Gotta Get Next To You Read online

  “Health Services, Inc. is owned by her friend. Miz Ruth had a contract with them. They billed Medicaid through the clinic.”

  “I can’t say I’m surprised.” Andrea shook her head. “So what’s that got to do with you?”

  Denny’s gaze slid sideways again. “I helped her do paperwork. She paid me extra. She said it wasn’t illegal.”

  “But you knew better,” Andrea added.

  Denny nodded. “We was always juggling.”

  “Show me what you did, okay?” Andrea stood. Denny’s brows pulled together in a worried expression. “But—”

  “I’m not asking you to help gather evidence against yourself,” Andrea broke in. “You were following instructions, right?”

  “For sure.” Denny’s face muscles relaxed a bit.

  “Then show me these doctored records.” Andrea jerked a thumb toward the file room.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “And, Denny?” Andrea put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. “Your grandmother has reason to be proud of you these days.”

  Denny stared at his shoes. “Nah, I still got a ways to go. Anyway, I got an idea where most of the files were put up.” He darted off ahead of her.

  For the better part of the morning they sifted through a stack of paper that made Andrea want to scream. Getting a clear picture of the situation was not quite as easy as she’d hoped. The invoices listed Health Services, Inc., not Thelma Cresson. Andrea read through the files and boiled with outrage. The woman was crafty. Andrea would have to consult with the auditor, but her gut feeling was that they should make the best of it and start from scratch. The clinic would only suffer from more bad publicity, especially since it would not be easy to prove anything. Besides, Andrea wanted to start fresh and give the staff successes. Morale had been low when she’d taken over. No need to pull it down again when the guilty would escape punishment anyway. With iron determination and Denny’s enthusiastic assistance, they managed to put the records in order for the auditor. Andrea marveled at their achievement. She gave Denny permission to take extra time for his lunch break as a re-ward.

  Andrea gulped down a turkey sandwich at her desk while reading regulations for a new program. The confusing requirements threw another curve at her. After the morning she’d spent, Andrea once again felt an urge to scream. The phone rang and she snatched up the receiver in exasperation. She’d never get through at this rate.

  “Yes,” she said through clenched teeth.

  “I know, boss lady,” Terri began in her best diplomat’s voice. “But, uh, John Mandeville is here to see you. Says he won’t take up much of your time.” She said the last sentence in almost a whisper.

  “He’s standing in front of you?”

  “You got it.”

  “Give me five minutes, then bring him back.”

  “Sure will.”

  The first thing Andrea did was clear anything from her desk that might attract his attention. No need to give him a reason to get in clinic business. Terri knocked on her door just as she finished.

  “Here you go, Mr. Mandeville.”

  “Thank you, dear,” John said.

  Andrea waited until the door closed behind Terri, then spoke. “So we finally meet.”

  “Thanks for letting me barge in. I know how busy you are.” He did not seem to mind her scouring look. “I’ve wanted to talk to you for a long time.”

  “I see.” But Andrea did not see at all.

  “I know this is awkward. The circumstances, I mean.” He still stood near the door. “I’ve heard nothing but good things about what you’ve done here.” John waved a hand around to indicate the clinic.

  “It’s been a team effort.” Andrea said.

  “Leadership makes the difference. It’s obvious your staff respects you.”

  “Thank you. Please, have a seat.”

  Andrea studied him, trying to determine if the man lived up to the myth. How many years had it been since she’d last seen him? At least twenty, she mused. Charlene had taken her on a trip to New Orleans and they’d met John at the Audubon Zoo. Of course, she hadn’t known he was her father then. Ten years old, Andrea had quickly warmed to the handsome man who’d bought her a stuffed tiger and all the cotton candy she could eat.

  He was certainly handsome in a rugged way. John Mandeville had aged well. She searched his face for any resemblance, any shared features. Except for a faint likeness around the nose and chin, she had Charlene’s features. His eyes were black and so was his hair, with just a touch of gray at his temples. Realizing she was staring, Andrea cleared her throat.

  “So what can I do for you?” she said.

