The Applesauce Murders,

Della was sitting in the visitors lobby near the nurses station on the fourth floor of the Icantrember  Nursing Home.   She wanted to let Maggie have some private time with her favorite and quite elderly aunt, Henrietta.   Henrietta had been a resident of the home for some forty of her one hundred and eight years.  Like Maggie, she had a strong constitution and wasn’t the least bit ready to die.  She had the ‘Energizer Bunny’ tapped out.

“That’s the fourth one today.”  Della half heard the comment.

“Yeah, four deaths on one floor…same day.  Making me uncomfortable.  So far the doctor on call has posted ‘natural death, age’.  I’m beginning to wonder.”  A second  voice sounded concerned.   “Well, we’ll be getting replacements soon I’m sure.”   The paper rustling snapped Della out of the unfocused concentration.

“Wow, four in one day, maybe it’s the food.”  Della smiled in the direction of the station.  “Would you like to eat that stuff?”  Della waited for an answer and got none.  “Didn’t think so.”  She stood up and headed back towards Henrietta’s room.
She counted off the number of openings and then quietly spoke, “Magg?”

“Yeah Dell, come on in.”  Maggie got up and ushered Della to the end of Henrietta’s bed.  Just about ready to try and get Aunt Hank to eat.”

“I wouldn’t.”  Della looked towards Maggie.

“Why not?”   Maggie tried again to put a spoon into Henrietta’s mouth.  She just turned her nose up at it.

Both Henrietta and Della said at the same time, “You try that crap.”  Della held out her palm and Henrietta smacked it.

“It can’t be that….”  Maggie put a spoonful in her mouth.   “….thoh thdear thGod.”  She was looking for something to spit into.

“Oh just swallow it.”  Then Della thought better.  “Wait!  Spit, woman SPIT!”  Maggie finally took Henrietta’s napkin and emptied out her mouth of the nasty tasting whatever.  Maggie wasn’t too sure as to what it was either.

“Why …yeck that stuff is horrible!”

“And deadly.”  Della smiled.

“What?”  Maggie looked over at Della.  “Deadly?”

“Yeah heard the nurses talking.  Said four people died today alone.  ‘Natural causes’.  Believe that and I’ll sell you a bridge in Brooklyn.  It’s not flu season, so that’s not it.  Something smells funny around here.”

“Did I crap in my pants again?”  Aunt Hank shifted in her bed.  Della busted out laughing.  “Oh come on Maggie get a sense of humour.”  Maggie just hung her head and shook it from side to side.  “Woulda thought hanging around Della you would have been laughing more.”

“Thanks Aunt Henrietta!”  Both Maggie and Della said at the same time but for different reasons.  Della just smiled at Maggie.

“Oh come on!  You DO need to lighten up some.  But seriously it is odd that four people die in a short time.  Maybe we need to do some snooping.”

“You? Snoop?”  Maggie started laughing.   “That’s about a unobvious as a bull in a china shop.”  Della just stuck out her tongue.  “Naugg, not gonna worry until it looks like a pattern.”

“So how many is a ‘pattern’?  Ten more deaths?  Twenty?”

“Hey, as long as it’s not me, I don’t care.”  Henrietta looked at them.  Maggie opened and closed her mouth.  “Got a point there didn’t I?”

“I’ll go talk to the nurses.  Dell, stay here and keep Aunt Hank company.  And try to get her to EAT !”  Della used her hands to motion Maggie out of the room.

“Is she gone?”  Dell asked quietly.

“Yeah.”  Della heard the covers being moved.  “Get up so I can get out.”  Della moved and felt for the wheelchair.  “Well bring it over here.”  Dell pulled at the chair and aimed for the voice.  “Closer you blind bat.”  Della normally wouldn’t put up with that from people from old Aunt Henrietta….Della knew it had love attached to it.

“Better? You old dried up prune?”  Della smiled and then… “Ow!  You old goat.  Ran over my foot on purpose.”

“Damn right, now bring your purse and take me down to the machines.  I’m hungry.”  Della caught up with Henrietta and put a hand on the chair handles and followed her down the hall.

