by J. G. Sumner
“Bye, Mom.” She couldn’t help but snicker a little as her mom left the room.
Chapter 35
Josh
What came over Laney? Why did she push him away all of a sudden? Josh must have replayed the conversation in his head fifty times since he left her room. Needless to say, the ride home with Jillian had been eerily silent. He was preoccupied with his thoughts of Laney, and Jillian was too ticked off to utter a word to him. He couldn’t care less if she were angry. He was tired of her crap.
At home, he fought the desire to drive right back to the hospital. Laney obviously needed time to sort out what was going on in her head. Giving her some space would also allow Josh a chance to get his bearings and wrap his head around things.
After he greeted Duke, Josh walked into the kitchen to find Jillian cooking dinner. She liked to cook and often did to clear her mind. She worked quietly chopping vegetables.
The therapy sessions were always hard for her. This one had been no different. She had cried throughout most of it. She accused Josh and the doctor of treating her like a criminal by forcing her to take medications she didn’t need. Jillian made up some bogus excuse for kissing him. She said she loved her brother and didn’t know how else to express it. She realized it was wrong after she had done it. Josh tried to tell the doctor as much, but the psychiatrist thought it was best to treat Jillian conservatively for now. Unfortunately, their time ended before they could delve into the relationship any further.
Josh sat down to eat. He had chest pressure and his stomach was in knots. He had no appetite and as a result, he picked at his food. Jillian had tried to engage him in some conversation. As much as he wanted to be able to converse with her, Josh just couldn’t get Laney out of his head.
“Thanks for making dinner. I’m sorry. I’m just not very hungry.” Josh picked up his plate, rinsed it, and put it in the dishwasher.
“You need to eat.”
“I’ll get something in the morning. I’m going to hit the hay.”
Josh left Jillian sitting at the kitchen table and went up to his bed. He closed his eyes but continued to replay the conversation with Laney over and over. What happened? She must have remembered something. Josh picked up the phone several times to call, but he hung it right back up not wanting to disturb her. Instead of sleeping himself, he tossed and turned all night long.
Sunrise came faster than Josh had wanted. The lack of sleep over the past few days was definitely wearing him down. He sluggishly got out of bed and into the shower. The hot water pierced his skin, dispelling the hypothermia he had from the lack of sleep. By the time he got out, he felt more invigorated. He got dressed, fed and walked Duke, and then got in his car, skipping breakfast entirely. He wasn’t wasting another minute getting to Laney. He needed to find out what was going on with her. Pushing him away wasn’t an option.
Josh drove down Highway 78 while testing the limits of his Porsche. He rarely, if ever, drove above the speed limit because he had seen the results of reckless driving one too many times. This day was different. There was something wrong with Laney, and he needed to find out what. For the first time since Laney was shot, he was genuinely fearful of losing her.
As he pulled into the hospital parking garage, Josh couldn’t help but notice the pounding in his chest. His heart was racing out of control as adrenaline surged through his body. They would get through this. There was no doubt in his mind.
He didn’t wait for the elevator. It was oftentimes unpredictable, and when the hospital was full, it would stop on every floor. He didn’t have the patience or the time to waste on waiting for an elevator. He darted up the stairs two at a time. Sweat dripped off his brow, and desperation coursed through his veins. Josh cursed himself for not coming back last night.
He pushed open the door to the stairwell and surged out into the hallway to the ICU. As he swiped his badge to enter the unit, Josh took a moment to catch his breath and slow down his heart rate to avoid looking like a mad man.
He hurried through the unit. When he approached Laney’s room, he noticed the guard was now a police officer sitting in front of her door. Did something happen? Did someone try to hurt her again? Josh approached the police officer and introduced himself with his badge in tow. Once cleared, Josh entered Laney’s room to find her sleeping.
She looked like an angel. Her long curly hair hugged her face and splayed across her pillow. He had never seen anyone more beautiful than Laney when she slept. She looked so serene and her calmness instantly melted the tension that had made its way to Josh’s jaw. He walked softly to a seat next to the bed. There was no way he would disturb her or wake her, even if he were desperate for answers. His priority was to make sure she had the chance to heal and recover.
Josh sat silently for the better part of an hour. He contemplated any number of things that might make Laney act the way she had. Was it him asking her to move in? Was it living with Jillian? Maybe she was stressed about getting along with Jillian. After all, Jillian hadn’t been the nicest of people when they met previously. He would definitely have to lay down some firm rules with Jillian. No way would she be allowed to upset Laney while she was recovering.
Josh was startled when Laney’s hand brushed against his. He looked down, noticing how petite and well-manicured her hand was despite being in the hospital for over a week. He also noted the absence of a ring on her wedding finger. I’m going to have to fix that. Josh shifted as his gaze found her face.
“Good morning, beautiful. How are you feeling?”
“Mmm. Better now.”
Josh wondered if she were feeling better because of a good night’s sleep. Selfishly, he had hoped she felt better because he was there.
“How did you sleep?”
“Great. I haven’t had any trouble sleeping. I think my body likes me to be in a dream state.”
“You should listen to your body. You still have a lot of recovering to do. Don’t push yourself.”
