Dark visions – Chapter Eight
The rain beat against the window of her hospital room droning out the noises of the few pieces of electronic equipment Cody was allowed to bring. The phone had been tapped and Cody was allowed to bring a laptop computer and a printer. The hospital was reluctant to allow anything more, fearful of its repercussions with their equipment and their patient's safety. Cody was happy to have his computer, at which he sat, cheerfully clicking the keys.
Monica was reading the newspaper Frank had left earlier. Sabrena was bored. She had read the paper, a magazine and seven chapters of some spy novel that Jake had brought her.
Becky entered the room followed by a doctor Sabrena didn't recognize. "Hello, little lady. You probably don't remember me. I'm Doctor Pendleton, the plastic surgeon."
"Hello, Doctor. My friends tell me that because of you, I shouldn't have nasty scars," Bre smiled sweetly. "How can I ever thank you?"
"There's no need to thank me, my dear. Now let me have a look at you." He smiled cordially at Cody while he closed the curtain to give Sabrena privacy. He opened her gown and checked her stitches carefully. "Everything looks fine. We'll give your wounds another day to heal and then start treating them with an ointment that will help with itching and hinder scarring."
Bre heard the door opened and someone enter the room. "Thank you, Doctor Pendleton. You've been most kind."
"Is there anything you need?" he asked.
"A bath," she said, laughing. The sponge baths were fine, but she really wanted to wash her hair.
"I think that can be arranged," Becky said.
"Then I'll leave you to that," he said, smiling. "I'll be back to check on you tomorrow."
Doctor Pendleton pulled the curtain open as he left. Nona had come for a visit.
"Nona!" Bre exclaimed, seeing her grandmother.
Nona gave her a hug. "What's this about a bath?"
"It'll be a challenge, but Bre wants a bath," Becky informed her.
"It's about time! We were about to resort to gas masks," Cody joked.
"Shut up, goofball," Bre said, sticking out her tongue.
Nona laughed heartily. "Just like old times. These two fought like cats and dogs." She and Becky helped Bre out of bed and into the small bathroom.
"Find anything yet?" Monica asked after the three women had entered the bathroom.
"Yes," Cody admitted, clicking the print icon on the screen. "It's printing now."
"What's printing now?" Frank asked, entering the room.
"Info on our mysterious stranger," Monica replied.
"His name is Eugene Carmichael. He's 32 years old. Never been married. He doesn't keep jobs for long periods of time. His record is spotless; not even a traffic ticket."
Frank took the sheet from Cody. "What's this?" He pointed to the bottom of the page. "Juvenile: sealed".
"Let me see if I can get into the file," Cody said, his attention fixed on his computer.
"While you're at it, get Alex and Jake to the address listed for this character," he suggested. Laughter and giggles could be heard from the bathroom. "What's going on?" Frank asked.
"Bre's in there with Nona and Becky," Monica explained. "They're trying to give her a bath."
He didn't reply, merely sat in the chair next to Monica. "What's wrong, Frank?" Monica asked when he began to tap his finger irritatingly on the arm of the chair.
"I hate waiting," he admitted, turning his attention to the rain cascading down the window.
"Yes, it is hard to wait," Monica agreed.
Cody broke out in song. "The waiting is the hardest part; every day you see one more card; you take it on faith, you take it to the heart; the waiting is the hardest part." **
"Don't quit your day job," Frank said with a grin.
"Again, he jokes!" Cody shook his head in mock amazement. "Is the ice-man melting?"
"Must be lack of sleep," Monica commented with a laugh.
Nona came out of the bathroom to get a nightgown for Bre. "Hello, Frank. How are you today?" She opened the top drawer of the small dresser and shook her head. "I swear, this child and her T-shirts." She shrugged and headed back to the bathroom.
A few minutes later Bre entered the room followed closely by Nona and Becky. Cody laughed loudly. "Now, that is a Frank Donovan mantra if I ever saw one!"
'What?" Frank and Monica asked in unison.
Cody pointed to Bre's shirt. It read Be Reasonable – Do It My Way
Bre looked down at her shirt and laughed. Frank frowned. "My way is usually right."
Bre sat on her bed cross-legged and covered herself with the thin blanket. "I wish he'd call or something. I'm so over this waiting."
Cody started to open his mouth to sing, but Monica and Frank both told him to shut up.
"Cody, would you mind giving me a ride home?" Monica asked. "Jake and Alex will be here soon."
"Sure." He turned to Donovan. "Be back in a flash, boss. By then the juvie file should be accessible."
Donovan nodded. "Monica, be careful. We still don't know what this man has in mind."
"Promise." She waved to Nona and Bre. "See you tomorrow!"
