the reins to a tree and then helped Rosie climb down. All the while, he glanced around the area as if searching for anything suspect.
“You are worried?” Rosie asked.
“Not worried but cautious. As you mentioned, it is quiet here.”
They hurried to the door. Rosie knocked then glanced down the street, following Ezra’s lead. His concern added to Rosie’s unrest. She rang the bell again.
Just before she was ready to return to the buggy, the door opened. A very sleepy Nan stood in the threshold, rubbing her eyes, her red hair disheveled. “Is everything all right, Rosie?”
“I am sorry to bother you. You were asleep?”
“Not yet. I was getting ready to go to bed.” She glanced at Ezra and held out her hand. “I’m Nan Smith.”
“Forgive me for not introducing you,” Rosie said as the two people shook hands. “This is Ezra Stoltz. He agreed to drive me here. I came to find out about Mr. Calhoun.”
“Come in,” Nan said, opening the door wide.
Rosie and Ezra entered the foyer.
“I talked to one of the other nurses last night about Mr. Calhoun’s missing meds,” Nan explained. “We couldn’t find his OxyContin so I gave him a couple ibuprofen. I also called the pharmacy and left a message about the missing meds.”
“Did the other nurse know what happened?” Rosie asked.
“She didn’t seem concerned. I did a little investigating on my own and found Mr. Calhoun wasn’t the only patient with missing medication.”
“What do you mean?”
“What I mean is that Shady Manor has a problem. Many, if not most, of the patients had orders for strong opioid pain medication—hydrocodone or OxyContin—but when I searched the medication cart the meds were missing.”
“Had they already been given out?”
“Not that I could tell. I didn’t even know the opioids had been prescribed for many of the patients—patients who don’t have significant pain. I left a memo for Mr. O’Donnell.”
Nan’s forthright sharing about what had transpired last night convinced Rosie the nurse had left work unaware of Mr. Calhoun’s passing.
“Would either of you like coffee?” she asked as she ushered them into the living area. “I’ll fix a fresh pot.”
“Do not trouble yourself with coffee,” Rosie insisted.
“It’s no trouble.” Nan pointed to the couch. An overstuffed chair sat nearby. “Sit here. The coffee will not take long to brew.”
Rosie held up her hand in protest. “We can talk without coffee. There is something I must tell you.”
Nan stepped closer. “Is something wrong?”
“Mr. Calhoun died this morning.”
“Oh, no!” The nurse raised her hand to her throat. “I’m so sorry to hear that. He was in pain last night, but his symptoms weren’t life-threatening.”
“I went in his room to say goodbye—”
“Goodbye?” Nan narrowed her gaze. “Now I’m really confused. Are you leaving Shady Manor?”
“Mr. O’Donnell terminated my employment this morning. He said I had gotten involved in a situation beyond my job description. He also said I had tampered with patient medication and he threatened to notify the police.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I wish I were. He told me to leave immediately. I could not leave without saying goodbye to Mr. Calhoun. When I entered his room, I knew something was wrong. The nurse said he had suffered a heart attack.”
“Which may have occurred, although I don’t recall any record of a heart condition.” Nan shook her head. “He was such a nice man.”
Rosie agreed. “He said I brightened his days, but the opposite was true. He was considerate of my situation and always encouraged me to work hard so I could someday become independent and take care of Joseph on my own. His words were always filled with kindness and concern. You know I would do nothing to cause him harm.”
Nan rubbed Rosie’s shoulder. “You were a friend he looked forward to seeing.”
“But I do not understand what happened.”
“I’m working later today, Rosie. I’ll check his chart and see what it says. The coroner’s report won’t be back for days, but I’ll talk to the staff and see if they know anything about his death.”
“Will you be able to read the coroner’s report?”
“Perhaps.” She shrugged. “And I want to track down the reason his medication was missing as well as the pain meds for the other patients.”
“Can you talk to the pharmacist and Mr. Calhoun’s doctor?”
Nan nodded. “After I get some sleep. How will I let you know what I find out?”
Rosie glanced at Ezra.
“I will bring Rosie to your house in a day or two,” he quickly suggested.
A warmth settled over Rosie. Once again, Ezra had come to her aid. “It will not be a problem?” she asked him.
He smiled. “Perhaps then we will be able to ease your concerns about Mr. Calhoun. It will not be a problem.”
Rosie turned back to Nan. “We will see you either tomorrow or the day following to find out what you have learned.”
She hesitated a moment as a thought surfaced. “Perhaps I am being foolish, yet I must say this anyway. If you would be so kind, do not mention my name to Mr. O’Donnell. He claimed I interfered with nursing duties last night. Perhaps he feels I was too demanding in my desire to help Mr. Calhoun. Keeping my name out of the situation might be a good idea.”
Nan nodded. “You’re probably being overly cautious, but I won’t divulge your interest in Mr. Calhoun’s death. Especially since Mr. O’Donnell accused you of wrongdoing.” She patted Rosie’s arm. “I do not want to get you in more trouble.”
“Thank you, Nan.”
The nurse glanced at the wall clock. “The pharmacy will open soon. I’ll talk to the pharmacist before I get some sleep. I’m sure she can solve the problem about the missing meds. She may have information about Mr. Calhoun’s other medical problems, too. Perhaps she’ll let me know if he was prescribed any medication for his heart. I’ll also mention my concern about the number of pain prescriptions that seem unnecessary.”
Rosie was relieved, knowing Nan would get to the bottom of what was happening at Shady Manor. “By any chance, Nan, have you seen a middle-aged man with a streak of white hair at the home? His first name is Larry.”
“That