“I know. I feel so helpless in this bed. There is so much I need to do outside of here.”
“You don’t worry about that right now. We can figure it out later. Nothing’s more important than your recovery.” Laney squeezed his hand. “I have to know. What got you so worked up yesterday? Was it something I said or did? If it’s about Jillian, I promise I’ll make her behave. You don’t need to worry about her.”
Laney was oddly silent. She looked as though she were in a trance. Josh’s nerves were shot. What in God’s name was happening?
“Talk to me. What’s going on with you? Whatever it is, I can handle it.”
“Josh…”
“If you want to take a break for a while, you need to tell me.”
“No! Gosh no! I love you so much, and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I think I love you more now than ever. It’s just…”
“It’s what?”
“There’s something I need to tell you. I don’t know how.”
“Start from the beginning. Take your time. We’ve got all of the time in the world.” Josh was trying to be patient with Laney, but on the inside, he wanted her to get it out. He was tired of waiting for the answer.
“It’s your sister.”
Josh’s heart thudded in his chest. “I knew it!” Josh stood up and pulled one hand through his hair while the other rested on his hip. Dammit, Jillian! Why do you have to be such a pain in the ass sometimes? “I’m sorry for the way she was behaving. I know it wasn’t good and I promise…”
The expression on Laney’s face changed from concerned to an “Oh crap!” Josh followed her gaze to the man standing behind him.
Josh faced the detective. “Detective Neal, what a surprise. Two days in a row we’re graced with your presence.”
“Good morning.”
Josh didn’t miss the fact that Detective Neal was suddenly very formal. There seemed to be an edge to him and sternness to his voice.
“I’m glad you’re here. Tell us you have some good news. Tell
us you figured out who’s been doing this to Laney.”
“Yes. I believe we have identified the person responsible. We were able to acquire several sets of fingerprints off of the ventilator. Normally, it would have taken a while to match them, but luckily, your sleuth of a girlfriend here was able to provide us with some information.”
Josh glanced at Laney. He couldn’t imagine what knowledge she could have possibly provided. She had been unconscious for almost a week.
“Well, I’m certainly curious, Detective. Tell me about this valuable piece of information.”
Detective Neal pulled an envelope from inside his jacket pocket. “Dr. Stone, I have a warrant here to search your house.”
Josh stood motionless except for the clenching of his jaw. His breath was caught in his chest. Time stood still. He didn’t know if he were angry, surprised, or in denial. One thing was for certain, he couldn’t believe Laney would betray him. He didn’t think for a moment she could believe he tried to kill her. Josh stared at Laney. He was sure the hurt he felt was emanating through his eyes. Josh pulled himself together and faced Detective Neal. “May I ask what this is about? What exactly are you looking for?”
“I’m sorry to have to be the one to inform you of this.” Detective Neal shifted in place looking from the warrant and then to Josh. “We arrested your sister last night for the attempted murder of Laney Pearson. We caught her trying to enter the hospital through a back stairwell by the cafeteria.”
Josh spun around like a tornado getting ready to pick up a house. Laney shrugged and mouthed “sorry.” Is this what she had to tell him? Why did he have to hear it from Detective Neal? Josh’s heart broke into a million pieces. Not just because of the betrayal from Laney but also for his sister. How could Jillian be involved in this? She couldn’t possibly be in jail. She was at home. They had dinner together. He tried to remember if Jillian’s car was in the driveway when he left. His gut clenched as he realized it wasn’t. Just when Josh thought Laney was getting better and he would have some semblance of normalcy and balance in his life, Jillian lost it. His world was taking a nosedive. For a man who thrived on having control, he was unraveling.
“I’m sorry. I was just getting ready to tell you.”
“Tell me what? Tell me my own sister tried to kill you? How could that be? Why would you even think that? I know she isn’t nice to you, but this is ridiculous. She’s not a killer!”
“If you would just calm down for a second.”
Josh felt like an engine gasket getting ready to blow. Certainly, Laney had a good reason for believing this. But why did she go to the police without talking to him first? Josh pulled his hands through his hair as he shifted his gaze back and forth from the Detective to Laney. He made an abrupt stop at the foot of Laney’s bed. “Please tell me why you think my sister tried to kill you? I need to know!”
Laney was trembling. As much as he wanted to console her, his anger at her betrayal prevented him from doing so. Laney told him all she remembered.
“She said if it weren’t for me, you two would be together now enjoying romantic walks on the beach, candlelight dinners, and picnics. She said you loved her and you two were working through things. Then, the last time she was here, she told me she would get rid of me for good. The next thing I knew, I couldn’t breathe. At first, I didn’t know who it was talking to me. The voice was familiar, but I couldn’t place it. Again, I thought I was dreaming. But, there was one thing consistent about her; she always smelled like peppermint.”
Blood rushed from Josh’s face. His heart stopped. He too had noticed his sister’s recent peppermint candy addiction. The smell at times was overpowering. Things clicked into place. His sister must have been coming here when she got through with work. It would be the only time she would have the opportunity without him knowing. It would also explain Laney’s heart rate being elevated at a certain hour every night, and it certainly explained her ventilator becoming unplugged.
