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Three Word Thursday #16

Welcome to Three Word Thursday #16. This week, joining the quondam word-list, we have niddering; amanuensis & tyro. We also have a whole list of perspicacious writers. If you enjoy reading my story, leave a comment then click on the names of the other players and go see how they used the words. You’ll be entertained (and possibly educated) all at once.

A Startling Revelation

Copper, took his self-appointed station in front of Janice Wheeler’s door.  He would have preferred going inside and questioning her, but without medical clearance, and without a witness present, he couldn’t act on anything she said.

He grabbed his cellphone and dialed.  When the ring sounded in the Bluetooth receiver clipped to his ear, he reholstered the phone and counted the rings.  As he waited, he rocked back and forth, toe to heel, toe to heel.  Copper wasn’t one for standing still.

“Chief!” he said when the phone was answered.  “Send me an amanuensis!”

Back in his office, the chief looked at his speaker phone and raised his eyebrows.  “If I do,” he asked, “Will I have to arrest myself?”

Copper laughed.  “No.  A stenographer, or your secretary.  I need someone to record Janice Wheeler’s testimony and witness it.”

“Where’s Argyle?”  The chief demanded.

“I sent him to check out the sit-in that damn environmental group is stageing in the lobby.”

“Sit in!  What the hell are you talking about?”  The chief demanded.  Copper heard him bellow, “Anybody out there know anything about that Green Panther environmental group stageing a sit-in at the hospital?”  Then the chief said into the phone, “Apparently Tremmel and Hollis are on it.”

“Tremmel and Hollis?”  Copper queried.  “They’re newer than Argyle!  We’ll have every tyro in the department working on this and it might never get sorted out.”

“Well, why the hell did you send Argyle downstairs then instead of going yourself?”  The chief demanded.

Copper filled him in on the Doctor’s sudden heart-attack and the sit-in.  “It just seemed too much of a coincidence,” Copper said.  “There was no way I was leaving Janice Wheeler’s door.”

That is probably best,” the chief agreed.  “I am on my way over.  Stay put.”

“Will do,” Copper said.  He rung off just as the elevator doors slid open and disgorged two young men dressed in Green Panther t-shirts.  Copper took a step backward.  Janice Wheeler’s room was dark.  The young men were unable to see him, but he could watch them.

“Can I help you?” the perky red-headed nurse that greeted Copper when he came in treated the boys to her thousand watt smile.

“Yeah, uhm, our friend is here.  Her name is, uhm … ” The tall, brown-haired kid turned to his shorter companion.  “She’s your friend, man.  What’s her name?”

The shorter man looked startled.  Before he had a chance to answer, the nurse interrupted.  “This is the intensive care unit.  None of our patients are seeing visitors today, gentleman.  I’m afraid I am going to have to ask you to leave.”

From his vantage point, Copper watched the taller of the two young men give his surroundings a careful once over.  “Pretty quiet here,” he said.  “You all alone?”

“No, I am not.”  the nurse answered.  Copper noticed approvingly that she took a step back, away from the nurse’s station.  They wouldn’t be grabbing her over the counter.

“Oh, hey!  Did I scare you? ” the tall young man asked.  “Man, I’m sorry.  And we aren’t looking for a patient.”

“No,” the other kid said.  “We’re looking for a nurse.  A beautiful brunette with eyes cold enough to freeze lava.  She borrowed the Professor, man.  Stuck him in a lab coat and asked him to come play doctor with her.”

“Maybe you’ve seen him,” the other kid asked.  “He’s short, fat and bald.”

“Professor?” The nurse queried.  Copper could tell by her posture that she realized they were talking about the supposed Dr. Kilgare.

“Yeah.  He’s not really a professor though,” the tall kid said.  “We just call him that because he talks like an encyclopedia.  Anyway,” the kid waved his arm to encompass the unit at large, “We figure he must be passed out in one of these beds by now.  He’s a niddering fool and hyperventilates and passes out whenever get gets a bit nervous.”

“Yeah, and just talking to that nurse was scaring me!”  The other kid said. “We figured he’d have melted into a quivering pool of jelly by now.”

Copper had heard enough.  He reached into his breast pocket, palmed his badge, and stepped out of Janice Wheeler’s room.  “Gentlemen, do either of you have any idea what Nurse Spanner wanted with your friend?”

Three Word Thursday #17:

Every Thursday I will give you three new words. You have until the following Thursday to compose a story using all three of the words. Then, on that following Thursday, post your story. After you post, come by here and sign in to Mr. Linky. If you sign in and don’t post a story. I will delete your link.

