Illusive Witness

by S. Y. Thompson

  Trish spotted her almost instantly and a saucy grin spread across the carrot-topped young nurse’s face. “Hi there, Ms. Gallagher. This is a surprise. I thought you couldn’t wait to get out of here. Don’t tell me you missed us already?”

  Ruth returned her smile. “Nothing personal, but not a chance. Actually, I was wondering if Doctor Pierce was still around. I needed to speak with her for a moment.”

  “You’re in luck. She’s finishing up some notes in her office.” Trisha nodded toward the hallway behind her to indicate that Ruth was to proceed. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you popped in.”

  “Thanks.”

  Ruth responded absently, already thinking about the upcoming meeting. She hoped that she wasn’t interrupting Jordan’s schedule too much. She made her way down the hall toward the end. All the physicians’ offices were located down here.

  Jordan’s office was the last on the right. Ruth hesitated before knocking lightly on the door. The invitation to enter was immediate, as if Jordan were waiting for some company to interrupt the tedium of making notes. Ruth grinned as she realized she was justifying her interruption. The friendly expression was still on her face when she pushed the door open and came face-to-face with her doctor.

  “Hi there.” Jordan seemed truly pleased to see her. She sat behind a heavy, wooden desk dressed in a white lab coat and holding a pen in her right hand. Light, wire-framed glasses rested on her nose and her hair was slightly mussed from the long day of work. Ruth thought she looked wonderfully sexy.

  Jordan’s smile faded as quickly as it had come and a brief frown rested between her eyes. “Is there something wrong?” she asked as Ruth entered the office and closed the door.

  “No, not really.” Ruth hesitated slightly. Now that she was here, she hesitated to lie about the purpose of her visit. The panic attack had been real, but Ruth really thought she was over it. To mention it as a reason to return to the hospital she had so recently vacated seemed dishonest.

  Jordan set the pen down and stood. She perched on the corner of her desk and indicated a chair for Ruth to sit. “Please, tell me what’s wrong.”

  The slow, unsynchronized throbbing of Ruth’s thigh muscle convinced her that sitting was indeed a good idea. Jordan met her around the corner of the desk and assisted her into the chair. With the darkness that had fallen outside and only the desk lamp aglow, shadows chased around the office. For a brief instant, Ruth had the impression that she was in the Vampire Queen’s lair and there was no doubt what, or who, was on the menu. She shook the sensation off as an indicator of the guilt she felt for perpetrating a ruse.

  “After I left here I went by the cemetery to visit Karl’s grave. That’s the man who was killed when we were on the ledge.” She added the explanation since Jordan hadn’t known Karl. “While I was there another service was going on a few yards away. Suddenly I felt shaky, scared...the whole world seemed to be closing in on me.”

  “A panic attack?” Jordan asked from her spot on the corner of the desk.

  “Yes, I think so. Except that it’s been so long since the attack that I’m not sure if that really makes sense. It’s not like me to dwell on the negative. Don’t get me wrong, Karl was a wonderful man and a better friend. I’ll miss him more than I can say, but surely I should have gotten over the fear of another attack since then.”

  “Well,” Jordan began after a few thoughtful seconds, “I’m not a psychiatrist. I could give you an exam, but I doubt that I’d find anything wrong, physically at least.” She stood and resumed her place in the desk chair she’d recently vacated.

  “What do you think is wrong then, Doctor Pierce?”

  “Call me Jordan. Look, Ruth, you’ve been through an intense, prolonged trauma. First, there was the attack on the ledge and the death of your friend. After that, you experienced the trauma of recovering from your own injuries. Since that day, you’ve been in the hospital surrounded by security and medical personnel twenty-four hours a day. This is your first day out in public. It’s only natural that you’d feel vulnerable.”

  Ruth let out a relieved sigh. “So, what you’re saying is that my reaction is perfectly normal?”

  “Quite frankly, I’d be more worried if you didn’t have a panic attack or two.”

  “I don’t follow.”

