The Wentworths

It was just about 1:30 p.m. and my friend, Larissa, was running late.  I popped down to the lobby to see if she was there.  The dogs needed toileting as well.  The rescue squad pulled in swiftly, the technicians got out immediately, donned blue plastic gloves and removed the bed.  Something was up.

As I was nearly the door, punching in my security code, my cell phone rang.  It was Larissa.

"I'm just leaving, should be there in twenty minutes."

Behind me two rescue squad techs needed entrance.  Opening the door, these two hotties made their way up the elevator.  Clearly, they had been here before.

I took the elevator to my floor returning the dogs to their space in the kitchen.  The phone rang again.  Larissa was in the parking lot.

"Are you in building A or B?"

"A, hold up, I will be down to collect you."

It was quiet in the complex.  I gave Larissa the cook's tour.  She loved the place.  And the wide open look.

"It's perfect for you, just what you always said you wanted."

"It is.  I just have to get used to having to be dressed taking the dogs out.  And all the people around.  Everyone is friendly.  I will get used to it.  Soon enough."

She liked the lobby, the living room, community room, the library.  We walked toward the lobby again when the stout man appeared.

He was carrying a Walmart bag.  I wondered if this was his wife who was going to the hospital. My third floor neighbor, the nurse whats-her-name appeared.  She looked at the man.

"Ok, so the Portsmouth Hospital is just to the left outside the condo.  Take 95 North, follow the signs."

He nodded his head. 

Larissa and I got into her Camry.  We watched the man pull out in front of us.  He didn't go north toward the hospital.  He went south.

I looked at Larissa.

"He's going the wrong way."


Lunch at the Anchor Inn was delicious.  We wondered about the man.  It didn't add up.

As Larissa stopped me back to my place the nurse appeared. 

"So tragic.  Do you know who she is?"

"Not at all."

"She is part of the Wentworth family, that huge trust.  She and Dick were only married a few months ago.  She was so healthy.  Until..."

'Until?"

"I don't know, it is like she was so out of it.  She talked to me about her impending marriage.  The money and everything.  She didn't want a prenup.  Said Dick wouldn't like it."

Her cell phone rang.

"OMG?"

"Beth, she didn't make it to the hospital.  She is gone.  By the way, my name is Nancy."

"Hi, Nancy.  I am lousy with names.  This is odd.  Dick didn't go toward the hospital.  Larissa, my friend, and I saw him head down Route 1 going toward Seabrook.  I wonder..."