The Case of the Secret Gems (P.Du Sang Mystery)

   
The ice popped, in the glass filled with warm vodka, waking Pauline out of a memory of the last person who really knew her. Her mother. Her lifeless body lay without color, and without a soul in a casket that was lined in pearlesk silk.    
   
“Sorry for your loss, Polly.” That came from Maggie Smother’s, a childhood gossip that never really grew out of that annoying penchant.    
   
“Thank you,” Polly said as she took a quick glance at her overly-filled plate of food.    
   
“I hear you're leaving. What are you going to do with the house, Polly?”    
   
There it was. The question that the gossip wanted answered, as she scooped a spoon full of potato salad in her mouth. Polly answered her the best way she knew how, by walking away.    
   
There were two things that Pauline knew as gospel.    
The first is gossips hate to have nothing to talk about. Of course, she will make something up to keep her credibility in the gossip community in good standing, but she will not give her one morsel to chew on as she continues to add to the cellulite on her thighs.    
   
The second and most important. She knew she hated when they used the nick name Polly.    
This is the last time she will see these people for an awfully long time. ‘New job, new life, new me.’    
   
The thought gave her comfort, even if it was short-lived.    
   
Still standing there and waiting for an answer as I studied the lifeless form that was my mother.    
   
“Well?”    
   
Pauline turned to her and with no emotion on her face she said,” I am going to burn the house down to ash and use the lot as a junkyard.”    
   
After making such a statement Pauline left with the satisfaction that Maggie is going to have a conniption on this idea since she lived next door. She did not know whether she was telling the truth or lying.    
   
Valhalla, NY  
Every hospital has the same feel to it and smell. Depending when you enter it that is. Early morning it has the smell of chemical disinfectant and the feel is eerily quiet. As if it was waiting for the birth of life, death, or trauma to give it a jolt. Pauline was happy she did not have to work in there as a staff member. She would be part of the new mobile phlebotomy unit the hospital had created. She spoke to a Mr. Wilkens on the phone to iron out all the particulars.    
   
She informed him that she will be moving to Valhalla within the week and would like to start right away.    
   
He was pleased by the information. He was doubly pleased that she was an experienced healthcare worker. He seemed to sound tired of the whole ordeal of finding someone, by the way he continually sighed during their conversation.    
   
 Pauline entered the front of the building to be stopped by security. She informed the two guards that she had an appointment with Mr. Wilkins on the third floor.    
   
They instructed her to go up to room 310. She could not help but notice that the two guards seemed to be upset. She did not pry to find out why but the way one stood stiff and kept adjusting his pants and the other with a series of frown lines around his mouth showing that he was gritting his teeth to hold something in was not hard not to spot it.    
   
She made it to the third floor just in time to see a woman dressed in uniform scrubs storm onto the elevator as she exited. That reassured her that she made the best decision by working alone and outside the hospital drama.    
   
Room 310 was an office with three women inside. Two were sitting at desks facing the third. Pauline went to the one on the right since she seemed to be the only one who was not fuming and she was the one sitting alone.    
   
“Hello, I have an appointment with Mr. Wilkens.”    
   
“He’s expecting you. Go straight down the hall.” She pointed to the door past the other two women.    
   
As she walked by the other two women, she heard them say to each other something in terms of,    
   
“She’s the one who took the job away from Nancy.”    
   
‘Great, starting off on the wrong foot already.’ She thought.    
   
“Hello, Mr. Wilkens. I’m Pauline Du Sang.”    
   
“Yes, have a seat. You filled out all the paperwork online and I must give you these papers, which contain the routes that are assigned to you. You will report to Nurse Kawmee. She oversees the hematology department. She will give you the patient list”    
   
Pauline stood in front of his desk with her hand extended to be shaken since he did not even look up as he was handing her the papers. When he realized she did not take it he managed to look up puzzled.    
   
Mr. Wilkens was a middle-aged man with a full head of hair that needed a trim. His normally blue eyes seemed to be rimmed with red indicating he had a little too much to drink the night before.    
Once he placed the papers down and shook her hand, she saw that his ring finger was discolored. Recently separated and is taking it hard.    
   
“Hello Mr. Wilkins, nice to finally put a face to a voice.”    
   
He managed a slight smile and motioned for me to sit.    
   
“Sorry for my manners, under a lot of stress. Now let us get back to what I was saying.”    
   
Pauline sat there and listened since that is all he wanted.    
   
“You will go to security and they will issue you your identification card which will give you access to the hospital.”    
   
The rest of the hour with Mr. Wilkins went along the lines of hospital protocol and what is expected from this mobile phlebotomy unit. She is the first to be hired and they want to see if this is beneficial to the community.    
   
 Her hours were to be seven in the morning to twelve in the afternoon. She was assigned patients on the route Mr. Wilkins handed her and she must deliver the specimens within the time needed so the test remains viable. She was happy for the monotony of the job. At least that is what she kept telling herself.    
   
Three months later  
   
“Mrs. Crumby would you please behave and give me your arm?”    
“I will only if you promise to go to my girl and get a manicure. Your hands are rough, and I am tired of you neglecting them.”    
   
Every week Pauline would get into an argument with Mrs. Crumby about her hands. She had enough.    
   
“Fine, I will go. Now will you give me your arm? We are on a time schedule here.”    
The older woman smiled at her and conceded. The blood draw was not difficult just the patient. Mrs. Crumbly smiled knowing she finally won at their weekly game of who can be more stubborn.    
   
