She would return soon in a heartbreaking loop of inquiry about her location. There were no visitors for Mrs. Hartness, and I tried to spend time each day helping her reminisce. She’d been a corporate secretary and mother of two sons, both of whom had died years ago.

Kait and I pushed the med cart out and fired up the tablet computer to begin our way down the hall to dispense. We’d check blood sugar levels, heart rates, pulses, bedsores, bruises, temperatures, and many other things along the way, plus field requests for additional pain medication. I knew before reaching Mrs. Henderson’s room that her sugar would be sky high—and that she’d ask me to fetch her three candy bars to scarf down before we gave her insulin. My pocket held a crossword puzzle, which I’d produce in Miss Shelton’s room and ask for her help. Miss Shelton was an English teacher whose vocabulary rivaled Merriam-Webster’s, but her vision was almost gone. I carried a photo of an Irish landscape for Mr. Neely, plus a rhinestone collar for Mrs. Meyers’ stuffed cat. She cradled and petted “Fluffy” all day long.

Audrey Marie Haynes Ledbetter—who no longer required pruning—was wheeling herself toward us. “You two need to hurry up,” she declared. “You’re running late, and I can feel my blood pressure rising.”

“You can feel it?” Kait responded.

“Yes I can, smart girl,” Mrs. Ledbetter snarled. “While you dawdle in the hall, I’m getting closer and closer to a stroke. I’m going to wait right here for my pills. My room smells like a latrine in the middle of an old cow pasture surrounded by dead fish...”

“We get the idea, Mrs. Ledbetter,” I interrupted.

“...thanks to Helen,” she finished.

Kait scrunched her nose. “Is Baylee on today?” she asked me.

I nodded.

“I’ll page her to clean Helen up.”

She pressed a button on the wall as we both said silent thanks for our advanced nursing degrees.

“Someone will be in your room to help Helen in a minute, Mrs. Ledbetter,” Kait said. “Let me get your medication for you.” She pulled up the chart and rifled through the cart’s drawers, then handed over a paper cup of water and six pills. “And by the way,” she added as Audrey handed back her crumpled cup, “you look very nice today.”

Mrs. Ledbetter glared at her and rolled off toward the activity room.

“Why did you do that?” I asked. “You know politeness and kindness are two of her biggest pet peeves.”

“I’m hoping she’ll put me in her will,” Kait answered, grinning.

My heart skidded to a stop. Kait couldn’t possibly know about my inheritance from Violet. I’d been very careful. “Good luck with that,” I said nonchalantly. “Audrey is more likely to leave it all to The Society for Advancement of Cruelty to Nurses.”