  “I was going to ask you that.” John tapped the arm of the chair with his fingertips. “Anything you need here in the way of equipment, just ask.”

  “We have everything we need.”

  “Health care is sky-high these days. Is your budget okay? I have some influence.”

  “The budget is fine. We’ve been able to expand a bit.” He nodded. “You’ve got classes on nutrition and a clinic for babies. Impressive start.”

  “Thank you again.” Andrea wondered what he really wanted. It was difficult to believe he’d shown up just to heap praises on her. She was working up the nerve to ask outright when he spoke again.

  “Your mother is bragging about you. Charlie is proud as can be, and so am I,” John said with a wide smile. Andrea stiffened. “Charlie?”

  He laughed. “Oh, I had a habit of calling your mother that as a nickname. She didn’t like it too much, though, still doesn’t.”

  “Is that right?” Andrea said with an edge to her voice. The tone of her question was not lost on him. “We’re on good terms.”

  “Hmm.”

  “Andrea, I really hope we can get to know each other.”

  “Why?” Andrea tossed the blunt question at him. “Because …” He seemed to struggle for words for a few moments. “I care about you. I always have, no matter what you might have heard.”

  Andrea continued to stare at him. Irritation competed with curiosity. Curiosity won. “What exactly did you have in mind?”

  John lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know. We could meet for lunch and talk.”

  “Get to know each other over lunch,” Andrea echoed. “I’m not saying I can be a father figure to you after all these years. All I want is to know you better.”

  Andrea’s chest tightened with emotion. “I had a wonderful father.”

  “Look, I didn’t come here to upset you.” John leaned forward. “I was just hoping that somehow we could—”

  “Sure. I could get to know Grandma Isabelle and my half sisters and brothers. Let’s have a great big family reunion.”

  “You’re angry. I’d better go.” He stood.

  “What about dinner? Say tomorrow night?” Andrea gave a sharp laugh. “I’m sure your wife would be thrilled.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that.”

  Andrea stared at him with a stony expression. “I was sure you didn’t, Mr. Mandeville. I won’t sneak around to see you the way my mother did.” She bit off the words as though they tasted bad in her mouth.

  “Of course not.”

  “I’m not Charlene. And frankly, I know as much about you as I care to.” Andrea stood also.

  “Of course, this is sensitive for my family.” John sighed. “But you’ve got it wrong. Charlene and I were two wild, reckless kids who fell for each other.”

  “I didn’t hear the word ‘love.’ ” Andrea glared at him. “Or did I miss something?”

  “Yes, we loved each other. Sometimes being in love isn’t enough. I never disrespected Charlene. Never,” he said.

  Andrea stared into her biological father’s eyes. She felt nothing, no pull, no connection. It was a measure of the man’s arrogance that he could even face her after thirty years of neglect. And that line about being in love with her mother was just that, a line.

  “I don’t believe you. Why should I?” Andrea said in a c
old voice. “You took the easy way out.”

  “You don’t know the whole story,” he insisted. “At least let me tell you my side.”

  “Actions speak louder than words,” Andrea snapped. “Or I should say inaction.”

  John took a step toward her. “It’s not that simple. We were both scared kids and—” He broke off and shook his head. “I’m really sorry, Andrea, but I’m not a monster.”

  “What do you want from me?”

  “A chance. I know I should have done some things differently.”

  “So I’m a loose end you want to tie up to soothe your conscience,” Andrea said, acid lacing her voice.

  “Maybe,” John answered promptly. “Maybe it’s because the older I get, the more I regret what I did to you and Charlie. But I really want to do whatever I can to help you. That’s no lie.”

  Andrea hesitated. He was her unfinished business as well. “Let me think about it for a while,” she said, finally.

  “Here” He handed her a business card. “Just tell my secretary your name and she’ll put you through.”

  “I can’t promise I’ll call.” Andrea took the pale blue card with embossed gold lettering.

  “I understand.” John gazed at her for several moments. “I can only imagine what you’ve heard about me over the years. Of course, some of it’s true.” He wore a boyish grin.

  “Well, I…” Andrea paused. He’d know she was lying if she tried to say it wasn’t all bad. It had been.

