Nearly Departed, Max Schlienger [the gingerbread man read aloud txt] 📗

“Hey, at least she was still alive when we got here, right?” Dennis’ positive remark sounded hollow and forced, even to him.

“Yeah, but for how long?” Bobo let out a huff of air and ran his fingers through his short hair. “It’s a hell of a thing, September, and it never works out like you imagine.”

Dennis nodded, his head bobbing rhythmically for a few seconds before he responded. “What are we talking about?”

“Life,” Bobo stated. “Sometimes you get so close to something, only to get distracted at the last minute.”

“I think this falls under a different category than distraction,” Dennis replied mirthlessly. “Besides, we can always finish things when Elspeth gets better.”

“If she gets better.”

Dennis cast a sidelong stare towards Bobo. “You know,” he said, “you’re usually a lot more lighthearted than this.”

“I never get to finish anything I start,” Bobo replied, as though that explained things. He turned to face Dennis. “That’s the real reason I left England, you know. Remember my sister?” Dennis nodded. “Yeah, well, she had this idea for a business making custom appliances. I was going to be the handyman, and she would run the administration side of things.” A touch of a smile crept onto his lips, but not enough to illuminate his dark expression. “Then she met Phil. Bloody Phil!” He shook his head. “I mean, anyone could see he was a psychotic prick, but she shacked up with him anyway. The marriage lasted all of a week, and then she decided that she needed some time to get away and ‘find herself.’” The last two words were spoken with a sarcastic inflection.

“So much for Bobo’s business, then,” Dennis said.

“Yeah. Just as well, though.” Bobo sat up and looked around the room. Dennis had examined it upon their arrival, but had seen nothing worthy of note. The off-white walls were sterile of all decoration, and the only reading material seemed designed to cater to lifeless geriatrics. Only a single window, a wire mesh running through the glass, offered any kind of glimpse into the hospital beyond. Elspeth was back there somewhere, hopefully recovering from whatever had befallen her.

“Do you think they’ll let us talk to her?” Dennis asked. Bobo shrugged casually, his moodiness apparently having evaporated.

“Might not be the best idea.”

“Really?” Dennis furrowed his brow. “Why not?”

“Well, I mean,” Bobo replied, cocking his head. “It’s not like she took to the conversation too well the first time, is it?”

“Wait, you think that we caused her... whatever it was?” The idea shocked Dennis, and it was hard for him to keep from immediately feeling guilty.

“Maybe, maybe not.”

“Thanks, Bobo, that’s very reassuring.”

“I’m no expert on these things, September. You need a watch fixed or a potion made, then I’m your man, but I’ve got no bloody clue about what makes people tick.” He spun a finger next to his head. “It’s all tangled up in there, it is. I know that much.”

“Probably why psychiatrists do so well.” Dennis blinked upon hearing his own statement. “You know what? I bet Sam would know. He deals with this kind of thing all the time.” He reached for his phone, but found his pocket empty. A further search revealed that it was nowhere on his person, and a sudden image of the table in Elspeth’s den popped into his mind.

“Shit,” muttered Dennis. “I forgot my phone at the house.”

“You want to go back for it?” Bobo asked. Dennis’ face contorted with uncertainty.

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Do you think it’s a good idea?”

“Yeah, probably,” said Bobo with a nod. His eyes narrowed slightly. “Come to think of it, we might have left the door unlocked. I think we should check.”

“What about Elspeth? Shouldn’t we be here when she wakes up?”

Bobo gestured at the room’s only window. “There’s a hospital full of doctors here, mate. I think she’ll be fine without us for a little while.”

“Fair enough.” Dennis stood and swung his arms, trying to work the circulation back into them. “Also, it should give us a chance to look for that key.”

It was Bobo’s turn to look uncertain. “I don’t know. Maybe we’d best hold off on that part until Elspeth is feeling better. She ought to be around for it.”

Dennis shook his head adamantly. “No, I really think we should find that key. If you’re right, and our conversation did put her in here, then being around for Evy’s final departure would only make things worse.” He punched a fist into his palm. “I say we head to the house, finish with Evy, and then give Sam a call on the way back here. If he says that it’s okay to talk to Elspeth, then we’ll have good news for her when she wakes up.” He looked expectantly at Bobo, who said nothing, but rose to join him. They were halfway back to Dennis’ car before he realized that he wasn’t entirely sure what a safety deposit box key looked like.

Hopefully he’d know it when he saw it.

Chapter Thirteen

The sun was high and hot as Dennis and Bobo approached Elspeth’s house. It seemed remarkably out of keeping with both the purpose for their visit and the season in general, especially for a winter day in Northern California. If he did wind up writing about this, Dennis thought to himself, he’d have to change things so that their final overture took place at night.

Bobo bounded out of the car before Dennis had shut off the motor, and called back from the doorstep. “It’s open!”

“Great!” Dennis shouted back. “Now we won’t have to break in!” He stepped out of the car and followed the short pathway up to the door, where Bobo was waiting with a mocking grin.

“Careful about the sorts of things you yell, September.” He looked around with exaggerated worry. “You might get the neighborhood watch after us.”

“Get inside, will you?” said Dennis, shoving the bigger man’s arm. Bobo opened the door with a laugh, and led the way through. The