Chapter 15

"Reginald, you're looking much better. How do you feel?" Lucien asked his patient.

"In some pain but much better. How is Mary?" Reginald wanted to know.

"She's getting treatment and according to Doctor Harvey, she's improving," the doctor gave him a smile.

"Can I see her?" Reginald asked.

"I don't see why a trip to her room would be out of the question. In a wheelchair though. No walking about just yet. We need to build your strength back up. No one wants you passing out and hurting yourself in a fall," Lucien told him. Reginald nodded and that's when Charlie spoke up.

"Reginald, did people at the Farmer's Market know that Mary was sick? That she was staying with you?" The detective wondered.

"She usually used our trip to the market to get our supplies in town. So, I'm sure someone noticed that she wasn't making the weekly trips but I made no mention that she'd moved into my place. At any rate, Bao Shen's wife, Yawen, offered to do the trips. Her English has come a long way and she knew what Bao was looking for to help Mary," the patient explained.

"Yawen didn't end up having any trouble, did she?" Lucien was surprised that she offered.

"Not that I know of. She never said anything," Reginald told them.

"I think we'll need to talk to Yawen, just to be sure," Lucien gave him a wink before promising to track down a wheelchair for him. Charlie took the opportunity to ask another question or two.

"I know that there has been a lot going on but you don't remember seeing anything off at either the Farmer's Market or at the farm, do you? A car that didn't belong or someone listening in on conversations?"

"I hadn't thought anything of it at the time but Arnold had been saying we needed to get some dogs. We had cats around to keep the rodent population down so I asked him why he wanted a dog. If it scared the cats away…" Reginald paused.

"You think that he felt something was up?" Charlie wondered.

"I don't know. I wasn't sure that it wasn't the pills the doctor gave him. Still a dog might have been a good thing given what happened," Reginald heaved a sigh. Charlie nodded as a nurse with a wheelchair and Lucien came back into the room.

"Your chariot awaits. Charlie, shall we check in with Yawen?" Lucien asked.

"Thanks Reginald. Come on Doc," Charlie smiled and they headed out of the hospital and down to the police car. It did not take long to get to the farm and the cadets welcomed them. When they asked where Yawen was, an eager cadet named Eric Harris pointed out the house that belonged to the Shen's.

"Detective Davis, Doctor Blake, it is good to see you. I hope Mary is doing better," Bao Shen let them into the house. He gave the medical man a smile and shook his hand before shaking Charlie's. The Chinese man had picked up Australian customs as quickly as he could but still had a bit of an accent when he spoke.

"She is. We hope we aren't intruding but Reginald said that Yawen took up the weekly trips into town when Mary couldn't," Lucien said.

"She did. Yawen," he called to his wife, who quickly came out of the kitchen. She had just finished cleaning some vegetables for dinner. They had grabbed some clean water from town, since the filtration of the well wasn't ready for use yet.

"Doctor Blake and Detective Davis have a few questions. I'll help translate, just in case. Yawen's English has gotten much better but there are still some words that are a bit tricky," Bao said.

"Of course, totally understandable. How is the water filtration unit coming?" Lucien asked as they all took seats in the living room.

"The installers were here first thing this morning. They said that we didn't have to pay, which I was surprised at, but an agency out of Melbourne is covering the cost. Seems like this is not the first time this has happened. Our neighbors on the other side of the Wagners promised to dig a new well for the main house once the case is wrapped up," Bao explained.

"That is great to hear. Were people nice to you when you went into town Yawen?" The doctor wanted to know.

"Yes. Most stores near Farmer's Market know our standing orders," she smiled at him.

"That's good. Anyone seem overly interested in why you were there instead of Mary? Maybe seem a little too interested?" Charlie spoke up. Yawen paused and spoke a few words in Chinese which Lucien understood, but he let Bao translate.

"The man at the hardware store," he said.

"Mr. Vaughn," Charlie filled in. Yawen nodded and said,

"He ask why Mary wasn't picking up the order. We don't go to hard…ware… store too often, but the shed needed a new coat of paint. There were a few loose boards too."

"Arnold's name was on the order, right?" Charlie wondered.

"Yes. He has account there," Yawen said. Lucien wondered how this man fit into all of this but he wouldn't have to wait long to find out. The Chief Superintendent was having quite an interesting conversation with Lisa's sister just a few miles away. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together.

To Be Continued…