The Deadliest Institution Collection

by Holly Copella

  Unfortunately, she was one of Tyler’s creations, easily recognized by the heavy and unrealistic makeup. Devon placed some turpentine on the rag, crouched alongside the begging woman, and attempted to clean her excessively painted face. Devon wasn’t sure how many layers of paint she removed before finally reaching the base coat. Once she finished removing the excess makeup from the begging woman, she sat back on her feet and eyed the woman braced against the pillar only a foot or two away from her. She noticed the woman’s legs below the light brown skirt she wore.

  There was a strange indent on her calf that traveled a few inches downward. Devon ran her finger along the indent and studied it a long moment. It looked almost like a scar that had been covered over. She again looked up at the wax woman and felt as if something was off. Devon stood, moved closer, and studied the beautiful woman’s face. Something about her seemed familiar, although she had worked on a lot of wax figures in recent weeks, particularly since they’d received the large shipment from the closed museum.

  She stared into the wax woman’s eyes a long moment then eyed the dark hair. The dark hair didn’t seem right. Somehow, Devon felt the woman should be blonde. As Devon continued to stare at the wax woman’s face, something suddenly clicked, and she knew why the face was familiar. She tore the hat from the wax woman’s head then ripped the dark wig off with some effort, revealing golden blonde hair. Devon stared at Chelsea beneath the tan explorer’s costume. She jumped back with a startled, horrified cry and backed into the mummy. She turned with a gasp, scaring herself.

  As the mummy stared back at her through slits in the bandages, she saw something oddly familiar. Devon fumbled with scissors from her pocket, carefully cut the bandages around the head, and practically ripped the bandages off. To her horror, she saw her dead brother staring back at her. She dropped the scissors and gasped with horror as tears filled her eyes.

  “No.”

  She couldn’t tear her eyes away from Martin in his state of wax eternity. Her situation then dawned on her. Devon looked in the general direction of the workshop and stared a moment, wondering if anyone had heard her. She didn’t wait to find out. She took one final look at her brother then ran from the display, away from the workshop, and toward the stairs. She raced up the stone dungeon steps, bolted to the front desk near the main entrance, and grabbed the phone. She punched in several numbers and nervously stared down the walkway as if expecting someone to chase after her. She heard a male voice on the phone.

  “Deputy Havens,” she gasped. “Oh, thank God! I need you to come out here right away--”

  The line went dead. Devon felt her heart skip a beat then pound wildly. She hit several buttons but didn’t get a dial tone. Was it a coincidence that the phone went dead? She doubted it. Devon ran for the main entrance, bolted through the door, and ran across the parking lot to Martin’s blazer. She threw open the door and jumped inside. She felt her pockets and realized she’d left her keys in the workshop. She screamed with frustration and slammed her hands on the steering wheel. She sprang from the car and looked around the vast farmland to the distant lights of town beyond the cornfield. She was completely isolated. She then saw lights from Tony’s funeral home just a cornfield away.

  “Tony,” she gasped then ran across the parking lot for the road.

  Devon ran alongside the cornfield toward the awaiting funeral home while casting several looks behind her. She found it strange that no one was following her. She was almost certain someone should have been following her.

  Chapter Fifty-two

  Devon ran across the funeral home parking lot and noticed Ivy’s jeep was parked out front. She wasn’t sure why Ivy was at the funeral home that time of evening, but she was relieved for the additional support. She ran onto the elegant funeral home porch and tried the door only to discover it was locked. For the first time in his entire career, Tony locked the front door! Why would Tony lock the door while Ivy was visiting? It wasn’t as if they were doing something requiring privacy. She pounded on the door several times, but there was no response. What the hell were they doing in there?

  She looked around with concern, half expecting someone to be chasing her. Devon was almost surprised when she didn’t see anyone, but she still didn’t feel safe. She ran from the porch and hurried to the back of the funeral home, which was where Tony spent most of his time prepping clients. He had to be there. She reached the back door to the prepping room and pounded violently while screaming. The door was almost immediately unlocked and opened. Tony stared at her with some surprise and confusion.

