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Book: The Way of the Wicked (Hope Street Church Mysteries Book 2) by Ellery Adams
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Authors: Ellery Adams
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nice for one of us to focus on the client’s general well-being while our delivery partner takes care of business.” She pointed to the names on her delivery list. “Sometimes the food is secondary to the socializing. Our clients eagerly await our arrival.”
Thinking about the thefts that had occurred over the summer, Cooper said, “Does every volunteer always drive the same route?”
“No. We drive a route until we get to know the folks well and then switch. That way, our clients get to meet lots of people and don’t get too . . . attached. You see, we only have a little bit of time to spend with each client, and if they’re real familiar with one of us they’ll want us to visit or do lots of little chores. That won’t work because we have to keep a tight schedule so everybody gets fed.”
“I guess that’s the most important part of the job,” Cooper said.
Penny smiled. “I know just about all the clients on the Saturday routes by now. Of course, they change, too. Some pass away, some go into nursing homes, and the lucky ones move in with family members.”
“It must be hard to get close to people and then have them disappear from your life,” Cooper said. “Maybe that’s why I’m nervous about going on the routes.”
Penny’s gaze was sympathetic. “We do what we can while we can. It’s enough to bring them food and company for a little while. It’s a gift for them, but for us, too.” She put her hand on the door handle. “But if you want to stick with a route that doesn’t change often, then take number nine. We’ve had the same twelve people for a year.” She lowered her voice. “Unlike route six. Three people died over the summer. It was pretty difficult to lose several friends so close together.”
“That must have been awful!” Cooper edged the cart away from the car as Penny attached a magnetic Door-2-Door Dinners sign emblazed with the Tyler Fine Properties logo.
“It’s just life, dear,” Penny said and waved good-bye.
Cooper watched the old car chug off and then wheeled the cart back up the ramp. Lali was waiting at the top, chatting with Nathan.
“Drive safely,” Lali told him. Nathan winked at Cooper and then got in his car.
Once all the drivers had left, Lali led Cooper back to a warren of cubicles. Every desk was stacked with piles of paperwork and oversized calendars filled with appointments. Myriads of colored Post-it notes covered each wall. Photos of loved ones, movie ticket stubs, handwritten letters, and children’s drawings were fastened by thumbtacks to the surface of each desk’s bulletin board not already papered by phone lists, Excel spreadsheets, and typed memos.
“I don’t know if we have a free workspace in this whole building!” Lali laughed melodiously. “I suppose I could move my broken printer off my desk and let you work there.” She sighed. “That printer has bested me. I thought that if I peeked inside I could tell why it keeps jamming. Boy, was that a mistake.”
“I could take a look at it for you,” Cooper offered. “I fix office machines for a living.”
“That would be wonderful,” Lali said happily. “It’s one of our laser printers and we’re really hurting without it.” She directed Cooper to a set of larger cubicles toward the back of the room. The desks were all unoccupied except for one. Hunched over a list of figures, a plump Hispanic woman frowned in concentration even as her right hand flew over the keys of an adding machine.
“That’s Anita,” Lali whispered. “I never talk to her when she’s in math mode.” She pointed to the next cubicle, which shared a wall with Anita’s. “Here’s the printer. I just shoved it to the side and have been trying to work around it all week.”
“I have a toolbox in my truck.” Cooper’s attention was drawn to the partially dissected machine. “I’ll go get it and see what I can do.”
“We’re so lucky to have you volunteering today.” Lali smiled and
Thinking about the thefts that had occurred over the summer, Cooper said, “Does every volunteer always drive the same route?”
“No. We drive a route until we get to know the folks well and then switch. That way, our clients get to meet lots of people and don’t get too . . . attached. You see, we only have a little bit of time to spend with each client, and if they’re real familiar with one of us they’ll want us to visit or do lots of little chores. That won’t work because we have to keep a tight schedule so everybody gets fed.”
“I guess that’s the most important part of the job,” Cooper said.
Penny smiled. “I know just about all the clients on the Saturday routes by now. Of course, they change, too. Some pass away, some go into nursing homes, and the lucky ones move in with family members.”
“It must be hard to get close to people and then have them disappear from your life,” Cooper said. “Maybe that’s why I’m nervous about going on the routes.”
Penny’s gaze was sympathetic. “We do what we can while we can. It’s enough to bring them food and company for a little while. It’s a gift for them, but for us, too.” She put her hand on the door handle. “But if you want to stick with a route that doesn’t change often, then take number nine. We’ve had the same twelve people for a year.” She lowered her voice. “Unlike route six. Three people died over the summer. It was pretty difficult to lose several friends so close together.”
“That must have been awful!” Cooper edged the cart away from the car as Penny attached a magnetic Door-2-Door Dinners sign emblazed with the Tyler Fine Properties logo.
“It’s just life, dear,” Penny said and waved good-bye.
Cooper watched the old car chug off and then wheeled the cart back up the ramp. Lali was waiting at the top, chatting with Nathan.
“Drive safely,” Lali told him. Nathan winked at Cooper and then got in his car.
Once all the drivers had left, Lali led Cooper back to a warren of cubicles. Every desk was stacked with piles of paperwork and oversized calendars filled with appointments. Myriads of colored Post-it notes covered each wall. Photos of loved ones, movie ticket stubs, handwritten letters, and children’s drawings were fastened by thumbtacks to the surface of each desk’s bulletin board not already papered by phone lists, Excel spreadsheets, and typed memos.
“I don’t know if we have a free workspace in this whole building!” Lali laughed melodiously. “I suppose I could move my broken printer off my desk and let you work there.” She sighed. “That printer has bested me. I thought that if I peeked inside I could tell why it keeps jamming. Boy, was that a mistake.”
“I could take a look at it for you,” Cooper offered. “I fix office machines for a living.”
“That would be wonderful,” Lali said happily. “It’s one of our laser printers and we’re really hurting without it.” She directed Cooper to a set of larger cubicles toward the back of the room. The desks were all unoccupied except for one. Hunched over a list of figures, a plump Hispanic woman frowned in concentration even as her right hand flew over the keys of an adding machine.
“That’s Anita,” Lali whispered. “I never talk to her when she’s in math mode.” She pointed to the next cubicle, which shared a wall with Anita’s. “Here’s the printer. I just shoved it to the side and have been trying to work around it all week.”
“I have a toolbox in my truck.” Cooper’s attention was drawn to the partially dissected machine. “I’ll go get it and see what I can do.”
“We’re so lucky to have you volunteering today.” Lali smiled and
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