“Elodie stayed overnight nineteen times.
Why was she not paid?”
“She was not scheduled.”
“That is not an answer.”
“She was repeatedly told to leave when her shift ended.”
“And when she did not?”
“We assumed she was acting voluntarily.”
Finnian leaned back, stunned by the coldness of the phrase.
Voluntarily.
As though Helena’s fear had been a hobby Elodie chose to indulge.
He opened the overnight staffing binder.
Four nurses appeared on the master schedule, just as Mrs.
Lawson’s weekly reports had stated.
Then he noticed that several entries had been altered.
Names were listed for shifts, but the sign-in columns were empty.
On other nights, a nurse had left early, and no replacement had arrived.
One entire weekend contained gaps of five and six hours.
Finnian turned the binder toward Mrs.
Lawson.
“What happened here?”
“The agency experienced staffing shortages.”
“Why wasn’t I informed?”
Mrs.
Lawson glanced at Isabel.
It was quick, but Finnian saw it.
He closed the binder.
“Why did you look at her?”
“I didn’t.”
“You did.”
Isabel folded her arms.
“Because you were already under pressure.
I told Mrs.
Lawson not to disturb you with every staffing problem.”
Finnian stared at her.
“You knew my mother was being left alone?”
“No one abandoned her.
Staff were in the house.”
“Housekeepers were in the house.
Gardeners were outside.
That is not the same as someone sitting beside a woman who cannot breathe.”
“You had important negotiations in Fairview City,” Isabel said.
“What exactly were you supposed to do from hundreds of miles away?”
“Come home.”
The answer surprised even him.
Isabel’s expression hardened.
“And destroy a major contract because your mother had one difficult night?”
Finnian lifted Helena’s note.
“She was afraid I would discover that nobody came when she couldn’t breathe.”
“She exaggerates when she is frightened.”
Mrs.
Lawson shifted in her chair.
Finnian noticed.
“Tell me what happened that night.”
The administrator removed her glasses and wiped them with a handkerchief.
“The assigned nurse called in sick shortly before midnight.
The replacement agency did not answer.
