Slated for Death by Duncan Elizabeth J

Author:Duncan, Elizabeth J. [Duncan, Elizabeth J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, Contemporary
ISBN: 9781466858381
Goodreads: 23257818
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Published: 2015-04-14T07:00:00+00:00

Twenty-six

“Right, you lot,” said the High Pastures’ recreation director, also known as the third housekeeper, with false cheeriness. “Time to get ready for Dylan, today’s birthday boy.” She looked at the few people in the lounge. Two or three were asleep in their chairs after lunch and the rest seemed only vaguely interested.

“We need someone to sort the balloons. Who’d like to volunteer?”

“I’ll do it,” said Jimmy. “I’ve done it before and I know where they’re kept.” He wheeled himself down the corridor and into the crafts room. Shelves filled with neatly stacked rolls and sheets of coloured paper, plastic boxes filled with small tools, bottles of glue and glitter, rulers, artificial flowers, ribbons, and small embossing machines lined one wall. Miss Owens, an elderly resident seated at a table, did not look up as he entered, but kept her eyes on her work. Her scissors made little snipping sounds as Jimmy opened the door of a cupboard and pulled three balloons from a box. Then he lifted out the helium gas canister and attached a balloon to it. It gave an empty little fizz and then nothing.

What the hell’s the matter with it, thought Jimmy. He fiddled with the valve and gave the canister a thump. He’d filled the balloons for Doreen’s party and there’d been plenty of helium in the tank when he’d finished. Maybe the staff had used the helium for a little party of their own.

He sat for a moment with the bright red tank on his lap. A staff member would just have to blow up the balloons because he doubted any of the residents had enough puff left in their lungs for the task. Unless there was another tank hidden in the cupboard somewhere. He bent over but didn’t see another tank on a lower shelf, and it would be hard to miss. But something did catch his eye. He pulled out a large plastic bag with an adjustable Velcro strip around the opening. When he’d worked out its significance, he looked at the tank in his lap and regretting he had touched it, held it under the bottom and placed it back on the shelf. He set the plastic bag beside it, closed the door, and returned to the lounge where he waited for Penny to arrive.

He turned his head each time someone entered the lounge and finally, he saw her, entering with Rhian. She smiled and made her way over to him.

“All right, Jimmy?” she greeted him, giving his hand a friendly pat.

“Good, thanks Penny. But before things get started here, I’ve found something I want to show you. Come with me.” Penny took the handle of Jimmy’s wheelchair and pushed him toward the door of the day room.

“Where are we going?”

“Down the hall, here. To the crafts room. Straight on and I’ll show you.” A few minutes later he gestured at a door with a faded wreath made from dried flowers on it. “In here.”

He nodded at Miss Owens who smiled a brief acknowledgement and then bent her head over her delicate scissoring.

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