  John’s expression changed to one of earnestness. “But I never, never did anything deliberately to hurt you. In my own way I tried to protect you and Charlene. Will you keep that in mind?” He held out his hand.

  “Yes,” Andrea said softly. She put her hand in his large one. He held it firmly for a few seconds before letting it go.

  “Thank you. Goodbye.” With a nod and a smile, he walked out.

  So much for wondering what Charlene saw in him. John Mandeville was indeed an irresistible force. Andrea stared at the card without really seeing it. She wondered if it was finally time to talk to her mother about him, and if they were ready after so many years.

  Lee’s partner, Vince Jefferson, strolled into his office holding a can of cola. He took a swig from it and plopped down on one of the chairs facing Lee’s desk. Lee had the Friday afternoon off from the clinic. He’d taken the opportunity to catch up on two other investigations he and Vince were close to wrapping up.

  Chapter 8

  L & V Investigations was headquartered in a modest four-story building in Harahan, a small bedroom town outside New Orleans. The cozy reception area leading to their suite held a desk with a phone and word processor for their part-time secretary. Down a hall were two offices, one for Lee and one for Vince. Another room the size of a large closet held a photocopier and desktop computer. A combination fax machine, scanner, and printer were on a table in the comer.

  They specialized in background checks and loss prevention, a fancy phrase that meant they helped businesses keep employees from stealing them blind. But they were willing to take on the occasional odd job, like the clinic investigation. Especially since Lee’s check of John Mandeville had revealed deep pockets. The ability to get paid played a large part in their decision to take a case.

  “So how’s the big undercover thing going? Lots of nice cash flow will come from it.”

  “Getting deeper than I wanted it to,” Lee said. In more ways than one, he thought, remembering Andrea’s smile.

  “Like what?” Vince’s attention was split between Lee and a report he scanned.

  “From what I can tell, there’s been some theft of funds. Food vouchers are missing, equipment’s been ‘misplaced,’ that kind of thing.” Lee frowned.

  Vince dropped the sheet of paper he was reading and shrugged. “About what we expected. Same old same old. What business doesn’t have employees with sticky fingers?”

  “Yeah, but this is a medical clinic with a pharmacy Lee said.

  “Oh-oh, drugs disappearing? Bad stuff, man.” Vince shook his head.

  “I don’t know for sure,” Lee added quickly. “The records are such a mess it’s hard to tell.”

  “That could be deliberate. How high up does this go? Boss in on it?”

  Vince posed the question as he would for any case. Usually Lee’s response would have been routine and automatic. Yet in this instance, the question caused his stomach to chum. He cared about the answer—too much, in fact.

  “I don’t think it involves the new director,” Lee said.

  “But you don’t know for sure. From what you’ve told me, I bet it does.” Vince waved a hand.

  Lee looked at him sharply. “What makes you say that?”

  “It’s a small clinic and he—”

  “The director’s a woman. Andrea Noble.” And what a woman, he mused.

  “Whatever. She’s gotta see all these reports herself, inventories and such. Am I right?” Vince pointed a forefinger at him.

  “Probably. I’m not sure yet,” Lee said hesitantly.

  “Course she does.” Vince propped an ankle on his knee. “Plus, it’s a small town and everybody knows everybody else’s business. She’s in on it.”

  “She doesn’t seem like the type,” Lee mumbled.

  Andrea worked long hours and was turning the quality of patient care around in Bayou Blue. In fact, the clinic was quickly gaining a reputation throughout Lafourche Parish because of her. It wasn’t just the medical care; it was the time she took to really listen to patients. She made them feel respected and valued. All of this did not fit Vince’s view of the situation. Why would she destroy the very thing she labored to save?

  Lee shook his head. “I just don’t think so, Vince. I’ve gotten to know the lady.”

  “Crooks come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.”

  “She’s straight up on everything I’ve seen so far,” Lee said.

  “Exactly what have you found out?” Vince asked.

  “Not much more than what I’ve told you. The place was in chaos from sloppy management, still is for that matter. Andrea’s working like crazy to clean it up.”

