Free The Aries Libra Connection (Opposites In Love Book 1) by Janet Lane-Walters Page A

You know the rumors that are making the rounds.”
    “About a sale. Yeah. Simone mentioned them.”
    “Evidently it nearly happened some years ago. I want to see if there are any details in the minutes.”
    “Might be.”
    Eric nodded. “About this cardiac cath unit. Won’t be cheap and might not be cost effective. How’s the hospital going to finance the deal?’
    “Bingo!”
    “I don’t see how that would make enough money.”
    “Not the game. The trust fund.”
    “The what?”
    Sam nodded. “Years ago sometime around nineteen hundred, Grace Eastlake endowed the hospital with several million dollars with only the interest available for special projects. For a long time, the interest was rolled over. That practice has stopped and for the past five or six years we’ve acquired the CAT Scan, the MRI and etcetera’s.”
    “Bishop?”
    “Could be. They’ve been called capital improvements.” Sam snapped his fingers. “We do need those records.”
    “And soon. Where are they?”
    “In boxes in the storage room at the Cove. Couldn’t think of any other place to keep them.”
    They exited the stairwell. Eric stopped at the desk and dialed Jenessa’s number. Megan answered. “Do me a favor. Get word to Jenessa at her meeting. Tell her to come to the Cove instead of Frank’s.” He caught up with Sam. “Meet you there.”
    “Ride with me.” Sam winked. “Then she can bring you back.”
    “I might end up walking.” Eric strode across the street. She’d been too wary earlier for him to take a chance.
     
    * * *
     
    Jenessa tapped her foot in an impatient rhythm against the hardwood floor in Dru’s dining room. The meeting had dragged on for an hour and nothing had been settled. “Come on, we have to do something to wake up the public.”
    Nan nodded. “You’re right.” She raked her fingers through her short red hair. “We have good reason to strike, but we’d end up looking like selfish bullies if we go now. We need community support.”
    “But Claire recommended we ask for a strike vote.” Madge Brown pushed her chair back. “Let me call her.”
    “She doesn’t have a vote unless there’s a tie. It’s four to two.”
    “Her opinion should rule. She’s our president.”
    Simone’s ebony eyes flashed. “Elected by the members, not named dictator. We have the Board cold. We made an offer and they’re ignored it.”
    “That’s why we have to strike. A week and they’ll be begging us to return.”
    Dru laughed. “I wouldn’t bet on that.”
    Simone nodded. “And you know, Claire had dinner the other night with Bishop and Sandra. Looked mighty chummy to me.”
    “A lot you know,” Madge said.
    “She was there to talk to them,” Grace, Claire’s other supporter said. “Since you won’t agree to what has to be done, there’s no point in this meeting. We’ll start a petition among the nurses.”
    “Fine,” Jenessa said.
    The pair of women walked to the door. “Wait ‘til Claire hears. She’ll kick you off the committee.”
    Once the pair had left, Jenessa leaned forward. “Ready to plot some mischief.”
    Nan shook her head. “Not mischief. Community relations. After the Board gets the letter from our lawyer, they’ll have to meet us.”
    Dru shrugged. “Maybe, but we need to do more. What about a newspaper ad that lets people know the score?”
    “I like that,” Jenessa said.
    “Do you think the News will print it?” Nan asked. “They ignore our letters to the editor. Bishop owns a large part of the paper.”
    Jenessa laughed. “We’re offering them money. Remember that Bishop thinks money makes the earth shake and the stars glow.”
    Simone nodded. “You’ve got my vote. What about informational picketing, say Friday during visiting hours?”
    “What if someone talks?” Dru asked. “Surprise is best for that sort of tactic.”
    “We’ll keep it to the four of us, plus Megan,” Jenessa said.
    “What about signs?”
    “I’ll do them tomorrow,”