by Rita Hestand
"No not personally, but we've been to the police and they are aware of her being in great danger, we just weren't sure what they wanted or how bad."
"I guess you know how bad now. You should let the police know about this. If she doesn't pull through, they'll have a lot to answer for."
"Would it be alright if I bring a preacher."
The doctor stared.
"No, not for that, I want to marry her. As soon as possible."
The doctor hesitated. "I-I suppose. You aren't trying to kill her off yourself, are you?"
"No sir, I love her dearly." Jesse smiled. "I'm almost afraid to leave her alone now. Promise me you'll do everything humanly possible to help her."
"I can promise that."
"Here's my cell phone number, call me if anything changes."
"Of course. It would be best you aren't around right now, we'll be testing and running treatments on her and she won't even be in the room for a while. What we must do, we have to do quickly, it could mean her life. And don't be shocked if she is in a coma. Sometimes to alleviate pain and misery, we do induce a comatose state so that we can do all we need to do in a hurry. Afterwards, we'll bring her out of it, hopefully."
"My God, you mean…"
"I don't mean to scare you, but I've got to tend to her now. It's imperative. We can't wait. We don't know how much time we have."
"Okay, I'll be back as soon as I can."
The doctor nodded.
"Fine, then I guess it would be alright to bring a preacher, but wait a couple or three days."
"Thank you. I'll be back as soon as I take care of these things for her." Jesse promised.
"Good, she'll need some support."
"I'll be here." He promised.
He went back into the room and told her he'd be back and that he'd take care of everything.
"Thank you….so much Jesse."
"Don't worry, I'll be back."
She nodded.
"And with a preacher."
Her eyes widened. "Are you sure about this, Jesse?"
"Very, now just relax and let them do their job. If we marry, they won't get the money. I'll see to that personally. And maybe we can solve this while you are in here."
She smiled weakly.
"I love you Mel."
Tears sprang in her eyes at his words. "Jesse…I…" But he was gone.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jesse went straight to her apartment and let himself in. He couldn't think on what the doctor had told him. He had to keep a positive frame of mind. She was going to make it. She had to.
He didn't see anyone in the hallway, so he closed the door and locked it, just in case. He glanced around the room, it looked so vacant with Melanie not here, so silent. He could still smell her perfume. He was doing everything he could not to think about the danger she was facing right now. But the reality had already hit him once. She could die. He couldn't think like that. For her sake, he had to be positive.
But who did it, how long ago, and how much had they given her? All these questions ran through his mind as he did his best not to worry. Anger spread through him like a wildfire, something he had to control, for her sake.
He wondered if he should contact her parents, but they, like him would be in the way right now. He'd wait until he knew something more about her condition.
He just wasn't ready to face the negative side. He never would be.
Someone was trying to kill her, slowly. But who?
He wondered who all had been here in her apartment? He knew this Dex had been here several times and then there was the hospital people. It had to come from one of those sources, or maybe both.
He glanced at her furniture, it was so her. Mixed up, funny, and very endearing, he smiled.
He went into her bedroom and started looking for her phone contacts. Once he found them, he looked for Neely's number. It was written in bold letters, Jesse smiled.
He called her on his cell phone.
"Hello," Neely answered right away.
"Hi, this is a friend of Melanie's, my name is Jesse. Maybe she's mentioned me."
"Yes, she has as a matter of fact."
"Good. Neely, listen," He paused wondering how to say this so as not to panic the lady, "she's very ill and in the hospital, not Mercy, an ER clinic. She won't be at work for a few days, maybe a week, the doctor said. Is there any way you can fill in for her? She's pretty worried about her job."
The lady on the other end, hesitated. "In the hospital. I just saw her a couple of days ago."
"She's very sick, Neely. I mean, sick. The doc is sure she's been poisoned."
"Oh, my God. Of course, maybe me and Heather can work her shift. Is there anything I can do for her?"
"Pray. And don't tell another soul about this."
"My God, you're scaring me. She's that sick?"
He hesitated, not wanting to dwell on the negative, but not wanting to minimize the danger she was in. "Neely, Melanie told me you are a good friend and what I’m going to tell you is just between us, not anyone else. Understand?"
"Yes, I do."
"You probably know she has a stalker."
"Yes, she was shaking the day I saw her. Said someone in black Cadillac had been following her. Is this connected?"
"We think it is, yes."
There was a silence, a hitched breath, and then Neely sounded as though she might be crying. "Are you serious?"
"Yes, very…"
"She told me she was being stalked. I couldn't believe it. But now this…my God. Do you know who is doing this to her yet?" Neely asked trying to control her tears.
"Not yet, but I'm going to find out, one way or another. And if anything looks suspicious to you…. please let me know. And don't tell a soul where she is. No one, understand?"
"Suspicious, where?"
"At the hospital."
"You think someone poisoned her from here?"
"I don't know what to think, but the police have hinted that Norma Wells was out to steal her identity. And please, don't say anything to anyone there. I mean no one. You can tell her boss that she's ill, very ill, but nothing more. Because, frankly she doesn't know who she can trust, but you. And she wouldn't have told you all of this, if she didn't."
