She couldnt imagine the attorney would be able to see her without an appointment, but she could at least stop by while she was right there in town, set up something.
The old-fashioned stairwell was airless and dark, with steep steps leading to the upstairs offices. Her stomach churned in protest, partly because shed always been claustrophobic, and partly because she needed to eat something, and soon. Shed planned to have breakfast right after seeing Ike, but that stupid fainting business had stolen her appetite. Still, shed immediately started to feel better once shed gotten out in the fresh air. As soon as she made contact with the attorney, shed stop and get some serious food before heading home.
Upstairs, she found an old-fashioned oak door with the attorneys name on a brass sign. She turned the knob without knocking, assuming shed be entering a receptionist and lobby area, not the lawyers specific office.
Oh. Excuse me. I was hoping to make an appointment with Mrs. Meachams
Im Louella Meachams. And just Louella would do. Come in. Sit yourself.
The lady had to be around fifty, had a wash-and-wear hairstyle and a general bucket build. She wore mens pants, a starched shirt, no makeup. Hunting dog pictures graced the walls. The sturdy oak chairs facing the desk had no cushions. Windows overlooking the street below had blinds, but no curtains. The whole office looked like a male lawyers lair, rather than a womans. And Louella looked a littlemaybe even a lotlike a man herself. She peered at her over half-rim glasses.
I believe youre my grandfathers attorney. Cashner Gautier, Ginger started. Im Ginger, his granddaughter. I just got into town a few days ago. And I was hoping you could help me clarify his situation.
I know who you are, just from all that red hair. You were one fiery little girl. And Im more than willing to talk with you, but you need to understand that your grandfathers my client. I not only cant, but never would, break confidentiality with him.
I understand that. And Id never ask you to. Haltingly she started to explain the situation shed found at home, how her grandfather wasnt himself, that he seemed to have both memory and health issues, that the place looked in serious disarray compared to the last time shed been home. Louella leaned back, stuck a leather shoe on a wastebasket for a footrest and listened until she came through with a question.
As long as Ive been Cashners attorney, Ive never been completely clear about his family situation. I know your grandparents only had one child, a daughteryour mother. And that even when your mother married, she kept the Gautier name, which is pretty unusual in these parts. If I have it right, youre now the only close blood kin of Cashners, because your mama died quite a while ago.
Yes. Mom was in a terrible car accident. I was barely ten. And that was when I came to live with my grandparents.
But are there other blood kin? Brothers, cousins? Any relatives at all on your grandfathers side of the fence?
No, not that Im aware of. The Gautiers came originally from France there may be some distant relatives still there, but none I know of. My grandmother had some family in California, but I never met any of them. They were like second cousins or that distance.
What about your father? Louella leaned over, opened a drawer, lifted a sterling silver flask. Need a little toot?
Uh, no. Thank you. She added, My father has nothing to do with this situation. Hes not a Gautier
Yes. But hes family for you, so he could help you, couldnt he? Advise you on options you might consider for your grandfather.
Ginger frowned. So far shed given more information than shed gotten. Not that she minded telling her grandfathers attorney the situation. Gramps trusted Louella. So Ginger did. My dad, she said carefully, is about as lovable as you can get. Hes huggable, always laughing, lots of fun. I adored him when I was little. He brought me a puppy one birthday, rented a Ferris wheel for another birthday party, took me out of schoolplayed hookyto fly me to Disney World one year. Youd love him. Everyone does.
Im sure theres some reason youre telling me this, Louella said stridently.
Im just trying to say, as tactfully as I can, that my dad cant be in this picture. I love him. Not loving him would be like well, like not loving a puppy. Puppies piddle. It isnt fun to clean up after them, but you cant expect a puppy to behave like a grown-up. Which is to say I dont even know where my dad is right now. Whatever problems my grandfather hasIm his person. His problems are mine. And theres nothing I wouldnt do for him.
