Sinking Suspicions

Chapter 25

142 Chapter 25 After angrily detaching himself from Dee Dee Skinner, Lance watched as Sadie and Charlie drove away. He walked over to the check-in desk and spoke to the young nurse. “Benjamin Skinner’s niece is here,” he said. “Can you let her know when Mr. Skinner can have visitors?” The nurse raised her eyebrow and looked past Lance at the woman dabbing a tissue at the black eye makeup smeared on her cheeks, then shifted her eyes to the empty couch where Sadie had been sitting. “He sure is a popular guy,” she said. “I thought the other woman who came in with him said he didn’t have any next of kin around here.” Lance transferred his weight from one foot to the other. “That was his neighbor. I don’t think she was aware that Miss Skinner had arrived from California.” The nurse nodded. “Okay, I’ll let her know.” The phone rang and she disappeared behind a cubicle partition. Lance reluctantly returned to where Dee Dee was sitting, but kept his distance and remained standing. Dee Dee stood and Lance took a step backward. “Can I go in?” she asked. 143 “They said they’d let you know when he can have visitors.” He took his cell phone out and looked at it as if it held the key to his escape. “I’ve got to go. You’ll be okay here.” “Oh.” Dee Dee lowered her eyes. “Sure.” “If you need anything, have the nurse contact the local police department and they’ll send someone out.” Without waiting for her response, he retreated out the double doors to his truck. • Charlie pulled into the parking lot at the Waffle House and took the last parking space. He shifted the cruiser into park, switched off the engine, and turned to Sadie. “Let’s get a bite to eat,” he said. “Everything looks better over a plate of food.” Sadie managed a weak smile. “Yeah, a little comfort food might be in order.” They walked together across the parking lot and entered the restaurant. Charlie headed for his favorite booth in the back corner. Sadie followed. Charlie took the side against the wall and Sadie sat with her back to the door. They both ordered big—cheeseburgers, fries, and Dr Peppers. “You want to talk about it?” Charlie asked. She avoided Charlie’s piercing eyes by turning her gaze out the window next to their booth. “Not really,” she said, eventually returning her attention to him. “Let’s talk about Buck. Why do you want to talk to him?” “It’s pretty cut and dried.” Charlie waited for the waitress to deposit their soft drinks on the table and leave. “The old man went missing. Someone stole his social security number, which had created a little problem with the IRS, which in turn kind of angered the old man Benjamin Skinner because it was going to cost him his ranch.” “Buck,” she corrected him. “His name is Buck.” She sipped Dr Pepper and waited for him to continue. “Okay, Buck it is. Anyway, it appears that Buck found the guy causing all the havoc with the stolen social security number and popped him in his lover’s trailer house right after one and the same—that is, lover and identity thief—carved up the other old boy his girlfriend was having a fling with.” 144 Sadie felt confused as she chewed on the end of her straw. “That part took place at the chicken plant at the edge of town,” Charlie continued. “But the suspect Benjamin Skinner, or Buck I guess it is, got away from us. That is, until you carted him into the hospital today.” “What?” Sadie almost spit Dr Pepper across the table. The waitress arrived and plopped down their food—two huge plates overflowing with burgers and fries. Charlie began to assemble his burger, pulling off the lettuce and tomatoes and pushing them to the side. He replaced the top of the bun and smashed it down with his hand. “For which I’m quite grateful, I might add. Thank you very much.” Sadie’s food sat in front of her for several seconds while she stared at Charlie as if he were a madman. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said, drawing out each word for emphasis . “That’s ludicrous. Especially since when I found him...