Mystery and Crime Fiction posted January 20, 2025 | Chapters: | ...29 30 -31- 32... |
Miranda returns with Chinese food and is greeted by Mitch.
A chapter in the book Miranda Chronicles: Teacher's Pet
Subtle Warning
by GWHARGIS
Background Miranda Jessup Buckley is back and in trouble again. |
So far, Miranda Jessup Buckley is raising the son of her ex-lover, Dougie. She is granted temporary custody when Dougie skips town, but now he is back and Miranda is afraid he will take the boy. A teacher who has history with Dougie is killed, and Dougie is the prime suspect.
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I return to the hospital with the takeout Chinese, only to find Mitch sitting by Waylon, talking about football. Both look up as I enter. "Mitch, I didn't know you'd be here. I didn't get you anything, but you are welcome to share mine."
"No, thank you anyway. I just stopped by to see how Waylon is doing and how his father is. I would like to talk to you, though. I can wait until you're done eating."
My radar goes off. He knows something. There is that casual but purposeful demeanor that he gets when he knows something.
"No, we can talk now." I set the carton of lo mein on the bedside table, and nod towards the door.
Mitch follows me out into the hall and takes my hands in his. "How's Waylon holding up?"
"He's worried about Dougie. I mean, what kid wouldn't be? But more than that, I think he's worried people will think he's a murderer. Is there anything I can tell him that will help ease that load off his mind?"
Mitch shakes his head. "We did find evidence of a third party being there. Shoe prints around the scene. Like a child's size. Maybe a woman."
"Have you checked out Terence Evanoff's relationship with Mr. Tomlin?"
"We have. No one has said they were anything more than teacher and student."
"Why did you really need to talk to me, Mitch? I know you're concerned about Waylon, but there has to be something else."
He sighs, squeezes my hands and draws one of my hands to his lips. "Miranda, I do love you. You are one of the smartest people I know. Too smart to really be impersonating a news reporter and stalking this Evanoff boy. Please tell me you didn't do that."
"No! I never said I was a reporter. I said I was doing a story on budding scientists."
"Damn it, Miranda, you lead them to believe you were a reporter. What were you hoping to accomplish?"
"I just wanted to talk to the kid. I think, if anyone knows Mr. Tomlin, it will be Terence."
"You have to stay away from him. His mother called the station. She wants an out APB put out on you. She was angry. Miranda, please don't get too involved, and in turn, hamper the investigation."
I nod. Not because I intend on giving up, but it will make him feel better. I won't be so impulsive anymore. "I promise. But I need you to check her out. She was incredibly over protective."
"She's a single mom, they tend to be that way. But, I did look into her background. She works at the oral surgeon's office, billing clerk. She and Terence's father divorced when the boy was four years old. The dad moved to Virginia, remarried soon after and has no record. Neither does she. She is a member of that holy roller evangelical church on the beach road. Apparently she spends every Sunday, and Wednesday nights there. Did I leave anything out?"
"Thank you. I just got a weird vibe when she came over to my car."
"Miranda, I'm sure you did, but I can't base a case on vibes. I'm sure you'll investigate on your own, but don't go near that woman again...or her son."
"Okay. Now, can we go back in and share that container of lo mein?"
He kisses my forehead and pushes the door open.
Waylon looks up, eyes wide. "He's waking up! He opened his eyes and tried to speak. He's okay, Miranda."
Mitch leans over Dougie, then tells Waylon to call the nurse.
Dougie's eyes open again. He blinks slowly, trying to focus on anything. "What...," his raspy words trail off.
"Dad! I'm here. You're gonna be okay. I knew it."
I look from Dougie to Waylon. A tear rolls down Waylon's cheek and drips down onto the sheet.
The nurse swoops into the hospital room and we all step back out of the way. "Visiting hours are over," she says hastily. "You can go down to the waiting area, and I'll come find you when the doctor on call has a chance to see him."
Waylon reluctantly lets us usher him down the hall. He keeps looking towards the room, hoping to see the doctor or nurse coming.
"How long does it take to look at him?" he asks, irritation lacing every word.
"They have to check his vitals, examine the wound on his head. Probably initiate some tests for brain damage." Mitch says, then winces as I nudge him for the last thing.
It does seem like a long time passes before the same nurse comes to find us and give us an update.
"Can I go back now?" Waylon asks.
"Not tonight, son. He was only conscious for about five minutes. The doctor sedated him. He will probably be out for the rest of the night. Why don't you and your mom go on home and come back tomorrow. By then, we should know a lot more."
She smiles sympathetically at Waylon, but he doesn't notice. He just wants to go be with his dad.
"You'll be no good to him, if you don't get enough rest. I promise we will call if anything changes overnight."
I thank her and put my hand on Waylon's shoulder. "Come on, Waylon. If they call, I'll bring you right back to the hospital. Deal?"
He nods but doesn't look happy.