"I understand. Norma…well, that makes sense, they could easily be twins. Can I help in any way?" Neely asked.
"What your doing will help a lot." Jesse assured her. "She's naturally worried about her job. But don't say any more than you have to at work. We aren't sure who is behind all of this. Norma isn't poisoning her, it's someone else."
"When she first told me, I thought someone was just pranking her or something. You know it happens. But this is terrible. Give me the address of that place, so I can visit her."
"Sure, but give her a day or so, she's being tested and treated and we wouldn't be allowed anyway." Jesse told her where she was and thanked her for her help. "In fact, they may put her in a coma to work on her."
"Oh, my God. Thanks so much for calling me and telling me. Stay in touch, will ya?" Neely asked.
"Sure thing, and thanks again." Jesse told her. "I'm glad she has a friend like you."
"And you!"
Jesse hung up. He had a lot to do. He'd need a marriage license and the hospital could do a blood test for them. He might have to wait three days for all that. He forgot how long it took.
Putting her phone book away, he started to head out for the courthouse.
But as he opened the door, Dex stood there, glaring at him.
Jesse eyed him closely. He knew this Dex was a fast worker, and he didn't like that. He was good looking and probably a real charmer. He also didn't like the fact that he wanted to have sex with Melanie. He'd seen his kind before, and he only hoped Melanie was sharp enough to see what the guy was after.
"I was looking for Melanie, is she home?" His tone was indulging and a bit sarcastic.
"No, not at the moment. Can I give her a message?"
; "No! I'll give it to her myself. I know her number." He told him, his tone sharp and accusing. It was the way he told him. He was obviously upset at seeing Jesse there again.
Jesse nodded, then closed the door behind him and locked it. Dex stared.
"You've got her key?"
"Yeah, I do." Jesse told him.
"Is she trying to make me jealous?" Dex asked.
"I wouldn't know." Jesse replied drily.
"You spent the night with her, didn't you?"
"I don't think that's any of your concern. Besides, you can ask her that, yourself." Jesse retorted.
"Oh, I will." Dex assured him. "I will."
Jesse went to his truck and drove it to the courthouse. He tried to get Dex out his mind, but something niggled.
He sat at the courthouse and waited to get a marriage license. He explained that Melanie was in the hospital and couldn't be there, that her condition was life threatening. The clerk looked surprised but he allowed him the license.
Then he was off to the hospital.
When he arrived, he asked at the nurse's station if they could do a blood test for marriage. They agreed.
Then he went in to see her again.
She was pale and they had her hooked her up to some machines and it was frightening how many. There was a tube in her nose, and in her mouth and she was hooked up to monitors too. She had big needles in her arm that looked so painful Jesse grimaced. She had all kinds of things around her, it was frightening.
"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" He asked her as he bent to kiss her forehead.
"Drowsy, been throwing up ever since you left. They gave me a sedative." She told him through all the tubes that made her voice slur. "Did you get a hold of Neely?"
"Yes, she'll cover for you."
"Good."
"Look, I got a marriage license and we can have them do the blood test here." He told her.
She frowned, "Are you sure?" The tubes made it almost impossible to understand her.
"I am," He affirmed.
She smiled dreamily, as though the drugs were affecting her. "Me too."
"We'll have to wait, three days on the blood test."
She nodded. "Okay."
He smiled. "Did the doctor come in yet?"
"No…. "
"Look, I hate to leave you, but there are some things we need to report to the police. I've got to go back there."
She blinked slowly, hardly able to stay awake. "Okay."
"Get some sleep. I'll be back…."
"Oh," she looked up at his face which was a mask of emotions. "Don't tell my folks yet." She managed to blurt out.
"I won't. They'd be beside themselves. I did tell your friend, Neely though."
She nodded, "That's okay."
He bent down and touched his lips to hers. "I love you Melanie, I want you to know that."
She almost laughed. "I bet you say that to all the girls."
"No," He kissed her lips again, "Just you."
"Jesse…" she murmured as she drifted off to sleep.
"Get better sweetheart." He told her and left.
As he was leaving he ran into her nurse and asked, "Is she any better? I mean."
"Well, the doctor ordered the dialysis, she's miserable, but he gave her something to make her rest for a while. We're going to be busy for a while and he'll be in later to let her know what he's found. It's possible she might have to have a coma induced to finish her treatments and get her well."
"Thanks so much." Jesse told her.
"Don't you worry, he's a good doctor." The nurse smiled as he left.
"I believe that."
He went to the police station next.
The Sargent was talking with someone else and he waved and sat down.
Half an hour later, the Sargent called him over. "You're back so soon. Something going on?"
"Yeah," Jesse firmed his lips and looked at the Sargent with a frown. "Melanie is being poisoned."
"What?" The Sargent nearly yelled, then stared at him. "How do you know?"
"I took her out to eat, and she started having these cramps. She wasn't feeling well, so I took her to an Emergency clinic and they told us. She's in the hospital now, getting her dialysis and who knows what else. He was pretty sure it was arsenic."
