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Authors: Fran Rizer
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to see a doctor. Instead, Sheriff Harmon walked in. He went to Rizzie and gave her a little shoulder hug. “How’s your grandmother?” he asked and nodded at Maum, who’d begun snoring softly.
“The doctors say the heart treatment is working, but her hip is broken. She needs surgery, and she’s scared.”
Until then, I hadn’t realized that “not wanting anyone to cut on me” was an expression of fear.
“I’m sorry about all this. Would you like me to put a sign on the restaurant door? Tell people when you might be reopening? We’ve had a couple of calls from customers who were worried about you, Tyrone, and Mrs. Profit. They’d gone there to eat and found the place unlocked but unoccupied.”
“Ty must have forgotten to lock up when the ambulance left. He’s pretty upset.”
“Well, I locked the doors. It doesn’t appear anyone has trashed the place or robbed you.”
For the first time since this began, I saw Rizzie smile. “Our customers are our friends. They’d never do anything like that.”
“But not everyone in town is part of your clientele. St. Mary is changing. I’m concerned about what’s happening. People need to start locking the doors at their houses, too. That’s why my deputies and I are attending so many conferences and classes, trying to learn to deal with things small towns like ours never had to before.”
“Like what?” I interrupted. “I mean, after all, we’ve certainly had our share of crazies and murders the past few years.”
“We can talk about it later,” Wayne answered. “I came by to check on you girls and Mrs. Profit.”
When I’m a hundred and three, Sheriff Wayne Harmon will still think of me as a “girl,” not a woman. Maybe that’s why we’ve never had any chemistry. Why on earth was my mind focusing on chemistry? Had my evening with Patel made me more conscious of being alone?
“I guess Maum is doing as well as can be expected,” Rizzie said. “I thought the orthopedic surgeon would be here early, but I haven’t seen him.” She stroked Maum’s forehead gently while continuing to talk to the sheriff. “If you want to put up a sign, it needs to say that I don’t know when I’ll reopen. I’m not leaving Maum until she’s a whole lot better or until she …” Rizzie sobbed. Both Wayne and I hugged her. The gentle touch helps sometimes, but not always enough.
When she’d pulled herself together, Rizzie sat down in the bedside chair. I stood by the bed and took over patting Maum’s arm.
Wayne told her, “I’ll have a sign put on the door telling everyone the restaurant is temporarily closed and under the jurisdiction of the Jade County Sheriff’s Department. We’ll do regular ride-bys, also.” He turned toward me. “Callie, I need a statement from you about the body you found yesterday. Do you want me to come by Middleton’s or will you come to the station? I talked to Otis earlier. That’s how I knew where to find you. I’m glad you’re here with Rizzie, but he said you have a client today.”
“Yes, I have to go back to work to take care of Miss Gorman, and then I promised to pick up Tyrone from school and bring him here to be with Rizzie and Maum. It’s not going to be much of a statement anyway. Jane stumbled. I went to help her and saw a body. I didn’t touch it or anything, just called it in.”
“And sent Rizzie away.” Wayne wasn’t happy with me.
“She never saw the body and didn’t know it was there.” I paused. “Let’s talk about this later.”
The sheriff had the good grace to look embarrassed. Guess it hadn’t occurred to him how inappropriate it was to be talking about a dead body in a hospital room or to appear angry because I hadn’t kept Rizzie from getting to Tyrone and Maum as fast as possible.
I glanced at my watch. “I need to head back to Middleton’s. I’ll bring Tyrone when he gets out of school, but I won’t come in. Miss Gorman’s sister is scheduled to be there at four, so
“The doctors say the heart treatment is working, but her hip is broken. She needs surgery, and she’s scared.”
Until then, I hadn’t realized that “not wanting anyone to cut on me” was an expression of fear.
“I’m sorry about all this. Would you like me to put a sign on the restaurant door? Tell people when you might be reopening? We’ve had a couple of calls from customers who were worried about you, Tyrone, and Mrs. Profit. They’d gone there to eat and found the place unlocked but unoccupied.”
“Ty must have forgotten to lock up when the ambulance left. He’s pretty upset.”
“Well, I locked the doors. It doesn’t appear anyone has trashed the place or robbed you.”
For the first time since this began, I saw Rizzie smile. “Our customers are our friends. They’d never do anything like that.”
“But not everyone in town is part of your clientele. St. Mary is changing. I’m concerned about what’s happening. People need to start locking the doors at their houses, too. That’s why my deputies and I are attending so many conferences and classes, trying to learn to deal with things small towns like ours never had to before.”
“Like what?” I interrupted. “I mean, after all, we’ve certainly had our share of crazies and murders the past few years.”
“We can talk about it later,” Wayne answered. “I came by to check on you girls and Mrs. Profit.”
When I’m a hundred and three, Sheriff Wayne Harmon will still think of me as a “girl,” not a woman. Maybe that’s why we’ve never had any chemistry. Why on earth was my mind focusing on chemistry? Had my evening with Patel made me more conscious of being alone?
“I guess Maum is doing as well as can be expected,” Rizzie said. “I thought the orthopedic surgeon would be here early, but I haven’t seen him.” She stroked Maum’s forehead gently while continuing to talk to the sheriff. “If you want to put up a sign, it needs to say that I don’t know when I’ll reopen. I’m not leaving Maum until she’s a whole lot better or until she …” Rizzie sobbed. Both Wayne and I hugged her. The gentle touch helps sometimes, but not always enough.
When she’d pulled herself together, Rizzie sat down in the bedside chair. I stood by the bed and took over patting Maum’s arm.
Wayne told her, “I’ll have a sign put on the door telling everyone the restaurant is temporarily closed and under the jurisdiction of the Jade County Sheriff’s Department. We’ll do regular ride-bys, also.” He turned toward me. “Callie, I need a statement from you about the body you found yesterday. Do you want me to come by Middleton’s or will you come to the station? I talked to Otis earlier. That’s how I knew where to find you. I’m glad you’re here with Rizzie, but he said you have a client today.”
“Yes, I have to go back to work to take care of Miss Gorman, and then I promised to pick up Tyrone from school and bring him here to be with Rizzie and Maum. It’s not going to be much of a statement anyway. Jane stumbled. I went to help her and saw a body. I didn’t touch it or anything, just called it in.”
“And sent Rizzie away.” Wayne wasn’t happy with me.
“She never saw the body and didn’t know it was there.” I paused. “Let’s talk about this later.”
The sheriff had the good grace to look embarrassed. Guess it hadn’t occurred to him how inappropriate it was to be talking about a dead body in a hospital room or to appear angry because I hadn’t kept Rizzie from getting to Tyrone and Maum as fast as possible.
I glanced at my watch. “I need to head back to Middleton’s. I’ll bring Tyrone when he gets out of school, but I won’t come in. Miss Gorman’s sister is scheduled to be there at four, so
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