Page 17 of Power Play Pursuit

Once I check in at the reception desk, a staff member leads me through a corridor and into a large living area with sofas and tables. A TV is mounted in one corner, and several lively conversations are taking place.

“There she is,” Grandma says, standing up from her chair. She’s at a table with a man and two other women, about to start a game of cards.

Warmth radiates through my chest. “Grandma!” I hustle toward her and squeeze her tight against my chest, her strong floral perfume filling my senses. “I missed you.”

We break our embrace, and she scrutinizes me. “You look well.”

“I am. What about you?”

“Same old, same old,” she says with a cheeky smile. “Still alive and kicking, but some of the joints aren’t as well-oiled as they used to be.” She rubs her lower back.

“Your sciatica giving you trouble again?”

She rolls her eyes dramatically. “Longest relationship of my life.”

I laugh, following her back to the table where she introduces me to Martha, Esther, and Bill. They seem like a friendly bunch, and I’m glad mygrandma’s good luck hasn’t scared them away yet.

“Do you want to play with us?” Bill asks. “Lois says you’re even better than her so we’ll play with chips, not real money.”

I chuckle. “Works for me. And I’ll only ever be as good as her. She taught me everything I know.”

“I wish my grandkids would play,” Martha says, shuffling the deck. “They’re always glued to their video games.”

She deals the cards, and we start playing. In a way, it feels like old times, playing cards with Grandma, laughing—and definitely not letting her win. But it’s also the start of a new era, one where I come to visit her here and we play with her friends. Being here is for her own good, I know that. But even if she’s still fairly young, it’s a stark reminder that she’s aging and won’t be around forever.

“Hey,” Grandma whispers, elbowing my stomach as we’re taking a small break, since Martha and Esther needed to use the restrooms. “Look. There’s Janice.”

I frown, peering at the woman she’s subtly gesturing to. She’s wearing a white cardigan over a light blue dress. “What about her?” I whisper.

“Don’t you notice anything suspicious about her?”

I glance at her again. She lookseven younger than my grandma. Her hair is tied up in a neat bun, and she looks very classy. “I don’t know. Is she famous?”

Grandma’s brows furrow. “I don’t know. Is she? I don’t really keep up with that stuff. But there’s something off about her.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Don’t you see how youthful she looks? She doesn’t wear glasses, doesn’t have a walking aid, a hearing aid, or any apparent disability.”

I blurt out a laugh. “Is that a crime?”

“In this place it is.” Her eyes narrow. “I’m telling you, there’s something wrong here.”

I tilt my head to the side. “What are you getting at?”

“Maybe she doesn’treallybelong here. Maybe she’s been sent here, either by the government or a foreign country, and she’s on a secret mission. Haven’t you seen the Ted Danson showMan on the Inside?”

My forehead wrinkles. “Um, no, I haven’t. But I don’t think—”

“Shh!” She suddenly sits up straight. “She’s looking at us. Act normal.”

I offer the lady a polite smile, then let my eyes drift off to the side, worry gnawing at me. There’s a strong possibility my grandma is losing her marbles in this place. I need to call more, and I’ll tell my parents to visit her on their next day off.

Movement near the door catches my attention, and I almost choke on my own saliva when I see who’s walking in.

Jumping up from my chair, I hurry over to James. He’s wearing jeans, a dark blue sweater that matches his eyes, and a pair of black-framed glasses that bring his hot meter through the roof, to my utter annoyance. “What are you doing here?”

He frowns in confusion, then smiles. “Hello to you too, Elizabeth.” He shrugs. “I like to come here. My way of giving back to the community.”

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