Henrietta stopped in front of the soda machine.  “Give me a buck.”  Della undid her purse and handed over the money.   She heard the dollar going into the machine and then metal clanging as the ‘Diet Coke’ can down.    “Now let’s see what they got in here.  Ooooh, ‘SkyBar’.  Give me another buck.”   She held out her hand.  “Come on I ain’t getting any younger.”

“Here.  Good Lord it’s like you haven’t eaten in….oh yeah.  One enough?”

“Hey they got Knoxberry Farm cookies!”   Della didn’t say a word but fished out another dollar and handed it over.   “How much you got in there?”

“Not enough to buy the machine out.   Maggie’s gonna have a cow if she sees you with all the good food.  Got some place to hide it?”   Della heard a loud ‘burp’.   “Ahhh fresh ‘Diet Coke’.  Nothing like it hey Hank?”   Henrietta was too busy opening the cookie bag and stuffing her face to answer.   “God those cookies smell good, what kind are they?”

“Goners.”

“Never heard of them.”

“They’re GONERS.”

“Gods you are a vacumn.  Did you chew them?  Or are you waiting to burp to taste them?”   Della didn’t hear an answer but heard the snapping of the fingers and handed over again another dollar.  “Am I getting ANY of this back?”

“Sure, sure, next Social Security check.”

“Oh HERE you are.  AUNT HANK!! Put that junk food DOWN!  Della!”

“What?  I didn’t do anything!”  Della looked at Maggie.

“Rrrright, you dragged me outta bed and threw me in this chair and pushed me down here.  I dragged my feet trying to stop her.”  Henrietta smiled sweetly at Maggie.

“Funny Aunt Hank.”

“Damn and I almost had that bridge sold.”  Snapped Della.    “So what did the nurses say?”

“Not much, but it does seem odd.  Four yesterday and four today.”

“ODD?  I think it’s murder.”  Della sat on a chair she found.  “Ssssso are we gonna start snooping or wait until Hankie old broad ends up with a toe tag?”

“HELLO?  I’m in the room, and if I die you’re not getting that money back.  Oh shoots.”  Maggie folded her arms across her chest.  “Damn.”  Henrietta blew it.  “Oh go on start at one end of the hall way and work your way down.  Get to the bottom of this before I’m pushing up  daisies.”

*************

“Is there anything the same on all the menus of the dead ones?”  Della waited for Maggie to go thru the slips of paper from the trays.

“Umm, not that I can….just applesauce. “   She rattled some dishes.  “Funny not a one of them have the applesauce cup on the tray. Uuuummm.”

“So all the dead people are missing their applesauce?  Ooooh the case of the ‘applesauce  murders’.”  Della giggled slightly, “Don’t think Quincy would pass that up.  Gil Grissom would probably say ‘that’s mush’.”

“Oh you listen to WAY too much tv.   No I don’t see anything else missing.  The drinks are all gone.  Not much if any of the food’s been touched.  Mmm.”

“Think maybe the nurses should ask to see if any of the drinks contain medicine?”

“What? You think someone’s spiking the drinks and stealing the apple sauce?  Get a grip Dell.”

“Hey, people kill for less.  Look around ya.  Murder for no reason all over Boston, hell the world.”   Della thought for a second, “Seriously, maybe the drinks were spiked.  I think we should maybe let the nurses KNOW.”  Maggie gathered all four of the emptied glasses.  “Are you wearing rubber gloves?”

“Oh GODS girl you are so NOT going to watch CSI anymore.  Come on.”  Maggie headed down the hallway and to the head nurse.

“You want me to keep these glasses ….in case there’s more deaths?”  She had one eyebrow way up in the air.

“Yes.  If there are any deaths say within the next week and they are in groups….you may have a problem.”  Maggie had a serious look as she handed over the plastic glasses.

“Apple sauce murders,”  Della smiled, “catchy name, don’t ya think?”

“Ethel call the doctor on call, tell him we have two escaped mental cases.”  The nurses chuckled.

“I’m serious.  What would it hurt if you kept these in the refrig for a few days?  Better yet, ask the lab to check out and see if there is anything in the drinks.  Well what’s left of them.  Is it normal for a person to drink their entire drink and not eat anything?”  Maggie’s head cocked sideways.

