Sloane finally left but Rachel was nowhere to be found. He needed to make sure she was safe and then convince her to leave, the sooner the better.
#
April’s day, already bad after a visit from her loathed step-father, just got much worse. First she had to pretend to be drugged out of her mind for a man who would rather see her dead than cured. Now lights would be turned off any minute and no sign of Rachel.
In fact, April hadn’t seen her all day.
Worry ate a hole in her stomach. Where could she be this late? What if they got her already?
Rachel was smart. She wouldn’t let them take her without a major fight. She relaxed a fraction. Maybe she found something out last night. April knew the minute she returned to the room. Now that she was off the drugs, she slept with one eye open. She heard every creak, every shuffle, every footstep. She refused to be a victim ever again and being aware of her surroundings at every moment was crucial.
Rachel started to enter the room once last night but left again. April worried she might have been caught. But then she heard her come in later and settle in bed. Relieved that she made it back safely, she fell deeply asleep, planning on learning what her roommate discovered in the morning.
She never got the chance. A nurse appeared bright and early to whisk Rachel away.
Settling under the covers, she feigned sleep when Tia arrived. She rolled over and watched the door whisper closed, waiting until everything quieted down for the night.
Whipping back the sheet, she slid her feet into a pair of pink slippers. She felt under the covers for the teddy bear Peter gave her and ran a finger beneath the collar. When she located the tiny zipper, she tugged it open and withdrew the Smith & Wesson switchblade Peter insisted she keep.
Illegal in New York, she didn’t know where he purchased the knife. She was just thankful he did. He taught her how to use it and made her promise to be careful. She tucked the weapon in her pocket where she could easily grab it and flip open the blade.
Gently cracking the door, she looked both ways down the dim hall and slipped through. Careful to make no noise, she navigated the corridor. When she came to the common area, she spotted Tia at the nurse’s station chatting with Dan, the night security guard.
She moved further into the shadows and continued her search. There! Over by the water fountain. The person she hoped to find.
Peter swiped the floor and then deposited the mop in the bucket. As if sensing her presence, he looked directly at her. Her stomach fluttered. Her whole body felt tingly and alive. He caused that reaction in her every time she saw him. Other people called him names and that made her sad because he was the smartest, kindest person she had ever known.
How she longed to be able to tell him how she felt. He was her white knight, her savior, the man responsible for weaning her off drugs and keeping her safe. Though she owed him her life, he already owned her heart.
But why would he want a mental patient scared of everything? She was getting better. She didn’t frighten as easily as before. Maybe the drugs had made her that way. But she would never be good enough for Peter.
#
Peter shook his head and blinked. He had to be imagining things. One minute, he pictured April in his mind and the next she appeared in the hallway as if conjured by his very thoughts, her hand waving frantically.
He swallowed hard. What could she possibly want from him this late at night? Zipping his gaze around the area, he spied Tia and Dan chatting intimately.
As nonchalantly as possible, he pushed the cart over to April and then followed as she scurried back down the hall.
With Tia distracting Dan, the hall cameras wouldn’t be monitored but he didn’t want to take any chances. When April started for her room, he grabbed her hand and shook his head. Her eyes widened but she allowed him to lead her to the supply closet. He snapped on the light and indicated for her to precede him. He pushed the bucket inside and closed the door.
He knew this space was safe from prying eyes and ears. He brought April here when he convinced her to quit the drugs, and again when he gave her the flashlight, the diary, the stuffed bear and the switchblade. But she had come to him this time.
Worry almost doubled him over.
"What is it, April? What’s wrong?"
She was the only other person besides Ben who looked him in the eye, who didn’t shudder at the scars marring his face. Still, he couldn’t help but turn his wound away from her.
She wouldn’t let him.
Her small hands grasped either side of his face, not caring that one touched the burned flesh. He couldn’t look away from her soft green eyes.
It took a moment for her to speak. Finally she said, "Rachel is missing. I’m afraid they are going to kill her, too."
She removed her hands and he nearly cried out at the loss of contact. No one ever touched him. The last person he could even remember doing so on purpose had been his mother. He swallowed hard. Oh how he missed her and his dad and older brother. For some reason, he had been spared in the house fire that took their lives, but he lived with the memory daily - every time he looked in the mirror.
"Did you hear me?"
He shook his head to focus. They are going to kill Rachel, she said. Rachel who? "Who are you talking about April?"
"Rachel, my roommate."
Worry creased his brows. "April, your roommate’s name is Kellie." He knew because he kept stats on all the girls who came and went from Bexley. Somehow he would discover what was happening and he would make the person or people responsible pay. And then he would get April out of here.
"Her name is Rachel," April whispered. "She doesn’t belong here."
Neither did she, but he would remedy that soon. She deserved a better life and he would make sure she got it, even if he could have no part in her future.
"She came to look for her friend, Molly Miller."
His eyes widened. "You mean she’s faking?"
She nodded. "But the nurse took her away this morning and she hasn’t been back all day. I need you to help me find her."
