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

then you just signed the paper and paid the fee.”

“Oh. Right.”

“Now,” the detective said, “can we please go and get the bastard that wants to hurt Ellie?” His words were harsh, but his tone was subdued, and there was enough sensitive emotion in the man’s eyes that Dennis felt uncomfortable meeting them. Bobo looked away as well, contemplating a spot on the wall.

“I’m still not sure about that,” Dennis answered gently. “At the very least, we should talk to her first. Elspeth really should have some say in this.”

“You’re right.” Spinner’s quiet agreement caught Dennis by surprise, but the somber nod of his head was unquestionably sincere. “Yeah, you’re right, this is her deal, too.” He sighed, mirroring Dennis’ feelings, if perhaps not their source. “Come on, I’ll give you guys a ride to the hospital.”

They left the house in pensive silence, the echoes of their footsteps barely covering the sound of a ghost shedding invisible tears.

After a round of borderline-suspicious questions and a firm admonition to keep things quiet, the group was admitted to Elspeth’s room in the hospital. Her dainty form, which had always been very petite, looked even more frail and delicate beneath the thin bedsheets. At first, Dennis thought that she was asleep, but her eyes opened as the group drew near.

The first word through her lips was a name, somewhere between a question and a whisper of recognition. “Malcolm?” she asked. “What are you doing here?”

“Just... just here to check on you, Ellie,” Spinner replied. He sniffed once and blinked, obviously struggling to maintain his composure. “How’re you feeling?”

“Well enough.” Elspeth lifted herself up slightly. “I see you’ve met Dennis and Barnaby,” she said, nodding to each of them.

“Yeah, we’re old friends by now,” said Bobo. “Are they treating you alright, ma’am? I could see to getting you an extra biscuit or two.” He winked, and a smile warmed Elspeth’s sallow face.

“I’ll be quite alright, dear, thank you.” She rolled her head against her pillow. “And you, Dennis? Did you find what you were looking for?”

“I think so.” Dennis pulled the key out and held it out for her to see. “We went back to your house for it... I hope you don’t mind.”

“I do hope you tidied up after yourself,” Elspeth murmured. Dennis winced as he thought of the state in which they’d left the living room. “You haven’t shown it to her yet, I take it?”

“Not yet, no. There’s something else we need to ask you first.”

Elspeth’s face contorted as if to cough, but nothing further happened. “Let’s have it, then,” she said, relaxing.

Dennis didn’t see a need to concern the woman with the full details of his encounter with Spinner. “We looked through those pictures that you found,” he said. “One of them showed your father –”

“Here, I’ve got it,” Bobo interjected. He pulled the photograph from his pocket. “Is that bloke your father’s mate, then?”

“That’s him,” Elspeth confirmed. “Uncle Sam, I called him.” She smiled weakly. “It took me years before I understood the joke.”

Dennis’ teeth dug into his lower lip. “And you really haven’t had any contact with him since before Evy died?” Too many things were hinging on Elspeth’s answer, and Dennis waited impatiently as she considered.

“No,” she answered finally. “None at all. As I said, I’m not even certain that he’s still alive.”

“Oh, he is,” growled Spinner. “He’s that shady psychiatrist I keep telling you about.”

“Malcolm, really, we’ve been over this. Samuel is hardly an uncommon name.”

“Be that as it may,” Dennis motioned towards the photograph, “that’s him with your father.”

“Oh.” Elspeth sank into her pillow. “That is peculiar.” She turned to Dennis and Bobo. “Boys, would you give the two of us a moment alone?”

“We’ll be right outside, ma’am,” said Bobo.

There was a bench in the hallway, but it was hardly large enough to accommodate the both of them. Anyway, Dennis didn’t feel like sitting down. He paced along the length of the corridor, still fighting his disbelief over how thoroughly Harding had tricked him. If he had done even one thing differently, he wouldn’t be in this mess.

“Dennis?”

A voice from one of the other rooms interrupted his thoughts. Dennis turned to see Alena standing behind him, looking as surprised as he felt. “Hey,” he greeted her. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m visiting Antonio,” she replied. “I left you a voicemail about it.” She looked at Dennis quizzically. “You look nice.”

He had forgotten that he was still in his clothes from the date, minus the discarded blazer. “It’s a long story,” Dennis said. “Anyway, how is he?”

Alena breathed a long sigh of relief. “He’s awake. Sleeping now, but the doctors say that he’ll be fine.”

“Up and dancing again any day now, huh?”

“After he finishes the movie.” Alena’s expression grew concerned. “Why are you here, Dennis? Is everything alright?”

“No.” Dennis’ shoulders sagged. “No, everything is decidedly not alright.”

“What happened? Are you hurt?”

Dennis shook his head. “I’m fine.”

“What is it, then?”

He didn’t have the energy left to even think about what he said. “Remember that lady with the haunted chair? She’s not doing so well. I don’t know know how bad it is. That detective is in there with her now. It turns out that they’re friends.” He spilled out his words with reckless abandon, not even looking at his wife. “And Sam was using me all along, and now I’m stuck as a surrogate guardian in the middle of a decades-old feud over a fortune in ill-gotten gains.”

To her credit, Alena remained remarkably calm. She didn’t say anything immediately, and when the tension was finally broken, it was by a subtle gesture over Dennis’ shoulder.

“There’s a man watching us,” Alena said.

“That’s just Bobo. He’s been helping me out.”

“He looks nice.”

Dennis nodded. “He is nice. A bit weird, maybe.”

“You’re one to talk.”

“Yeah...” Dennis stepped forward and took Alena’s hands. “I know you don’t believe me, but please, just try to accept that there are some seriously bizarre things going on. I could really use your