“What?”  The head nurse questioned her.

“None of the food was touched, all of the drinks are gone, and SO are the apple sauce  cups.  A little strange if you ask me.”    The nurse just opened and closed her mouth.  “Thought so. Soooo, gonna put them in the refrig or lab?”

“I’ll hold them until day after tomorrow.  If nothing else happens….”

“Fair enough.  Now I’m going to go and get my Aunt some food.  Have you tried eating this stuff?”  Maggie headed towards the elevator.  “Della are you coming or staying here?”

“I’m coming, I’m gonna make sure Aunt Henrietta gets something decent for dinner.  Can I borrow five bucks…I old girl took my change.”

“Get in there!”  Maggie pushed Della into the elevator.

“So what ya thinking, I smell smoke.”  Della waited for the ding of the floors.  “And what are we getting the old bat?”

“I’m going to get her some decent food and… I don’t know.  Does seem kind of odd doesn’t it?  Four deaths, yesterday AND today.”

“Maybe the management wants to clean out the ‘dead wood’ and being in fresh meat at more per month.”

“What?”

“Well once  they are in here…they can only take all but twenty bucks of the Social Security checks.  So that leaves a lot of unpaid bills?  No? Yes?”  Della waited for an answer.  “Okay…next theory.  Ahhhh, Are all the dead geezers or bats?”

“Geezers? BATS?”

“Yeah are the dead geezer IE men or bats…broads? Gods Maggie.   Henrietta’s sharper then you sometimes.”

“Hello, they are PEOPLE.”

“Ahhh old geezers and bats, just like we’re gonna be if this blasted elevator EVER gets to the first floor.  How about a nice pizza for Henrietta?”  Della’s ears rang at the echoing ‘NO!’  Maggie screamed at her.  “Thought I’d ask.”

****************

“Here we are, nice soup and fresh salad and…..”

“Damn I wanted a pizza.”  Aunt Henrietta pushed the tray back from her.  Della made a ‘pffft’ sound towards Maggie.  “Thought YOU would have beaten some sense into her.”

“Hey I WOULDA gotten it for you if you hadn’t used all MY money for the good stuff in the machines.”

“Will you two STOP!”   Maggie just closed her eyes.  “Worse then two kids.”  She heard stereo ‘pppfffff’s’.    “Well TRY and eat something while it’s warm.  We got to go and head back to work.  We’ll see you tomorrow. “   Maggie leaned over and kissed her aunt on the forehead.  “Love you.”

“Don’t order any applesauce.  Wait on second thought drink all your milk!”

“DELLA!”

*******************

After lunch the next day, Maggie got a phone call from the head nurse, then she walked into Della’s office.  “Think there’s something going on over there.”

“What?”  Della looked up and put in another cheese curl and gulp of ‘Diet Coke’.  She belched loudly.

“Oh Lord.  That was the nurse at Aunt Hank’s,  four more died this afternoon.  They’re calling for a review.”   Maggie leaned on the desk.  “I’m beginning to….”

“Think there’s something rotten in Denmark? Other then the old people crapping in their diapers?”

“Gods I hope you NEVER get to that point.  I wonder how you’d deal with it.”

“Crapping in my diapers?  Oh heck, I wouldn’t  have to clean it up. Besides it will be interesting orange poop.”

“DELLA!”

“Sorry not gonna give up cheese curls until I die.  ‘Diet Coke’ will just add a gas bubble to the mix.”

“Oh I can’t take you ANYWHERE!”  She grabbed Della’s arm, “Come on!”

*************

“All women?  All the dead people are women?”   Maggie was listening to the nurse reading the names off.  “Mmm, interesting.  What has the doctor on call say?  Are they going to autopsy them?  What about the ones that died yesterday?”

“Seems to be ‘natural causes’.  Can’t seem to convince him. After all this IS a nursing home and these people are old.”

“So is Doc on the list of suspects?”  Della looked toward Maggie who just ‘mmm’ed’.  “Okay who visited the rooms other then the people delivering the lunch  trays?”

“No one.  We were just on our way in to hand out meds and …there  they were. Dead.”

