by BJ Hyman
Sabrina dragged up with an unkempt Kyle in tow. Her voice was full of aggression. “Where is she?”
The detective gave a hard sigh. “Is there anyone else I should be waiting to show up before I can get some answers?”
Mitchell and Kellie both speak at the same time. “Craig.”
Sabrina shrugs. “Maybe Megan.”
“Maybe we should move this to the cafeteria to keep it from disturbing the whole hospital, shall we?”
◆◆◆
Thirty minutes later, they were all gathered around several small tables drinking coffee and discussing the situation with the detective in the hospital cafeteria on hard plastic seats. The antiseptic feeling and smell made everyone feel ill to varying degrees.
They told him about the Halloween party incident. Kellie was surprised that Charlie had not called him to let him know. She had promised her that she would.
“So, none of you saw anyone following her? Anyone odd at the party that didn’t belong?”
Sabrina blew her bangs back. “Of course there were people who didn’t belong. It was a costume party. There’s no way to know who everyone is behind all the masks and makeup.”
“Not the best idea when we have a killer on the loose, huh?” Brooks put his hand up before Sabrina began to protest. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish lying on the dock. “No matter now. I can’t understand why she would watch the security video, see that her stalker, or whatever we should call them, has been making appearances…even after all the efforts to stop it…and then not call for help. She sent not one text, made not a single phone call to any of you?” They all stared at him blankly. “Okay. Does anyone have any idea why she would do that?”
Eli slumped. “She probably thought she didn’t want to burden anyone with any more of it. Things have been…strained…between us and we took a step back. I’m not sure about any of the others, but part of this is my fault. I’m afraid she didn’t think she should call or text me.”
“It wasn’t just you.” Craig gave Eli an encouraging look. “She got a call yesterday from DesignTV. Someone uploaded 3 posts that cost her a thousand bucks apiece. It was from my phone but it wasn’t me. This person who’s harassing her somehow got my phone and posted to the business page. It upset her, but I think it also made her mad. You know how she is when she’s mad.” They all nodded and murmured their assent.
Brooks took some notes in one of those little flip top spiral notebooks. “Did she tell anyone else about that?”
Kellie looked at Craig accusingly. “It’s the first I’ve heard about it and she tells me everything.”
“I thought she’d tell you. Sorry! If I had known that she was starting to withdraw and keep secrets, I’d have let you know.”
Brooks leaned back in his chair. “Well, I’m going to get on some of this and try to find some answers. They’re going to keep her for observation at least 24 hours and are going to do a sleep study to try to help her with the deep sleep issue. If any of you think of anything, let me know.” He handed each of them a card. “My cell is on the back. Don’t hesitate. I have a feeling that this isn’t going to stop until she’s dead.” Kellie gasped, and tears began to flow. “I don’t mean to scare you, but I just can’t see any other end scenario. It’s that serious. We’ve got to find this person.” He scratched his head and then his stubbly chin. “And you say she couldn’t tell you if it was a man or a woman?” They all responded with gestures or murmurs in the negative. “Odd.” He sat thinking a minute. “Could she tell if the person was taller than she is?”
They all looked at each other blankly. It was a question they had not thought to ask. Eli spoke up. “She didn’t say. Maybe we need to think of things like that to ask her when she wakes up.”
Brooks nodded thoughtfully. “That would be good.” He tapped the table as he stood up and tucked his notebook inside his long coat. “Let me know when she’s awake and what she says. I’m going to get started on what I have, but I’ll be in touch.”
They all watched his back and his odd, shuffling gait as he walked away. No one seemed to have anything to say for a long time. Then Eli spoke up. “Okay. So, does anyone have anything to write on? Let’s work up some questions.”
Kellie pulled out her phone and opened her notes app, ready for action.
◆◆◆
When Charlie awoke, Kellie was sitting by her bedside and staring at her. Charlie squinted. “You’re creepy doing that. Cut it out.”
Kellie jumped as if she wasn’t aware of Charlie at all. “Oh! You’re awake!”
Charlie took in the IV in her arm and the steady beep beep beep of her monitor. “I guess I’m alive, huh?”
“Do you remember what happened?”
Charlie tried to swallow and found she really couldn’t. Her mouth and throat were sandy from dryness. “Is there any water or anything?”
Kellie stood and got a cup and poured a measure of water in it before putting in a buoyant bendy straw that bobbed up and almost out of the top. She handed it to Charlie while helping her raise the head of the bed to make it easier to take a drink. When she reached for the cup from her sister, Charlie caught sight of her own bandaged wrists. It was only light bandaging, but it made it look like she was a suicide attempt. She took a shuddering breath before sipping greedily at the water. Once slated, she sighed. “I think finding the rope in my lap and the marks on my body nearly broke my mind. I can’t do this anymore. I need help.”
Kellie took her hand. “We’re working on that. Detective Brooks has been here and is on it. If you’re up to it, we’ve worked out some questions that might help, if you can try to answer them. You think you can?”
