The Paradoxical Parent (A Nick Williams Mystery Book 13) by Butterfield Frank W

Author:Butterfield, Frank W. [Butterfield, Frank W.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2017-07-31T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Longwood Medical Building

319 Longwood Ave, Room 722

Boston, Mass.

Thursday, March 10, 1955

Just past 10 in the morning

Frankie and Maria were somehow able to pull themselves together. By the time the cab dropped us off on Longwood Avenue in Boston, they both looked like they might be almost recovered. I wondered if they had finally resorted to the hair of the dog, but neither of them smelled like booze, so I guessed they had some other way of recovering. Whatever it was, it was close to a miracle.

. . .

Carter opened the door with a sign for "Dr. Sidney Farber" and the four of us boldly entered the small office. I was expecting to find a waiting room and a nurse. Instead, there was a very startled woman who was listening to a Dictaphone machine and typing the dictation given by a male voice. She stopped the playback and looked up, asking, "Who are you?"

I walked forward. "I'm sorry to bother the doctor, but there's an urgent matter I need to ask him about."

"Dr. Farber is in New York today at a conference. He only consults across the street at the Boston Children's Hospital. You have to make an appointment with them. May I give you their phone number?"

I shook my head. "No. It's about a deceased patient. Alexandra Williams." As soon as I said my mother's name, the woman froze.

"I'm sorry, the doctor never talks about his cases with anyone."

"Not even if she was my mother?"

"Are you Nick?" She put her hand to her mouth and then said, "Of course you are. Why didn't I ever notice how much you look like her? I've seen your photograph in the newspaper a couple of times. I just never put two and two together." She looked at me closely. "Yes, you are her son." She smiled. "You have chocolate milk eyes, just like she did."

Carter put his hand on my shoulder as I stood there nodding, unable to speak. Finally, he asked, "So, you knew Mrs. Williams?"

She looked up at him and sat back in her chair. "And you must be Mr. Jones." As I watched her face, I could see all sorts of conflict going on in her mind. I didn't know if it was about who Carter was in relation to me or whether it was about the propriety of talking about my mother's case.

Maria walked around Carter and said, "I'm Maria Vasco. I work for Nick and Carter and I've been trying to find out what happened to Mrs. Williams. Mrs. Brown, isn't it? You're the next step in our investigation."

The woman nodded. "Of course." She stood and smoothed her skirt. "And, I'm afraid, I'm your last stop."

Maria asked, "Is there nothing you can tell us, then?"

The woman took out a handkerchief from under her sweater sleeve and dabbed her eyes. "Oh no, my dear. I'll tell you everything. It's just that"—she sniffed—"I know how the story ends."

. . .

Frankie and Maria had gone to get coffee at the shop in the building lobby.

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