Patricia’s steel gray hair was cut in a jaw-length pageboy and lacquered so heavily that a high wind wouldn’t disturb a strand. It looked like a metal helmet sitting on her head. Her unfriendly hazel eyes peered at Crystal through narrowed lids. Her mouth was drawn into a grim line. Her cheeks had lost the war with gravity and slipped downward to give her face a jowly appearance. If she wore a trace of cosmetics, it wasn’t apparent.
She straightened the collar of her gray shirtwaist dress. “Please, take a seat.”
Thinking the woman would have made a formidable high school principal, Crystal sat down. “I haven’t heard a peep coming from Tuck’s residence,” she observed. “I assume he stopped yelling.”
“Only after he called me a power-mongering, menopausal bitch.”
Trust Tuck to be accurate as well as profane. Crystal cleared her throat. “He’s normally a mellow man. This has been a difficult time for him and has brought a lot of changes into his life.”
“We all must adjust to old age and the changes that come with it.”
“That doesn’t mean all of us can do it gracefully. My grandfather has been independent until now, and suddenly he’s surrounded by attendants who monitor his every move and tell him what to do. Surely you can understand that it’s difficult for him.”
“Where are you going with this?”
Crystal crossed her legs and folded her hands on her lap. “I’m hoping to convince you Tuck deserves another chance. I’ll have a talk with him, and I assure you this will never happen again.”
Patricia’s eyes narrowed even more. “There is the matter of who brought him the forbidden substances. You’ve yet to name a single person who might have done it, which leaves you as the only suspect.”
Crystal’s mouth went chalky. “You can’t seriously believe I would jeopardize my grandfather’s residency here. I have nowhere else to place him within a reasonable driving distance. Round-trips to see him in Crystal Falls would eat up over an hour of each day, not to mention the length of my visits and the cost of gas.”
“Until I’m convinced you didn’t sneak beer and tobacco into this building, your grandfather’s right to be here is in jeopardy.”
Crystal knew the woman meant it. Whether it was reasonable or not, she wouldn’t hesitate to kick Tuck out. “I’ll talk with Tuck. Maybe he’ll tell me how he got the stuff.”
“Good luck. He won’t want to reveal his source. I’m sure he hopes to get more.”
Crystal stood and collected her purse. “After my talk with Tuck, I’ll be back to discuss this further.”
Patricia inclined her head like a queen who’d just granted a lowly attendant permission to leave. Crystal wished she could put the woman in her place, but for Tuck’s sake, she had to keep her mouth shut.
As she passed Marsha’s station, the receptionist asked, “Did she breathe fire and singe your eyebrows?”
Crystal winked. “I held her at bay with the fire extinguisher.”
She walked down the hall to Tuck’s apartment, rapped on the door, and then cracked it open to poke her head inside. “You decent, Tuck? It’s me, Crystal.”
“At least you gave me a warnin’. Come on in, but don’t start yammerin’ at me.”
Crystal walked through the tiny kitchen into his adjoining living room. Tuck sat in a brown recliner that she’d brought from his home in Crystal Falls. The faux-suede sofa and burl coffee table had also come from there. She set her purse on the glossy wood and folded her arms at her waist.
“When you stand like that, I know I’m in for a scold. But before you start, that woman tells outright lies.”
She loved this old man. He had taken her in when her life at home had been miserable beyond bearing, and he’d helped her make a fresh start. In all the years since, he’d never once let her down. No matter what it took, she’d never let him down, either. “She says you called her a power-mongering, menopausal bitch. Was that a lie?”
“Nope. I said that, and I stand behind it. It’s the God’s honest truth.”
A smile tugged at Crystal’s lips. With a sigh, she sat near him on the sofa. “Oh, Tuck, what am I going to do with you? Patricia is an extremely unpleasant and rigid person, but in order for you to stay here, we have to get along with her.”
“Honey, I don’t want to stay here. I’m workin’ hard to get stronger and countin’ the days until I can leave. I’m gettin’ better every day.”
