Chapter 4

Danny exited the storage room in the Woody and no one seemed to notice. All the old codgers in the room kept on talking about milling about the room. Danny walked right on out and started to carry out his mission. Later that afternoon he was on the golf course with a couple of other club members and talking about some worrisome rumors he heard about a new club member being a kleptomaniac. Or worse, just a thief.

Twenty minutes after Danny left the storage room Vanessa, not exactly back to her perfect form but close, popped out of the same storage closet. Again no one seemed to notice. The old codgers were still talking, drinking brandy, and too concerned with themselves to look up to see someone coming out of the storage room. It happened every time.

As she made her way out of the room she was stopped just before reaching the exit.

"You, girl!"

Vanessa looked and saw seated in a chair was old Mrs. Colby. Done up in dress with small flowers all over it and wearing a hat she was the perfect picture of a sweet old lady. Which she was. But just not to Vanessa.

"I saw you come out of there," Mrs. Colby said.

"You must be seeing things, I don't know what you're talking about," Vanessa said.

"Oh yes. And I know what you DO in there! You dirty slut!"

Vanessa was aghast! Did this old lady just call her... a slut?

"I'm sorry? What did you call me?"

"You heard me. I don't approve of your behavior, young lady. Just because you have a lot of money doesn't mean you get to do whatever you want. We all have a lot of money here! So what!"

What was going on here, Vanessa thought.

"Now you see here..."

"No, you see here! I've been seeing you in this club for years now. Since you were a baby. And you were a spoiled brat then, and you're a spoiled brat now."

Vanessa yanked her arm away from Mrs. Colby.

"Listen to me you old bag of dust," Vanessa said. "Maybe I do walk around here doing whatever I want because I can do whatever I want. You be nice because what I may want next might not be so good for you."

Vanessa wasn't going to be talked to like that from some 82 year old lady who's been slowly decomposing in a chair for the last 45 years.

"You're a slut and I know it! And one day everyone else will too!"

Mr. Witherspoon was making his rounds and spotted the unlikely pair talking so he thought it would be a good moment to approach them.

"Hello ladies, how is everything today? Tip top, I hope!"

"Oh everything is just wonderful, Mr. Witherspoon," Vanessa said. "I'm sorry Mrs. Colby I must be running. I have actual things to do today." And then quickly added, "Mr. Witherspoon, a quick word in private please."

"Of course, Miss English."

Once out of Mrs. Colby's earshot Vanessa said, "There's something rather embarrassing I have to share with you, so please be discreet."

"Oh certainly, Miss English. You can always trust me."

"I know. Well, as it turns out our dear Mrs. Colby is a bit... um backed up shall we say. Seems she forgot to take her prune juice this morning and she's experiencing some... discomfort."

"Oh dear."

"Yes, poor thing. Could you see if maybe you could put a mild laxative in her tea? I hate to see her like this," Vanessa said.

"Say no more. I have just the thing."

"Just don't say anything to her about it. She told me she'd just die if anyone knew about this problem of hers," Vanessa said.

"I'll see to it personally, Miss English," he said, "So nice of you to be concerned with our older guests."

"Oh believe me, it's my pleasure," Vanessa said grinning ear to ear, before walking off.