“I will call Rose and schedule you with her at one o’clock today. Go to the Pretty Nails salon. She will be waiting.”    
   
She packed up her supplies and worked the rest of the day without incident. She really did not want to go to the salon but she did agree to go.    
   
The salon was small looking from the outside. Once inside it spreads out revealing that they had two other rooms and a back area where pedicures and light waxing occurred.    
   
She went to the only woman seated at the far end of the room waving to her to come over.    
   
“Are you Pauline?”    
“Yes. Mrs. Crumbly said to go to Rose.”    
   
“That’s me. Have a seat, honey.” She was set to give her a manicure. Mrs. Crumby was not joking when she made this appointment.    
   
Rose worked in silence and the salon had a few employees bustling about as she could see.    
   
“Slow day?” Pauline asked.    
   
“No, it’s early, and I came in as a favor to Mrs. Crumby to do your manicure.”    
   
“Oh, she should not have done that.”    
“It is all right. I do not do many manicures anymore. Just the chosen clients. My daughter runs the salon now.”    
   
That was interesting. Why would she not do this any longer? She looks young and not of retirement age. She thought as she took a closer look at her.    
   
The door opens with a bang startling her and Rose out of their quiet trance.    
   
“Mrs. Ocampo, we need to take you in for questioning.”    
   
“Officer what is going on?” A voice with a heavy British accent asked. Pauline turned to see a younger woman who looked exactly like Rose walks towards them.    
   
“We cannot say at the moment, but we need to have your mother come with us.” The officer in the blue uniform was fit and must play sports by his frame. It was broad enough that it blocked a  plain cloth female officer behind him.    
   
“Ava finish this for me, please. I can go with them.” Rose told her.    
   
“Mum?”    
   
“Please, dear. I will be fine.” Rose stood slowly showing she was experiencing pain in her lower    
back causing her to limp as she walked. It must be a sciatic nerve problem.    
   
The police officer managed to move enough that she was able to see that she was correct.  It was a female detective and whatever is going on, it was big. Maybe even her first case.
   
 Mrs. Ocampo left and Ava finished what her mother could not on Pauline’s nails. She knew she should leave but she could not bring herself to.    
   
“Are you all, right?”    
   
“Yes. This whole bleedin’ business probably havin’ to do with Mrs. Arkwright. She always has everyone questioned when she cannot find an item in her house. She needs to be in a facility for the senile. Sorry I shouldn’t talk ill of her.”    
She could see she was not sorry at all and by the pressure she was exerting on her hand, she was fuming.    
   
“Who designed those nails on display? They look beautiful.”    
   
“Thank you. Your manicure is done. Mrs. Crumbly paid for it. She said to tell you it was her treat after it was done. Now can you excuse me? I need to go to the police station for my mum.”    
   
That was the end of their conversation, and she did not answer her question. Pauline knew there was more going on here. She pushed the thought away. She was a phlebotomist now. And only a phlebotomist.    
   
Later, that day on the eight o’clock news, “Wealthy Mrs. Hayley Arkwright was found dead in her bedroom. There was no forced entry, but an important item has gone missing causing the authorities to question if she died of natural causes or if this is a planned murder.”    
   
Polly sat straight up thinking of all the possibilities but stopped herself at once. She promised herself she will not get involved in any thing like this again and she will keep her promise.    
Next Day    
   
“Hey Lance, are you in here?”    
   
“Polly where do you expect me to be?”    
   
“Would you please stop calling me Polly. It makes me sound like a damn parrot.”    
   
Lance Stetson is the brother of Mitch Stetson a childhood friend. She promised to keep an eye on him when she told him she was moving to Valhalla. Lance had a problem with being the little brother of a famous football player.    
   
You would think he was the middle child by the way he acted. Pauline walked over to him as he cracked the chest open of a patient who died a few hours ago.    
   
“So, how’s it going?” she asked peeking inside at the body.    
   
“The same as yesterday. You can stop checking in on me and do what we both know what you’re dying to do.”    
   
“That is?”    
   
“Go solve the case.”    
   
“Case?”    
   
“Play dumb if you want, but the police will need your help. My friend that is on the force told me that they are stumped, and they won’t let me near the body.”    
   
“Why you’re the coroner?”    
   
“I am not that experienced in these matters. So, they are calling in the big guns.”    
   
“Who?”    
   
“Your old sweetie. Nate.”    
   
Pauline stood there with the expression “you got to be shitting me” written all over her face.    
   
“I’m going on vacation.”    
   
“Nope. Stop running” A distinct voice that she had not heard in almost two years.    
   
“Nate.” She said through clenched teeth and glaring at Lance as he continued his examination.    
   
“Hey Polly. Long time, no see.”    
   
“Nate. How’s the wife?”    
   
“Divorced. But you would have known that if you would have returned my calls.”    
   
“Changes nothing.”    
   
“You're right. Keep away from this case. Or I will reveal to the police who you are.”    
   
Pauline had a bad tell of biting her lip when she was pushed too far, and Nate knew what he was doing.    
   
“Lance I will talk to you later.” she said as she stormed out.    
   
“Bye,” Lance said without lifting his head out of the corpse.    
   
Nate watched her walk away knowing he had started something that he should not have but she needed to be pushed.    
   
Pauline got into her car and drove home. The rest of her things arrived last week, and it looks like she was back in business. Even if it’s for just one case.