The Deadliest Institution Collection

by Holly Copella

  “I’ll just have to stop by when he’s not around,” she said so softly it came out sounding like a sigh. Had she just flirted with him? She’d never before heard her voice sound like that.

  His arms tightened around her waist in a warm embrace, indicating she had, indeed, flirted with him, and he was responding appropriately. “I’d like that,” he replied in a whisper and brushed his lips along her neck.

  Jacey closed her eyes and held her breath. His warm lips and breath on her neck was almost more than she could stand. Her body twitched in response. He gently cleared his throat and suddenly tensed, forcing her back into reality.

  “We, uh, should probably return to the party. I seem to be misbehaving,” he said with a nervous laugh.

  Jacey gently caressed his hand on her abdomen and pressed her back against his body. “So what if you are?” she said softly.

  He was unusually silent. “I don’t want to give you the wrong impression,” he said. “I don’t want you to think I’m like Brian, but it’s difficult to control myself when you’re so warm and receptive.” He fidgeted. “I really want a relationship with you.”

  He gently kissed her neck while breathing heavily. Jacey released a sharp breath and clutched his hand. Her heart pounded harshly in her chest. Maxwell became motionless then groaned.

  “So much for dignity and grace,” he said lowly with the sound of embarrassment.

  Jacey turned in his arms, uncertainly placed her hands on his chest, and stared into his eyes. “I’d really like to get to know you, Maxwell.”

  Maxwell inhaled deeply; appearing almost relieved, and searched her eyes. “You would?”

  She nodded.

  He smiled timidly and looked down with embarrassment. “I guess there’s something to be said for making a fool of oneself,” he said with a soft chuckle. He then looked into her eyes. “Let’s not go back to the party. Let’s just stay here.” His eyes then widened with concern. “I wasn’t suggesting sex,” he said defensively and became tense. “I just meant to spend time alone together.”

  Jacey smiled warmly and felt her cheeks blush. “I knew what you meant,” she said gently. “I’d like that.”

  He appeared relieved and exhaled softly. “Why don’t you wait here? I’ll go downstairs and find a bottle of champagne.”

  She nodded.

  He released her and backed away. “Promise you won’t go anywhere?”

  “I promise,” she said with a tiny laugh.

  Maxwell turned and hurried from the room with a lively gate. Jacey gently bit her lower lip while grinning then removed her hairpins, allowing her hair to fall to her shoulders. Jacey looked at the folder Maxwell had given her. She opened it and sifted through some of the papers. Jacey looked over the police report from the night of the fire and the murder of Kate Asher. It gave a detailed account of what had happened--even better than what the papers had said. She read the papers and scanned Asher’s statement from his hospital bed. He’d arrived at the institution at 11:30 and had been in the second floor lounge until 11:45 when he reported hearing someone in the hallway. He left the lounge to see what had happened. He heard the page for security and moments later a fire call, which prompted him to return to the first floor to find Kate. The smoke became thicker. When he reached the first floor, there was a blaze at the end of the hall. There were nurses, orderlies, and patients coming from rooms everywhere. He found Kate murdered in the archives on the first floor a little after midnight. He had passed out from the smoke and firefighter’s rescued him.

  Jameson’s version was similar but from a different point of view. He made rounds, securing the second floor, and ran into Kate on the first floor around 11:35. She said she was going to the archives. He went for coffee then went to patrol the first floor at about 11:50. He entered the archives to check on Kate and found her murdered. Hal Burgess attacked him and escaped. He immediately phoned Dr. Talbert, who instructed him to make a security call and locate the patient. He made the fire call at midnight. Roseanne told the same story as well. Kate left the nurse’s station at 11:20 for her last rounds, which was fifteen minutes later than usual for Kate. At 11:30, Asher arrived, talked to Roseanne, and went for a cigarette in the lounge. At 11:55, Roseanne entered the second floor lounge with coffee for Asher, but he wasn’t there. She heard the fire call and ran from the room.

