* * *
“Looks like a nice enough place,” said Jamison as a little over an hour later she steered the SUV into the parking lot of the Green Hills Nursing Home.
They climbed out and went inside. At the front desk was a young woman dressed in blue scrubs.
“May I help you?”
Kelly showed his credentials, as did Decker and Jamison. That got them referred to the supervisor on duty, a woman in her fifties with short, white hair, a portly frame, and a disagreeable look on her face.
“I spoke to you earlier,” she said to Kelly when he explained what they wanted. “We don’t have anyone here named Bud.”
“That’s probably a nickname,” said Kelly.
“So what’s his full name?” she said.
“Well, if we knew that, I would have given it to you already.”
“Did you ever have an Irene Cramer work here?” asked Decker.
“Cramer? Irene Cramer, no I don’t believe so. Look, what is this all about?”
Kelly took out a copy of Cramer’s driver’s license and showed it to the woman. “This is Irene Cramer.”
The woman put on a pair of glasses and looked closely at the photo. “Why, that’s Mary Rice. At least that was her name when she worked here.”
“When was that?” asked Decker.
“Come to my office.”
They followed her down the hall to a small, windowless room with drab furniture. She sat down at her desk and logged on to her desktop computer.
“Her last paycheck was issued about fourteen months ago.”
“What did she do here?” asked Jamison.
“She worked with our residents. She did physical therapy with them.”
“And she was certified to do that?” asked Decker.
“Yes, she had all the proper paperwork.”
“And you checked on all that, her references and all?”
“Yes, that’s our proper procedure. Everything was aboveboard.”
“Can we get copies of all that?” asked Kelly.
“Not without a warrant. I’m not looking to bring a lawsuit down on this place. Now, I don’t know what she’s involved in, but if Mary were to find out—”
“Mary is dead,” said Decker. “So she won’t be doing any suing.”
“Dead!”
“She was murdered. Which is the reason we’re here.”
“Oh my God.”
“And you’re sure you don’t have anyone here named Bud?” said Jamison.