Patricia Rockwell - Essie Cobb 03 - Valentined (24 page)

Eventually, after everyone had made peace with each other,
Essie left Grace Bloom’s apartment and rolled herself back down the corridor to
her own place.  When she arrived, she flung herself into her recliner, moaning
painfully from all of her recent activities.  She started to drift off, but
before she allowed herself to sleep, she reached over to her walker just to
check on the envelope in her basket.  She realized that she hadn’t looked at it
since yoga class, and she felt the need to double check to make sure it was
still there.  When she raised the black seat lid, she gasped.  The
cream-colored envelope was not in its usual spot on the top of the pile of
objects.  She rummaged through her belongings in the basket.  Maybe the card
had fallen down the side and slipped to the bottom of the pile.  She brought
out everything from the basket and carefully sifted through every item.  No. 
The fake valentine was missing.  There was no doubt.  She had not misplaced
it.  Someone had taken it between the time she had left yoga and the time she
returned from Grace Bloom’s apartment.  She reviewed where she had been and
considered the most logical time and place for the drug dealer to have
absconded with the valentine.

The obvious answer was during Dr. Love’s speech.  Essie had
left her walker near the wall with all the other walkers.  She had sat on the
sofa with her friends during the presentation.  There were so many people
milling about during Dr. Love’s speech.  She also had to admit that she wasn’t
really paying very close attention to her walker during the speech.  Anyone
could have passed by the walkers by the wall and surreptitiously lifted the
seat and discreetly lifted out her fake valentine.  It was on the top.  It
would be easy to steal.  Even so, Essie wasn’t panicked.  She realized that
what she had expected to happen, what she had hoped would happen, had
happened.  The dealer had struck.  Now she hoped that her plan would work and
that the Happy Haven drug dealer would fall victim to it and would soon be
exposed.  She knew, however, that time was of the essence.  Even though she
hadn’t informed Detective Abbott of her plan in advance, now that the card was
gone, she believed that she needed to let him know—both because it would soon
be likely that he would be able to arrest the dealer, and if anything should go
wrong when the dealer discovered the surprise that Essie had planted inside the
little heart and the dealer responded with anger or violence, the police would
be there to protect the residents, including Essie.

She reached for her telephone and got out the business card
that Detective Abbott had given her from her basket.  She dialed Abbott’s
private number.  The man answered promptly and Essie explained her situation. 
Abbott was shocked and not terribly thrilled that Essie had implemented this
plot to catch the drug dealer on her own, but even so, he informed Essie that
he and his officers would be over to Happy Haven immediately.  He told her to stay
put.  Essie assumed he meant for her to stay in her room.  Of course, Essie had
no intention of doing that.  She wanted to be somewhere where she could see if
and when the dealer revealed himself.  She believed it would be sooner rather
than later.  Surely, now that the dealer had the card in his possession, it
wouldn’t be long before he tried to open the little fake heart and remove what
he assumed would be his supply of cocaine.  What a surprise was awaiting him!

Essie put her exhaustion on the back burner and agonizingly
dragged herself out of her recliner.  Grabbing her trusty walker, which she
thought of warmly now as her virtual partner in crime detection, she headed out
to the lobby.

Amazingly enough, the lobby that had so recently been filled
with people was now almost completely empty.  Only a few residents sat in front
of the fireplace.  One man was reading a newspaper as he enjoyed the warmth. 
Another lady appeared to be waiting for someone.  She had on her coat and hat
and was looking towards the front entrance.  Essie carefully chose a
high-backed chair in a corner where she could view most of the entire lobby
without too many people seeing her.

Phyllis stood at the front desk talking on the phone.  A few
kitchen workers moved around in the dining hall.  Essie could see them through
the glass walls setting up tables for dinner.  Violet Hendrickson entered
quickly from her office near the main entrance.  She appeared agitated.  She
headed over to Phyllis who quickly hung up the phone when she saw the Happy
Haven director coming towards her in an annoyed state.  Essie observed their
heated discussion from afar.  Violet was showing Phyllis her hands.  She rubbed
her hands together and pointed at them.  Phyllis looked startled and
uncomfortable.  She held up her hand for Violet to wait at the desk and she
headed into the little back room behind the counter.  Violet scowled and looked
around in obvious annoyance.  Essie tried to see Violet’s hands to see what was
upsetting her about them, but Violet had her palms placed flat down on the
counter.  Soon, Phyllis returned with a bottle of a clear liquid and some
cotton balls.  Violet grabbed the items with nary a thank you to Phyllis and
stormed off into her office.