  Dr. Talbert had been in his office most of the evening. He received a phone call from Jameson at 11:50 and told him to call for a security check. He heard a noise in the hall and discovered the second floor linen closet had been set on fire. He attempted to put out the flames. He battled the fire until he heard the fire call on both levels then immediately began evacuating patients. Jacey lowered the papers and sighed sadly. She knew it must have been hell on Asher that night as well as those who attempted to rescue patients. Jacey paused and lifted the papers once more. She scanned several lines. Her eyes narrowed.

  “You lied,” she whispered softly while staring at the papers. “But why?” Jacey remained deep in thought a moment. Her eyes widened. She tossed the papers down and ran from the room.

  †

  Brenda giggled as she walked down the narrow steps beyond the hidden doorway into the secret sub-basement with Brian just behind her. She entered the brightly lit surgical room and stared at the medical equipment on a rolling table used for surgery. It was the same room as in the pictures Monique found.

  “What is this place?” she asked and looked back at Brian.

  “Looks like an operating room to me,” he replied simply then laughed. “Secluded though. Like a secret lab.”

  Brenda shook her head while grinning. “Must be, considering it was hidden within the wall. What do you suppose they did here?” she asked. She removed her cell phone without Brian’s knowledge and took a picture when he wasn’t looking.

  “Probably conducted experiments on the mental patients,” Brian teased while running his finger along the surgical table. “Who knows? Doc never told us about this room. I’m assuming he didn’t even know about it when he bought the place. Maybe they gave electric shock treatments here or did their lobotomies,” he teased with a soft laugh.

  “That’s gross,” Brenda replied firmly. She continued to look around the sterile equipment in plastic covers and the shiny, metal examination table with its leather restraints.

  “I thought if Doc didn’t know about this room, I’d clean it up, put in some furniture, and make it my secret room.” He laughed. “It’d give me someplace to hide where the others couldn’t find me.”

  Brenda ran her finger over the examination table then looked at the door on the opposite wall. “Where does that go?”

  “A secret morgue,” he said with a chuckle. “Want to see it?”

  Brenda cringed. “No, thanks.”

  Brian placed his arms around her waist and pulled her close. “How’d you like to be tied down on my table while I give you a full body exam?”

  She giggled and clung to his neck. “Sounds kinky.” She glanced at the leather wrist and ankle straps attached to the table then looked back at him. “But I think you’d better put a blanket down. Looks kind of cold.”

  Brian glanced at the table and smiled. “You’re probably right. No point in torturing you while I’m torturing you. I think there are some blankets in storage in the basement upstairs. I’ll be right back.” Brian kissed her quickly then hurried from the room.

  Brenda immediately removed her cell phone and photographed every corner of the room. The room was very quiet. Sounds from the party couldn’t be heard within the basement or the secret room in the sub-basement. Brenda stared at the door to the morgue for a long moment. She approached the door, hesitated, and then opened it slowly. The room was completely dark. She felt the inner wall and turned on the lights. The room became bright. Brenda jumped to the sight of a sheet-covered gurney along the left side of the room. Four morgue freezer doors encompassed the back wall. There was a small, old elevator to the right. Brenda took m
ore pictures with her cell phone and grinned with a slight grimace. She was obviously pleased with her discovery. She slowly walked into the room and looked at the freezer doors. She appeared to consider opening them, grinned slyly, and reached for the first door. Brenda pulled on the lever. There was a loud, vacuum sound, followed by a cloud of cold, foul smelling air. Derek Falcone lie on the tray with a blood-soaked sheet wrapped around his body. His eyes were rolled back, and his mouth hung open. Brenda screamed, slammed the freezer door, and jumped back with a horrified look on her face. She stared at the closed door as the cold air dissipated and held her chest a moment. She glanced at her cell phone then looked back at the freezer door. Brenda took a deep breath and again opened the door to reveal Derek on the slab. Her cell phone trembled in her hand as she took several pictures. The fear was evident in her eyes, but she wasn’t about to give up this amazing opportunity. She took a deep breath and uncertainly pulled the sheet from his body. His throat had been slit so deep, he was nearly decapitated.