The Week Seventeen words will be: risible, invigilate, & stagnicolous

Got it? Good! In that case: Your story is due on: June 4th, 2009

37 Comments

  1. Well at least we are finding more out about the professor. I think the boys are going to spill their guts or there in cahoots with Spanner and going to lead Copper astray. Excellent and the saga continues 🙂

    1. Tony — every week the words throw a spanner into my plans! I pull the darn things out of the word bank can, so I don’t get to pick & choose to fit my needs!

      AND, I added you to Mr. Linky to make certain the others would find you.

  3. I knew there was something wrong with that Doctor but nurse Spanner.
    Looking foreward to next week.
    My contribution for the day is ready but I can’t find linksy.

    Dr. John’s last blog post..Go Detective Go

  4. T^hat pretend Doctor sounds tasty. We never will understand why you won’t let us eat him.
    We knew that nurse was up to no good.
    You certainly know how to write long. We thought Dr. John was bad.
    Our try is up and we couldn’t find linksy either.

    Fandango’s last blog post..Quilly and nidderingt

  5. I’m getting intriqued by the story, especially having joined it late. It says a lot that even one installment prompts one to go back to read the prior ones!

    Mine is shorter this week (just for you dragons!), but I’m not as happy with it. Niddering is an awful word.

    Southlakesmom’s last blog post..Three Word Thursday

    1. SL Mom — there is a link at the top of my blog for Daze of Wine & Murder. You will find the story there in continuity so you don’t have to hop all over the blog.

    1. Thom — I am sick. Cut me some slack or I’ll use your t-shirt to blow my nose. No work for me today. i am running a fever and Amoeba said I had to stay home or he’d call my boss and tattle.

    1. Betty — your story cracked me up this week. I loved it.

      AND, I added you to Mr. Linky so the others could find you easily.

  8. Suspenseful and well-written, Quilly. I thought Copper was Cooper at first and I was about to point out that Cooper is no male cop.

    1. Doug — Copper, the cop has been Copper since day one. The rookie is Bobby Argyle. No one has commented on that yet. The ladies of the Bacchanal all are named after wines. And then there’s Nurse Spanner …..

  9. I knew it! I knew it was her! Oh this was a goooooooood chapter Quilly! Now Copper’s gettin’ somewhere! I’m still worried about Janice though… Spanner was the last one in her room….

    Melli’s last blog post..Baltimore Aquarium

  10. Interesting developments. Can’t wait to find out what happens next. I had planned to play this morning but on the way to find the words, learned that my older brother died last night, so I have posted something about him instead of doing this. Hopefully next week.

    Raven’s last blog post..In Memory of My Brother Phil

        1. If the doctor is damned, I’d just as soon avoid him, thanks. Those hell-flames get pretty hot. Besides, I’m too sick to go to the doctor!

  13. Much more impressive than last weeks. It had more meat. I didn’t even realize you used the words they blended in so well. I bow down to the word master.
    Hope you feel better soon.

    OJM’s last blog post..3WT

  14. Funny — I had less time and enthusiasm for posting this installment. All I wanted my my pillow and my bed! Thanks for a the kind words. Chances are good that I’ll live.

  16. I feel guilty, Guilty, GUILTY for not participating. And I’m even guiltier because I don’t have the brain cells to read all the (I’m very sure) excellent stories. But as I couldn’t live with the guilt, I needed confess all to you. *hangs head* I’m sorry.

  17. Cherie — I am devastated. Devastated, I tell you! You should be ashamed of yourself!

    There. Now I’m over it. You can be to.

  18. Oh hey! I’ll be right over with the dust cloth…in just a few minutes as soon as I finish this. They had the spelling bee last night and the girl that won had a great word. Hopefully you can find it and use it. I have IMPORTANT information on my clipboard. You might like looking at it, so here

    http://www.nature.org/design/

    I am a member of Nature and get their magazine. The knitted rug is as awesome as it gets! Each square takes as much as a whole shearing of a sheep! I had to watch the news and read a bit of my magazine for inspriation for a blog.

    Off to Raven’s now. So sad about her brother.

    amberstar’s last blog post..TGIF

  19. Hi Quilly!! Too bad you’re feeling sick, I hope you’ll get better real soon! I hope the Amoeba gives you some extra care and attention,( and a couple of snot rags. Hmm yes that’s right, you’re borrowing those from Thom are you? hahahahaha!)
    I’m sorry I’m late coming over, but I had to catch up on last week’s installment as well. I’ve been so busy, and when I finally get to sit down to read some posts, I find that I’m too tired to concentrate! Sorry!!

    But I’ve read them both now, and I’ve got to hand it to you, you’re one hell of a writer, you incorporate the words so well, they just flow natural! The story is getting better and more intriguing each week. I wonder what will be next? Come and see next week for the next episode of ….

    Jientje’s last blog post..Friday’s Fave Five Living Room Make Over and Wedding Anniversary

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