Robert B. Parker’s Damned If You Do

7

The next morning, on his way to the station, Jesse stopped in at Golden Horizons. Without announcing himself, he stepped into the elevator and rode it to the fourth floor. He entered the special care unit and headed for Donnie Jacobs’s room, where he found Donnie asleep in a wheelchair. He was wearing a white cotton bathrobe, the right shoulder of which had slipped off, exposing his bare arm.

“Donnie,” Jesse said.

There was no response.

“Donnie,” he said, louder this time.

Donnie’s eyes fluttered open momentarily, then closed again.

“What have we here,” the floor nurse said as she entered Donnie’s room. Jesse turned to her.

“What’s wrong with Mr. Jacobs,” he said.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“That’s right.”

“Why, there’s nothing wrong with him. He’s having his nap.”

“At nine-thirty in the morning?”

“May I ask who you might be?”

“I’m a friend.”

“You’re not a member of his family?”

“I am not.”

“Then you’ll have to leave. Visiting hours haven’t yet begun.”

“Mr. Jacobs appears to be sedated,” Jesse said.

“That would be none of your concern,” the nurse said. “Please leave.”

“Why is he sedated?”

“He’s not sedated. He’s napping.”

Jesse looked at her.

“Now, Mr. whatever your name is, if you don’t leave, I’ll be forced to call security.”

Jesse turned back to Donnie. He called his name again. Donnie remained unresponsive. Jesse looked at the nurse.

“Shame on you,” he said to her.

He left the unit. When he stepped off the elevator on the main floor, he was met by Chuck Dempsey.

“What are you doing here,” he said to Jesse.

“I was visiting my friend,” Jesse said.

“Visiting hours are from twelve to eight. I’m afraid you’ll have to leave. I’m sure Donnie greatly appreciated that you stopped by.”

He took Jesse by the arm and started to edge him toward the door. Jesse wrenched his arm from Dempsey’s grasp.

“Hands off,” he said.

“Feel free to come back during visiting hours,” Dempsey said.

Jesse stepped closer to him.

“I don’t think I like what I’m seeing here, Chuck. Mr. Jacobs appears to have been drugged. There are bruises on his body. I’m thinking that maybe something’s not right, and I don’t much care for that thought. Let me offer you a word of caution that I trust you’ll share with Dr. Binky. I don’t want to see Mr. Jacobs in this state again. If I come back here and find him like this, or maybe even tethered to his bed, more than likely I’ll become angry. Which wouldn’t be a good thing. Do I make myself clear?”

Dempsey didn’t say anything.

Jesse reached over, grabbed hold of the tendon that stretched from Dempsey’s neck to his shoulder, and pinched it hard. Dempsey winced.

“Do I make myself clear?”

Dempsey nodded.

Jesse held on for several moments longer before he let go. Dempsey was still massaging the tendon when Jesse left the building.