Hideaway Hospital Murders by Robert Burton Robinson Read Free Book Online Page B

didn’t know it was that
bad.”
    “ And Alzheimer’s victims
only live an average of eight to ten years after the symptoms first
appear. I suspect that she and Macy have been keeping it from me
for quite a while.”
    “ Well, can’t you give her
some medicine, or chemotherapy or something?”
    “ There’s no cure for
Alzheimer’s.”
    “ So, there’s not anything you can do
for her?”
    “ There are treatments to
slow down the process. And some of those seem to work fairly well.
But only for a little while. Anyway, I should get her test results
tomorrow. And if they come back positive, I want to postpone the
wedding.”
    Carsie’s heart sank.
    “ I’m sorry,
Sweetie.”
    “ Okay. If her tests are
positive, I’ll take care of notifying everybody on the guest list
and canceling everything. But do you mind if Carnie stays with us
for a while? I’m really enjoying having my sister
around.”
    Elmo wanted Carnie to move out as soon as
possible. There was something about her he just didn’t like. But
how could he refuse Carsie’s request when she was being so
understanding about postponing the wedding?
    “ That’ll be
fine.”
    **********
    Mallie Mae and Macy were riding in the
rented limo, on their way home from Dallas.
    “ What do you say, driver?”
yelled Macy. “Wanna pull over and have sex with me?”
    “ Don’t worry—he can’t hear
us,” said Mallie Mae.
    “ Just making
sure.”
    “ Well, what would you have
done if he started pulling over?”
    Macy turned red. “What did you think about
the doctor?”
    “ He was rather tall and
handsome.”
    “ Medically speaking,” said
Macy.
    “ He was quite good. Very
thorough. He ran every test in the book, including the writing
tests for memory and math skills.”
    “ How’d you do? How hard was
the math?”
    “ Easy stuff. But I did
poorly.”
    Macy smiled. “I hope you
didn’t overdo it?”
    “ No, my dear, I under-did it. But I
answered correctly on some of the
problems.”
    “ You are so bad, Mallie
Mae.”
    “ Well, I needed to be
convincing.”
    “ Yeah, but one of these
days Elmo’s going to find out. And then he’s going to disown you
and fire me.”
    “ Honey, he’s already
disowned me. But he won’t fire you.”
    “ Yes, he will.”
    “ Then I’ll rehire
you.”
    “ Well, I just feel bad
about tricking him.”
    “ Look. You don’t want him
to marry that woman, do you?
    “ Well, no.”
    “ I don’t know what it is,
but there’s something awful about her. I have a sense about these
things.”
    “ But you’ve never
liked any of
the women Elmo’s dated. What kind of a woman would you approve
of?”
    “ One who’s not going to
break his heart and run off with all his money. I’ll know her when
I see her.”
    Macy knew that Mallie Mae loved her like a
daughter. She had told her so—many times. But could she love her as
a daughter-in-law? It probably didn’t matter. She and Elmo were
very close—but only as friends.
    Was there really any chance they would ever
make the leap from friends to lovers? She had clung to that hope
for so many years. So, why give up now? Monica and Chandler had
made the leap. And Rachel and Ross. And so many of her other
friends on TV.
    So, why not Macy and Elmo?

    Chapter 9

    Carnie was devouring the delicious steak,
mashed potatoes and gravy, peas, and yams set before her. Hadley
had prepared exactly what she had requested. It was diner for one.
Elmo and Carsie were dining at Johnny Caces. Mallie Mae and Macy
were on their way home from Dallas.
    But her brain didn’t have
time to analyze the data being sent by her taste buds, or to feel
any sense of loneliness. Her entire being was focused on the
underground laboratory she had discovered. But something was
nagging at her. What was the purpose of that huge mirror in the
bathroom? It was as tall and wide as a big door. You idiot!
It is a
door!
    Carnie jumped up from the table, still
chewing.
    “ Are you finished, Ma’am?”
said Hadley,