Cross My Heart (Detectives Kane and Alton)

“I found him. Oh, you’re gonna love this. He was arrested in Blackwater five years ago. Apparently, he shot and killed a guy named Jonathan Lamb. He was released four months ago from the Black Rock Falls County Jail after an appeal reduced his manslaughter conviction to a misdemeanor. He is a nurse at an old folks’ home in Black Rock Falls by the name of Sunset Valley. Hmm, interesting. He wasn’t on duty Thursday through Monday.”

“That’s just what we need.” Jenna took down the details Kalo supplied and disconnected. She looked up at Kane and brought him up to speed. “I have the address of where he’s working. Kalo even accessed the old folks’ home computer and found the staff schedule. Guess what? Riley Adams wasn’t on duty Thursday through Monday.” She pushed the notebook toward Kane. “This all seems too good to be true.”

“It sure does.” Kane finished his coffee and leaned back in the chair, observing her with a frown. “It’s almost as if he’s being framed for the murder. When things look too good to be true, they usually are.”

Twenty-Three

Kane wrinkled his nose at the less-than-fresh smell oozing from the Sunset Valley nursing home, leaned on the counter, and stared at the receptionist. He’d asked to speak to Riley Adams and received a hostile reply, for what reason he had no idea. He’d been pleasant enough and Jenna had smiled at the pinched-faced, thin-lipped woman with the severe haircut. It seemed she had opted out of visiting the beauty parlor and slapped a bowl on her head and cut around it. “Ma’am, you are obliged to inform Mr. Adams we’re here. This is a matter for the sheriff’s department. Now please get on the phone and ask him to come out and speak to us, or we’ll go and look for him ourselves.”

“I’m not required to chase down employees.” The woman, with the name tag Yvonne, glared at him with beady eyes.

“Well, unless you find someone who can find Mr. Adams for us without delay”—Jenna removed the cuffs from her belt and dropped them on the counter—“I’ll arrest you for interfering with an investigation.” She gave her a look to freeze Black Rock Falls Lake and tapped the cuffs on the counter.

“Oh, very well.” Yvonne’s mouth puckered into a tight pout, showing deep lines where the lipstick had bled into the wrinkles. She gave a grunt of displeasure and picked up the phone. After a few moments, she turned her attention to Jenna. “He’ll be right out.” She waved toward a door. “You can wait in there.”

“When did he start work today?” Jenna stood her ground.

“His shift started at eleven.” Yvonne wrinkled her nose as if she’d smelled something bad. “Is that all?”

“For now.” Jenna walked away in the direction of the waiting room.

Kane followed Jenna into the clinical, white, tile-lined room with a few plastic chairs against one wall. “Don’t put me in here when I’m old. Just pack me for bear, take me out to the forest, and dump me. I’ll take my chances.”

“Me either.” Jenna’s gaze narrowed. “How come this place hasn’t come under Mayor Petersham’s latest round of inspections? He’s been clamping down on any nursing homes not up to standard with their care.” She peered through the glass door at one end of the room. “Look at that poor soul.”

Kane moved to her side. An orderly had one hand on the back of the shirt of an elderly man, pulling it tight under his arms. The old man’s joints moved as if he had the uncoordinated limbs of a wooden puppet, and the man leading him was using his shirt like strings to guide him. The old man had a tuft of red hair in the middle of a bald head and Kane had a flashback of an image of the Howdy Doody marionette his father kept in a display case in his office. He snorted in disgust. “The elderly deserve dignity. That’s inhuman treatment.” He pushed through the glass door and in three strides had reached the orderly. “Where are you taking him?”

“Back to his room.” The orderly smirked at him. “He needs his exercise.”

Kane nodded and looked at the old man. “Do you know the way to your room, sir?”

“Yeah, down the hall, first on the left.” He looked up at Kane. “You planning on arresting someone, Deputy?”

Kane brushed the orderly’s hand away and slid his arm around the man to support his weight. “Maybe. Can you walk okay?”

“Sure can, unless that jerk is pulling me off my feet.” He headed down the hallway.

Kane looked at the orderly. “Come with us.”

After he’d settled the man in his chair, he gave him his card. “I’m Dave Kane. You call me if they rough you up again and I’ll come by and have a little talk to them.”

“Seymore Huggins.” The old man offered a pale, thin hand and smiled at him. “Thank you, Deputy Kane.”

Kane took the old man’s hand and shook it gently. “Tell your friends in here as well.” He fished a few more cards from his pocket and handed them to him. “Any time, day or night.”

“I won’t forget.” Mr. Huggins ran his fingers over the cards. “Take care of yourself, son.”

Anger simmering just below the surface, Kane walked into the hallway. The orderly was waiting obediently and still had the stupid grin on his face. He walked up to him, grabbed the back of his T-shirt, lifted him onto the tips of his toes, and marched him along the hallway.

“Hey, man. You’re hurting me.” The orderly flapped his arms, trying to free himself. “Put me down.”

Kane dropped him at the end of the hallway. “What’s your name?”

“Wayne Dimple.” Dimple rubbed under his arms. The smile had vanished.

Kane straightened to his full six-five and looked down his nose at the jerk. “Well, Dimple, now you know how it feels, I’ll expect you to treat the residents with respect. I’ll be making spot checks from now on and if you mistreat anyone again, I’ll throw you in jail and toss away the key. We have laws in this county to deal with clowns like you.” He poked a finger into the man’s shoulder. “Have I made myself clear or do you require further instruction?”

“I understand.” Dimple’s face had turned beet red.