Chapter 8
"Thank you for calling me, Alice," Jean smiled at the pathologist. Alice had met her in the hospital parking lot. It was past dinner time and when only Rose had shown up for the meal, both women grew nervous. They mostly just pushed dinner around on their plates, though Jean made a point of saying that they needed to put some nutrition in. The older woman knew why she was nervous, but she had not yet figured out what was worrying Rose. Sure, Rose's former boyfriend, Charlie, hadn't called, but he wouldn't normally call for her anyway anymore. That's when she wondered if maybe Rose was worrying about her nephew Danny. She'd seen how they looked at each other and how quickly they'd run out to the cinema. That's why Rose ended up heading to the police station once she dropped Jean off at the hospital.
"Of course, Jean. I found him passed out in a chair and figured he might like a bed at home," Alice smiled as they entered the hospital.
"What happened? He never called and I began to worry…" Jean stopped herself short. Both women knew what she meant. Lucien's punctured lung had resulted in a phone call, long after it had happened.
"Reginald, from Arnold Beaucaire's farm, had been shot. Lucien helped our on-duty surgeon, Doctor Sullivan, save his life. It was messy, but I think the worst of it is over," Alice admitted as they moved down the hall to where Lucien had fallen asleep. She knew that it wasn't exactly protocol but given that Lucien was the man who operated on him, Alice figured it was fine. It wasn't like she'd given any personal information away. The newspaper would more than likely report the attack and the arrests made by the local police.
"Good God. What did that poor man do to deserve that?" Jean shook her head.
"Nothing that I can think of. Though one rarely deserves something like that," Alice figured.
"Yes of course, you know what I mean. I just can't understand why there is so much violence over a piece of property," Jean admitted.
"Yes, I do know what you mean. Between you and me, it's a man thing," Alice told her before stopping in her tracks. Jean gave her a look.
"He was right there…" Alice pointed to a now empty chair.
"You check the morgue and I'll find a nurse," Jean said. Alice nodded and scooted down the hallway while Jean headed back to the nearby nurses' station.
"You haven't seen…" Jean didn't even get the words out.
"Dr. Blake is on the second floor, checking in on his patient," the nurse smiled.
"Much obliged. Can you call down to the morgue and Doctor Harvey? She went looking for him down there," Jean smiled back.
"No problem," the nurse said. With that Jean found the staircase and headed up to the second floor. It didn't take long to find him as the room was near the stairwell and she could hear him talking to someone. Not wanting to intrude, Jean stayed in the hallway, taking a seat on a nearby bench.
"Mary, does Reginald have any family left?" Lucien asked.
"His father died before I met him. His mother went back to their ancestral home, though where that is, I do not know. He doesn't have any siblings," Mary admitted.
"Why would his mother leave?" Lucien was a little confused given that they had a home on the farm.
"He never writes to her. I think it was code for something else. I don't press. It doesn't do much good to," she said. Lucien nodded. Families could be complicated; he knew all about that.
"How long have you two been dating?" The doctor wanted to know.
"Dating?" Mary gave him a look.
"Mary, you're obviously attached to him. None of the farmhands came running. You did. You'll get no judgement from me. We don't have a viable emergency contact for Reginald. He had Arnold on his records," Lucien said.
"It's not much of a secret on the farm, but you know how people are," the woman told him.
"I do. We'll put you as his contact. Now, he won't be up for a while and if the charge nurse finds you in here after visiting hours end, we'll both be in trouble. Can you stay in town for tonight?" He asked.
"I don't have anywhere to stay and I don't have enough money for a hotel," Mary admitted. That was all Jean needed to hear. She went up to the doorway and knocked.
"Jean, it is good to see you," Lucien's face lit up. She knew that he wanted to say more but not in front of the woman whose boyfriend was currently unconscious in a hospital bed.
"Alice thought I should check in on you since you were sleeping in a chair," Jean smiled at him.
"I know our house is a little full at the moment, but do you think we could help Mary out for the night?" Lucien wanted to know.
"Absolutely. Dinner is in the fridge and we have a couch available. We just need to find your car. Rose dropped me off here," Jean said.
"It's at the police station," his shoulders slumped a little. He was much too tired to walk down there.
"I'll make a phone call and be right back," his wife promised.
To Be Continued…