Part 13 (2/2)
”I was embarra.s.sed.”
”You think she's gay? Or bis.e.xual?”
”I don't know. And then last night when I went down to the bas.e.m.e.nt to spy on her, she opened her door and was standing there naked. She just stood there staring at me.”
”So, what did you do?”
”I ran away. That woman scares me.”
”Sound like she isgay.”
”I'm not sure if she's gay or just some kind of wacko-especially after that. She just seems dangerous to me.”
”Well then, just stay away from her. She and her sister will be out of our lives soon.”
”I hope you're right, Mallie Mae.”
Chapter16.
Carnie had studied her printout from the pharmacy and selected Nancie Jo Gristel as the first 'volunteer' for her Hideaway Hospital Clinical Trial. She had learned from Elmo's internet printouts that Namenda was being prescribed for patients with moderate to severe cases of Alzheimer's. She had selected Nancie Jo at random from the list and located her house on the map. She hoped it might be easy since the house was at the end of a dead end street. If the driveway was on the dead end side of the house, Mrs. Gristel would be a perfect choice.
Carnie's 2005 white Chevy Malibu was just one of a few dozen driving around in Coreyville. She had swapped out her license plates with a set she took off a junkyard car, just in case some neighbor actually took notice and remembered the plates. She figured n.o.body would find it odd to see a nurse visiting an 81 year-old Alzheimer's patient at 11:00 AM.
The house was on the left, at the end of Bowie Street. She parked in the driveway, behind Nancie Jo's car, and walked to the side door, near the back of the house. She wondered if Mrs. Gristel was fearful about living all alone. The fact that the old woman's most-used door faced the woods rather than the other homes seemed particularly dangerous.
As she stepped onto the porch with her medical bag in hand, she heard someone playing the piano. She knocked and waited a full minute. Finally the music stopped and she knocked again. Twenty seconds later the door opened.
”Yes?” said the old woman.
”Hi. Are you Nancie Joe Gristel?”
”Yes, I am.”
”Well, I'm from Dr. Johnson's office.”
”Really? I've never seen you before.”
”That's because I'm new. Just started this week.”
”I see. Well, what can I do for you?”
”Dr. Johnson is initiating a new treatment regimen for all his Alzheimer's patients.”
”Okay. But I'm doing fine right now. And if the doctor wants to see me, I could just make an appointment and go in to his office.”
”Oh, of course you could.” Carnie smiled sweetly. ”But he's so excited about this new medicine that he wanted to get everybody started on it right away. It's getting rave reviews from NIH.”
”What's that?”
”I'm sorry. The National Inst.i.tutes of Health.”
”Okay. Come on in.”
Carnie went in and followed Nancie Jo to the living room. The bench was pulled away from the piano, and a piano score was opened on the music rack.
”I heard you playing,” said Carnie, nodding to the piano. ”Sounded nice.”
”Thanks. I'm not really all that good, but I'm taking lessons. Now what did you say your name was?”
Carnie didn't answer. She pulled a small pistol out of her medical bag and pointed it at Nancie Jo.
”What are you doing? I knewyou weren't from Dr. Johnson's office! Who are you?”
”Never mind that. You're coming with me. And you will do exactly as I say-if you want to live. Let's go.”
Carnie motioned for Nancie Jo to walk toward the kitchen, and she complied. But when the old woman got close to the door she stopped and bent over in pain, placing her left hand on the stove for support, clutching her hip with her right hand.
”What's the matter?” said Carnie.
”It's my hip. It goes out on me sometimes.”
”Just take it slow and you'll be-”
Nancie Jo swung around.
She seems to moving okay now, Carnie thought. Moving fast.
By the time Carnie saw the iron skillet in the Nancie Jo's hand it was too late. It whacked her on the side of the head and she flew sideways onto the floor, dropping the pistol and the medical bag. Nancie Jo flung the skillet down and scrambled for the gun. Carnie tried to shake off the dizziness and run toward her. But Nancie Jo picked up the pistol and pointed at Carnie.
”Get back!” said Nancie Jo.
Carnie stumbled backward. Her vision was getting clearer. Out of the corner of her eye she noted the knife block, to her right, on the counter. It held eight or ten knives of various types and sizes. ”Look, Lady, I was taking you to a hospital for clinical trials-for your Alzheimer's.”
”Yeah, right. I may have Alzheimer's, but I'm not stupid.”
”I'm telling the truth. You would be treated by Dr. Elmo Mobley.”
”The pediatrician?”
”Yes. He just found out his mother has Alzheimer's and he's desperate to find a cure.”
Nancie Jo had heard that Mallie Mae Mobley had Alzheimer's and that Elmo had taken a leave of absence from his practice.
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