“So did they all drink the entire glass of whatever?”  Della heard the nurse looking on the trays.

“Yeah.”

“What’s on the menu and tray?  Got everything?”    Again the nurse checked out the trays.

“Applesauce is missing again.”  Edith checked the trays.

“Ahh a toothless suspect.”  Della rubbed her chin.

“Just the applesauce.  Interesting.  Someone who can’t chew?” Maggie looked perplexed.  “Well THAT narrows down the list to a few hundred.  HELLO Dell, we ARE in a nursing home.”  Maggie’s hands were on her hips.  “Gotta be something else tied in there.”

“Well…just a thought.  Is anyone missing their teeth?”  Della turned towards the nurse.

“Most of the patients, yes.”

“I mean false ones?  Has anyone lost their false teeth and reported it?”

“No.”  The head nurse turned to the others who stood their heads also.  “Nope.”

“Now what is the crazy brain of your’s thinking?”  Maggie stood in front of Della.

“Well, applesauce is good, sweet, and doesn’t need chewing.  Someone’s hungry and can’t find their teeth…easiest thing to eat.  Bet their teeth are sitting in a glass somewhere…they can’t remember where.”  She started laughing.  “Well at least they aren’t sitting on their heads like old Hank couldn’t find her glasses.”

“DELLA!!”    Maggie started thinking.  “Maybe we should be talking to some of the other ladies here.  Since all the dead are women.  I’ll start on the right side, you go down the left.  We can cover more ground that way.”  Maggie put Della’s hand on her shoulder and headed to the end of the hall.

***************

Maggie crossed off several people on her list of suspects right away since they had their teeth.  She heard laughing coming from across the hallway.  Della was teasing an elderly man confined to bed.  She pinched his cheeks before leaving the room.   “Anything?”  Della shook her head, and they moved down another room.

“You old goat, I told you to stop!”  Maggie heard a married couple’s ‘discussion’ before she knocked on the door.   “See you old geezer, they’re coming to throw us out!”  The elderly lady turned and saw Maggie.  “You’re not the nurse.  What ya want?”

“I’m Henrietta’s niece I just came to ask some questions if I can.  I don’t mean to disturb you.”

“Hello there Sweetie.  Come on in, and take a load off.”  The husband patted the bed.  “Just finishing up my lunch.”  Maggie looked down on the tray and saw several applesauce cups.

“My, you do like applesauce.”  She picked up a few empty containers.

“Well, I seemed to have misplaced my teeth and this is the only thing I can get down without chewing.”  He grinned his toothless smile at Maggie.   She was biting the inside of her lip to keep from laughing.

“Would you excuse me just a second.”  Maggie darted out and found Della.  “Listen, I think I hit on something.  Can you take the wife and get her out of the room and question her?”  Della just followed Maggie into the room.   “This is my friend Della, Della these nice people are the Johnsons.  I think Mrs Johnson would like to take a walk to the sunroom.”

“I would?  Yeah, you’re right, anything to get away from this old geezer.  You BEHAVE your self for once.”  She turned to Della.  “Well I guess I have to lead you around by the nose too.”

“No my leash is fine.  Come on Mzzz Johnson, sounds like we got some yapping to do….or do you need me to buy you some batteries.”   The joke wasn’t lost on Mr Johnson.   Della heard him laughing as she took the wife’s shoulder.  “Crap you shrunk a lot in your old age didn’t ya?  Bet those perky little rose buds are hanging baskets now.”

“Kneeknockers.  You’ll find out soon enough.”   She led them into the sunroom.  Meanwhile Maggie was chatting with Mr Johnson.

“Oh call me ‘Sweetiepie’, all the ladies on the hall do or did.  Well until they died.”

“Mmm, did you know all those ladies?”

“Oh of course.  I’m the errr I was the ‘boyfriend’ of them all.”

“And Mrs Johnson was okay with that?”

“Ahhh that old bat didn’t want sex from the time we had our first kid.  Said it wasn’t worth the grunting.”  Once again Maggie bit the inside of her lip.  “Bet you’d  be a hoot in the sack.  Lock the door.”

