The Taking of Eden

by Robin Alexander

  "You probably feel pretty safe out here," Jamie offered as she reached down and ran her fingertips over the surface of the water.

  "Part of me wants some sort of normalcy back, and the other part of me feels kind of content here. Even though my world is upside down, I feel kind of at home here."

  "Well, at any other time, I'd find this place a slice of heaven. It's so serene and beautiful," Jamie said as she flicked her wet fingertips at Eden playfully.

  Eden turned and looked into her eyes. "That may be it, or maybe it's just you."

  Jamie's face flushed, and she turned away from Eden's gaze. "I'm glad I make you feel safe."

  The moment was broken by a loud crack of gunfire. Eden and Jamie sat stunned as their disbelieving ears tried to make sense of what they heard.

  "Get up here now!" Holly yelled from the porch.

  Jamie jumped to her feet and helped Eden up; they made their way quickly to the cabin as Holly ran down to help them. Another shot broke the silence of the tranquil lake, and all three dropped to the ground.

  "We've got to keep moving," Holly commanded as she nearly dragged Eden across the ground. Once inside the cabin, they each took a window and tried to see where the shots were coming from. Jamie cautiously looked through the window that overlooked the lake and noticed two men standing at the tree line in the distance. "I see them!"

  Holly and Eden joined her cautiously. "I think they're hunters," Jamie said with a sigh of relief.

  Holly wasn't as easily convinced. "How do we know that for sure?"

  "Because if they were coming here to kill us, they wouldn't have shot at us from so far away and alerted us to their presence. Besides, look at them, they're just standing there. Don't you think they would be a little stealthier?" Jamie argued.

  "I think you should get the gun," Holly said as she watched the strangers.

  "You have a gun?" Eden interrupted.

  Holly and Jamie exchanged glances.

  Eden's eyes narrowed. "Ah, so you're afraid to admit to the nutcase that you have a gun."

  "You're not a nutcase, and to be honest, I forgot all about the thing," Jamie said as she opened the linen closet and pulled out the revolver.

  "By any chance, were you carrying that thing the day you two liberated me from the nut house?" Eden asked as she looked nervously at the weapon.

  "No, but if we had, things might've turned out differently," Holly said from the window.

  Jamie cocked her head to the side. "How so?"

  Holly grinned. "I would've shot Eden in the ass the first time she took a swing at me."

  Eden turned to Jamie. "I'll cook for the rest of the time we're stuck here if you'll just shoot one of her toes off."

  Jamie chuckled at them both. "I'll just put this in a safe place, so the two of you won't start shooting each other's appendages off."

  Dinner that evening was more relaxed, and Eden did her best to make polite conversation. "Are either of you married?" she asked. She noticed how Jamie avoided the topic.

  "I was almost married," Holly said as she pushed her empty plate away. "I woke up one morning and realized he was an asshole. Took me five years to figure that out, so I sent him packing, and I've been happy ever since."

  Eden looked at Jamie, who toyed with the remainder of food on her plate. When she glanced up, she noticed that Eden was looking at her expectantly.

  "I've never been interested in marriage. I guess I've never met the right one. The people I've dated weren't interested in anything serious either. I suppose that's what drew me to them in the first place. And I absolutely hate wedding ceremonies. Had my mom not stepped in, I wouldn't have gone to my sister's wedding."

  Holly threw her head back and bellowed with laughter. "Jamie had an admirer back at the facility."

  Jamie's face flushed red. "Shut up, Holly."

  "He used to follow her around all during her shift watching everything she did."

  Jamie groaned. "He was an old man who didn't even know where he was."

  Holly continued with a wicked gleam in her eye. "One day, he approached Jamie in the hall. She was always cheerful, and she greeted him with a big smile. He walked right up to her and grabbed both her boobs."

  Jamie rolled her eyes in embarrassment. "I reacted and shoved him into the wall before I could stop myself. No one saw him grab me but Holly. Everyone thought I was just roughing up the old guy."

