Free Gin Jones - Helen Binney 01 - A Dose of Death by Gin Jones

Helen thought a little guiltily. Melissa might not have been as crazy as she ‘d seemed. She might just have been projecting her own loneliness onto Helen, looking for company for herself, more than for her patient. “What about the other nurses in the agency? They must be upset. You should go make sure they’re okay.”
    “ They’re all professionals. They know our first responsibility is to our patients, and we’ll deal with our personal grief later.” Pierce hovered beside her as they approached her front door. “Maybe you could have a friend or family member stay with you for a few days, just until we sort this all out.”
    Helen was beginning to think she should start a drinking game, listing all the different ways people could find to force companionship on her. Probably not a good idea, in practice. She ‘d never developed the tolerance for alcohol that her ex-husband had, and if things kept going the way they were today, she’d end up in the hospital with alcohol poisoning. “I’ll be fine right here.”
    “ We’ll send someone in Melissa’s place, of course, but it may take a few days to work out the details.” Pierce pulled out his smartphone and scrolled frantically through his contacts list. “We’re pretty well booked to capacity, but I’m sure we’ll find someone who’s right for you.”
    “ No rush,” said Helen. “I’ve decided I don’t really need a visiting nurse, after all. I’d been planning to cancel the contract before this happened, anyway.”
    “ I couldn’t bear the thought of putting you at risk. I will find you another nurse. We wouldn’t want another tragedy.”
    Helen was trying to decide whether he was threatening her or simply being melodramatic, when he added, “It wouldn’t take much for you to be incapacitated. I mean, look at Melissa. She was a big, strong woman, and, well, you know what happened to her.”
    Not a threat, Helen decided. He was just trying to protect his stream of income by trying to convince her she needed a visiting nurse from his agency. “No one has any reason to hurt me. And I really don’t need a visiting nurse. I tried it, and I didn’t like it.”
    Pierce glanced over his shoulder in the direction of the detective, and then bent toward her, not condescendingly like the detective, but still annoying in the way it implied that she welcomed his confidences.
    “The police won’t admit it,” he whispered, “but some of the recent unsolved burglaries have been rather violent. They started out pretty trivial, but recently a homeowner was threatened with a knife. You really shouldn’t stay all the way out here alone, without someone checking in on you. I don’t know how, but I’ll make sure you have a new nurse by tomorrow.”
    Helen glanced at the detective, and judging by the way he was leaning against the SUV and laughing, he hadn ‘t gotten around to suggesting the reporter should leave. It hardly seemed worth her time to ask Peterson to ask yet another unwanted trespasser to leave. She had a better chance of getting rid of Pierce by placating him. Much as she hated donning the old social mask she’d perfected during her stint in the governor’s mansion, it was the best way to get rid of him. A little fake politeness was certainly better than bashing Pierce’s head in with her cane. There’d been enough death here for one day. All she wanted was a little solitude, not solitary confinement.
    “ Fine,” Helen said at last. “Do what you think is best for now, and we’ll straighten it out later.”
    He left, looking relieved, while she went inside the cottage to plot his downfall.

CHAPTER FIVE
     
    The interior of the cottage pulsed with the flashing blue lights of the remaining cruiser in Helen’s driveway. She glanced outside to see the Geoff Loring still chatting with Detective Peterson.
    It was odd that the reporter hadn ‘t at least tried to interview her about Melissa’s murder. He’d been at the court hearing