“I know you are. But the doctors want you to remain here for two more months. They say the daily physical therapy sessions are crucial to a full recovery.”
“I ain’t stayin’ in this hellhole that long,” Tuck retorted. “I got no privacy or freedom to do as I like.”
“I understand, and I’m doing everything I can to get you out of here sooner. I can take you in for physical therapy. We’ll make it all work somehow. Just give me a little more time to make arrangements.”
“I don’t wanna die in this place.”
Crystal picked at a fleck of lint on her dark brown slacks. She hated it when Tuck talked about dying. It made her stomach hurt. “I won’t let that happen. But you’re still not steady on your feet. It’s hard for you to get up and down with only one good arm. What if you fell? I can’t leave you alone yet.”
He sighed. “I think I’d be okay. I ain’t some invalid who can’t do nothin’.”
Searching for words, Crystal smoothed the sofa arm. She couldn’t allow Tuck’s pride to rule the day. In his younger years, he’d worked from dawn until well after dark, and he’d refused to ask for help unless there’d been no way around it. If she tried to picture a man among men, she saw her grandfather. He would never admit now that he needed supervision. But, regardless, it was her job to see that he got it. “Can you work with me? Give me two more weeks?”
“That ain’t so long. I reckon I can stand almost anything for two weeks.”
Her shoulders relaxed. “Patricia thinks I brought you the beer and tobacco. If I can’t convince her otherwise, she says she’ll evict you. Please tell me who brought those things to you.”
Tuck shook his head. “I can’t do that.”
Crystal met his gaze. “I won’t get the person in trouble, Tuck. I just need to pacify Patricia by telling her who did it.”
He snorted. “It won’t be up to you! That woman don’t care who she hurts.”
Crystal couldn’t argue with that point. She’d never met anyone like Patricia Flintlock. “Until I can take you home, you have to cooperate and follow the rules so you can stay here.”
“Like I’m five years old? I did nothin’ wrong. Drinkin’ beer and chewin’ snuff ain’t a crime. You should’ve been here! When a nurse saw I had beer in a coffee mug, she acted like Jack the Ripper had invaded the buildin’. Next thing I knew, the alpha bitch came in with two more women, and they started tearin’ the place apart. When they came across cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon in my shoes and boots, they acted like they’d found that crack Coca-Cola stuff!”
Crystal’s brain snagged on that. Then she realized he was talking about illegal drugs he’d heard about on the news. “I know it can be difficult here,” she tried.
“Difficult? You ever had someone go through your cupboards and drawers? One gal reached under my mattress and found my Playboy magazines!”
“You read Playboy?”
“I don’t read ’em. What man in his right mind reads ’em? I buy ’em to look at the girls. And she was gonna throw ’em away! How is that right? I pay for ’em. They’re mine.”
Crystal held up a hand. “It isn’t right, Tuck. This whole mess frustrates me, too. You’re entitled to your privacy, even here.”
“As far as that goes, I got a right to drink beer and chew snuff if I’ve a mind.”
“Yes, you do. Patricia is unreasonably strict.”
“Then get me outta here! It’s like
doin’ time in prison.”
Crystal pushed up from the sofa and began to pace. “I will, Tuck. Only two more weeks. That’s all I’m asking.”
“I’ll give you that, but not a day more. Then I’m leavin’ whether you like it or not. I’ll take care of my own damned self.”
“I’ll be here to help you pack,” she assured him. “And I’ll have men hired to move you home. No more rules, Tuck. No more nosy women to violate your rights. But for now, we have to play along and keep peace with Patricia. In order to do that, I need the name of the person who brought you the beer and chew.”
“How do you know I didn’t just order the stuff?”
“Why didn’t you tell me that in the first place?” A wave of relief washed over her. “I can show her the order to prove a third party wasn’t involved. That should settle her down.”