“No…no thank you.  I …no.”

“Don’t know what you’re missing.  Got me a reputation of being pretty damn good.”  Once again his toothless grin tickled Maggie.  “Ah, it’s the quiet ones that scream the loudest.”

“I..errr…”  Maggie coughed and wondered if she should have taken Mrs Johnson.  Something told her Mr Johnson and Della would have brought the house down.   “So your wife KNEW you ‘played around’.”

“Sure, told her from the beginning that if I didn’t get it when I wanted it…I was going out.”

“Why didn’t you just be kind and divorce her?  Then she couldn’t complain.”  Maggie looked at him.

“Divorce?  Never, murder…it’s an option.”  He opened another applesauce container.  “Gotta find me them teeth.  I’m getting tired of this stuff.  I swear I left them in the cleaning jar in the bathroom four days ago.  But I can’t find them.”

“Mmm odd the deaths started about that time.”

“Deaths?  What deaths?  You mean the ladies in 103, 107 …”

“A total of twelve so far. On this floor alone.  You wouldn’t happen to have…..”

“She wouldn’t….”  The old man put the container back on the tray.  “Would she?”

“Who?”

“On first.”

“What?”

“Second.”

Maggie just hung her head, now she was sure she should have taken Mrs Johnson.   “Okay, the ladies in those rooms, were you ahhh how do I put this nicely?”

“Screwing them?  Poking them?  Making whoopie? “   He looked at Maggie who was slightly red.  “Mercy, you are an old fashion one.  Bet I could make you howl.”

“MR JOHNSON!  I’m trying to get some answers here.”  Maggie cleared her throat and started again.  “Now you were intimate  with those ladies?”  He nodded.  “Did your wife know about it?”   Again he nodded.  “And you’re still alive?”  He just grinned.  “Okay, your teeth went missing about the same time.  May I look around the room?”

“Sure go ahead.  What ya looking for?”

“Your teeth.”   Maggie opened the closet door and patted some clothes in a drawer and quickly moved on to the next one.  She held up Mrs Johnson’s handbag, Mr Johnson nodded it was okay.  Maggie opened it and saw a handkerchief wrapping something.  She placed the bag on the bed and pulled out the white lace edged cloth.  As she unfolded it…

“Well that little…there they are!”  He smiled and held out his hands.  “Come on give them here.”

“Sorry but this is evidence…sorta.”

“Hey them’s my teeth and I’m hungry.  Give them here!”

“Did you find something?”  The nurse walked in.

“Yes, Mr Johnson’s teeth were in his wife’s bag.  Mr Johnson here has been eating all the applesauce..  I think we found a reason, and I’m sad to say the possible killer.”  Maggie still had the teeth.

“Give me my teeth!”

“Oh dear.  Mr Johnson, this …means it seems  your wife did something to the ladies.  This isn’t … oh dear.  I sent the glasses to the lab and they had enough liquid in them to identify the drug.”  The nurse was trying to figure out what to do.

“So what was in it?”  Maggie kept the teeth slightly out of Mr Johnson’s reach.

“The strongest sleeping pill we are allowed to give AND belladonna.  The combination knocked them out fast and I doubt that their hearts could take it.  It’s too late to do autopsies on some of them but….”   She sighed, “…we don’t need a scandal here.  I sure don’t want to have to deal with the police on this.”

“This is MURDER !”  Maggie was looking at the nurse.

“Well, they WERE old.”  She looked back at Maggie.  “Not like they had much to live for and long.”

“TEETH! I want my teeth.”

“Just a minute Mr Johnson.  I’m sorry, but these were people.  They died sooner then they should have.  It’s murder.  It appears Mrs Johnson is the killer.”

“Naggguh, she wouldn’t hurt a fly.  Hell she’s never open mine!”  Again Maggie’s eyes bugged out at Mr Johnson’s statement.  “She’s too dumb to kill anyone.  At least I think so.  She woulda killed me along time ago.”

“That’s true.  Besides, how would she get those drugs?”  The head nurse asked.  Maggie was puzzled and hadn’t thought that out yet.  “Maybe if we talk to her and get her NOT to do this again….we can let this go?”