  “Look at it this way,” Jordan responded, removing her glasses as she leaned forward on her elbows. “The instinct for survival is the strongest one that humans possess. Even under hypnosis, a person cannot be forced to commit suicide or perform actions that would cause immediate death. A panic attack is merely that survival instinct flexing its muscles.”

  Ruth appreciated the hint of humor contained in the doctor’s explanation. It showed a glimmer of the personality that Ruth really wanted to understand better. “Any suggestions?” Ruth asked the question merely to draw the conversation out, to allow her to spend more time with Jordan.

  “Just take it slow.” After a pause, a glimmer came into her blue eyes and Jordan asked, “When is your first therapy session?”

  Ruth couldn’t help but wonder where this was going. If Jordan was entertaining the idea that she was going to return to her old room at the hospital, she would discover that it wasn’t going to happen. After being granted parole from her prison, even one as nice as this, Ruth wasn’t about to recommit herself. Outpatient status was as far as she was willing to go.

  “Tuesday, at two.”

  “Do you have any appointments between now and then?”

  “Nothing pressing,” Ruth responded hesitantly. She was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

  “And you’re not planning to go visit any family?”

  Ruth shook her head. She wasn’t really close to her aunt and she lived so far away that she hadn’t even visited Ruth in the hospital.

  “Are you sure? I couldn’t imagine not spending time with my family. My uncle practically raised me.”

  “No, I’m sure. I don’t really have anyone here in California.”

  Jordan was obviously in heavy thought as she tapped her glasses a few times on her desk, staring intently at the blotter. She must have reached a decision because she looked up and met Ruth’s gaze. “How would you feel about a small vacation?”

  “Excuse me? I’ve been on vacation for months.” This was the last thing Ruth had expected.

  Jordan stared at her for a moment and Ruth tried to read her expression. Before she came to any conclusions, Jordan said, “It’s all right. I’m not talking about a stay at the hospital. I have a cabin on Ghost Island. It’s small and fairly secluded, but there are four other cabins in walking distance if you need anything. You have to take a ferry and then a boat to get there, but it might give you the time you need to get back on your feet.” Jordan glanced quickly at the cane. “So to speak.”

  “Is that wise?” Ruth found the idea tempting, but tried to temper her enthusiasm. “If my panic attack was triggered by being out on my own, wouldn’t being alone on an island make it worse?”

  “No, I don’t think so.” Jordan shook her head. “One of the things that can trigger a panic attack is feeling a lack of control. If you feel like things are out of your hands, such an attack is that much more likely. The reason I suggest the island is exactly because of the seclusion. There is nothing out of your control because there are no other people around. You would be free to relax, walk around the island, read, and basically have the time to feel secure again before adding the element of more people. Of course you would be perfectly free to use my boat if you wanted.”

  Ruth absolutely loved the open water, and the idea of fishing and sailing for days on end was appealing. She almost said yes, but suddenly wondered at Jordan’s motivation. Wasn’t there some sort of doctor/patient protocol that would prohibit such an offer? Also, they were practically strangers, aside from the professional consideration.

  “Why would you do that for someone who’s virtually a stranger?”

  “I am your doctor,” Jorda
n answered, “and your physical and mental health are important to me. Consider it a prescription for relaxation.”

  That explanation was weak at best and Ruth cocked her eyebrow. Jordan had the grace to blush. Both women burst out laughing at the same moment, relieving the tension that had begun to mount.

  “Seriously,” Ruth prompted after a few more chuckles. “Why?”

  Jordan stared intently into Ruth’s eyes. “Why did you really come to see me?”

  Ruth’s heart did a slow roll as the implication impacted in her mind. Suddenly faced with this pivotal moment she had two choices: act as if she was completely confused where Jordan was headed with her question, or admit to her attraction. Ruth wasn’t accustomed to being the one to declare her interests. She preferred to be chased, wooed and eventually won. For a second she thought that sounded like she was the prize in a carnival game. Ruth realized that there was absolutely no more time to decide. If she denied the attraction, she would probably lose any possibility of getting to know Jordan better. Faced with that prospect, she decided that one thing she was not was a coward.

