out to Rarity. “Sedona has more of a lockdown feel since they do morememory care.”

“So would they even take George?” Rarity worried that their cover story wasn’tgoing to work.

“The lockdown wing is at the back and has its own cafeteria and activity room. A lot smaller, but those rooms are inside the locked wing.” Shirley nodded to the activity room. “The social worker’s office is usually attached here.”

Rarity had to admit that Shirley knew a lot about long-term care facilities. She wished her friend hadn’t needed to learn the setup and lingo quite so quickly or for the reason she knew.

The room was empty, except for a woman in a wheelchair reading a magazine at a table and Marsha Graves, who was walking toward them. “Shirley, I’m surprised tosee you here.”

Shirley accepted the hug and then turned to Rarity. “This is my friend, Rarity Cole. She runs the bookstore whereI’m working.”

“I think we met at the festival.” Rarity held out her hand and shook Marsha’s. “You were standing in for your marketer?”

“Cindi’s always late. I think she parties a lot, but Sally loves her. So what can you do.” She grinned at Shirley. “I never said that, if Sally asks. Anyway, how can I help?”

Rarity decided to take a chance and veer away from their cover story. “William Jully worked here before getting the job at Sedona. Whydid he leave?”

Marsha glanced at the woman who was reading, then pointed to a sofa and chairs. “Sit down and we’ll talk. We won’t bother Elizabeth.”

The woman waved a hand of dismissal toward the group as they sat down. “No one ever says anything important, but it’s all so confidential. Like we don’t know we’re all dying in here.”

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