I would do anything for you, April. I would die for you. He bit back the words before they left his mouth. He didn’t want to frighten her, but he wanted her to be able to ask him to do anything she needed. Instead, he said, "I saw her earlier."
Her eyes brightened with relief. God, she was so pretty.
"You did?"
"Nurse Lois took her to one of the isolation rooms on C Wing."
April bolted for the door. "Come-on, let’s go."
He grabbed her arm. "Wait."
"Why?" She blinked up at him.
He swallowed, tearing his gaze away from her sweet red lips. "We can’t just go charging out. I need to make sure the coast is clear so you don’t get caught."
Her hand cupped his cheek again, the scarred one, so gentle and tender, tears welled in his eyes.
"You’re right. You’re always taking care of me."
"And I always will," he breathed.
Her eyes widened and he couldn’t help it…he bent down and pressed his lips to hers. She gasped, her lids fluttering shut. Her arms wrapped around his neck. He touched her hair gently, reverently, wanting to stay like this forever. But they had to find her roommate. Reluctantly, he pulled back.
Her eyes slowly opened. Dazed, she brushed her lips with her fingertips. "Why did you stop?"
"We have to find Kellie."
"Rachel," she corrected, pulling herself together. "Lead the way."
"Wait, I have an idea."
He removed the trash bag from the garbage cart and lined it with a clean one. Then he took a blanket off the top shelf and placed it on the bottom. "Climb in here and I can take you around without anyone seeing you. What?" Her stare made him uneasy.
"You are so smart," she whispered adoringly. "You are my hero."
He gulped. How he longed to be her hero…and so much more. He lifted her easily and settled her inside. She was so tiny she fit easily.
He grabbed another trash bag and knotted it halfway. He fitted it around the lip, leaving one side open so she would have enough oxygen. "In case anyone looks," he explained. "Not that anyone ever bothers to look at me," he added under his breath.
"I look at you," she whispered.
Oh God, did he say that loud enough for her to hear? The last thing he wanted or needed from her was pity.
Her hand reached through the opening and clasped his. "I always look."
He had to get out of here before he started bawling like a baby. He really didn’t want her seeing that. He swallowed heavily, his voice husky when he asked, "Are you ready?"
"Yes." She tucked her hand back inside.
He pushed the cart out in the hallway. He passed Tia who looked up from a magazine, smiled briefly and dropped her gaze back to the book. Though never outright mean to him, she didn’t go out of her way to be overly nice, either. Still, he liked her. She was good to April.
"Beware of the bogeyman."
Gary staggered down the hall, his crucifix extended in front of his wiry body. "He’s here. I saw him."
A book slammed against a table and Tia surged to her feet. "Come-on Gary," she coaxed with measured patience. "Back to your room."
Peter silently thanked Gary. He provided the perfect distraction. Tia wouldn’t see him enter Rachel’s room. One glance assured him Dan was sound asleep on the sofa. He wouldn’t be watching either.
He guided the cart to the C wing and pretended to adjust the bag. "I’m not sure which room she is in," he mumbled. "We may have to try a few first."
He hit the jackpot on the fourth room. April’s roommate rested in a bed with a tube attached to her slender arm.
"Found her," he announced, ripping off the top trash bag.
April sprung to her feet and gasped. "Oh no, they’ve drugged her." He lifted her from the cart and she rushed to the girl’s bedside.
"Rachel, can you hear me? Rachel?"
She turned to him, her eyes pleading. "We have to do something."
"I’ll do anything you need, April."
"Help me figure out what to do for her."
He thought for a moment, checking the IV. "The bag is changed every day. The nurse injects the drugs directly into this valve."
She nodded at him unblinking, hanging on his every word.
"I have an idea."
Lifting the bag from the hook, he turned it upside down so the liquid stopped flowing.
"Can you unhook the tube from the catheter?"
"What is a catheter," she asked.
"It’s the needle in her arm."
April gingerly removed the tube, jumping out of the way when some of the liquid spilled from the end.
He lifted the tube from her grip and dumped half the contents into a plastic cup on his cart. Then he pulled a Swiss Army knife from his pocket and carefully gouged a hole in the plastic. He whipped out a towel and mopped the liquid from the floor.
"She may have to remain drugged until all the medicine drips out," he cautioned her.
"Then what? They will just refill it."
An idea popped into his head and he didn’t even pause before he said, "I’ll break into the pharmacy tonight and dump out the bottles with Kellie’s name on them." April gasped. "I’ll refill everything with water and remove all the prescriptions."
"What if you get caught?" Her eyes simmered with emotion.
"I won’t." He hoped.
She clapped her hands against her breast and stared at him like he was a god. His pulse skipped. He would give anything if she would look at him like that for real.
#
Well after midnight, Peter exited his room in the basement and climbed the stairs. He knew Dan would be asleep, but Tia could be the wild card.
He carefully strolled down the hall prepared to lie if he encountered anyone. His story would be that hunger struck and he decided to visit the vending machines for a midnight snack. He passed the security office and peeked inside. Sure enough, Dan’s feet were propped up on the desk and his head tilted back, soft snores escaping his open mouth.
One down, one to go.
