Cannot Wait to Get to Heaven - Fannie Flagg [76]
“How would you feel about twenty-five, or depending on the jury we can get, maybe as high as fifty million dollars? Would that make you feel any better?”
Suddenly Norma did not like the tone of his voice, and turned to him and said, “Mr. Shimmer, I’m not a fool. Who wouldn’t like to have that kind of money? But to get it by ruining a doctor’s life and costing these people so much. No, I just couldn’t do it, not and sleep at night. I’m sorry but you are wasting your time.” She stood up to leave.
Shimmer stood up and said, “Maybe I should talk to your husband and explain to him. He might make you understand a little more clearly.”
“I do understand, and I am trying to tell you just as politely as I know how, I’m really not interested in suing anybody, and my husband isn’t either.”
Mr. Shimmer looked over at the door to Elner’s room. “Then I suppose I will have to go straight to Mrs. Shimfissle. After all, she is the injured party here.”
Norma felt her face flush. “Do what you think you have to, but I can tell you she is not suing anybody, except maybe you, for harassment of an old sick lady. She might even get a restraining order against you, and have you thrown out of the hospital, and I mean that in the nicest possible way.”
After Shimmer waddled away in a huff, Norma was glad she had watched so many Perry Mason shows with Aunt Elner, because she had pulled out some legal terms she didn’t even know she knew. She hoped she had not hurt Mr. Shimmer’s feelings, but some people just force you to be rude. Then it dawned on her, for the first time in her life, she had finally put her foot down about something.
A Disturbing Call
9:48 AM
Upstairs in the executive offices, Franklin Pixton had just received a disturbing phone call and had called his lawyer again.
“Gus Shimmer was here. Somebody spotted him talking to Mrs. Warren. Should we be worried?”
Winston Sprague thought a moment, then said, “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to get a deposition from the old lady, in case Shimmer tries to make trouble.”
“What about Mrs. Warren?”
“Give me an hour, then think of something to get her out of the room for a while. It’s better if she’s not there.”
An hour later Norma, still somewhat thrown for a loop, was trying to act as normal as possible, considering that Aunt Elner was convinced she had died and gone to heaven. Norma and the nurse were busy rearranging the flowers around the room when there was a knock on the door.
“Mrs. Warren?” said an attractive older woman in a gray dress.
“Yes?”
“I’m Brenda Hampton, Mr. Pixton’s assistant, and he’s wondering if you could come upstairs to the office.”
“Oh. Well, I hate to leave my aunt, I just got here.”
Unfortunately, Elner piped up. “You go on, Norma, I’m fine.” Norma really did not want to go. She was still concerned about Aunt Elner telling someone about her trip, but she couldn’t be rude, so she reluctantly went upstairs with the woman.
As soon as Winston Sprague saw Miss Hampton and Mrs. Warren get on the elevator, he and paralegal Kate Packer walked into Elner’s room. “Good morning, Mrs. Shimfissle,” he said. “How are we today?”
Elner said, “Just fine, thank you, and how are you?”
“Fine. Are they taking good care of you?”
“Oh, yes. I had a good breakfast, right here in bed.”
Sprague turned to the nurse and indicated rather rudely that he wanted her out of the room.
After she left, he said, “Mrs. Shimfissle, we need to ask a few questions. It’s just boring legal stuff, but we need to get it down on record.”
Elner said, “Oh well, if it’s legal, maybe we should wait for my niece, she handles all my paperwork.”
“No, we really don’t need her to be here, and this will only take a minute. Go ahead, Kate,” said Sprague, snapping his fingers at her. “This is Miss Packer. She’ll be asking the questions.”
Miss Packer, an efficient-looking young woman in a blue business suit, came over and sat by the bed.
“Mrs. Shimfissle, do you swear that the facts you are about to state are the truth and nothing but the truth?”
“Oh,