Robert B. Parker’s Damned If You Do

11

Jesse met Emma Jacobs in front of Golden Horizons shortly after eight p.m. She was casually dressed in black slacks, a white dress shirt, and a double-breasted Armani blazer. Her thick brown hair was cut short and showed the barest traces of blond highlighting. She wore no makeup. The drive from New York had tired her, and Jesse noticed stress lines at the corners of her mouth.

She gave him a quick hug, and together they went inside. The lobby was deserted. They took the elevator to the fourth floor and went directly to her father’s room.

Donnie Jacobs was asleep in his bed. He had on plain white pajamas and a striped cotton bathrobe that looked to be in need of laundering. A trickle of drool escaped from the corner of his open mouth. The television was showing a rerun of Two and a Half Men with the sound muted.

Emma called to him.

“Dad,” she said.

He stirred slightly. His eyelids fluttered, then closed.

“Dad.”

This time there was no response.

“This is how he was yesterday,” Jesse said.

“Not good,” Emma said.

She turned around in time to see a stern-looking female nurse approaching.

“May I help you,” the nurse said.

“This is my father,” Emma said. “I’ve come from New York to see him.”

“Visiting hours are over.”

“So what,” Emma said. “Why is he so gaga?”

The nurse stared at both Emma and Jesse. Then she left the room and headed for her desk, where she picked up the phone and spoke quietly into it.

After several minutes, the elevator doors opened and Chuck Dempsey emerged, accompanied by another attendant. They headed for Donnie’s room.

“You again,” Dempsey said to Jesse. “What do you want this time?”

“We’re here to visit Mr. Jacobs.”

“Visiting hours are over for the day.”

Dempsey looked at Emma.

“And you are,” he said.

“Emma Jacobs. What’s wrong with my father?”

“There’s nothing wrong with your father. It’s after hours and he’s asleep.”

“He’s sedated.”

“He’s had his evening meds, yes. I’m sure that if you come back tomorrow, you’ll find him awake and alert.”

“It’s just past eight o’clock. Why is he sedated this early?”

“Because it’s his bedtime.”

“He was also sedated at nine-thirty this morning,” Jesse said.

“Look,” Chuck said. “It’s after hours now, and I’m not really the person to talk to regarding Donald’s medical regimen. Why don’t you just come back tomorrow and speak with one of the doctors.”

Neither Jesse nor Emma moved.

Dempsey turned to his associate. “Some people just don’t get it,” he said.

The associate nodded.

“I think we should do it now,” Emma said to Jesse.

“You’re certain.”

“I don’t like this one bit,” she said.

“You might want to pack his things,” Jesse said.

She looked at him for a moment, then walked over to the closet, where she found Donnie’s suitcase. She opened it and started to place his belongings inside.

Jesse reached for his cell phone and called the station. When Molly answered, he asked her to dispatch the nearest squad car to Golden Horizons. He also asked her to send an EMT unit.

Dempsey looked at Emma and said, “Just what is it that you think you’re doing?”

“We’re checking my father out of here,” Emma said.

“No, you’re not,” Dempsey said.

She stared at him.

“This isn’t some fancy hotel, you know,” Dempsey said. “You don’t just barge in here and remove one of the patients.”

“I do.”

“You do what?”

“Barge in here and remove one of the patients. Especially if the patient is my father and he’s incoherent.”

“That’s not for you to determine,” Dempsey said.

“Are you planning on stopping me?”

Dempsey looked at her and said nothing.

Emma turned to the nurse, who was standing at her station.

“I want a list of the medications that have been administered to my father,” she said.

The nurse looked first at Jesse, then at Chuck Dempsey. She didn’t say anything. Emma glared at her. The nurse hastily set out to comply.

The elevator doors opened and two emergency medical technicians entered, followed by both Suitcase Simpson and Rich Bauer.

“What’s up, Jesse,” Suitcase said.

“Trouble avoidance,” he said.

“Trouble avoidance is what we do best,” Suitcase said.

“Make sure that these two clowns understand that,” Jesse said, pointing to Chuck Dempsey and his associate.

“Will do.”

Jesse turned to the two EMTs.

“We’ll be wanting to move Mr. Jacobs to Paradise General,” he said. “I’ll phone ahead for a room. He’ll be under the supervision of Dr. John Lifland.”

“Yes, sir,” said one of the technicians.

Jesse took the list of medications from the nurse and handed it to Emma.

“For Dr. Lifland,” he said.

The EMTs gently repositioned Donnie onto a wheelchair and strapped him in. They moved him to the elevator. Emma went with them. Jesse promised to meet her at the hospital.

He phoned Molly again, briefly explained what had transpired, instructed her to be in touch with Dr. Lifland and to arrange for a room at the hospital. Then he turned to Chuck Dempsey and stared at him for several moments.

“There’s something rotten in Denmark,” he said.

“What in the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“It stinks here,” Jesse said.