After Monica and Cody left the room, Nona took her granddaughter's hand. "Do you want to try together to get a read on..."
"Eugene Carmichael," Frank interrupted.
"Who?" Bre asked.
"The killer...that's his name," Frank informed her, handing her the printout.
Bre looked over the brief bio then turned her attention back to her grandmother. "Do you think it's a good idea?"
Nona shrugged. "What can it hurt?"
"Okay, if you're sure." Bre smiled thankfully at her grandmother. "I'm glad you're here. This is one I don't want to do alone."
Nona nodded and again took her granddaughter's hand in hers. Both closed their eyes and breathed deeply to relax into a state of meditation. "Do you see anything yet, baby?" Nona asked.
Bre nodded, her eyes still closed. "Its dark and damp; maybe a basement. A reddish glow lights the room." Bre paused and opened her eyes. "He's pushing something around in a pan of water. No. He's developing pictures. I think I can make out the picture."
The door opened and Jake and Alex entered the room. "I can't believe you're hitting on a nurse in the middle of a case," Alex exclaimed.
"Hey, why pass up a golden opportunity," Jake said, grinning.
Bre turned to them suddenly, her concentration broken and her grasp on Carmichael's thoughts and actions gone. "Damn."
"Want to try again?" Nona asked.
Bre rubbed her temples. The attempt left her with a splitting headache. "Not right now. I need aspirin."
Nona patted her hand. "It's getting late anyway, darlin'. I'll send the nurse in with something for your headache on my way out." She kissed her granddaughter on the forehead and bid everyone a goodnight.
"Sorry, Frank. I really had him," Bre said, noting the look of uncertainty on his face. "I'll try again later."
"What did we miss?" Jake asked.
"You mean, what did you mess up?" Frank corrected, but gave them no further information.
Alex watched Bre's struggles with brushing her long, damp hair and went to her aid. "Let me help you," she said, sitting beside Bre and taking the brush from her hand. "Ever think about cutting this?"
"Every day," she confessed. "But a promise is a promise." She felt a warmth in the room and knew Poppy was nearby and pleased with her answer.
"What did you two find out at Carmichael's address?" Frank asked.
Jake shook his head. "Not much. He's a neat freak, but nothing out of the ordinary. We did a thorough check, but we didn't find anything."
"He has a special place where he keeps his 'things'," Bre stated.
"How do you know?" Alex asked.
"I just felt it, when I had a lock on him. He was in his special place." Again, she saw that frown of uncertainty on Donovan's face. She shrugged; he would believe what he wanted and she couldn't change that.
When Cody returned he camped in front of his computer and checked the juvenile files on Carmichael. "Well, I'll be damned!"
"What!?" Jake said, hovering over his shoulder.
"He killed his stepmother. Same M.O. Sick bastard." Cody shuddered at the coroner's photos.
"What's his story?" Frank asked.
"Psychiatrist report says he had an thing for step-mommie dearest. Seems his dad, who was in his mid fifties, remarried when he was fourteen. Married a young, black Jamaican woman. Statements from his friends say she teased and tormented him sexually on a daily basis. One day, he finally snapped and took a knife to her. Cut her up pretty bad. Sliced her from breast bone to navel."
"That explains his fixation on black women, and his penchant for foreigners," Bre stated. She took the brush from Alex and thanked her for her help. She lay back on the bed, tired from the exertion of contacting Carmichael. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.
************
When Bre woke, the room was dark except for the glow from Cody's monitor. Cody and Alex were sleeping in the spare bed. Jake was playing poker on the computer. Frank remained in the chair closest to her bed.
"You look terrible," Bre whispered.
"Thanks," he said, smiling.
"Why don't you lay down and get some sleep? Jake can handle things for a little while."
He shook his head. "I'm fine. I'm not leaving."
"You don't have to leave."
He looked at the spare bed. Alex and Cody were resting—he certainly wasn't going to try to squeeze in bed with them. He shook his head again.
"Come on," she insisted, sliding over to make room for him. "There's room in this bed."
He frowned and shook his head.
"Frank, I'm not hooked to anything anymore...it'll be okay. You need to sleep, or you'll be useless soon." She patted the bed again.
He stood slowly and moved to the bed to sit on the edge. "I don't know," he said, glancing at Jake.
Jake merely smiled at his boss and closed the curtain between the beds. "Sleep tight, kids," he said with a soft laugh.
Donovan toed off his shoes and lay next to Bre. They had to lie on their sides to accommodate each other and before he realized what had happened, they laid spooned together, her backside pressed against him. It felt good to hold her in his arms, more than that; it felt natural. He relaxed to the warmth of her body and soon was sleeping deeply.
To be continued...
**Lyrics from "The Waiting" by Tom Petty from the album Hard Promises by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.