The pounding of soft soled shoes on the linoleum behind him was a reminder that orderlies weren't going to just let him run pell-mell through the corridors. And now a heavier foot fall accompanied them; Big Carl must have been called up to help.
Murdock kept running, skidded and almost lost his balance going around a corner, and charged to Dr. Carroll's office door. It wasn't open, and that plus the earlier skid allowed the orderlies to catch up to him.
He rattled the doorknob frantically, knocking a staccato rhythm with the knuckles of his other hand, needing, for some reason, to get in the door, get into the safety of the room before they grabbed him, before they dragged him away, maybe they secretly worked for Decker and they had orders to silence him permanently, and oh god, what if what if—
The doorknob twisted under his hand and Dr. Carroll was there, just as Big Carl grabbed his upper arm. The other orderlies who had followed held back.
Murdock jerked—a whole body flail, truthfully—but the larger man's hand was iron. He turned on the man in white, snarling a warning deep in his throat.
Dr. Carroll said, "Stand down, Mr. Murdock!"
The bark of an order made the animal inside cower. Murdock immediately shut his mouth, although he continued to subtly strain away from the orderly.
Dr. Carroll took a breath.
"You wanted to see me, Mr. Murdock?" His voice had become the standard even modulation they must coach psychiatrists to have in school.
Murdock tore his eyes away from the more immediate threat of Big Carl and glanced at the doctor.
"Yes. Yes! I need to talk to you, Dr. Carroll! I have to—"
"Nurse Roth called me up, sir," Big Carl interrupted. "Said he was gettin' rowdy and threatening. You want me to take him back, get him some juice?"
"Juice" was slang on the ward for intravenous sedation.
Murdock glared venomously at the orderly again, but Big Carl was immune to ocular-given poison.
Dr. Carroll considered Murdock a moment. "No," he finally decided. "It is obvious Mr. Murdock needs someone to speak with, and I'm available now. I wouldn't want him to be sedated and have to miss the original session we'd planned for this evening."
It was humiliating to be spoken about like he wasn't present, or that he was incapable of comprehending what they were saying, but Murdock had been subject to worse.
"We can talk now, Mr. Murdock. Please come in."
Big Carl didn't release him. "You want me to come in too, Dr. Carroll?"
Murdock pressed his lips together tightly.
The doctor caught the body language. He shook his head.
"No, that won't be necessary."
Dr. Carroll stood aside and held the door open more widely for Murdock to pass. Big Carl gave him one last warning squeeze on his bicep, and although he didn't see it, Murdock knew the good doctor and the orderly shared some type of non-verbal communication. No matter how compassionate the doctor was, the orderly knew his job and would be waiting in the hallway for the end of the session.
Murdock didn't care. He could get answers from Dr. Carroll before Big Carl could get into the room again.
He'd had personal experience getting information out of a body.
