“I expect to be paid now for this.”
“I know. I came prepared,” she smiled. She handed him a roll of cash, filled with hundred-dollar bills. He didn’t bother to count it. He knew it would be somewhere in the neighborhood of ten to fifteen thousand. Exactly what he wanted.
“Thank you,” he said attempting to slide out of the booth. She gripped his hand.
“We need more,” she said staring at him. “Double this. Double it and we’ll triple the price.”
He stared at his mother and then calculated what was in the bag. They must have something planned the wicked witches of Gulf Shores Country and Yacht Club.
“Planning something big for Lawrence and the others, mother?”
“You don’t need to know what we have planned,” she smiled. “Just double it and double it soon. We’ll handle the rest.”
“I’ll see what I can do, but no promises. This is a small rural hospital without a lot of supply.”
“Then order more,” she said with an edge to her voice. She took out two of the pills from one of the bottles and swallowed them without water or anything to wash it down. He just shook his head.
“You know what, mother? One day I won’t be able to do this for you anymore and you’re going to be left to sort out your own mess.” She stood and patted his chest, kissing his cheek.
“You know what, Alden? My mess is your mess. Remember that.” He watched her leave in her brand-new car, realizing it was different than the one from just the other day. Whispering to himself, he shook his head.
“How could I possibly forget.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“This case just got a whole lot more interesting,” said Tanner.
“Great. Interesting is what we love,” smirked Rush. “How did it get more interesting?”
“Alden Johns mother. We already know she’s been married four times but it appears her first three died under suspicious circumstances. All were well off or very well off. All were relatively young, under seventy-five. The current husband is eighty-two but seems to be in excellent health.”
“Seems to be?” asked Rush.
“He recently went to his physician for a physical citing feelings of excessive tiredness, headaches, nausea, that sort of thing. According to medical records the doctor found unusual amounts of controlled substances in his blood. Lawrence adamantly refuses to take so much as an aspirin, so the doctor knew something was wrong.”
“Sounds like we should pay a visit to Lawrence,” said Gator. The others nodded as Tanner continued.
“Our friend Gloria is a member of the Gulf Shores Country & Yacht Club. Very old school, very exclusive. The average age of the members is fifty-one. Not a young man’s club.”
“What does that have to do with all of this?” asked Ham.
“There are eleven women that we’ve found so far, who have a track record of husbands similar to Gloria. Hyacinth Wallace has five dead husbands. She’s on number six. Sue Ellen Sherman is on number seven.”
The men all stared at Tanner, their beautifully deep frown lines beginning to carve canyons in their foreheads.
“There are more but you get the idea. All of these women meet daily. Not weekly, not just for lunch, but daily. Tamara Bolling was fired by the club for suggesting that the women were exchanging pills during one of their daily ‘teas’. She filed a lawsuit against the club which they settled out of court.”
“This is becoming more and more fascinating by the minute,” frowned Cowboy. “Do we think the old ladies are taking drugs?”
“That’s my guess. Maybe the son is stealing the drugs for the women but got caught up and started taking them himself,” said Tanner.
“So, we have a doctor who steals and sells drugs to his mother and her country club sweethearts but also takes them for himself,” said Ham.
“Sounds like it to me. We know where the mother is located and the others, but we still haven’t been able to find Alden,” said AJ.
“Well, if we know where the mother is located, I’m going to guess that we’ll find her son close by,” said Gator. “Mitchell? You ready to get on the road and leave your bride?”
“I think I can manage a day trip, or even overnight,” he smirked.