  Eden laughed right along with Holly, who explained that the old man wore a grin on his face from that day forward.

  "See what a wonderful nurse you are? You made that guy's stay a happy one," Eden teased.

  "What about you, Eden, anyone special in your life?" Holly asked as she dabbed away the tears of laughter.

  The smile faded from Eden's face. "No, not anymore," she answered softly.

  Holly and Jamie noticed the swift mood change. "I'm sorry, did I bring up something sensitive?" Holly offered.

  Eden smiled weakly. "It might be if I could remember all of it.”

  Holly reached across the table and patted Eden on the hand. "Don't worry, it'll all come back to you soon enough."

  Eden sighed. "One of the things I do remember is the feeling of elation and wonder when I met my first girlfriend in college. It's been so long since I felt that way about anyone, and sometimes I'm afraid I'll never feel it again. Do you think that breathtaking feeling passes when we mature and go through different relationships, or will it happen again when we meet that special someone?"

  "I think the wonder of the first love is unique," Holly responded sincerely. "But I don't think we grow out of the feelings we get when we meet that someone who turns us inside out."

  Jamie sat silently listening and wasn't prepared to say anything until Holly pulled her into the conversation. "What about you, Jamie?"

  "The wonder of it all has faded over the years for me. Now when I meet a prospective partner, I tend to look at things a little more logically. If I met my first love for the first time right now, I'd run the other way." Jamie smiled. "Way too many issues with that one, but when I was younger, I just didn't see it."

  "But you've met people who have really rung your bells since then, haven't you?" Holly asked as she got up to clear the table.

  Jamie's face colored, and she could feel Eden's eyes on her, but she dared not return the gaze. "Yes, I have met someone who has turned me to jelly, but I'm not sure they were the best for me, so I didn't pursue anything further."

  "Well, I guess that person didn't realize the opportunity they missed," Eden said softly before getting up from the table.

  Jamie watched Eden walk slowly across the room, and butterflies filled her stomach.

  The following morning, Eden joined Holly on the porch as Jamie puttered around the kitchen. The sound of the door nearly being jerked from the hinges startled them both as Jamie walked brusquely onto the porch.

  "Are you comfortable, Eden?" Jamie asked suddenly.

  "Yes, very," Eden replied, trying to figure out why Jamie's face was so flushed.

  "Great, because I need Holly's help with the stove, I can't get it to light. Will you be okay out here for a few minutes?"

  "I'm a big girl," Eden said before sipping her coffee.

  Holly got up and joined Jamie in the kitchen. Jamie picked up the cell phone that Paul had left for emergencies. "This has been used; do you know anything about it?" she asked accusingly.

  Holly looked sheepishly at the floor. "I made a quick call to a friend and asked her to let my family know I'm all right."

  Jamie slammed her hand down on the counter. "How could you be so irresponsible? This was for emergencies only! And furthermore, your phone call wasn't quick at all; fifteen minutes are registered on this phone."

  Holly countered angrily. "It was an emergency for me to let my parents know that I'm okay. They're old folks, Jamie, and I didn't want one of them dying of a heart attack worrying about me!"

  "You should've discussed this with me first! We're in this s
ituation together, and I should've been consulted at the very least."

  "I don't have to ask your permission to do anything."

  "Consulting and asking permission are two different things," Jamie spat.

  "Look, we've been under a lot of pressure and things have been tense around here for a few days," Holly said, reining in her temper. "I'm going to take a walk and cool down before things escalate."

  The door slammed behind her.

  Jamie leaned against the counter, letting tears of frustration and anger stream down her face. There were many times she considered calling her family to let them know she was still alive. She worried constantly about what they were thinking and the interrogations that they had surely faced.

  It hurt her deeply thinking that they may have been chastised by people who believed she was capable of molesting a patient, then kidnapping her. She turned the phone in her hand and stared at it, wondering what it would hurt to take the same liberties that Holly had.

  The back door creaked open and Eden crept slowly inside. "I think you two may need a break from each other for a while," she said as she sank into one of the kitchen chairs.