  “Devon?” he practically gasped. “What’s wrong? Are you all right?”

  “No,” she cried out.

  Devon grabbed him, pulled him inside with her, and immediately slammed and locked the door. Tony watched her with confusion and some concern. She cast her back against the door and sobbed while burying her face in her hands as she sank down to the floor.

  Tony kneeled before her and gently touched her arm. “Hey,” he announced in a soothing tone. “Are you okay? What happened? Did someone hurt you?”

  Devon looked at him with a completely shaken expression. “You have to call the police,” she gasped coming back to life. “They need to go to the museum right away.”

  “What? Why?” he gasped. “What happened? What’s going on?”

  “Tell them--tell them they’re using dead people in their displays,” she practically cried out then stared into his eyes with horror. “I found Chelsea and Martin in the mummy display.”

  Tony stared at her as if he hadn’t heard her correctly. “Are you serious?” he nearly choked.

  “Please, just do it.”

  “You think Tyler and Brant--?”

  “Tony, please,” she begged while fighting her tears and frustration.

  Tony nodded and hurried across the room to the wall phone. Devon exhaled a deep, shaken breath and stared at the sheet-covered client on the metal table. Today just wasn’t the day for seeing more dead people. She knew Tony’s job, but somehow she found it unsettling right now. As she stared at the covered client on the table, she saw the chest rise. Devon’s eyes suddenly widened in horror. She slowly stood and continued to stare. She could barely hear Tony talking on the phone over the sound of her heart pounding in her ears. Devon uncertainly approached the table and stared at the sheet-covered body. The head beneath the sheet turned to the side.

  Devon gasped with alarm, catching Tony’s attention while on the phone. He turned and looked at her. Devon snatched the sheet and whipped it off the body. Ivy clutched the nylon rope around her neck and pulled it free while loudly gasping just before she passed out. The horror of seeing her friend lying on the metal table was almost too much. Although she was alive, it made no sense. Devon looked at Tony with a horror she had never known. Tony tossed the phone down and bolted across the room toward her. Devon screamed and jumped backward into the counter, almost uncertain which way to go. Her friend was lying helplessly on the table, but her own life was hanging on the line. Tony snatched the discarded rope from the table near Ivy.

  “How could you?” she cried out with horror, although she knew she should be running. How could she run? She couldn’t just leave her immobile, nearly unconscious friend alone with the man who tried to kill her.

  “Believe me, Devon,” he announced while staring at her. “I didn’t want this to happen.”

  Tony lunged for her with the rope. Devon bolted for the nearby door and attempted to unlock it when the rope circled her neck from behind. Tony pulled on it. Devon clutched the rope and gasped for air. For a moment, she was paralyzed with fear. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind in the moment she thought she was going to die. She decided it wouldn’t be today. Devon went against instinct and released the rope. She rammed her elbow backward into Tony’s mid-section with all of her strength. Tony gasped as the air was knocked from him, forcing him to back up a step and release the rope.

  Devon turned toward the counter, grabbed
a sharp, tube-like instrument, and clutched it in a threatening manner. Tony moved toward her despite the dangerous object in her hand. She screamed in fear and anger while plunging it into his shoulder. He cried out with surprise and pain before stumbling backward. Ivy suddenly wheezed while sitting up on the table. Devon rushed to her side and aggressively pulled her from the table. Ivy’s feet hit the floor, and she immediately collapsed to her knees.

  “Ivy! Get up!” she screamed at her friend, even though she knew it wasn’t Ivy’s fault she was in a weakened condition.

  Ivy clutched Devon’s arm and attempted to do as she said.

  Devon pulled on her arm while screaming. “Get up, damn it! Get up!”

  Tony pulled the instrument from his shoulder, allowing blood to fly from the object as he screamed out in agony. “God damn it!”

  He clutched the sharp instrument in his hand and leaped for Devon. Devon screamed, released Ivy, and jumped backward, out of his path. Ivy collapsed to the floor. Devon hit the counter, momentarily dazing herself, and then bolted across the room.

