Mr. Softee Read Online Free

banged up in a car accident, broke a leg or something. He’ll recover, but…”
    “Damn!”
    “He’ll recover, but I think it was just a hit and run that just happened to hit. I can’t believe anyone was out to get him.”
    “Why not, the guy is a n absolute butt hole, ask anyone,” she said.
    “Hey, that seems to be the common perception, I get that part. But his being dead, would that improve your business any? If he had been killed, would you or your sister sell anymore ice cream today as opposed to last week at this time?”
    “ Well, no.”
    “So, even though the guy is a jerk, and that seems to be the universal conclusion. I don’t see anyone in the ice-cream business crossing over the sane lane trying to kill the guy.”
    She glanced back at me for a long moment, then returned to her driving, shaking her head.
    “You better get your facts straight. I wasn’t thinking about his ice-cream business.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “You said you work for the guy?” she asked.
    “Yeah, sort of, I already told you that.”
    “You better check with the cops . I know, I know, they can’t prove anything, but we have a pretty good idea of what the profit margins are in this business. Lose a dollar a day and make it up on volume, it just doesn’t add up.”
    “What are you saying?” I asked .
    “ What I’m saying is, here we are. You can get out here, thanks for riding along. Sorry it didn’t work out better, but you should have been up front with me,” she said, then pulled alongside my Lincoln, stopped, and stared straight ahead.
    “Look Jill, I’m so rry, I didn’t mean to upset you,” I said.
    “That’s okay, I’m not upset, honest, but I’ve got to get back to work so you better hop out.”
    “Okay, its been interesting, thanks for your time and the help,” I said exiting. I was halfway out the rear door when she accelerated and sent me stumbling into the street. By the time I was on my feet she’d rounded the corner, and the clanging bell grew fainter and fainter.
     
    Chapter Seven
     
    “No sir, like I said before, they’re gone. He checked out sometime last night. I came in this morning and learned they’d left.”
    I was talking with the station nurse on the wing where Mr. Softee had been. She didn’t seem all that upset that he was off her floor.
    “He couldn’t have healed up that quickly, could he ? I mean, I thought he had a broken leg. You guys had him immobilized with some cushion things, and he was on medications or painkillers or something.”
    “I kno w. Actually a broken ankle, by the way. We recommended he not leave, but if the patient insists on wanting to check out, well at some point, there’s nothing we can do about it. Can’t say that we tried too hard to change his mind,” she added, the disdain in her tone apparent.
    “Di fficult patient?”
    “Difficult couple . Look, I’ve got twenty-seven patients I’m responsible for on this wing. All of them have needs, questions, medications, scheduled procedures. I can’t station myself at any one door and wait to be at someone’s beck and call. That would be rather unfair now, wouldn’t it?”
    “Yes, I suppose so .”
    “ So the Sofmanns decided that they would receive better care if they hired someone in their home. They’re probably right, provided there aren’t any complications and they employ qualified individuals. You have to have people who know and understand what should be done. There are inherent risks on all sides of that equation,” then she gave me a perfunctory nod.
    “I see.”
    “Will there be anything else, Mister Haskell?”
    “No, you’ve been quite helpful . Thank you.”
     
    Chapter Eight
     
    I phoned Mr. Softee. Lola’s little girl’s voice answered, I’d lost count of the rings.
    “Hi , Mrs. Sofmann, this is Dev Haskell.”
    There was a long pause.
    “The private eye . We met yesterday in your husband’s hospital room,” I added.
    “Oh, you,” she half