Barry passed by, assisting a young man.
Michelle nodded at him. “You know that attendant, Barry?”
Sandy studied him for a moment. “I don’t know him, but it’s easy to tell that book by its cover.”
“Where’s home for you?”
“Definitely not where the heart is, sweetie. Now I’ve gotta go, I feel a migraine coming on and I don’t like people to see me that way. You might change your high opinion of old Sandy.”
She quickly wheeled herself away, leaving Michelle staring at her food.
After lunch, Michelle took a stroll that carried her by Sandy’s room. As she slowly walked by she glanced in the square cut of Plexiglas in the middle of the woman’s door. Sandy was lying asleep in her private room. Michelle continued on down the hall until she stopped at the locked door to the pharmacy. She glanced through the barred window and saw a short, balding man in a white coat dispensing a prescription. When he looked up and saw her she smiled. He turned his back to her and continued his work.
“Okay, you’re off my Christmas card list,” Michelle said to herself.
“Wandering again?” the voice said.
Michelle turned quickly to see Barry staring at her.
“What else is there to do?” she said.
“I can think of a few things. Your face looks better. Getting those killer cheekbones back.”
“Thanks,” she said curtly.
“I saw you talking to Sandy at lunch today,” he remarked.
“Nice lady.”
“I’d watch out for her.”
“Oh, you know her well?”
“Let’s just say I know people like her. They can be trouble. You don’t want to get into trouble, right?”
“I never go looking for trouble,” she lied.
“Good girl,” he said condescendingly. “Look, if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Anything like what?”
He seemed both surprised and amused by her question.
“Anything means anything.” Barry looked around and moved closer to her. “I mean I know it gets damn lonely in here for a hot babe like you.”
“It never gets that lonely,” she said walking off. Sandy had definitely been right about that book’s cover.
Later that afternoon Horatio Barnes sat down across from Michelle.
“No tape recorder today?” she observed.
He tapped his head. “I took my vitamins today, so I’ve got it all up here. By the way, I talked to your brother.”
Michelle sat forward, her look suddenly anxious. “How much did you tell him?”
“Just enough to let him follow along.”
“Did you tell him about the bar?”