Maggie was dumbfounded.  “Sorry but… I don’t….”  Just then Della and Mrs Johnson came in the room.

“Hey! You trying to steal my stuff?”  She grabbed the bag from Maggie.  “Oh crap.”

“Yeah, she found MY teeth.  Now hand them over!”  Once again he grabbed for them and managed to get Maggie’s sleeve and pulled.  He then took them and put them back in his mouth.  “Ahhhhhh.  Now I’m ready for some FOOD!   When’s dinner?”

“Mr Johnson, food can wait, we still have some murder to deal with.”  Maggie stood with hands on hips.  “Mrs Johnson, I think we need to…”

“Maggie!  Let’s go to the sunroom for a bit.” Della smiled broadly at Maggie and motioned for her to lead her own.  “You guys go about your business, we’ll be back.”

“Della, it’s a cut and dry case.  Mrs Johnson put the pills in the drink and….well Mr Johnson was doing those ladies.”   Maggie was telling Della as they walked.

“I know he was screwing around, Mrs Johnson said he’s been doing they since they got married.  Why now?  She was saying the other ladies were coming to her AFTER they said yes and wanted to know how to STOP him.  He was wearing them out.”  Maggie looked at Della as if she had three heads.  “Yeah I’m blind but I did the same ‘DUH’ look at Mrs Johnson.  That old geezer?  Damn.  Why isn’t he forty years younger, I’d give him a run for….”

“DELLA!”

“Okay back to the case.  She didn’t do it.  She knows nothing about the pills.  She’s not sure what she takes.  The nurses come in a couple of times a day dump the pills and they take them.  Any time they ask …they are told ‘vitamins’.  Right sure.  Still I think we’re looking for someone else.  But who?”

“Back to square one.  Mr Johnson?”

“Motive?”

“Ahhh applesauce?”

“No, don’t think so.”

“Who or how did he get all of the applesauce ?”  Della looked in Maggie’s direction.  “Think we need to ask a few more questions.”   They headed back to the Johnson’s room.

“Can we ask a few more questions?”  Maggie smelled as she walked in with Della in tow.

“Do I  need a lawyer?”  Mrs Johnson was looking scared.

“No, we’re just asking questions here.  Where’s the nurse?”

“She had to get back to work.”  Mr Johnson smiled a tooth fulled grin.  “Pretty aren’t they?”

“How did you get all those apple sauce containers Mr Johnson?  Did you go around and collect them or did someone bring them to you?”

“Hannah there brought them.”

“Hannah?”  Mrs Johnson looked at him oddly.

“Yeah the nurse’s name is Hannah.”

“Since WHEN are the patients allowed to call staff by their first name?”  She stood up off the bed and pulled her hand from her husband’s.  “Don’t tell me you are bagging her too!”   Mr Johnson just opened and closed his mouth.   “Sweet Mother of God!  Is there any woman you AREN’T ?”  Della started to raise her hand and was stopped by Maggie’s arm pushing it down without her looking as to where Della was.   “That’s the LAST straw, I’m getting a divorce.”

“Now Mrs Johnson, let’s think this thru.  You’ve been married for what?”

“Seventy five years.”  Mr Johnson quipped up.

“You …remembered.”

“Oh course I do.  You were SO pretty then.  I still see it.  Just….”

“Just what?”

“Well you don’t want me to show you how much I love you, so I got satisfaction else where.  I got needs, I wanted it to be you, but you didn’t want me.”

“Well, Mr Johnson, you are a bit much for …..well you exhausted me every time.  I needed some rest,, but you were ready at the drop of a hat.”

“That’s a problem?”  Della asked.

“Not three times a day!   I never could get any work done.  What with the kids and the house.”

“THREE times a day?”

“Della.”

“Maggie….three…three times a ….okay I can feel the boring eyes.”  Della did a ‘zip the lip’ motion.

“Ya mean….if I’d let you ‘rest’ more you woulda…”

“Yes you old bat.  I love you. Only you.  I thought you didn’t want me.”

“I did as often as I could get ya.”