Now, I wonder what sort of substance Violet got on her
hands?
thought Essie
.  Could it be ink?  If so, I wonder where she got
it from?
  Essie smiled to herself.  Was this little mystery coming to a
close? 

At that moment, Detective Abbott entered the main entrance. 
He was followed by Chavez and Magee.  Phyllis looked shocked to see the two
police officers.  Abbott came over to Phyllis and spoke to her.  Chavez and
Magee stood behind him, looking authoritative.  Abbott looked around and his
eyes fell on Essie sitting in the far corner.  He motioned for Chavez and Magee
to remain at the main entrance which they did, stationing themselves on either
side of the doorway.  Abbott wandered over to Essie, and calmly took a seat on
the brick fireplace edge next to her chair.

“So, Miss Essie,” he said.  “You’re out to catch this crook
on your own, are you?”   He shook his head patronizingly.

“Yes, Detective,” replied Essie, “and I believe I have
succeeded.”

“Oh?” asked Abbott.  “You mean you caught this crook?  Where
is he?”  Abbott looked around skeptically.  He crossed his arms and smiled at
Essie.

Essie explained her fake valentine and how she had set it to
trap the dealer.  She told Abbott how she had shown the card all over Happy
Haven in hopes of attracting the culprit to try to swipe it.  When she found
the card missing, she realized that the dealer had indeed taken the card, so
she came down to see if the dealer would show himself.

“Show himself?” asked Abbott. 

“Yes, Detective,” replied Essie.  “If anyone opened that
card I made, then went further and cut open the little heart I made—and nobody
but the drug dealer would have any reason to do that—then they’d find
themselves with their hands covered with indelible ink.   I believe you’ll
discover that there is one member of our staff who now has very black palms.”

“Who?” asked Abbott. 

“Violet Hendrickson,” said Essie.  “The Director of Happy
Haven.  She just retreated to her office with some sort of cleaner.  I believe
she’s trying to remove the ink from her hands.”

“Miss Essie,” said Abbott firmly.  “Wait here.”  He motioned
to Chavez and Magee to follow him and the three police officers headed back
down the office hallway next to the main entrance.

Essie remained in her chair in the lobby for what seemed a
very long time.  Eventually, however, Abbott returned from the office hallway
followed by Chavez and Magee who were escorting Violet Hendrickson between
them.  Violet was handcuffed and she was staring down at the floor.  Her face
was red and tear-stained.  Essie almost felt sorry for her—but not quite. 
Abbott motioned Chavez and Magee to take Violet away.  Phyllis witnessed this
whole event silently, her mouth wide open the entire time.  The other residents
also looked on, apparently stunned as the Happy Haven director was arrested and
taken away in police custody. 

Abbott stood for a moment at the counter, apparently
explaining things to Phyllis.  Then he stepped back over to where Essie was
sitting.

“You are some lady, Miss Essie,” said Abbott with a long
whistle.  “I don’t suppose you’d like a job on the narcotics task force, would
you?”

“No, thank you, Detective,” replied Essie.  “My life is
exciting enough.”

Chapter Thirty

“Love is, above all else, the gift of
oneself.”

—Jean Anouilh

Valentine’s Day was a distant memory.  All of the fancy
decorations had been removed.  In fact, the staff had actually started to hang
shamrocks in preparation for St. Patrick’s Day.  Most of the residents had
forgotten all of the excitement of Dr. Love’s speech and the media coverage of
their little assisted living facility.  A few had even forgotten the shock of
having Violet Hendrickson, the Happy Haven director, arrested and accused of
dealing illegal drugs.

Even so, there were quite a few residents and staff members
gathered in the lobby that morning for a ceremony that also drew some local
media—although not quite as much attention as the aforementioned Dr. Love.  One
lone reporter with a camera stood in the lobby by the fireplace awaiting the
opportunity to snap a candid shot.  Essie’s family—Pru, Kurt, and Claudia—and
their spouses and children all stood together to one side, obviously amazed and
proud of their mother and grandmother.  Mindy, who had had a small part in
Essie’s recent adventure, was visibly the most proud.  Indeed, before the
ceremony, Essie had shown Mindy the fake valentine she had made that had lured
Violet into confessing.  Abbott had returned the card to Essie for her
scrapbook—minus the ink-filled heart.