  The gruesomeness of his injuries was evident by the wideness of her eyes as she stared with horror. She nervously took several pictures, making certain to get close-ups of the graphic wound. As Brenda continued to take pictures with her cell phone, a shadow loomed over her. She suddenly hesitated and uncertainly looked behind her, undoubtedly expecting to see Brian. Her startled look immediately turned to horror. She was suddenly shoved backward against the metal freezer doors by a hand in a bloodstained surgical glove. She fought the hand that pinned her to the freezer by her throat as a stained scalpel appeared in the attacker’s other hand. She stared at the scalpel, gasped with horror, and attempted to scream as it plunged into the side of her neck. Her cell phone dropped from her hand. She struggled only a moment as the blood erupted from the wound on her neck. The scalpel was dragged hard and deep across her throat as her thrashing slowed. The gloved hand released her, and she immediately sank to the floor.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Monique and Coleen wandered around the maze of old mattresses and furniture in the main basement. The basement was an assortment of large rooms with doorways leading to other rooms. One could easily get lost for hours. Each room appeared to look alike with its piled junk and cobwebs.

  “This place gives me the creeps,” Coleen said while looking around. “There must be stairs somewhere.”

  Monique looked around then suddenly felt her wrist. “Damn it, I lost my bracelet.” She looked around the dark floor. It could be anywhere. “That was my good luck bracelet too.” She then looked across the room and pointed. “There’s the elevator.”

  Both girls hurried toward the elevator and pushed the button. They waited several minutes but the elevator never came. They finally realized the button didn’t light either.

  “Let’s go back,” Coleen suggested. “We’ll demand to see Jacey or Doc.”

  “We could, if I knew which way was back,” Monique replied. “I don’t know where we are.”

  “We’re below the lounge,” Coleen replied. “That’s where the elevator is on the first floor. I remember that.” She then frowned. “I think I remember Timon saying the elevator didn’t work.”

  “There has to be a stairway somewhere,” Monique remarked with a defeated sigh.

  They continued to walk through the basement. Coleen stopped Monique and nodded toward a door.

  “Maybe that’s a way out,” Coleen suggested.

  They hurried toward the door. On the frosted glass window was the word, ‘morgue’. Monique looked at Coleen.

  “That’s a way out alright,” Monique muttered and walked away.

  Coleen opened the door and turned on the light. Monique returned and looked into the room over her shoulder. There were six freezers built into the back wall and several gurneys lined the wall to the right. An old privacy screen was against the left wall.

  “Creepy,” Coleen breathed.

  “They’re empty,” Monique said lowly. “Don’t be such a baby.”

  Coleen looked at her blonde friend. “Oh? And how do you know they didn’t forget someone when they left? Jacey said they shut the place down in a hurry.”

  “I think they’d know if they’d misplaced a corpse,” Monique remarked lowly.

  “I’ve heard of hospitals losing bodies before,” Coleen replied. “It could happen.”

  Monique stared at the privacy screen against the wall. She walked toward it and pushed it aside to reveal a small freight elevator.

  “Coleen, over here,” Monique called out.

  Coleen approached as Monique pressed the button. The doors opened. The small elevator was only halfway to their floor and halfway below their floor. Both looked at each other.

  “I think Doc was taken for a ride on this place,” Coleen remarked.

  “Just get in,” Monique announced with a groan.

  Coleen took a deep breath then sat on the floor and slid in through the small opening to the elevator. Monique followed. They stood in the small elevator that was barely big enough to fit an orderly and a stretcher. Monique was about to press the unmarked button when Coleen stopped her and pointed down to the opening near their feet. There was light coming from the opening below.