Charlie sat up a little straighter. “I can try.”
Pulling her phone out, Kellie opened the note taking app and the list of questions. “At the Halloween party, could you tell if the person who grabbed you was taller than you?”
She concentrated on the moment. Panic filled her at the remembered fear. She tried to look past the fear to notice details that she had shut out in the moment. She remembered the arms around her holding her own against her sides. They grabbed higher up her arms. “I think taller. But that’s not saying much since I’m only 5’3”.
Kellie made a note of it. “Okay…was there any particular smell? Cologne, perfume, or distinctive body odor?”
In her mind, the hand was back over her face. The suffocating feeling of trying to breathe around it made her heart monitor beep faster from the memory. “Hot dogs. I know it’s odd…but hot dogs. On their hands.”
“Not odd…Sabrina had hot dogs as some of the food! This person had eaten at the party! Good clue, sis!” She made a note in the app and slowly murmured under her breath. “Hot dog hands. Okay, their voice. Was there anything memorable?”
I’m having so much fun with you. “It was just a whispered rasp. Two sentences. Nothing distinguishable.” She gestured helplessly. “It could have been you for all I could tell. It was like a stage whisper you’d use at a concert or a movie. Just enough to be heard.” Another sensory detail came swimming forth. She spoke with a burst of energy. “Chocolate. Their breath smelled like chocolate. But with a hint of mint underneath…like they had eaten a peppermint patty or an Andes mint.”
“Oooooo! This is like the movies! Great memory!” Kellie made more notes. “Their hands. Do you remember them at all…besides the hot dog smell?”
“They needed lotion but were fairly smooth. Does that make sense? I remember a roughness but not a terribly calloused roughness against my face.”
“Hmmm.” She made a note. After, she looked and saw that they had run out of questions but there was one she had of her own. She cut her eyes at her sister. “Was it Dean?”
“NO!” Charlie glared at Kellie who just shrugged.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes! I wish you would leave him alone.”
“You admit you don’t know who it is. In fact, when you talked about the voice, you admit
ted it could have been me. So, is he completely above suspicion? No chance at all? Beyond all shadow of a doubt? Come hell or high water? Under absolutely NO circumstances?” Charlie took a breath to deny again, but Kellie put her hand up. “Before you answer, at least be honest with yourself.”
Charlie sat glaring at her sister. She knew if she didn’t at least pretend to consider it, Kellie would begin to argue why it could be him. “I don’t think it’s him.” Kellie began to protest just as she knew she would, but she put up a hand to stop the flow just like Kellie had moments before. “But I will say, since I can’t say with any certainty who it is, that it has the smallest of possibilities that it could have been him.”
Kellie leaned back in her chair with a self-satisfied smile. “Well, FINALLY. She speaks sense! I was wondering if you had lost your ever lovin’ mind.”
“I am in a hospital for observation.” She smirked. “So, junior detective…what are you going to do with my answers?”
“I’m calling Detective Brooks and giving him all that we know. It might not be much, but it may be enough to help. They’ve been in your apartment and at the store taking fingerprints. We all have to go down to the station to give comparison ones. It’s kind of exciting.”
“I’m glad my peril has given you some thrill to your life,” Charlie dripped the words at her.
Kellie wrapped a bubblegum pink curl around her finger. “No more though. I’ve had enough excitement for a while. Let’s cut it out now. My nerves can’t handle much more.”
A male orderly in purple scrubs knocked on the open door. He leaned in pushing wheelchair in front of him. “Miss Ray? Can I come in?”
“Sure.”
He rolled the chair into the room. “We’ve got a sleep study suite set up for you. I’m here to take you down.”
Kellie looked surprised. “But she just woke up. Do you think you’ll be able to get enough information from her?”
He spoke to her as he helped Charlie untangle and get out of the bed. Charlie vaguely noticed his ID badge announced him as Colin Daniels. “Yes, ma’am. We’re going to give her something to help her rest. It doesn’t affect the test.” His hands discreetly made sure that the back of her gown was closed as she moved off of the bed.
Kellie didn’t seem satisfied. “Well, should I wait for her here?”
He smiled as Charlie settled into the seat. “Sure. It will be several hours though. We try to do a full night’s sleep. Six hours, at least.”
“Oh. Well, maybe I should go home and come back in the morning.” Disappointment weighted her words. She shrugged at her sister. “I’ve got to call the detective anyway. I’ll let everyone know what’s going on so that they don’t just pop in up here.”
“Thank you, Kell. I love you.” Colin was already turning her to roll her out the door. Charlie was facing the hall and nearly to the door when Kellie called back to her.
“I love you too.” She patted the bed and pulled at the covers in a small attempt to straighten up a bit wondering at the etiquette you were supposed to use at a hospital. Feeling at a loss, she awkwardly gathered her things together before taking out her phone and dialing Detective Brooks’ number.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FOUR
Testing
After explaining the procedures, Colin began putting dots of a putty-like paste in Charlie’s hair and attaching wires in the mess. She held the long leads in her lap as he worked. They reminded her of a bundle of multi-colored angel hair pasta…or maybe long hanks of stiffened yarn. The feeling of someone doing things to her hair and head always soothed her and, despite her earlier sleep, she found herself going drowsy. “Have you given me anything yet?”