All right. I always heard the gossip that your father was your basic good-looking reprobate, but I never met him, didnt know for sure. Im glad you clarified the situation. Im sorry that hes out of the picture for you. That makes Cashners circumstances all the more awkward. But I still cant tell you about his will
I dont give a hoot about his will. I need to know if hes paying his bills. If hes solvent. Can you tell me who has power of attorney? If someone has medical powers? I need to know if I have the right to look into his bank accounts, make sure that bills are being paid, what shape the business is in, whether hes okay financially or if I need to do something.
Louella harrumphed, looked out the window as if she were thinking about how to phrase an answer. Ginger was more than willing to wait.
At least she thought she was. A glance at an old wall clock revealed it was well past noon. Apparently theyd been talkingand shed been running around towna lot longer than shed expected. Technically time didnt matter; it wasnt as if she was on a schedule. But the queasiness that plagued her earlier in the morning was suddenly back. So was exhaustion. Not exhaustion from doing anything; she just had a sudden, consuming urge to curl up in a ball like a cat and close her eyes, just nap for a few minutes.
Shed never been a napper. Until eight weeks ago. Now she could suddenly get so tired she could barely stumble around. It was crazy. She felt crazy. And in a blink of a minute, she just wanted to go home.
Well, Ginger. I dont know how to say this but bluntly. Your grandfather needs to move out of that big old place. But he wont. He needs to hire someone to take over the tea plantation before its in complete ruin. But he wont do that, either. And the best advice I can give you is to just leave him alone. Go on about your life. Its what Id want, if I were in Cashners situation. He doesnt need or want someone telling him what to do, where he needs to be, what rules he should be following. It wont help. If you want to help, be a good granddaughter and love him. But then just go on with your own life.
Ginger heard her. Alarm shot sparks straight to her bloodstream. Gramps was in trouble, in ways the attorney knew about, separate from the problems Ike knew as Grampss doctor. Urgency made her heart slam. She rushed to her feetor she tried to.
For the second time that morning, the world turned green and everything in sight started spinning.
Well, my word!
She heard Louellas husky voice. Heard it as if it was coming from a hundred yards away. After that, everything went smoky black.
Chapter Three
For the second time that morning, the world turned green and everything in sight started spinning.
Well, my word!
She heard Louellas husky voice. Heard it as if it was coming from a hundred yards away. After that, everything went smoky black.
Chapter Three
When the last patient of the morning canceled, Ruby let him know with a fervent Hallelujah!
Ike was still smiling when he heard the front door slamRuby did like a long lunch when she could get it. But his mind was really on Ginger, and had been all morning.
There was no question that hed see her again. Shed seek him out because she had to; he was the best source of information on her grandfather. Ike needed that connection just as much, because he happened to love the old man, and something had to be decided about Cashner before the situation turned into a real crisis.
Still, when the office phone rang, he never guessed it would be Ginger contacting him again this soon. Nor would he have thought hed hear from Louella Meachamsone of his most reluctant patients. She told him she had no truck with doctors every single time he took her blood pressure. Louella was at least part guy. Not gay. Just an exuberantly male kind of female. People trusted her in town. He did, too. She just had a lot of coarse sandpaper in her character.
Dont waste your time telling me youre busy with a patient, Ike MacKinnon. I dont care if you have fifty patients. I have a woman in my office on the floor. Fainted dead away. Now you get right over here and do something about her.
Since you asked so nicely, Ill be there right away. But in the meantime do you know who she is, why she fainted, what happened?
I dont care what happened. I want her off my floor. When she went down, it scared the bejesus out of me. I thought she was dead!
I understand
I dont care if you understand or not. You get her out of here somehow, someway, and Im talking pronto.
Yes, maam. But again Hell. Ike just wanted a clue what the problem could be. Do you know her?
Her name is Ginger Gautier. Cashners granddaughter. What difference does it make? The problem is I thought shed stopped breathing. Almost gave me a heart attack. I dont do first aid. I had a sister who fainted all the time, but that was to get our mothers attention. It was fake every time. This is not fake. Im telling you, she went down. Right in front of my desk.
