“Hey, old boy. You look good.” Brad boomed congenially when we walked in. “I can’t believe how far you’ve come. You gave us a good scare buddy.”
Nathan smiled at Brad, but I could see the confusion in his eyes. My heart sank into the pit of my stomach. Irene leaned in a little closer and kissed Nate on the top of the head. I had to take several deep breaths to maintain my composure.
“Good morning, Officer. Am I under arrest? Or, are we old friends?” Nathan said with a chuckle.
At least he was taking it all with a sense of humor, that gave me hope that my Nathan was in there somewhere fighting to get out. What didn’t give me hope was that Brad and I’s presence didn’t spark his memory. The man who was supposed to be my husband would walk out of the hospital today with the ex-girlfriend who’d tried to kill him more than once.
“We’re old friends,” Brad said and stuck out his hand for Nathan to shake. “But, I’m glad to meet you all over again.”
“Thank you for coming to see me.” Nathan was looking at me when he said this, and I could swear I saw a flash of something that looked like recognition in his eyes. “Oh, I remember you.”
My heart hammered in my chest at this revelation. Could it be? Was it all going to come flooding back to him at the very last moment. I was ready to pounce on him and cover his face with kisses.
“You were in here earlier, right? You’re the nurse.”
That felt like a punch to my gut. What I wanted to do was rush to Irene and choke the life out of her, but instead, I smiled, and sort of nodded my head.
“I’m not a nurse. I’m an investigative journalist, but I’m friends with Brad here and your Dad. You and I were friends too before you got hurt.”
“That’s right. You’re the funny one with the jokes about us being engaged.” That made Irene shoot me a look that could have killed.
“Hey, Nate. How about Lenny and I make sure you get home alright? Or better yet, why don’t we talk about you staying in the hospital until the doctors say it’s cool for you to go home?” Brad interjected.
I’m sure he could feel the rage tinged sadness pouring off me. I was starting to wonder how I was supposed to make it through this ordeal.
Right on cue, Nate’s doctor walked into the room looking annoyed and dismayed. He had the paperwork in hand so that Nathan could sign himself out of the hospital against medical advice.
“I need a moment alone with my patient.” The doctor said gruffly.
Irene didn’t budge.
“I mean you too.” The doctor said as he eyed Irene suspiciously.
“I’m staying. We’re going to be married.” She said and patted Nathan on the head like he was a dog.
“You’re not married now, and Nathan is legally not of sound mind right now. Please leave so that I can speak with him, or I’ll call security.”
“It’s okay, Pumpkin. I’ll tell you everything later. Just wait outside for me, please.”
We all filed out into the hallway, and Irene stood down the hall from Brad, Lincoln, and me. A couple of times she looked like she intended to approach us, but Brad and Lincoln both glared at her until she turned around and faced the other way. I was surprised that was all it took to keep her at bay, but I guess she knew that we were going to do whatever it took to get rid of her.
Even a dark witch knew to step carefully around the law. If Brad found the evidence to arrest her or Lincoln got a restraining order, it would’ve thrown at least a temporary wrench in her plans.
The doctor came out and shook his head no to Lincoln. He had the signed paperwork in his hand, and Irene had what she needed to take Nathan away from us.
Chapter Six
The next few days were some of the worst of my life. Brad would drop in on Nathan daily to check on him, and he’d call me to tell me that Nate was all right. It wasn’t enough, but it had to be.
Of course, just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, they did. I got the call in the afternoon right after I’d left the office for the day. My next big story hadn’t found me yet, so I’d been working on answering column letters.
The last thing I expected was to get thrown into another chaotic situation. I was mourning Nathan half the time and the other half of the time, I was trying to figure out how to help him. Esme and I were trying to find the right spell to unlock his mind and drive Irene away.
That phone call made driving Irene away unnecessary. Nathan called me in a complete panic because he’d come home from a physical therapy session and found Irene dead on the kitchen floor.
My first thought was the desire to ask him why Irene wasn’t taking him to physical therapy and driving him home, but I already knew the answer to that. My second thought was about how interesting it was that the dark magic she’d committed her life to hadn’t saved her.
“You’re calling me.” I gasped into the phone. “Does that mean you remember me?”
“I remember you from the hospital, Lenny. To be honest, I don’t know why I called you. It just felt like the right thing to do.”
Well, that was progress. I’d take it.
“Have you called the police yet?”
“No, I’m so confused, Lenny.” He sounded lost, and it broke my heart.
“I’ll call the police, and I can come over if you want.” I offered.
“Yes, please do that. My Dad and Helen had to go home yesterday, and I’m all alone. I’m sitting outside on the curb because I can’t be inside with the…”
“I’ll be right there.”
Brad was able to keep them from arresting Nate, but he told me he wasn’t sure how long it would stay that way. He was the first and prime suspect until proven otherwise.
While the police interviewed Nathan, I called his father. Lincoln was more than relieved to hear of Irene’s passing. He’d also been happy to hear that Nate had called me for help. It’d been a sign that his son’s memory was trying to surface in Lincoln’s opinion, and I wanted to agree with him.
