Hideaway Hospital Murders by Robert Burton Robinson Page B

Breakfast is
ready.”
    It was Beverly. Cynthia’s mother was
standing beside the bed looking at them, as though they were
sitting on the couch watching TV.
    “ Beverly! Do you mind?
We’re trying to make love here!” said Greg.
    “ Now, Honey, don’t you talk
to my mother in that tone of voice!” said Cynthia.
    Greg woke up. Is that what it would be like
if Cynthia and he got married, and Beverly was living with
them?
    Of course, he was getting way ahead of
himself. He loved Cynthia. But he had never told her. Why did it
take so much courage to speak three simple words? Because she might
not speak them back to him. But he would be brave. He would tell
her tonight. Or maybe Wednesday night would be better. No,
tonight.
    **********
    Greg’s part-time job as music minister at
First Baptist Church required him to be at the church Tuesday
through Friday mornings. Staff meetings were held on Tuesdays at
11:00 AM in the pastor’s study.
    Greg walked from his
office, down the hallway to the pastoral suite. Anybody who wished
to see the pastor had to go through Sadie Crumpet’s office. She had
been church secretary for over 25 years. Sadie was the glue that
had held the church together through six pastors. At least, that
was her opinion. She had plenty of opinions, and was not shy about
sharing them.
    Greg could hear Sadie talking on the phone
in a confidential tone as he approached her office.
    “ Well, I knew all along he
was gay…I knew he wouldn’t get married. What’s the use? Everybody
knows. Why doesn’t he just admit it?”
    Greg thought, I am not gay. And how dare you
gossip about me. Is this any way for a Christian to act? A church
secretary?
    He walked into her office and Sadie quickly
ended her phone call.
    “ Is Pete already
here?”
    “ Yes. Pete’s here. The
pastor’s here. I’m here. We’re just waiting for you,
Greg.”
    Not that Greg was late. Pete was just early.
He was always early.
    The pastor, Dr. J. Marshall Huff, would lead
the group in a prayer. They went over the list of prayer
requests.
    Dr. Huff said, “I got a call from Dr. Elmo
Mobley this morning. He asked that we pray for his mother. He got
the results of her tests this morning, and it’s not good. She has
Alzheimer’s.”
    “ What about the wedding?
I’ve got extra custodial staff lined up to work Friday night,” said
Pete Termins. Pete was the volunteer chairman of the Building and
Grounds Committee. He had been a life insurance salesman until a
year earlier, when he retired at the age of 65. All of his energy,
pushiness, and can-do attitude had been redirected to his work for
the church. He was annoying at times, but you had to admire his
dependability and determination to get the job done, and get it
done right.
    Sadie said, “The wedding has been
cancelled.”
    “ Postponed,” said the
pastor.
    “ They’ll never get married.
And if they do, it won’t last,” she said.
    “ Now, I’m sure this is just
a temporary setback,” said the pastor.
    “ He’s 56 years old. Never
been married. He’s gay,” she said.
    “ Let just move on,” said
Dr. Huff. He would have fired Sadie if he thought he could get away
with it. She was always blunt, and always said too much. But she
had too many friends whose husbands were deacons. Any attempt to
force her out would end badly for him.
    Greg felt better. Sadie’s phone conversation
had been about Dr. Mobley—not him.
    Greg said, “Who are the Mobleys? Are they
members?”
    Dr. Huff said, “Yes. But they rarely
attend.”
    “ Only on Easter,” said
Sadie.
    “ But they’ve given a lot of
money to the church over the years. In the 70s they donated almost
all of the funds to build the education wing,” said Pete. “Morford
and Mallie Mae used to be regular attenders.”
    “ Until he died in a freak
one-car accident,” said Sadie.
    “ Okay. Does anybody else
have a special prayer request?” said the pastor.
    **********
    Elmo knocked lightly. Macy opened the door
and