into the office to get report. "Betty's family will be in and out. She has a son that lives here. He should be here off and on today, while they await the results from the coroner. You can go through charts today and get familiar with care plans and do the rounds. I'll deal with the families and all the administrative work. I'll give you a list of patients to chart on later this afternoon."
I was in a state of shock. Kathy almost sounded nice. She wasn't condescending or particularly rude. Had the tides changed?
"Oh, and don't go anywhere near Betty's family. The facility administrator is in today too. She said something about wanting to talk to you after lunch." Then, Kathy got up and walked out of the office.
Yep, just when I thought she had turned a new leaf, she dropped a bomb on me.
I wasn't afraid to talk to the administrator. I just didn't like the tone of that little tidbit of information. Kathy spoke like I was in trouble and I'll swear till the day I die, I did nothing wrong.
I looked at the cart carrying residents' charts seated next to Kathy's desk. She had them clearly labeled. A note with my name indicated that three of those charts were for me and the others had sticky notes with her name splattered all over them. It was going to be that kind of day. I loved that she made sure not to give me Betty's chart.
I needed to take a deep breath before I dove into my first official duty. As I reached over to grab my first chart, Nubbin's, I noticed something under the desk.
That's odd. I didn't notice that yesterday. I sat up straight in my chair to see if anyone was coming my way. No one. Going under the desk, normally wouldn't have been a big deal, but I hadn't forgotten what happened last time I did that. I stood up and checked the door. It was closed, then, got on the floor, right about where I'd found Mr. Knott yesterday.
Under the desk, secured to the wall was a small camera.
What in the world?
I peeked up at the monitors above and didn't see any office view on them and got back down to get closer. A red light was blinking.
That thing was on, but what was it recording under a desk?
That's kind of creepy if you ask me, but no one was asking me, so I had to get to the bottom of it. I almost reached up to shut it off, but knew better than to touch it and stopped myself.
The door opened. I panicked and hit the top of my head on the desk as I was getting up.
"What are you doing?" Kathy asked.
I peeked up at her, wincing at the throbbing in my head. "I dropped my pen."
I threw myself down again and took the pen out of my smock and held it for her to see it.
"Okay, get out of there." Kathy tapped her foot. "Betty's son is on his way in. Why don't you go to the aide's desk and study the charts over there, so he won't see you."
"You don't want him to see me?" I asked, holding my frustration at bay.
She snorted. "No. Not yet. Hopefully, not ever. You see, you don't know these people. Rowdy isn't just some random guy. He has owned and operated his farm here forever and had a lot of clout in local politics. News of his death has spread like wildfire and, now, that there's an autopsy, well, that complicates things. Just stay away."
She turned on her heels and walked out, shaking her head at me as I rubbed the sore spot on the top of my head.
I sat staring at the camera. It didn't make sense. Why would someone put a camera there? I tried real hard to remember if I'd seen it yesterday, but was coming up empty. I'm sure I would have noticed it.
Just then, the phone rang. I looked out to see if the Queen Nurse would come running in to answer it, but she was nowhere in sight.
"I'll get it." I whispered.
I didn't even know what the proper greeting for this place was, so I just answered, "Memory Support Unit. This is Mercy."
"Mercy? Good. This is Sheriff Wagner. I'm going to need you to come pay me a visit as
I was in a state of shock. Kathy almost sounded nice. She wasn't condescending or particularly rude. Had the tides changed?
"Oh, and don't go anywhere near Betty's family. The facility administrator is in today too. She said something about wanting to talk to you after lunch." Then, Kathy got up and walked out of the office.
Yep, just when I thought she had turned a new leaf, she dropped a bomb on me.
I wasn't afraid to talk to the administrator. I just didn't like the tone of that little tidbit of information. Kathy spoke like I was in trouble and I'll swear till the day I die, I did nothing wrong.
I looked at the cart carrying residents' charts seated next to Kathy's desk. She had them clearly labeled. A note with my name indicated that three of those charts were for me and the others had sticky notes with her name splattered all over them. It was going to be that kind of day. I loved that she made sure not to give me Betty's chart.
I needed to take a deep breath before I dove into my first official duty. As I reached over to grab my first chart, Nubbin's, I noticed something under the desk.
That's odd. I didn't notice that yesterday. I sat up straight in my chair to see if anyone was coming my way. No one. Going under the desk, normally wouldn't have been a big deal, but I hadn't forgotten what happened last time I did that. I stood up and checked the door. It was closed, then, got on the floor, right about where I'd found Mr. Knott yesterday.
Under the desk, secured to the wall was a small camera.
What in the world?
I peeked up at the monitors above and didn't see any office view on them and got back down to get closer. A red light was blinking.
That thing was on, but what was it recording under a desk?
That's kind of creepy if you ask me, but no one was asking me, so I had to get to the bottom of it. I almost reached up to shut it off, but knew better than to touch it and stopped myself.
The door opened. I panicked and hit the top of my head on the desk as I was getting up.
"What are you doing?" Kathy asked.
I peeked up at her, wincing at the throbbing in my head. "I dropped my pen."
I threw myself down again and took the pen out of my smock and held it for her to see it.
"Okay, get out of there." Kathy tapped her foot. "Betty's son is on his way in. Why don't you go to the aide's desk and study the charts over there, so he won't see you."
"You don't want him to see me?" I asked, holding my frustration at bay.
She snorted. "No. Not yet. Hopefully, not ever. You see, you don't know these people. Rowdy isn't just some random guy. He has owned and operated his farm here forever and had a lot of clout in local politics. News of his death has spread like wildfire and, now, that there's an autopsy, well, that complicates things. Just stay away."
She turned on her heels and walked out, shaking her head at me as I rubbed the sore spot on the top of my head.
I sat staring at the camera. It didn't make sense. Why would someone put a camera there? I tried real hard to remember if I'd seen it yesterday, but was coming up empty. I'm sure I would have noticed it.
Just then, the phone rang. I looked out to see if the Queen Nurse would come running in to answer it, but she was nowhere in sight.
"I'll get it." I whispered.
I didn't even know what the proper greeting for this place was, so I just answered, "Memory Support Unit. This is Mercy."
"Mercy? Good. This is Sheriff Wagner. I'm going to need you to come pay me a visit as
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