  She took her courage in hand and responded softly. Her voice was so low she could hardly hear it over the pounding of her own heart. “I think you know perfectly well why I came.”

  “Yes, I think so. My response to your visit is to offer you a place of solace where I might actually get to see you in something other than a professional environment.”

  “In that case,” Ruth swallowed nervously, “I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather vacation than Ghost Island.”

  She stared at Jordan, lost in open contemplation of the exceptional features. For so long she had surreptitiously glanced at her doctor, noticing a characteristic here, an angle there. Now for the first time, she felt free to indulge her interest in Jordan’s features.

  Ruth thought Jordan was beyond beautiful. She was exquisite. Ruth had to avoid looking into the blue eyes or she felt that she would fall into them. Unfortunately, she couldn’t ignore the full lips that nature had blessed Jordan with. Ruth couldn’t help but wonder if they would be as soft as they looked.

  A rap at the door interrupted the intensely intimate moment and Ruth could have happily screamed at the intruder to go away. Of course she didn’t do that, she wasn’t that type of person. This was a hospital and it could be something truly important.

  The door swung open without invitation and Ruth looked up in surprise. The visitor was none other than Mark Fuller. Even though Ruth’s visit with Jordan wasn’t truly important, she felt irritated that Mark had barged right in. Worse, he had interrupted what Ruth considered a pivotal moment in their relationship. He had managed to ruin the entire mood. Although she felt irritated, Ruth resigned herself to his intrusion.

  “Doctor Fuller, I wasn’t expecting you.” Jordan’s tone was a cold as liquid nitrogen.

  Ruth realized that the statement was not only a greeting, but also her subtle way of pointing out that she hadn’t invited him to open the door.

  Mark ignored the silent message and grinned at both of them. “I was just picking up some paperwork from my office and heard Ms. Gallagher was visiting. Since you’re here, I thought I’d go ahead and give you the paperwork on the trust.”

  Ruth found it somewhat unlikely that Mark just happened to have the documents with him. She told herself that he could have done most of the work on the trust from his office and took the heavy folder he offered.

  “I’ll look this over and be in touch with you later.”

  “Great, well I’ll leave you two ladies now. I need some coffee before I try to drive.”

  Prompted by the cryptic remark, Jordan asked, “Are you going on a trip?”

  “I wish it were the vacation you make it sound like. I have a meeting with one of the other contributors a few hours up the coast. Since it’s already almost eight, I think I should fortify myself with a little caffeine.”

  “I thought you were on call?” Ruth asked, remembering their earlier conversation.

  “I traded with Doctor Warren. I’ll take his duty next weekend. Well, as fun as this is I’d better get going.”

  With a final wave, Mark left. He closed the door quietly behind him. Ruth turned back to Jordan in time to see the cold disdain before she quickly masked the expression. Maybe there was a case of professional rivalry between the two, but Ruth really couldn’t see Jordan being so petty.

  “Where were we?” she prompted to change the subject.

  Jordan went along with her. “I was just about to give you directions.” She put her glasses back on and picked up a pen. “It’s pretty easy really. You just drive up Highway 1 to New Rollins and take the ferry over to Jessup Bay. You’ll find my boat tied off at the marina. It’s not big, just a glorified sailboat called the Marlin, but she’ll get you where you’re going.”

  Jordan finished scratching down the directions so that Ruth wouldn’t have to rely on her memory.

  “If you want you could drive down straight away and have almost four days of peace and quiet. Maybe I could even join you on Monday and we could do some deep-sea fishing.”

  “That sounds like fun. I love fishing.” Ruth took the sheet of paper containing the directions and stood up. “I should be going, Henry is waiting for me.”

  “Oh, wait. Here’s the key to the cabin. If you need to leave before I get there, just stuff the key under the mat by the front door.”

  “Isn’t that kind of obvious?” Ruth asked, taking the key.

  “Believe me, there’s no worry. Like I said before, there are only four cabins total on the whole island. Not exactly a tourist attraction.”