Maggie heard Della whimpering.  “DELLA!”    Then she sighed.  “So…you didn’t kill the ladies…Mrs Johnson, and Mr Johnson? “   He shook his head.  “Then who…”  Maggie’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

“Hello?  Mr Johnson.  It’s Juanita, time for your massage.  Oh Mrs Johnson. Why aren’t you asleep?  Didn’t you errrr…”   Juanita looked at the food tray.  “You ahh didn’t drink your milk.  We need to keep those bones strong.”  She looked at Maggie and Della.   “Who are you?”

“We’re talking to the Johnsons right now, the massage will have to ….wait.”  Maggie was thinking, Della could feel the wheels spinning.  “Juanita, do you deliver the meal trays?”

“Yes.”  She suddenly turned defiant.  “Why?”

“Pick them up?”

“Yes.”

“Give massages.”

“Just to Mr Johnson.”  Della’s eyebrow shot up.  Maggie was thinking the same thing as Della.

“Mr Johnson…..” the head nurse Hannah came in the room.  “Oh, you have company.  What are YOU doing here?”  She looked at Juanita.

“Massage for Mr Johnson. “ Juanita looked Hannah up and down like she was a dish rag.

“I’m blind but I can see it.”  Della cocked her head towards Maggie.

“Yeah.   So Hannah, you knock out the women why?”

“I BEG your pardon?”   Hannah was shaking slightly.  “I give them their meds.  I’m a nurse I don’t kill my patients. I’m not the ONLY nurse that hands out meds/”

“Just knock them out so they won’t be so bothersome?  Sleep most of the time?  Less work?”  Della looked towards the nurse.

“Well I…errr.  I’m not going to say another word. I didn’t kill those ladies.”

“Still doesn’t answer all the questions.”  Dalla remarked.

“Yeah, what’s with the applesauce?  Why take and give Mr Johnson all the applesauce?”  Maggie was still puzzled.

“That I didn’t do.”  Hannah stood there still trying to figure out how to get out of this mess.

“Juanita gave them to me.”  Mr Johnson piped up.  Maggie turned to him and then to Juanita.

“Well, once the old biddies were sleeping, I just took them off the tray and….he was missing his teeth.  Who would do that to this sweet man?”

“Me.  To keep him from visiting all those other women.”   Mrs Johnson was looking at Juanita with an evil eye.

“You…you were doing all those women!”  Juanita looked at Mr Johnson.  “Why you .. You…old geezer you told me I was the only…..”  She stopped.  Della whistled.

“How did you get the extra meds?”  Nurse Hannah spoke up, beginning to see she was losing her spot on the suspect list and wanted to eliminate herself all together.

“I didn’t put anything in te drinks.”  Juanita was inching her way towards the door.  She didn’t see Della had gotten up and was standing in front of it.  “I errr….really I didn’t do anything wrong!”  She started crying.

“Man this is getting…OW!”  Della’s back was hit with the room’s door opening.

“Oh, “   Nurse Ethel came in, “are we having a meeting?”  She looked at Mr Johnson, it’s time for your …..er bath.  Right a bath.”   Mr Johnson felt the handbag hitting him on the head.

“Ethel.  Hand me over your keys.”  Hannah stood there in full supervisor mode.

“Why?”  Edith began to look suspicious.

“Hand them over NOW!”    Hannah held out her hand waiting.  “Now or I’m calling the police.”   Edith handed over her keys.  “How?  How did you get a set of keys for the med cabinet.  Only supervisors have them.”

“You left them in the door one time.  So….I took them….for safe keeping.”

“And……”Maggie said to bump her along.

“Got a set made?”  Della finished the sentence.  “So you could knock out the other ladies horring in on your stud muffin over there?   Getting rid of the competition?”

“HER TOO?”  Mrs Johnson was hitting Mr Johnson over the head repeatively with her bag.  Maggie grabbed it from her and stopped it.

“Why you old son of a…. ALL of these women TOO, along with those others?”  Edith looked over at Mr Johnson, who sat there will a grin as big as Texas on his face.  Once again Della mumbled something Maggie didn’t want to know.

“I think the police need to be called and….”  Her sentence was interrupted by the on call doctor coming thru the door……this time Maggie heard Della crying.