The Sargent frowned and slowly flopped down in his desk chair. "Well, I guess it all figures in. They steal her identity and slowly kill her in the process. Then when she dies, they take her money. And Norma lays her kidnapping a baby on her."
"Only she isn't going to die."
"You know that for a fact?"
Jesse reared back in his chair now. "I won't let her die." Jesse's voice raised until everyone in the office looked at him. "And I sorta made a pact with God."
The Sargent nodded then smiled. "You're in love with her aren't you."
"Yeah, have been for a long while, but I'm not sure she returns my feelings yet." He shot him a lopsided smile. "She may never return them, but that's okay too. If that's the case, I'll just be her friend."
"Are you kidding, you’re the guy on the white horse, with the white hat. She has to."
Jesse smiled.
"Now, tell me what happened?"
"We were out to dinner and she got these stomach cramps. She was sweating and turning colors and began throwing up. So, I took her to a clinic and they told us they suspicioned arsenic poisoning. Must have confirmed it, because they are doing a dialysis on her and she's hooked up to a million machines."
"Is she going to make it?"
"She has to."
"Yeah, I guess she does."
"I wanted you to know what was going on, she'll be in the hospital about a week. We are taking your advice and getting married. Then we'll attend to the bank thing as soon as she is well enough to be released."
"That's good. Now, can you tell me who has been in her apartment?"
"Well, she had that break in, so whoever did that was there. Then there is her boyfriend, Dex Cooper. I'm not sure anyone else has been there but her parents."
"Her boyfriend? But you are marrying her, aren't you?"
"Yeah, but she's been dating Dex Cooper. So, he's been in her apartment ever since she moved there. I made a deal with her, I'd marry her and if she wanted a divorce when this is all over, she can have it."
"Good grief, you do love her, don't you? Okay, then we'll call him in for questioning. Got any other ideas who could be doing this?" The Sarge asked.
"Well, it could be someone else in the hospital poisoning her. I mean that's about the only other place she goes to eat or drink." Jesse concluded. "And they would know exactly how to administer it."
"Your right about that. So, I'll see about this Dex character. Have you met him?"
Jesse tried not to be bias, "Yeah, I did, as I was leaving her apartment."
"What can you tell me about him?"
"He's quite the ladies' man, I'd say."
"Oh yeah?" The Sarge stared. "That's interesting."
"Why do women always fall for those kinds of guys?" Jesse asked in a melancholy voice.
The Sarge nodded and smiled almost sadly, "They are good at wooing them, I guess. But not always for the long run. Don't give up, she's pretty sharp."
Jesse nodded, shook hands and told him he'd talk to him later.
"Stay cool." The Sarge laughed. "And tell her we will all pray for her here."
"Will do." He smiled at the Sarge.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Jesse drove back to Melanie's place. As he walked down the hallway, he saw light coming from her apartment and realized quickly her door was open. He had locked it, he had checked it before he left. Now the door was wide open. They got in again, his mind whirled Was the apartment manager in on this too? He hadn't even considered him.
He slowly pushed the door all the way open. With trepidation, he moved slowly through the doorway.
Once inside, he quickly realized it had been ransacked. Totally ripped apart. All th
e drawers in the kitchen were open, the cabinets were open.
His audible sigh said everything. His face was screwed up in such a frown, it physically hurt to be this angry and concerned.
God, whatever was going on here, was serious and he understood the gravity of Melanie's safety now. Whoever was doing this, meant business. The way the apartment looked right now told him they were serious with their intent. They aimed to kill her and they aimed to take her money. But the question now was, what were they looking for?
What the hell were they looking for? Surely, they knew the money wouldn't be here? Then he shook his head, the Social Security Card. Melanie had been about to tell him where it was. Oh, how he wished she could now.
Without regard to his own life, he mercilessly decided that whoever they were, they wouldn't get away with it, and he'd see to that.
He walked slowly into the living room. The bean-bag chair had been ripped up, micro-beads were everywhere. He didn't touch anything, as he walked into the bedroom. The mattress was ripped open, the boxes from the closet were all over the floor, her clothes were a pile of mess. Even the bathroom had been torn up.
He quickly grabbed his billfold and his cell phone and called the police.
"Hey Sarge, it's me, Jesse." He held the cell phone on his shoulder as he spoke into the phone, unaware of his voice sounding hard, and unbending.
"Yeah, what's going on?" The Sarge sensed something wrong from the sound of his voice.
"Someone just tore her apartment to pieces." Jesse told him.
"Don't touch anything. We'll be right over."
"Thanks." He told him. He hung up, went to the rocker, sat down and stared at the mess around him.
Jesse sat there stunned. Melanie had been so proud of her little apartment and now it was torn to shreds. What were they looking for? Because it was obvious they were looking for something. He shook himself, trying to concentrate on what he needed to do. He took his phone and called the store.
"David, this is Jesse."
"Jesse, wondered where you were." David told him. "What's up man, it's not like you to be away this long."
"Yes, you are right. I got tied up here in Houston. Listen, I've got some real troubles here and there's no way I can come back right now. Can you handle things for me for a while?"