“When you and Jillian were here earlier, I didn’t smell the peppermint right away. When she talked, I got a huge whiff of it. It brought back all those memories I thought were just dreams. The only thing I couldn’t figure out was why she thought the two of you could have a romantic relationship. It seemed so odd.”
Josh knew the answer to that question but didn’t want to comment on it while the detective was present. As much as he now believed his sister was behind everything, he still felt the need to protect her. Jail wasn’t the place for her. She wouldn’t get the help she required. She needed to be readmitted into a psychiatric facility.
“Why didn’t you tell me this last night? Why did you just kick me out? I’ve been so worried about you.”
“Are you serious? Your sister was right here. I was scared out of my mind. How would you have reacted? I couldn’t accuse your sister of trying to murder me when she was sitting right there.”
Everything Laney said was true, but he was still having a hard time processing it all. He turned to Detective Neal. “What did you find on the ventilator?”
“I found some fingerprints. We ran them through our database. They were a match to your sister’s. Her prints were on file because of her prior arrests.”
Josh put his hand on his chin and contemplated everything he had just learned. To say he was in shock was an understatement. He had come here fully expecting Laney to tell him they weren’t moving in together, and she was ending their relationship. Now he learned his sister was trying to kill his girlfriend. He always knew his sister was mentally unstable, but this was just sick.
“What will you look for in my house?”
“Evidence of the notes your sister most likely wrote.”
Everything was coming together now. He had told his sister everywhere he would be. He had told her everything about Laney. The only place he hadn’t told Jillian they were staying was his work apartment. That would explain why they never received a letter there.
“God, what a mess this is. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t see this coming. I should’ve been able to prevent it. If only I paid better attention.”
“How could you know? You can’t blame yourself. Remember something. Your sister wasn’t the one who shot me. That was an entirely different person.”
Josh turned back toward the detective. “Go ahead and search my house. I hope you find what you need. My sister is a sick woman. She has schizophrenia.”
“Understood. I’ll make sure she receives medical attention. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry about all of this.”
Josh was defeated. “So am I.”
“Do you have any idea why your sister would want to hurt Miss Pearson?”
“I’m not sure.”
Detective Neal focused his attention on Laney. “Is there anything I can do for you right now?”
“No, sir. Thank you for everything.”
“You’re welcome. Please don’t hesitate to call if you remember anything else. Also, we’ll keep the officer here just in case. It’s not clear yet whether Jillian was working alone or had an accomplice. When you are discharged from the hospital, we’ll chat again.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you.”
Detective Neal left the room. Josh continued to process the information. He stood silently with his hand to his chin for several moments before he finally spoke. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry any of this happened to you. I don’t know how I’ll ever make it up to you.”
“You don’t need to make anything up to me. You’re as much a victim as I am.”
It always amazed Josh how Laney could be so compassionate and understanding in the worst situations. This time was no exception.
“I wasn’t the one she tried to kill. You were. You happened to be in her way of getting to me.”
“Why did she want me out of the way?”
Josh reflected back to his sister’s kiss. Josh reflexively wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “My sister is sick. She stopped taking her medications and hadn’t been to the doctor
for several months until yesterday, and that was only because I made her go.”
“How did you find out?”
“She kissed me. A full-on kiss. Tongue and all.” Josh turned his head trying to suppress the memory. “She fantasized about a life in which we were married and had kids.”
Either what he was telling Laney didn’t bother her or she was doing an amazing job keeping her composure. He couldn’t blame Laney for becoming unnerved or even repulsed. When he heard himself say it out loud, it made Josh want to locate another bottle of mouthwash to purge Jillian from his body.
“I’m not sure what to say. What do you think will to happen to her?”
“You probably don’t want to hear this, but I’m going to get her a defense attorney. I need to try and get her an insanity plea. That’s the only way she can get the help she needs. Jail won’t do anything except make her schizophrenia worse. I’m sorry if that’s not the answer you were looking for. I can’t imagine how it feels to have your boyfriend defending someone who caused such turmoil in your life. I can understand if you want to run for the hills as fast as you can. I know I would.”
“You’ve been just as much a victim as I have. Your sister is sick. You’ve been amazing helping her for so many years. She had a psychotic break. You can’t help that.”
“Yeah, but I don’t want to put you in jeopardy ever again.”
“Whether she goes to a hospital or to jail, my guess is she won’t get out for a very long time. I’m sorry if that seems insensitive. As long as she’s in there, she can’t hurt us.”
Laney was amazing. The woman truly deserved sainthood. She could see the big picture in any situation.
“I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you.”
“You let me be the judge of that. I’m a big girl and I can make my own decisions. I choose you. Now that everything is wrapped up, we can focus on you and me.”
Josh was seriously conflicted. He desperately wanted to continue his life with Laney. At the same time, he needed to make sure his sister was okay. He couldn’t just leave her to fend for herself. He needed time to figure things out. “I know I asked you to move in with me, but I think we should put it on hold. I’m going to be busy with trying to get help for Jillian. I won’t be able to give you the attention you deserve. If you want to stay with Peyton or even at your own apartment, I’ll be happy to hire round-the-clock care.”