Lincoln asked me to look out for Nate as much as I could. He said to call him as soon as Nathan’s memory returned as he’d become confident it would.
When everyone was gone, Nathan sat down on his sofa and stared at the wall for a few minutes. Several times he looked as though he had been about to say something, but nothing came out.
“Are you alright?” I finally worked up the courage to ask.
“I should feel sad, Lenny. I know that I need to be upset, but instead, I feel…” He hesitated. “Relieved? That doesn’t make any sense.”
But, I knew it did. Nate’s conscious mind had been afflicted with amnesia, but apparently, his subconscious was intact. I debated whether or not to tell him the truth about Irene. He was in a fragile state mentally, but with Irene gone, she couldn’t sink her claws into him anymore.
So, I did. I had faith in myself and in Nate’s subconscious mind. I knew on the outer layer, he’d reject what I had to say. But, I also knew that deep down, my words would connect with him.
When I was done, his eyes were a bit watery, and his jaw was hanging open. Nathan shook his head in disbelief, but I could see the gears in his head turning.
“Why didn’t you tell me all of this back at the hospital?” He whispered. “Why didn’t my Dad tell me?”
“Would you have believed us?” I asked gently.
“No.”
“That’s why. We were worried that we’d lose you forever. Your Dad and I didn’t want to make you hate us. Lincoln and Helen were working behind the scenes to find a lawyer to help you even if you didn’t want our help, but that was the best we could do.”
“I don’t remember any of the things you’re telling me happening. My mind has an entirely different version of the past. Perhaps I only remember good things, and maybe my brain is filling in the rest?”
“That could be. It’s just so strange that when Irene died, the spell she had over you didn’t disappear?”
“What do you mean spell?” Nate had coc
ked his head to the side curiously.
“Nothing.” I couldn’t tell him about that right now. “I just meant that I wish your memory would have come back.”
“Me too.” He said with a soft smile. “It seems like I had a great life before I got hurt. So, you guys really think she’s the one who ran me over?”
All I could do was nod my head yes because I began to cry big, ugly tears. Nathan’s life was good before he was severely injured, and no one knew how much of that life he’d be able to get back.
“I’m here for you, no matter what. Even if you never remember me or our relationship, I’ll never stop loving you. I’d rather have you in my life as a friend than not at all.” I said.
Nathan fought to stand up, but he walked over to me and offered me his hand. That was pure Nate. He wanted to help me stand up even when he was struggling to get his own body to do basic tasks. I took it and allowed him to help pull me up.
Nathan wrapped his arms around me and hugged me as tightly as he could. “I really hope I can remember you soon.” He whispered.
I was just about to respond when there was a pounding at the door. I didn’t know who it could be, and dread filled me as I imagined the police coming back to arrest Nathan.
“I’ll get it. You sit down and rest.” It was evident that standing up and hugging me had taken a lot out of Nate physically.
When I opened the door, the flashing lights blinded me for a moment. I put my hand up to shield my eyes from the dozen or so reporters who were camped out on Nathan’s lawn. The story of Irene’s death had caught the eye of the press, and there was a media frenzy about to explode.
Chapter Seven
“So, they’re saying that he faked the amnesia to get revenge on Irene?” Esme said before sipping her mocha.
“Yeah. That’s the current story making its way through the papers, and it’s all over the internet too.” I answered.
“I could totally understand if he had done that.” She said with a chuckle. “Do the police think that’s what happened too, or is it just the press?”
“I don’t know. As far as I can tell, the police haven’t done much with the case beyond the first day. Does Brad know anything? Anything he’d maybe tell his girlfriend and not me?” I asked hopefully.
“Lenny, you know he’d tell you something way before he told me. You’re the responsible one, after all.” She said and rolled her eyes playfully. “He doesn’t know anything, Lenny. Brad’s not allowed anywhere near anything to do with Irene’s death since he’s close friends with a suspect.”
“Two suspects,” I said flatly.
“What?” Esme asked with a furrowed brow.
“You know that’s where this is headed next. Me, Esme. The jilted ex. If the police don’t say it, the press will when they get tired of blaming Nate. The next round of stories is going to be about me and how I killed Irene to get Nathan back.”
“Did you?”
“Esme.” I scolded.
“I wouldn’t be mad. Well, I’d be mad that you didn’t let me help.”
“Me too.” Jezebel chimed in from under the table.
We had to come up with a plan. I couldn’t just sit around doing nothing while the press crucified Nathan and the police didn't do anything. Esme agreed. She had the next couple of days off work, and a burning desire to make someone pay for hurting Nathan.
“We’re going to go to the hospital where they kept Irene.” Esme blurted out.
“Why would we do that?” I asked skeptically.
“I don’t know. Maybe there is info on Irene we can use there. It doesn’t hurt to cover all of our bases.”
“Esme, I think you just like burglary.”
“Don’t forget necromancy.” She laughed at that.
“You’re too much. But, anyway, it doesn’t make any sense to break into the mental hospital. What could we possibly gain by doing that?”