Crystal grabbed his phone from the arm of his chair. Tuck tried to take it back, but in her eagerness to find the evidence she needed, she avoided his reach. She tapped the screen of the cell and began searching the communication data. She saw nothing to indicate Tuck had ordered anything recently, but she did find a message thread with an individual named Tanner. Her heart sank as she met her grandfather’s fiery gaze.
“You didn’t order anything.”
“Of course not!” Tuck puffed air into his wrinkled cheeks. “You can’t order beer and chew online.”
Crystal thought a person probably could, but she wasn’t about to disabuse her grandfather of that notion. “So this Tanner person brought you the forbidden stuff.”
“He’s my friend. I promised he wouldn’t get in trouble!”
“I have no intention of getting him in trouble. He just did you a favor. He meant no harm.” She took a calming breath. “Is that his first or last name? And who is he?”
Tuck sat back in his recliner and clenched his teeth. She knew by his expression that he wouldn’t divulge a full name under threat of death. Feeling defeated, she scanned the room. In one corner sat a box. She walked over, lifted it by a flap, and studied the mailing label. “You’ve had a recent delivery from Courier Express.”
“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about,” Tuck said. “That’s old, a movin’ box you left here.”
Crystal had fleetingly hoped her grandfather actually had ordered the contraband, but his quick denial negated that possibility. Otherwise he would have just said the delivery company had brought him his purchases. This definitely wasn’t a moving box. She’d long since flattened all of them and stored them in a closet at the farmhouse. “What’s your friend’s full name, Tuck?”
“I ain’t talkin’.” Anger flickered in his eyes. “Those bitches can waterboard me, and I still won’t sing.”
“Fine.” She returned the cell phone to the arm of his recliner. “I’ll handle it from here.”
“How? You don’t got his name.”
“With a simple phone call to Courier Express, I’ll have his name. I can prove to Patricia that I didn’t aid and abet you in breaking her stupid rules.” She tried to smile. “It’ll be better this way, Tuck. You don’t have to betray your friend, and I can get the situation under control with Patricia.”
“Don’t you dare do that,” Tuck said softly. “If you get Tanner in trouble, I may never forgive you. I mean it.”
Crystal collected her purse. “Trust me just a little. I know your friend did nothing wrong, and I’ll make sure he doesn’t get in trouble. All I want is to pacify Patricia so you don’t get evicted before I can take proper care of you.”
She turned to leave. Tuck yelled, “Crystal Lynn Malloy, if you tell anyone his name, I’ll be mad enough to chew nails and spit out screws! I mean it!”
Chapter Two
At the front desk, Crystal looked up the phone number of Courier Express in Crystal Falls. It wasn’t yet six, and she hoped a mail center would have employees still on-site. Employees stayed pretty busy in those places, sorting parcels and loading delivery trucks for the following day. She would do everything she possibly could to protect Tuck’s friend, but her number one priority had to be her grandfather’s welfare. He was steadier on his feet, but she still couldn’t be positive he wouldn’t get overbalanced and take another fall. She placed the call. A woman finally answered.
“Hello. My name is Crystal Malloy. One of your drivers delivered a package to my grandfather today, and I need to learn his last name. I believe his first name is Tanner.”
The employee said, “Oh, yes, that would be Tanner Richards. He’s already left. May I take a message?”
“Oh, uh, no, that’s fine. I just wanted his last name. Thank you so much.”
Crystal ended the call and squeezed her eyes shut. Opening them, she found Marsha staring at her with an inquiring look. “The Courier Express guy brought the goodies? He was a new face, but he seemed nice.”
Crystal nodded. “I’m sure he is.”
“Are you going to report him?”
Crystal shook her head. “I only needed his name to convince Patricia that I played no part in this mess. If Tuck gets kicked out of here, I’m out of good options . . . and so is he.”
Marsha rested her bent arms on the edge of the desk. “It was only a few beers and some tobacco. I don’t know what that woman’s problem is. Most people would just laugh and shrug it off.”