  “What do you suppose is down there?” Coleen asked.

  Monique shrugged. “We’re in the basement already. There shouldn’t be anything below us.”

  “I’m telling you there is. I can see a light,” Coleen informed her.

  Monique lowered herself to her hands and knees and looked through the narrow opening below them. There was a metal gate just below and a light shinned through. Monique straightened on her knees and looked at Coleen.

  “It appears to be a room. If there’s a light on, that must mean someone is down there,” Monique informed her. “Should we try down?”

  Coleen nodded. Monique stood and pressed the bottom, unmarked button. There was a grinding sound but nothing happened. She sighed and extended her hand to the narrow opening at the bottom on the elevator.

  “After you,” Monique said.

  Coleen chuckled with a nervous smile. “No, after you.”

  Monique again lowered herself, pulled open the gate with some effort, and slid her legs though the opening while on her belly. The opening was almost too narrow for her to fit. She held on to the elevator floor with her elbows and attempted to look behind her to see where she’d land. She couldn’t see anything past her own dangling legs. She pushed herself out and caught the elevator with her hands then dropped to the floor. Monique caught her balance and looked into the open elevator shaft before her. Fortunately, it would only have been a five-foot drop down had she missed the floor. Monique turned around and almost collided with Brian. Monique screamed. She clutched her chest and stared at him while he studied the opening from which she’d appeared.

  “Monique,” Coleen cried out from the elevator while attempting to peer through the opening. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

  “You scared me,” Monique gasped.

  Monique then looked around the room. They were in the sub-basement morgue where Brian had left Brenda. All four freezer doors were closed, and there wasn’t a trace of blood to be found along the floor.

  “Another morgue!” Monique cried out with horror.

  “What are you doing?” Brian asked with surprise. He looked up to the opening as Coleen peered out.

  Coleen saw him looking at her and screamed with surprise.

  “Where did you come from? I thought you were staying at Jacey’s,” Brian remarked then looked back at the opening. “Come down from there before you get hurt.”

  Coleen slid through the opening as Brian assisted her down.

  “It’s really a long story,” Monique said with an embarrassed smile. “Is Professor here?”

  Brian released Coleen and looked back at Monique with apparent confusion. “I thought he was with you at Jacey’s,” he remarked. “When he didn’t show for the party, we assumed he made an escape.”

  Both g
irls stared at him with concern on their faces. “That’s part of the long story,” Monique told him. “He fell off his horse. We went for help, but when we returned, he was gone. The van was still at Jacey’s house, but he wasn’t there either.”

  “We should probably call Shelly and see if he was taken to the nearest hospital,” Coleen suggested.

  Monique nodded.

  Brian stared at them with his mouth hanging open and appeared concerned. “How bad was he hurt?”

  “Not too bad,” Coleen informed him. “But he was pinned under a tree. He may have broken his leg.”

  “We can’t imagine him walking far on his own,” Monique explained.

  Brian nodded. “We’d better find out what happened to him,” he announced then tilted his head and appeared curious. “You didn’t happen to see a woman with black hair wearing a red dress, did you?”

  Both shook their heads. “No, why?” Coleen asked.

  “She was here a minute ago,” he explained. “When I came back, she was gone.”

  Coleen’s eyes widened. “Just like Professor!”

  “Don’t get hysterical on me,” Brian remarked simply. “I’m sure she had second thoughts and went back to the party.” He motioned for them to follow. “I’ll take you back upstairs.”

  Monique and Coleen followed him from the morgue to the surgical lab. A close-up of one of the morgue doors revealed blood dripping from the opening into a small puddle on the floor. None had noticed. As they entered the surgical room, Monique stopped and looked around with apparent surprise.

  “Coleen,” she gasped and removed the photos from her back pocket. “Look, it’s the room.”

  Coleen compared the pictures to the room with which they stood. Brian approached.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked with a curious tilt of his head.

  Monique showed him the photos. “We found these.”