Okay, got it, see you in five, max six.
You make that three minutes, Doc. And Im not whistling Dixie.
If Louella really believed there was an emergency, shed have called 911but Louella, being stingy, would never risk an ambulance charge unless she was absolutely positive there was no other choice. So Ike took the time to shove on street shoes, grab a jacket and scribble a note to Ruby before heading out.
He could jog the distance faster than driving itthe lawyers office was only three blocks over, faster yet if he zigzagged through buildings. Pansy let out an unholy howl of abandonment when he left without her, but sometimes, darn it, he just couldnt take his favorite girl.
Less than five minutes later, he reached the bakery and zipped up the steps to the second floor. When he turned the knob of Louellas office, though, something heavy seemed to be blocking it. Louella, its me, Doc, he said as he knocked.
Louella opened it. Apparently shed been the something heavy blocking the entrance. She keeps trying to leave. Doesnt have a brain cell in her head. I told her she wasnt going anywhere until you checked her out, and thats that.
I must have said a dozen times that Im feeling betterand that I was going straight home from here. Gingers voice was coming from the floorbut it certainly sounded healthy and strong.
Yeah, I heard you. And I told you a dozen times that there could be liability issues if you left here in shape to cause yourself or others harm.
Youre the only person Ive met in a blue moon whos more bullheaded than I am, bless your heart. But keeping a person against their will is called kidnapping. Or is there another legal term?
While the two women continued this pleasant conversation, Ike hunkered downapparently Louella had threatened Ginger with death if she tried to get up before the doctor got there. He went through the routine. Pulse. Temp. Whether she could focus, whether she had swollen lymph glands.
Wherever he touched her, she jumped.
He liked that. If he was stuck feeling walloped this close to her, he at least wanted her to suffer the same way.
He got some extra personal contactjudicious, but lucky for surewhen he helped her to her feet. She didnt wobble. Of course, with his arm around her, she couldnt have wobbledor falleneven if shed wanted to. But she shot him one of those ice-blue looks to indicate he could remove his hands. Now. Right now.
Okay, Louella, Im taking her from your office.
And dont let her come back here until shes fit as a fiddle.
My. I had no idea that fiddles had health issues. Like whether they could be fit or sick. I had no idea they were alive at all
Ike saw the look on Louellas face, could see she was in a rolling up the sleeves to get into another squabble, so he shuffled Ginger quickly into the hall.
He saw her sudden choke when they reached the top of her stairs, so he suspected she was still a little on the dizzy side. He hooked an arm around her, making sure she was steady.
You dont need to do that, she said irritably.
Cant have you falling on my watch.
Im not on your watch.
Uh-huh. You know you could have been nice to Louella.
She wasnt nice to me first!
You seriously scared her when you fainted.
Thats an excuse for holding me hostage and not letting me leave? For insulting me? For calling you?
Yup. At least, thats how I see it. But then, I dont have your temper.
At the bottom of the stairs, hed barely pushed open the door before she shot through. She took a step west before he kidnapped her wrist.
Hey. My car is that way
And youll be in your car in about a half hour. But first, you need an immediate medical intervention.
Intervention? What are you talking about?
The New York Deli was at the corner of Magnolia. Whether anything served had anything to do with New York, no one knew or cared. The place was always packed at lunch, but Feinsteinthe owneralways saved a table for Ike. It was bribery, pure and simple. Feinstein was worried about the performance of his boy parts. Hed never had any marital problems with his wife before, but everybody knew guys eventually needed a little chemical boost. Which was to say, Feinstein had motivation for taking good care of the town doctor.
Ike never came for the bribe. He came for the food. And Ginger continued to make minor protestations about being herded like a sheep, but that was only until she saw the menu.
Mrs. Feinsteinpossibly the homeliest woman Ike had ever seenadvised Ginger on the best choices, and who could have guessed? Ginger agreed without arguing.