A Brush with Death: A Penny Brannigan Mystery - By Elizabeth J. Duncan Page 0,76
just down the hall. Why don’t we take a look-see?”
“What if she goes back to her room?”
“They’re going to set up for a game of cards in a minute. That’ll keep her out of the way. Tell you what. I’ll wait outside the door, and if I see her coming, I’ll give you the signal and we’ll bugger off out of there.”
Penny straightened up in her chair and nodded at him.
“I think you’re right. Let’s go.”
“Not so fast. This requires a bit of planning. You’re forgetting a few things.”
“What?”
He held up a hand and mouthed gloves.
“Right!” Penny whispered.
“Wait here.” Jimmy scooted off in his chair and returned a few minutes later with a small blanket over his legs.
“Ready? Let’s go. You push.”
The two left the room, aware of many pairs of curious eyes following them.
They proceeded down the hall at a leisurely pace, until Jimmy told her to stop. The door to the room was open.
“I thought you said—”
“This isn’t her room,” Jimmy interrupted. “Hers is two doors down. Here you go,” he said, reaching under the blanket on his lap and pulling out a pair of purple latex gloves. “Put these on. And this,” he added, handing her a white jacket. “Obviously you don’t watch enough films, or you’d know when you’re up to something or when you’re in a place where you’ve got no business being, you should try to blend in. People who look as if they belong can go just about anywhere. Now give me your credit card so I can get the door open. I like American Express, if you’ve got one. They’ve got a bit more give in ’em. Gets the job done faster.”
Penny handed over a Visa card.
“Sorry, this is all I’ve got.”
“Well, it’ll have to do, then, won’t it? Right now, girl, push me up to her door and then stand beside me so you’re on the side facing toward the dayroom.” Penny did as she was told. Jimmy fiddled about for a few seconds, listening intently, smiled, and then gently pushed the door open.
“In you go. I’ll wait here. And another thing. You always need to plan your escape. If I start to sing ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary,’ you need to get out right away, pull the door shut behind you, and push me off to the right. There’s a lift there, and we can hide out on the second floor until the coast is clear.” He gestured with his head. “Go!”
Penny slid through the door. The room was dark, with curtains drawn. She switched on the light, turned slowly around, and then gasped.
The room was an Aladdin’s cave of paintings. Almost every inch on every wall was covered with artwork. Reeling from the impact they made on her, Penny peered at one and saw the signature she was expecting, in the lower left corner. “A. Jones.” And another and another. “A. Jones.” “A. Jones.” Views of Liverpool and Llanelen, all done in the distinct Alys Jones style that Penny had come to recognize. She couldn’t take them all in. She walked slowly around the room, trying to count them but feeling so frightened she had to stop at twelve.
Grateful for the gloves, she yanked open the top drawer of the bureau and riffled through the contents. Nothing. She moved through the other drawers and saw nothing unusual. By now her heart was racing so fast she thought she would collapse. And just as she pulled open the drawer on the bedside table, she heard Jimmy starting to hum softly.
She felt an unbearable tension, trumped by an irresistible drive to continue. She flipped over the contents and felt her fingers wrapping around a small vial. There were two, and a syringe. She glanced at the label. Potassium chloride.
She shut the drawer, closed the door behind her, grabbed the handles of the wheelchair, spun Jimmy around, and headed down the hall.
“Please be there,” she said, trying to catch her breath. The lift was there and they clattered on, pushed the button for the second floor, and a few moments later, found themselves in a small sitting area. Penny bent over, with her hands on her thighs to catch her breath, then threw herself into a chair and placed her hand over her heart.
“Did you see what you wanted to?” Jimmy asked.
“Oh, yes, and then some,” she said with a gasp. “Just let me catch my breath.”
Jimmy watched as she slowly recovered the ability to speak.