  “Why’d you have to get involved, Devon?” Tony cried out. “Do you think I really wanted to hurt you? Any of you?”

  Devon scanned the room, not sure which way to go and what to do about Ivy, although she seemed to be his intended target at the moment. If she kept him busy, perhaps Ivy would be able to escape.

  “Then don’t,” Devon cried out.

  “I’m in too deep,” Tony informed her. “I can’t back out now.” He shook his head while giving her a half-crazed yet sympathetic look. “I’m sorry.”

  Tony raised the bloodied instrument and prepared to lunge for her when they heard pounding on the door near her. The door vibrated.

  “Devon? Tony?” Ross cried out from the other side of the door. “What’s going on in there? Open up!”

  “Ross!” she suddenly screamed while feeling her heart racing with fear and hope. “Help us!”

  Tony leaped for Devon to silence her. She screamed and caught his wrist, preventing the instrument from piercing her, although it was dangerously close to her throat. Ivy weakly clutched the metal table for support and attempted to pull herself to her feet. There was a thunderous rumble from outside the door followed by Ross’ loud curse. Devon screamed as Tony overpowered her, moving the instrument closer to her throat. The sound of splintering wood was almost deafening as the door frame cracked. Tony released Devon, who fell backward to the floor, and he turned toward the nearly broken door. As Tony bolted for the door, it flew open with enormous force and struck the opposing wall, shattering the thick, frosted glass. When he saw Devon on the floor, without hesitation, Ross charged into the room. Devon scrambled to her feet as Tony appeared behind Ross.

  “Behind you!”

  Ross spun around with only a split second to spare as Tony plunged downward with the sharp instrument. Ross cried out with horror, stumbled backward to avoid the sharp tube, tumbled over Ivy, and crashed backward onto the floor. As Tony lunged for Ross, Ivy coiled her leg back from her position on the floor and kicked Tony’s knee. Tony cried out in pain, stumbled sideways, and crashed into the counter. Devon and Ross grabbed Ivy by either arm and pulled her to her feet with so much force, she was momentarily airborne. Without hesitation, they practically dragged her out the funeral home door.

  Chapter Fifty-three

  Ross and Devon pulled Ivy across the front parking lot as she stumbled to keep them from dragging her. They carelessly threw her into the back of Ross’s beat up, old car. Devon jumped into the front passenger side while Ross ran to the driver’s side and started the car. Surprisingly, it started on the first try. The car’s engine revved with a loud roar, and the back tires immediately burned out on the driveway. The car rocketed backward into the street, narrowly missing the mailbox. The back end of the car swung as it burned out on the road and headed in the direction of the museum. Devon looked behind them then at Ross, who clutched the steering wheel with a death grip. He looked in the rearview mirror then glanced at Devon.

  “What the hell was that all about?” he suddenly cried out now entering panic mode. “Why did my best friend try to kill me?”

  Devon looked past Ross toward the museum as they prepared to fly past it at high speed. She saw Brant’s car was now in the parking lot. Devon peered out the window with a look of horror.

  “Ross, stop!”

  Ross slammed on the brakes causing the car to skid and screech to a grinding halt. Devon and Ivy were flung forward then bounced backward.

  “What?” he cried out.

  “Brant’s car,” she gasped. “He’s back. If he discovers what I found, he could be in danger!”

  “Damn it, Devon,” he cried out while glaring at her. “Tell me what’s going on.”

  “They’re using real people in the displays.”

  Ross stared at her with horror. “What?” He shook his head. “No, that can’t be. You must be mistaken.”

  “Tony was supplying the museum with embalmed bodies,” Ivy assured him and gingerly rubbed her bruised neck. “There was a body on Tony’s table this evening. He said it was old man Rumsfeld, so that I wouldn’t peek under the sheet.” She drew a deep, nervous breath. “Well, I peeked anyway. It was Marlene under the sheet. Embalmed and ready for delivery.”