  "Well, unless there's a tent stashed away around here, there isn't much hope of that," Jamie replied bitterly as she tucked the phone into a drawer before Eden could catch sight of it.

  "Do you want to vent on me for a little while?" Eden asked with a shy smile.

  "I think cabin fever has taken its toll on us," Jamie said as she wiped her eyes. "Holly and I have bickered the last couple of days, and I guess a blowout was unavoidable."

  Eden bowed her head. "I guess it's not a good time for this, but I wanted to say thank you for what you've done for me. You've both risked everything for a total stranger, and had I been in your shoes, I'm not sure I would've had the fortitude to do the same."

  "To be perfectly honest, Eden, we wanted to help, but neither of us planned for it to turn out the way it did. Whoever is responsible for what happened to you is very vicious, and I assume well-connected. We don't have a leg to stand on until our friends come up with some answers."

  "Forgive me for asking the obvious, but why didn't you just go straight to the police?"

  Jamie sighed and rubbed her face. "In hindsight, we should have when we first left the center, but we were in a panic and not thinking clearly. That gave them all the time they needed to point the guilty finger at us. They've accused us of some vile things, not the least of which is kidnapping."

  Eden quirked an eyebrow. "What kind of vile things?"

  Jamie felt the pit of her stomach tighten, instantly regretting saying as much as she did. "They've accused us of...handling you inappropriately and kidnapping you to cover it."

  "What do you mean by 'handling'?"

  Jamie fought the urge to look away from Eden's inquisitive stare and hoped that Eden would see the truth in her eyes. "They've accused us of having sexual relations with you and drugging you to keep you quiet."

  Eden's silence made Jamie uncomfortable, but she refused to look away. "We were never allowed anywhere near you, Eden. Carmen, the nursing supervisor, was solely responsible for your care. We weren't even allowed to see your chart. That's why we became concerned about what was happening to you. Neither Holly nor I ever laid a hand on you."

  "Well, that's a good thing, I guess. I think I would've preferred to have been in my right mind if one of you wanted to paw at me a little bit," Eden said with a playful grin.

  The tension of the moment ebbed, and Jamie returned the smile. "I prefer the people I 'paw' to be willing participants, so you were always safe from me."

  "Am I safe from you now?" Eden asked with a raised brow.

  Jamie's face colored a little. "That would depend on your willingness to participate."

  Eden pulled the door open to the porch and looked back over her shoulder. "You have my permission to 'paw' at will," she said with a wink, then closed the door behind her.

  Jamie stood rooted to the spot with an ear-to-ear grin plastered on her face.

  "Dr. Lappin, please have a seat," Charles McManus said as she nervously entered his office. "I've called you here today to discuss Ellen Edmonds.

  "As you know, the authorities are very interested in this patient." He stared across his desk at the doctor, the irritation evident in his words and demeanor. "She's a bit of an enigma. There's no file, no family has been located, and to top it all off, the woman the staff described doesn't exist. And you have yet to fill in the gaps on this patient."

  "I'm aware of that, sir. The police have questioned me extensively. I'm afraid all the answers lie with Carmen. As far as I can tell, she was a friend of Carmen's, and that's how she got here in the first place."

  "I keep getting that same response from you," Charles replied sharply. As the attending physician, I would expect you to have a lot more information than you're offering. The focus of the police is no longer on Carmen now but has switched to you. Id appreciate not having to contend with any more ugly surprises. Is there anything else you would like to tell me?"

  "No, sir, I've told you all I know."

  Charles knew that Susan was hiding something and tried another approach. "Susan, you have to realize how bad this looks for us. There are no computer records on this woman, and her patient file mysteriously disappeared with her. We're looking at a lawsuit when her family catches wind of this. And don't be mistaken, you won't emerge from this unscathed. As I said before, you were the only physician treating Ellen Edmonds. I strongly suggest you retain an attorney and seek legal counsel."