Mitch tugs me back for a minute. "How about I bring over some ice cream?" He's trying, but it's going to take more than ice cream to make Waylon smile. It's going to take the miracle of Dougie being wide awake and full of his usual self absorbed cockiness in the morning. And somehow, I just don't see that happening in the next twelve hours.
*************************************************************************************************
I return to the hospital with the takeout Chinese, only to find Mitch sitting by Waylon, talking about football. Both look up as I enter. "Mitch, I didn't know you'd be here. I didn't get you anything, but you are welcome to share mine."
"No, thank you anyway. I just stopped by to see how Waylon is doing and how his father is. I would like to talk to you, though. I can wait until you're done eating."
My radar goes off. He knows something. There is that casual but purposeful demeanor that he gets when he knows something.
"No, we can talk now." I set the carton of lo mein on the bedside table, and nod towards the door.
Mitch follows me out into the hall and takes my hands in his. "How's Waylon holding up?"
"He's worried about Dougie. I mean, what kid wouldn't be? But more than that, I think he's worried people will think he's a murderer. Is there anything I can tell him that will help ease that load off his mind?"
Mitch shakes his head. "We did find evidence of a third party being there. Shoe prints around the scene. Like a child's size. Maybe a woman."
"Have you checked out Terence Evanoff's relationship with Mr. Tomlin?"
"We have. No one has said they were anything more than teacher and student."
"Why did you really need to talk to me, Mitch? I know you're concerned about Waylon, but there has to be something else."
He sighs, squeezes my hands and draws one of my hands to his lips. "Miranda, I do love you. You are one of the smartest people I know. Too smart to really be impersonating a news reporter and stalking this Evanoff boy. Please tell me you didn't do that."
"No! I never said I was a reporter. I said I was doing a story on budding scientists."
"Damn it, Miranda, you lead them to believe you were a reporter. What were you hoping to accomplish?"
"I just wanted to talk to the kid. I think, if anyone knows Mr. Tomlin, it will be Terence."
"You have to stay away from him. His mother called the station. She wants an out APB put out on you. She was angry. Miranda, please don't get too involved, and in turn, hamper the investigation."
I nod. Not because I intend on giving up, but it will make him feel better. I won't be so impulsive anymore. "I promise. But I need you to check her out. She was incredibly over protective."
"She's a single mom, they tend to be that way. But, I did look into her background. She works at the oral surgeon's office, billing clerk. She and Terence's father divorced when the boy was four years old. The dad moved to Virginia, remarried soon after and has no record. Neither does she. She is a member of that holy roller evangelical church on the beach road. Apparently she spends every Sunday, and Wednesday nights there. Did I leave anything out?"
"Thank you. I just got a weird vibe when she came over to my car."
"Miranda, I'm sure you did, but I can't base a case on vibes. I'm sure you'll investigate on your own, but don't go near that woman again...or her son."
"Okay. Now, can we go back in and share that container of lo mein?"
He kisses my forehead and pushes the door open.
Waylon looks up, eyes wide. "He's waking up! He opened his eyes and tried to speak. He's okay, Miranda."
Mitch leans over Dougie, then tells Waylon to call the nurse.
Dougie's eyes open again. He blinks slowly, trying to focus on anything. "What...," his raspy words trail off.
"Dad! I'm here. You're gonna be okay. I knew it."
I look from Dougie to Waylon. A tear rolls down Waylon's cheek and drips down onto the sheet.
The nurse swoops into the hospital room and we all step back out of the way. "Visiting hours are over," she says hastily. "You can go down to the waiting area, and I'll come find you when the doctor on call has a chance to see him."
Waylon reluctantly lets us usher him down the hall. He keeps looking towards the room, hoping to see the doctor or nurse coming.
"How long does it take to look at him?" he asks, irritation lacing every word.
"They have to check his vitals, examine the wound on his head. Probably initiate some tests for brain damage." Mitch says, then winces as I nudge him for the last thing.
It does seem like a long time passes before the same nurse comes to find us and give us an update.
"Can I go back now?" Waylon asks.
"Not tonight, son. He was only conscious for about five minutes. The doctor sedated him. He will probably be out for the rest of the night. Why don't you and your mom go on home and come back tomorrow. By then, we should know a lot more."
She smiles sympathetically at Waylon, but he doesn't notice. He just wants to go be with his dad.
"You'll be no good to him, if you don't get enough rest. I promise we will call if anything changes overnight."
I thank her and put my hand on Waylon's shoulder. "Come on, Waylon. If they call, I'll bring you right back to the hospital. Deal?"
He nods but doesn't look happy.
Mitch tugs me back for a minute. "How about I bring over some ice cream?" He's trying, but it's going to take more than ice cream to make Waylon smile. It's going to take the miracle of Dougie being wide awake and full of his usual self absorbed cockiness in the morning. And somehow, I just don't see that happening in the next twelve hours.
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