  “Marlene?” Ross gasped with surprise. “But she was cremated.”

  “No,” Ivy insisted. “I assure you, she wasn’t. They wanted her for the museum.”

  “Who are they?” Ross demanded. “Tyler? Brant? Both?” He shook his head then shifted the car into reverse. “You know what? I don’t even care. We need to get the police.”

  The old car burned out on the dark road, spun around, and flew in the direction they’d just come. They saw the headlights of another car approaching in the near distance.

  “We have to warn Brant,” Devon insisted.

  “Are you insane?” Ivy cried out. “He could be in on it!”

  The headlights veered into their lane. Ross cried out and swerved harshly while slamming on the brakes. The car squealed and spun wildly. All three screamed as Ross’ old car shot into the cornfield and plowed down a section of cornstalks. Devon, Ross, and Ivy screamed as cornstalks crashed against the sides of the car and into the windshield. The car bucked as the brakes attempted to take hold and came to a stop. Ross looked behind them. The black hearse skidded to a halt just outside the cornfield then raced for them, picking up speed with no intention of slowing. Ross looked away from the rearview mirror with horror.

  “Oh, shit!”

  Ross stepped on the gas forcing the car to burn out on the cornstalks. Devon and Ivy turned and looked out the back window. Both screamed when they saw the headlights gaining on them. The old car jetted forward, but it wouldn’t pick up enough speed to outrun the already flying hearse. Ross spun the wheel and made a sharp turn. His car was old, but it could bank better than the larger hearse. Ross’ car entered a small clearing with an electric pole directly before them. All three saw the electric pole and screamed.

  Ross turned the wheel hard and narrowly missed the electric pole, losing his side mirror. The hearse entered the small clearing a split second behind them. As their car swerved, the electric pole was suddenly in front of the hearse. Tony gasped and attempted to turn the much larger vehicle. The hearse smashed into the poll with a tremendous crack. The poll was jarred, and the electric box on top sparked while crackling. Both women turned and looked through the back windshield while Ross watched through the rearview mirror.

  “Serves him right!” Ross chuckled loud and evilly. “B-a-s-t-a-r-d!”

  Ross’ car suddenly sputtered and slowed. All three jerked with surprise. Ross shifted the car into neutral and turned the key as they came to a stop. The car’s engine made a grinding sound but wouldn’t turn over. Ross pounded on the steering wheel.

  “Son-of-a-bitch,” Ross cried out. “What a piece of shit!”

  All three jumped out of the car. Ross stared at his car an
d watched as steam rose from beneath the hood. He kicked the tire.

  “Rotten piece of shit!”

  All three looked back. There was no movement from the wrecked hearse. The front end was pretty much smashed, indicating the driver was possibly fatally injured. Devon turned to Ivy and Ross.

  “Go back to the funeral home,” she instructed. “Call the police and tell them to come to the museum right away.”

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Ross suddenly demanded as his eyes widened.

  “I know Brant’s not involved,” she insisted. “He could be in serious danger. I have to warn him.”

  “Devon, you can’t go back there,” Ross pleaded. “I like the guy too, but he could be involved. If he is, he’ll kill you too.”

  “And if he’s not, by the time Carter arrives, it could be too late for Brant,” she informed him. “I have to do this.”

  Devon turned and ran.

  Chapter Fifty-four

  Devon crouched in the cornfield and watched the dark museum a moment while considering her next move. When the hearse hit the electric pole, it must have knocked out power along the entire road. She then heard the sound of a small engine from within the museum. Some lights came on, although there weren’t many. Someone pounced beside her. Devon spun with a gasp while Ross stared at the museum.

  “Kind of dark,” he announced then looked at her. “What’s the plan?”

  Devon frowned. “I don’t have one.”

  “Fine, then we’ll use mine.”

  She stared at him with surprise. “You have a plan?” Devon gasped.

  “We’ll slip in through the basement door and remain low until we see what’s happening inside,” he informed her. “A little on the cautious side, but you know I’m a coward by nature.”