  “Is she, now?” Vince’s eyebrows went up.

  “Yeah,” Lee said distractedly. “She puts in twelve-hour days. She’s got the local politicians watching her every move.”

  Lee wore a slight frown as he gazed at the view from his window. It wasn’t scenic like the countryside surrounding Bayou Blue. The neighborhood contained an assortment of fast-food restaurants, comer stores, and a shop that sold liquor and discount cigarettes. Burglaries were common, and armed robbery almost accepted as a given. There was very little in the way of grass, just concrete and a few sickly shrubs. The drab surroundings matched the views Lee and Vince held. Both had been cops and had seen the nastiest side of life imaginable. What little good they stumbled over seemed almost an accident. Maybe he was too cynical. His ex-wife had told him that often enough. Still Lee could not fit Andrea into such a dim picture of the world. In spite of his sour outlook on human nature, something about her made the world brighter. Lately he’d begun to believe that one person could make a difference.

  “Anyone working there could have taken advantage of those screwed-up records,” Lee said.

  Vince’s eyes narrowed. “Is she pretty?”

  Lee looked at the folder on his desk. “Yeah, you could say that.”

  “So maybe her sweet face has you convinced she’s innocent.” Vince’s thick black eyebrows went up.

  “I’m looking at the evidence, period.” Lee threw an irritated glance at Vince before looking away again.

  “Uh-huh.” Vince’s terse response said it all. “Brother, it’s time to shut it down and get out.”

  “I don’t know.” Lee’s gut resisted the idea of leaving Bayou Blue and Andrea behind so quickly.

  “It’s a criminal matter. Give Mandeville a full report and tell the local police about the missing drugs.”

  “I’ve got to know more
before I can give a thorough report. Like I said, those records are really screwed up bad.” Lee avoided Vince’s gaze.

  Vince pointed a thick forefinger at him again. “I smell trouble. Don’t let a nice body and pretty face suck you in.”

  Lee grunted. “Not a chance. And don’t give me that look,” he snapped. “But you’re right about the sheriff.” “I’m getting a bad feeling about this case.” Vince squinted at him. “Let’s get our money. Let Mandeville and the sheriff deal with the rest of the garbage.”

  “Yes, Mother,” Lee teased.

  “Good. Now tell me what you think about this thing with the Latham Company.”

  Vince went on to describe his investigation into suspected corporate espionage in a New Orleans advertising agency. Lee listened, but his thoughts were on Andrea. Vince was wrong about her. Lee’s suspicions had eroded with each day as he worked beside the lovely nurse. In truth, he now wanted to prove Andrea’s innocence. For the sake of the clinic, and the people of Lafourche Parish, he told himself in a firm voice.

  Lee was afraid the state department of health would decide the problems at Bayou Blue Clinic called for drastic measures. Poor record keeping was one thing, but missing drugs something else altogether. Patients would have to travel fifty or sixty miles to another clinic. Those without transportation would not get care at all. Lee grimaced at the thought of how children would suffer as a result. He would do whatever he could to save the clinic. Vince’s gruff voice broke through his thoughts.

  “That’s what I’ve got so far. What do you think?”

  Lee blinked at him. “Sounds good.”

  “Yeah, so I’ll be through with them today. You should be finished in Bayou Blue soon, right?” Vince squinted at him.

  “Right, right,” Lee said.

  “Man, your mind is on her.” Vince stood. “Listen to your big brother, leave her alone. You’ve already had enough grief to last you a lifetime.”

  Lee tensed at the memory of his bitter divorce and custody battle. He’d lost too much over the years, his mother to drugs and alcohol, his brother, Chris, to the streets. And now he realized that Denny reminded him of his brother way too much. Vince was right; Lee had begun to think of ways to save Denny from himself. Maybe he could do a better job than what he’d done with his baby brother. Losses, he’d had his fill of them. Which was why he guarded his heart. Lee vowed to avoid Andrea. No more goodbyes, no more getting his heart kicked like a damn football. And if he jailed another filthy gang that specialized in ruining young lives, all the better.