“Patricia Flintlock isn’t most people.”
Crystal retraced her steps to the administrator’s door and tapped lightly on the wood.
“You may enter,” Patricia called.
Crystal stepped into the office. Patricia didn’t appear to have budged since Crystal’s departure. It seemed odd that no paperwork lay in front of her. What did she do in here, only fiddle with her pen? “My grandfather refused to give me the man’s last name, but I got it anyway. Before I tell you anything more, I want your word that you won’t try to get Tuck’s friend in trouble.”
Patricia shrugged. “You have my word. I won’t try to get his friend in trouble.”
Some of the tension eased from Crystal’s body. She could deal with this woman. Tuck should have trusted her to do that. “There’s a box in Tuck’s living room, which you must have overlooked. It bears a Courier Express mailing label. I got the deliveryman’s first name from Tuck’s phone, and I was told his last name when I called the company.”
“And?” Patricia pressed. She did not invite Crystal to sit down.
“And what?”
“I’d like his full name.”
“I’d greatly appreciate it if you don’t pursue this.”
“I’ve already told you I have no intention of pursuing it. What is his name?”
“Tanner Richards,” Crystal confessed. “He’s a company driver. I’m guessing his regular route is in Crystal Falls and Tuck became friendly with him when he delivered packages to his house there.”
Patricia dipped her chin. “I see. I must compliment you on your good detective work. Now all that remains is for you to call Courier Express and file a formal complaint against the individual.”
Crystal’s heart lurched. “But you just said you had no intention—”
“I don’t,” Patricia said, cutting her off. “But you must pursue it. In fact, I insist on it. That driver committed a serious infraction by bringing a nicotine product and alcohol to an elderly man living in a facility that allows neither.” Patricia’s tone and her expression were triumphant.
Crystal gulped. This was getting worse by the minute. “Tuck’s doctor in Crystal Falls gave him permission to chew and drink beer. I don’t see any point in getting this driver in trouble. He just tried to do something nice for an old man.”
“By doing so, he broke the rules of this institution. I’ll also point out that birds of a feather flock together. For all I know, you’re friendly with Mr. Richards, too. You appear to be defending his breach of our rules, a
nd I find your reluctance to report him extremely telling.”
Crystal balled her hands into fists. When she felt certain she had her voice under control, she said, “I’ve never laid eyes on Tanner Richards. And if I had any intention of covering up for him, I’d do a lot better job! How can you think that of me?”
The other woman placed her pen on the desk pad. “If the shoe fits . . .”
“I— This is really outrageous. I’ve given you the name of the person who brought the items. If you’re determined to get him in trouble, file a complaint, but don’t involve me.”
Patricia smiled. “Oh, but I am involving you. As final proof to me that you had nothing to do with the complete disregard of this facility’s rules, you must call Courier Express and file a complaint.”
Crystal wanted to reach across the desk and jerk the old biddy’s helmet hair out by the roots. Instead she stood, collected her purse, and made for the door. She paused to say, “You deliberately misled me, and I refuse to be a part of this. My first loyalty is to my grandfather.”
“Very well. I’ll call the police and have him removed from the building immediately.”
Crystal whirled to gape at her. “You can’t do that!”
“Watch me. A half dozen staff members will testify that he screamed obscenities and actually pushed one of my aides while she was in his bedroom.” Patricia picked up the phone. “That qualifies as a physical assault, which will, of course, go in his records.” She arched an eyebrow. “That may make it difficult for you to place him elsewhere.”
“Was this aide he supposedly pushed the same person who looked under his mattress and found his magazines?”
“What if she was? He had no right to shove her. And, I might add, pornography is not allowed in this building, either.”
Crystal couldn’t envision Tuck laying a violent hand on a woman. It was far more likely that he’d bumped into her while trying to protect his personal property. “He’s eighty years old and recovering from serious injuries. Surely you won’t throw him out when you know I have nowhere to take him. That’s illegal.”