His chuckle was nice. It rumbled deeply in his chest next to her shoulder. “No. I think that a lot of people like this part and find it calming.”
She fiddled with the wires. “Will you be the one watching me sleep?”
“No, ma’am. There’s a tech that’ll be here in a minute. Her shift doesn’t start for another fifteen minutes. I’m just getting you ready for her. Now, once I’m done with these, there are ones that go in more delicate areas. You want to wait for Denise to attach those or are you okay with me doing it?”
“I’m not too anxious. It will be okay.”
He continued until Charlie resembled Medusa. “I’ll take those now.” He indicated the wires in her lap. She handed them up and he smoothed them into a long ponytail-like cord that he hung over the back of the chair. “I’m going to loosen the back of your gown, okay?” She nodded. His hands gently untied the top three ties at the back of her hospital gown and he slid it down her shoulders. Being very careful of her modesty, he reached just inside to place a bit of putty followed by a suction cup looking thing that he attached another wire that snapped into the center. He followed that pattern until she had several on her torso as well.
Once he was done, he walked across the room and picked up a couple of belt-like contraptions. “What are those?”
He lifted them for her to better see. “These are to monitor your breathing. One will be around your ribs and the other around your belly. For your comfort, I’ll let you thread them around inside your gown and I’ll just close them in the back.” He stood behind her and gave her the first one through the back of her gown. She slipped it round and pulled it out in the back. “Women are always better at that than my men patients are.”
Charlie laughed. “Bras. It comes with the territory.” She took the other one and shimmied it around lower than the first. Once they were closed, he helped her get them into correct position.
“That’s really it until you get into bed. Then we attach the wires to the equipment and place a clip to monitor your heart rate and the oxygen in your blood on either your finger or your ear. We have both options.” He began picking up the bits of paper he had torn from the backs of the suction cups. “You want to watch some television or read a bit? Denise will give you your sedative and get this show on the road.”
Charlie shifted in her chair. “Isn’t TV bad for sleep? Something about blue light?”
He shook an admiring finger at her. “You’re good. Yes, it usually is. But, since you’re getting sedated, it’s not going to matter much. Your call.”
“I didn’t bring anything to read.”
He opened a drawer in the dresser nearby. “Oh, we’ve got all kinds of things. I’ve got magazines here, there’s the Bible, I have a couple of mysteries, some romances…take your pick!”
She made a face. “I don’t think a mystery would be a good idea right now. Maybe a magazine.”
He pulled out several of different subjects and placed them on the edge of the bed. “I’m gonna go ahead and go. You can get in bed. Just be careful not to pull any wires out while getting in. Denise should be here before too long. You need anything else before I go?”
She glanced around and saw a pitcher of water and a glass and the bathroom was to her right. “I don’t think so. Thank you, Colin.”
His hand on the knob, he turned. “Oh, no problem. I hope you have a good sleep, Miss Ray. Good night.”
“Good night.”
The door closed behind him with a click.
Charlie stood up and walked to the edge of the bed. While reaching for the magazines, she noticed the bandages on her wrists again. Her fingers floated over the edges and pulled at them lightly until she could see what was beneath. Deep gouges from her fingernails marked the skin. She reached up and found the ring of similar bandage across her neck. Her stomach clenched uncomfortably, and a bubble of fear made its way up her spine. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on her breathing like she did when she actually showed up for her yoga class. Denise will be here soon and will sedate me to make this go away. Hang in there.
She looked around the room and marveled at how they had made it appear as comfortable as a bed and breakfast. She guessed it was all for the benefit of getting the best results on the sleep test…make it as homey as possible. Somethin
g was missing though. No phone. Her eyes scanned for other differences. There was a box of tissues, lotion, warm socks, extra blankets…and several camera lenses. They were subtle, but they were there. Panic choked her.
A hard rap on the door behind her made her leap out of her skin. A female voice crossed through the wood. “Miss Ray? I’m your tech for the night. May I come in?”
Charlie unclenched her hands and took a deep breath. She was surprised by how normal her own voice sounded. “Yes. Come on in.”
From the sound of her knock on the door, Charlie half expected a large, round, older woman and was startled by the perky little blond that peeked through the gap before opening the door completely. “Hey! I’m Denise. I’ll be your stewardess on this flight.” She giggled at her own joke as she offered a hand to Charlie who shook it with a slight smile. Denise screwed up her face a bit. “Stewardess is politically incorrect now, isn’t it? What are we supposed to say?” She looked at the floor before snapping her fingers. “Flight attendant. That’s it. I need to upgrade my humor! So, how are you this evening? Besides feeling ‘wired?’” Again, she giggled.