  "I'm already looking into that," Susan replied as she stood to leave. "Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?"

  Charles sighed and tugged his glasses from his face. "No, Susan, I guess not."

  "Thank you for seeing me, Detective Salamoni," Al Pittman greeted the detective as he offered her a seat.

  "My captain said it was imperative that I meet with you. I'm very sorry that our department has failed to accommodate you thus far," the attractive detective said as she took a seat.

  Al studied the woman sitting before him intently. Unlike the detective he had spoken with before, she was a professional, evident by the way she presented herself. Tiny lines around her eyes belied her youthful appearance, and he surmised she was around Eden's age. She neither fidgeted nor looked away from his scrutiny. Her intelligent brown eyes looked back at him and conveyed that she was aware he was sizing her up.

  Al assumed that the tailored blazer concealed a well-toned body, unlike her pudgy predecessor. She cocked an eyebrow, waiting patiently for him to continue.

  "Your captain and I go way back. I've known him before he ever joined the force here. He assured me that you would handle the situation to my satisfaction," Al said firmly.

  The detective opened the file she held and began to read. "Let's go over what we have so far. Miss Carlton has been missing for nearly three and a half months. Her assistant claimed to have received emails stating she was away on vacation, but you've had no contact with her whatsoever." She read the file quietly for a moment. "Help me understand in what capacity you work for Miss Carlton."

  "I've worked for her grandfather for many years, and when Eden took over the company, I became her employee. I privately audit her accounts. No one in her office is aware of my presence. I make sure that there's no embezzlement, and I advise her on her holdings." Al accepted a cup of tea from his housekeeper and offered the detective one, as well.

  "There are a couple of reasons why I believe Eden is in trouble. The first being that Eden is like a daughter to me, and we are in constant contact. She would never leave without making me aware of what she was doing. The second is that I've found some inconsistencies in her accounts. Without going into great detail, I've found quite a few companies that I don't recognize receiving large amounts of funds. The specifics are in the report you're holding."

  Detective Salamoni cleared her throat. "As you've requested, we've done some research on M
iss Carlton. There's no record of her leaving the country. And since you've made it clear that you believe her assistant is involved, we've been doing some research on her, as well. Were you aware that Miss Carlton was intimately involved with Laura McManus?"

  Al perked up. "Where did you come up with this?"

  "We questioned some of the people you said were Miss Carlton's friends. All of them volunteered that she and Miss McManus were seeing each other romantically."

  Al sat quietly stunned at the revelation. "Have you questioned Miss McManus?"

  "We have and she stated that Miss Carlton felt the relationship was getting too intense too soon, and she needed time away to sort things out." The detective watched as Al rubbed his chin and pondered what he was hearing.

  "We've done a little background check on Miss McManus. She's the daughter of Charles McManus, who owns several mental health clinics throughout the Carolinas. Two weeks ago, one of his patients was kidnapped by a couple of nurses on his staff- The mysterious thing is that there was no patient file on this woman. Furthermore, we've run a check on the patient's name and have come up with one hundred thirty-seven people with that name, and they're all accounted for."

  Al's eyes grew wide. "And you think there might be a connection with Eden and this patient?"

  "Well, I find it interesting that Miss Carlton supposedly went on vacation and has been away around the same time this patient was admitted to the clinic, according to the staff. And that the clinic is owned by the father of her assistant. Do you have a picture of Miss Carlton that I can take with me to the clinic?"

  Al stood and walked to the mantel and lovingly grasped the frame to his chest. "This is my Eden."

  After the detective left, Al poured himself a brandy and sat at his desk, silently scolding himself for ignoring what he knew in his heart. Perhaps if he would have come to terms with Eden's sexuality sooner, he may have been able to shield her from the woman who was possibly responsible for her disappearance.

  Tension between Holly and Jamie at the dinner table was palpable that evening. The three of them ate in near silence. Eden watched the interaction between the other women closely. She wasn't sure what they had fought about earlier, but silence between them was becoming intolerable to Eden, who sat between them.