Chapter 12
Mark's intention had been to drive Jaime home from Clayton Memorial, giving her plenty of positive reinforcement on the way there, then after making sure she'd gotten safely into the house, he'd meant to take his leave for the night. He'd be seeing her in the morning for coffee and donuts (whether or not Steve had returned from his work with Oscar by then) and she deserved to spend some quality time with Becca after all the effort she'd put forth that day. When he opened the front door for her, though, plans suddenly changed.
The nurse greeted them in the hallway with her face looking pale and drawn tight with tension. ''Doctor Conrad? Urgent phone call for you.'' Jess handed him a slip of paper, being careful to keep it out of Jaime's line of vision. He recognized the number immediately as Oscar's car phone and below it Jess had written Call from the house, if possible. URGENT!
''Jaime,'' he instructed in a calm, steady voice, ''I need you to take Becca into the nursery please, while I make a phone call.'' At the questioning rising of her eyebrows, he went on. ''It's about a patient. I can't breech confidentiality; you know that.''
''Is it...Steve?'' she asked in a quivering voice. ''Did something...happen?''
''I'm not certain who - or what - it's about, but if this is something that concerns you in any way, you know I'll be the first one to tell you.''
Jaime nodded, her smile of only minutes before replaced by sad, frightened eyes and a trembling chin, then she took Becca by the hand and headed into the nursery. Mark waited until she'd shut the door before going into the kitchen to return the call. He listened with growing horror as Oscar detailed what had just happened. ''My first instinct was to call the State Police,'' Oscar admitted.
''Personal opinion? I wouldn't do that,'' Mark told him. ''At least, not yet. Two things could happen. Steve could become even angrier and lash out - or it could drive him into hiding so far that we may never find him. Does he have his datacom with him?''
''He did when he left here. Whether it's on - or whether he may have left it somewhere along the way - I just don't know. I've been trying to contact him but so far there's been no answer. I think I may know where he's gone. I'm headed in that direction now...but if he isn't there...''
''If he isn't there,'' Mark concluded, ''then it may be time to think about a wider search. For now, I'll stay here in case he decides to come home - and I'll get my datacom from the car and try to make contact. He may also try to call Jaime, but I don't think it's a good idea for her to know about this just yet.''
''I agree. If my idea doesn't pan out we may need her input to find Steve but for now -''
''She just can't handle it,'' Mark finished for him. ''Oscar, what are you planning to do when you find him?''
''I'll have to play it by ear.''
''I'd advise you to take a tranquilizer gun. Just in case.''
Rudy, Michael, Oscar, Mark, himself...Steve's mind cycled through everyone close to them who had also had contact with Jack Hansen. He turned from the smaller stones he'd been tossing into the lake and started choosing larger rocks closer to the shoreline instead. Even these did nothing to curb his frustration and anger. If Anna had been trying to play with his mind, she'd succeeded; the more he thought about it, the more confused it all made him. Steve heard his datacom crackle to life again but this time instead of Oscar's voice, Mark was talking to him and asking him to come home or at least allow himself to be found. Steve laughed bitterly to himself; if the shrink really thought he'd allow himself to be sent back to The Hole (or worse) over what he'd just done...well, then he was crazier than his patients!
He kicked the mud that surrounded a larger boulder, sending it rolling into the water and exposing the soft ground underneath. Something caught Steve's eye, glinting there in the muck - the gleam of metal shining up at him, reflecting the last of the sunlight that bounced off the surface of the water. There was a small steel box, about the size of the component Steve had laid on the table when he'd been interrogating Anna. He tore a strip from his shirt sleeve to pick it up and placed the little box in his pocket. His fingers brushed against something larger that had been buried just beneath and Steve kicked at the ground with the toe of his boot, unearthing a gun. He tore off another piece of his shirt to pick it up - and his attention was diverted by the sound of a car pulling into National's rear parking lot.
''Steve...?'' Oscar called cautiously to him, stepping (alone) from the vehicle.
''Go away, Oscar!'' Steve demanded as his boss (and friend) began heading toward the lake - and toward him.
''I'm by myself. I just want to talk to you, Pal,'' Oscar told him.
Steve's hand wrapped around the gun and his finger sought the trigger...