Detective Abbott stood in the center of the room, attired in
his finest dress uniform.  Chavez and Magee stood nearby, also neatly
uniformed.  Essie stood behind her walker, next to Abbott. 

“Miss Cobb,” said Abbott, in a deep baritone voice, “the
Reardon Police Department wishes to present you with this official letter of
commendation for your assistance in the identification and capture of Violet
Hendrickson, alias Viola Dunlap, alias Viviane Dugan, on charges of illegal
drug dealing.” Abbott held up a certificate framed in a gold case.  He held it
out towards Essie and she placed her hands on the frame.  The reporter lifted
his camera and snapped away.  Essie and Abbott smiled and froze their poses.

Abbott continued speaking to the gathered crowd, “The
Reardon Police Department wishes you, the residents of Happy Haven, to know how
much we admire and appreciate the efforts of Miss Cobb.  Although we don’t
condone Miss Cobb’s singular heroics and daring, we do certainly appreciate her
efforts, which we all consider above and beyond the call of duty.”

The small group of staff and residents applauded.

“In truth,” continued Abbott, speaking now more informally,
“we don’t quite know what to make of Essie Cobb.  It’s not every day that a
ninety-year-old woman foils a huge drug ring like this one all alone.”

“Oh, but Detective,” interjected Essie, “I had a lot of help
from my friends Marjorie, Opal, and Fay!”  She smiled and pointed to her pals
sitting attentively all together on the sofa near the fireplace.  The three
women all turned and waved at the crowd, particularly the photographer.  “And,
of course, Betsy Rollingford helped too.  She got a secret admirer card last
year.  If it weren’t for Betsy I never would have realized that Violet was
using all of the residents to bring drugs into Happy Haven.”  Essie waved at
Betsy who was sitting in the middle of the lobby.  Betsy rose and took a tiny
bow much to the delight of all the residents.

“Yes, of course,” said Abbott.  “You obviously had a lot of
help, Miss Essie.  But, still it was your plan.  And it’s hard to believe that
a lady of your…uh…experience…could accomplish such a feat!”

“It’s not hard for us to believe,” said Dave Esperti,
standing in the rear.  “We’ve all known Essie was a pistol for a long time!” 
The group laughed.

“A pistol she is,” agreed Abbott, turning to Chavez and
Magee and smiling at them.  The two officers returned the glance.  “Anyway, for
the record, the suspect who Essie helped us arrest pleaded guilty in circuit
court yesterday.  We have her confession and the DA has arranged a plea deal
with Miss Hendrickson in exchange for her testimony on the larger national drug
ring of which she was a part.  We are happy to say that because of this, the
Boston Police have been able to put a crime syndicate out of business.”

“All because of Essie!” declared a man near the back.  Essie
thought it was the man who’d harassed her in arts and crafts class.

“Yes, because of Essie,” agreed Abbott.  “It’s true and it’s
sad that this arrest takes away Happy Haven’s director.”

“It’s not sad to me!” declared Essie, stomping her foot.  The
crowd roared. 

“But, I’m sure Happy Haven will be able to replace Miss
Hendrickson with a fine new director quite soon.”

“Make sure they do a better background check,” yelled out a
resident from the back. 

“In the meantime,” continued Abbott, “know that the Reardon
Police Department will be here for you if you need us!  I believe I can safely
speak for my fellow officers when I say that this facility will always hold a
special place in our hearts.”    He glanced over at Magee and Chavez who were
beaming.  Chavez rubbed a tear from her eye with the sleeve of her uniform
jacket.

Essie looked around.  She didn’t see Santos or Grace Bloom,
so she figured they were both busy feeding puppies.  Phyllis stood at the front
desk in her usual spot.  Essie wondered how she would fare without Violet
Hendrickson; Phyllis had always seemed so attached to Violet.  But as she
looked at Phyllis, the desk clerk was smiling warmly at Essie.  Maybe the
transition to a new director of Happy Haven wouldn’t be as hard as she imagined.