  “All right, I guess I’ll see you some time on Monday.”

  “I look forward to it.”

  Reluctantly, Ruth turned to leave. She knew that Jordan was watching her as she limped away and hoped she liked what she saw. Ruth tried not to lean on the cane too heavily and walked out into the California night feeling better than she had in a long time. As she stepped out onto the sidewalk, Mark Fuller drove by in a brand new fire-engine-red Ferrari. He waved once before roaring away.

  Ruth happily took in the fresh evening breeze. With a bounce in her step, as much as she could manage with a heavy limp, she headed for the car. The forty-minute drive to her home on the outskirts of the Hollywood Hills passed in optimistic anticipation of what the immediate future might hold.

  Finally, Henry turned onto a private white rock road that the state didn’t maintain. He paused for only a moment to push a discreet button on the visor. It operated a wrought iron security gate. The gate was anchored in place on either side by a stone fence that encircled the entire grounds. The road led to only one home approximately two miles farther into the woods. This was Ruth’s family estate and an incongruity among the throngs of humanity that resided in the California foothills.

  The one hundred thirty-two acres had been purchased in 1801 by Ruth’s great grandfather after he sailed to America from Ireland. The City of Angels promised a bright future for his family even though at the time it was hardly more than a small mining town. Since then, the west coast had grown in leaps and bounds, but the family had refused to sell the property despite the lucrative offers from private citizens and development corporations alike. The stone fence had originally been erected in the nineteenth century to keep squatters off the property. It had required maintenance over the years and Ruth had spent a summer when she was twelve helping her father make much-needed repairs to the structure.

  In the present day, squatters were less of a threat, but the homeless, displaced, roves of gangs, and the odd nut ball were more in keeping with the signs of the times. Now the fence provided a sanctuary, a place to return to when the outside world became overwhelming. Sometimes Ruth was convinced that she would make a very good hermit.

  She was proud of her heritage, both Irish and American, and thrilled to be back on the grounds she had known all of her life. When her parents died in a light aircraft crash nine year
s ago, she had inherited the property. As an only child, she had also inherited the Gallagher fortune and investment companies, leaving her quite well off. Despite the monetary gain the house and acreage meant the most to her. As Henry drove up the long curving driveway in front of the house, Ruth stared up at the brick and mortar structure. Security lights outlined the gabled roof. Ruth felt as though she were coming home for the first time.

  She stepped slowly out of the car as Henry held the door. Ruth welcomed the solitude that allowed for the chirping of crickets and the foraging of rabbits and possum. She glanced over at Henry and came to a sudden decision. She would take Jordan up on her offer, so why not get an early start?

  “Henry, would you be a dear and get my car ready for tomorrow? I think I’ll take a little drive up the coast. I’ll be gone a few days, maybe through Tuesday, so don’t be concerned.”

  “Very good, ma’am. Would you like the Jaguar for tomorrow? If you’re driving up the coast, it will probably be more fun on the curves.”

  Ruth briefly considered the suggestion. “Why not? That sounds like a lovely idea.” Obviously, there was no need for her to comment on the fact that he knew of her penchant for speed.

  “I’ll see to it right away. Now, it’s been a long day for you. Why don’t you get some rest?”

  A yawn caught Ruth unaware and she realized that she was exhausted. Although she hadn’t been through the doors of the manor in a few months, she was too tired to re-familiarize herself with the premises. She headed straight upstairs to her bedroom and took a quick shower in the master bath. Before long, Ruth slid between soft sheets that didn’t smell like institutional soap and chlorine. She stretched out her arm, reaching for the clock on the bedside table. Ruth set her alarm for an early morning outing. She had barely settled onto the pillow before she was sound asleep.

  Chapter Four

  BEFORE RUTH KNEW it, the alarm was going off. She stretched luxuriously after shutting it off. Happily optimistic at what the day held in store for her, Ruth threw back the covers and hopped out of bed. She hissed with pain as she came down too hard on her still healing leg. Even though the pain was sharp, Ruth remained convinced that her injury was getting better.