Blue light colored the white tile walls as he neared the common area. He found Tia reclining on one of the sofas, a movie holding her attention.
Perfect.
He pulled out the key that no one knew he had and started to let himself in the pharmacy.
"Hey Peter."
He sucked in a breath and whirled around, dropping the key to the ground.
Caught off guard, his voice refused to work and he could only stare at Ben Smith. Ben’s eyes moved from his face to the sign on the door, to the key on the floor and back.
"I-it’s not what you think," he rushed to explain. He couldn’t get caught. If they fired him, April would be alone. He couldn’t let that happen. He had to make Ben understand. They were friends, weren’t they?
Ben crouched down and picked up the fallen key. Peter couldn’t seem to draw enough air into his lungs.
Ben studied the key in his hand and then his brows relaxed. He held it out with a crooked smile. "Hey, I’m off duty. You don’t need to explain anything." He slapped him once on the back and proceeded down the hall.
Peter watched him disappear through the exit, his mouth hanging wide open. Ben could have, should have busted him. Stealing drugs was not only against the rules of the facility, but against the law. He could have sent him to jail.
Instead, he let him walk away.
Maybe he could trust Ben. Maybe he could confide in him about his suspicions. Maybe he would finally have a friend who would listen.
He concentrated on the job at hand and inserted the key. As he was reaching for the knob, years of watching detective shows on television kicked in and he used his t-shirt to turn the handle. Clicking on a flashlight, he raked the room with the beam and stopped when he spotted what he came for.
Swiping a pair of latex gloves from a box, he tugged them on. Padding to the medicine cabinet, he sighed in defeat at the heavy silver bolt barring entrance. He had never tried to pick a lock before and didn’t even know if he could.
With little hope, he tried the handle and to his surprise, it twisted easily. The door swung open with a creak. He said a silent thanks to the person who forgot to relock it.
Running the light over the bottles on the shelves, he finally located the vials marked for Kellie Mead. He unscrewed the caps, dumped the clear liquid contents into the small sink in the corner and rinsed the bottles. Using the tap to refill them, he wiped them off with his shirt and replaced them in the cabinet where he found them.
He moved to the filing cabinet and located her chart. He rifled through and pulled out the two pieces of paper with her prescriptions scribbled on it. He stuffed them into his pocket and closed the drawer. Tiptoeing to the door, he stuck his ear to the wood and listened for any activity. The sound of voices filtered through and he shrank back into the shadows. His heart raced as he waited for the moment the door would be ripped open and he would be caught.
He waited and waited but nothing happened.
He plastered his ear to the panel again. He could still detect the faint notes of conversation so he relaxed against the wall and slid to the floor, prepared to wait.
Time passed in slow motion.
Snatching one of the white smocks from a hook, he balled it into a pillow. He rested his head on the coat and even managed to nod off for a few minutes.
How long had it been since he heard voices? He pressed the button on his watch. Forty five minutes. He sighed and decided that time must be running backwards.
He waited another thirty minutes. They would be gone by now, wouldn’t they?
Pushing to his feet, he moved to the door. Hearing nothing, he cracked it and listened again. Still silent. He stuck his head out and scanned the hallway. Clear. Slipping outside, he breathed a sigh of relief at having managed to complete the task. Hopefully April would be proud of him. Peeling off the gloves, he spun arou
nd with a satisfied grin.
"Hello, Peter."
#
Ben let himself back into the facility after touching base with his brother Luke. He made his way up the stairs, intending to go right to his room but something compelled him to detour to the second floor. What had Peter been up to earlier? The man definitely had something to hide, sneaking into the pharmacy. Was he using? He shook his head. He didn’t think so. Pete showed no signs of drug abuse. Maybe he needed something for the pain from his scars. Maybe the doctors wouldn’t give him a prescription so he had to steal the drugs. He looked so frightened when caught, Ben feared he would start sobbing. The pure guilt that clouded the younger man’s face could not be faked. Peter’s entire body drooped with gratitude when he acted like catching him in a possible felony was no big deal. He had a feeling not many people had given Peter a break his whole life. He planned on changing that now. But first he needed to find out what kind of trouble the kid got himself into tonight.
Turning down the wing housing the drug supply room, he watched Peter emerge. He had been in there quite a while.
What the hell was going on?
"Hello, Peter."
Peter spun around so fast he tripped. Ben steadied the other man and noticed two small pieces of white paper flutter to the ground. Before Peter could scoop them up, he read the name on the prescriptions.
Kellie Mead.
His eyes flew to Peter’s. What did he have to do with Rachel? He couldn’t be involved in her disappearance, could he?
"I think it is time you tell me what is going on."
#
Peter shook so hard he could barely breathe. He lost his grip on the prescriptions and they floated to the ground. He was busted. Caught. He would go to jail and April would be all alone.
He looked into Ben’s blue eyes and something in there reassured him. He could tell this man what happened and he would lend a hand. And then if he helped with Kellie—no, not Kellie. Rachel. He had to remember that. If Ben helped with Rachel, maybe he could trust him and tell him about the missing patients.
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