“I have no idea.” She announced proudly. “But, sometimes the things that don’t make any sense turn out to be the solution.”
She was right, but there was no way I was going to admit that. “You stole that from a software commercial or something, didn’t you?”
“Finish your coffee, Lenora. We’re going on a road trip.”
We decided to take my Jeep since it was bigger. It also meant that I had to drive. I wanted to be with Nathan, but I didn’t feel right inviting myself over to his house.
With Irene gone, he had been getting a lot more rest. Apparently, she’d been keeping him from the respite and relaxation he needed to heal. She somehow managed to keep Nathan constantly attentive to her needs. That would change with her gone. Brad, Esme, and I would take good care of him even if he couldn’t remember us. We were all friends for a reason, and those reasons hadn’t changed.
The drive took us just under three hours since we stopped twice for bathroom breaks and beef jerky. It was still daylight when we arrived, and Esme thought we should find something to do until it got dark. For some reason, she was bent on breaking into the place after the sun went down.
“I have an idea.” I offered.
“What’s that,” Esme responded before shoving a huge piece of peppered jerky into her mouth.
“Why don’t we go in and ask for help.”
“Boo. Boring.”
“It’s either that or we sit in the car and wait. If they don't help us, even with a bit of magical persuasion, we’ll come back after dark and break in.”
“You promise?” She asked and held out her pinky.
“Pinkie swear.” I hooked my pinky finger through hers.
“You realize that if you break that, I get to turn you into a llama.”
“Let’s just go inside, weirdo.” I teased, but I was so glad I had Esme here at my side.
I knew that I had to pull myself together because Esme and I had to act like we belonged there. People will answer your questions as long as you don’t give them a reason to think they shouldn’t.
“We need some sort of credentials,” I said as we stopped in the narrow entryway. “We need to be psychiatrists.”
“You should have said something in the car. I could have whipped something up.”
“Oh, Dr. Nicholson. I’ve forgotten my credentials in the car.” I said in a loud, overly exaggerated tone before giving Esme a wink.
“Nicholson?” She asked as we walked back to the Jeep.
“I came up with it on the fly. Cut me some slack.”
Back at the Jeep, and away from prying eyes, Esme used a glamor spell to turn our driver’s licenses into badges from the psychiatric department at the hospital where she worked.
“Isn’t that dangerous? You work there for real.”
“Probably.” She said matter-of-factly. “But, this will most likely help.”
Esme waved her hand in front of her face, and she started to morph into an old woman with a tight bun and lined face. She smiled mischievously, and I could still see Esme behind her eyes.
“What about me? I’m sure there are cameras in there.” I said.
“There you go.” She said after waving her hand in front of my face.
“What do I look like?” I said excitedly.
I started to open the sun visor to get a look at myself in the mirror and Esme slammed it shut. “You’d better not.”
“What have you done?”
“We’re burning daylight, sister. Let’s do this thing.”
Esme jumped out of the Jeep and started for the hospital entrance. I debated for a moment whether to look or not and ultimately decided to let it go.
When we got inside Esme navigated her way straight into and administrator’s office. We were sitting out in Dr. Carmichael’s waiting room for fifteen minutes before she invited us in to chat.
I wish I had better news, but she took one look at us and said that she’d have to verify our credentials before giving us any information. Esme and I beat feet out of the hospital in a hurry after thanking her profusely for her ti
me and professional assistance.
“So, we’re breaking in?” Esme asked eagerly.
“Looks that way,” I answered with an eye roll.
I wasn’t as excited as Esme about breaking into a mental hospital at night. Especially one as old as Northview West. It’s not that I was afraid of ghosts or the dark, but there had to be some bad spirits in there since there had been an entire wing dedicated to the criminally insane for at least seventy-five years.
“We’ll need new disguises when we break in. These identities are tied to the hospital where I work, but in order to do more glamor magic, I need something to eat. I can’t do spells without enough carbs.” Esme said.
I was going to ask her if she was serious, but I could tell that would be a mistake. The woman was hangry, and it appeared that if I didn’t get her some French fries or pasta fast, she would have eaten me alive.
“We have some time until dark. I saw a restaurant on the way here.”
The restaurant had a dish called a horseshoe that sounded perfect for us. If you don’t know what that is, it’s toast with a hamburger patty, French fries, and cheese sauce piled on top. You can also get other meats like a fried chicken fillet or ham instead of the burger. It’s the perfect way to fuel up for spell casting and breaking and entering.
While we ate, I told Esme the story about Sally’s house and what I’d experienced there. Her eyes lit up, and I knew we’d be taking another road trip soon.
“You got to exorcise a demon from a house? That’s so not fair. Next time you better tell me about it so I can go too.”
“You had work, Esme, and Sally needed help right away. I think the lack of sleep was killing her.” I said.
“I’ve got vacation days.”
After we had eaten, I called Nate to check in on him. He said that Brad was coming over to bring him some dinner in a little while, and he asked if I would be over tonight as well. I told him that I was working on a story, but that I’d come to his place as soon as I was done working.
Brewing Boys Page 5