CHAPTER 5—CARLY, KELLY, AND CONFESSIONS
Every Sunday at Rockbridge, some of the more lucid 'patients' were given the opportunity to come out of their 'rooms' to watch television or to enjoy the sun filtering in through the barred windows of the big room laughingly called the 'recreation center.' There wasn't much 'recreation' to the room, of course. It was furnished with several tables and chairs that were bolted to the floor. The staff couldn't have the 'patients' throwing chairs at each other. The television dominated the room. It hung suspended in air, bolted to the wall, and incased in a cage. They were allowed to watch only two channels [an all-weather station and one that showed Rated G movies], and if that didn't interest them, they were free to sit at the tables and gaze out the window in a deeply drugged daze. There were several staff members present in the room to keep the 'patients' from getting into fights. How could those drugged so thoroughly even fight?
Black Heart enjoyed those rare Sundays when she was allowed to go into the room. It was the only time she felt normal. The staff allowed her access even though she had cut up in front of the Donovans the day before. She wasn't interested in television, world politics, or global warming. What she was interested in was the window, and what it represented to her. Freedom. Sweet freedom. It was on days like this that she thought about plans of escape. She had stockpiled dozens of pills in the last few months. When her cell was shaken down, she'd hide them in bits of plastic in various orifices on her person. Her first plan was to drug one of the guards. However, hardly any of them had gotten close enough for her to make a move. The tall linebacker'ish guard had been assigned to her block, and he was as immovable as his size indicated. If another guard could just be assigned…
She looked up as another inmate entered the room. She noticed that the woman was timidly approaching her. I don't do girls, she thought viciously. If she even acted like she wanted to touch her, Black Heart would beat her senseless. She noticed that the pale blonde woman had a magazine in her hand. Ah, yes. This was the loony chick obsessed with bridal magazines. She hadn't seen her very often, because the Bridal Babe didn't come to the room. She mostly stayed in her cell and pored over her magazines and newspapers. What does she want with me, she wondered. Bridal Babe stood staring at her for quite some time. If she didn't say or do something, Black Heart would make her eat her magazine page by page. Just as she was about to make her vicious move, Bridal Babe approached a table directly in front of her and sat down with her magazine. She began thumbing through the pages while softly humming the wedding march. What a psycho, she thought.
Black Heart looked up in surprise as Bridal Babe turned to look at her. "Excuse me," she asked with a sweet smile framing her lips. "May I ask you a question?"
Of course you may, she wanted to shout, and when you do, I'm going to poke out your eyes. "What do you want," she demanded.
She giggled shyly. "Oh, please don't be offended, Carly. My name is Kelly Bartlet, and I've been here a long, long time. Did you have visitors yesterday?"
She snarled as she thought of Loralei and Frank Donovan. Visitors hell! "Why should you fucking care? They weren't my kissing cousins, that's for damn sure. They put me here!"
Bridal Babe giggled again. "Oh, my, how you must hate them. Was the man named Frank Donovan by any chance?"
Suddenly, Black Heart became interested. Did this nutcase know Donovan? "Yes."
The other woman nodded firmly, but lost her smile. "Thought so. I actually need to settle some issues with Frankie and his wife. Would you like to help me?"
Oh yes. She would. She would indeed. "Can you get us out of here?"
Her grin came back. "Oh yes. I have a bit of inside information. Our good Mr. Guard won't be here this afternoon. Poor dearie, he called in with a widdle cold. Our guard will be a lady tonight."
* * *
Donovan left Loralei in bed as he made his way toward headquarters. He had called in the team [with all protesting viciously]. One way or another, they were going to get to the bottom of this card issue. He made it in first and climbed the stairs two at a time to his office. Even on a Sunday, he had connections, and he made a couple of phone calls to have Rockbridge inspected thoroughly. He was convinced that the cards were coming from the facility, but he hadn't discovered the who, how, and why. As soon as Cody arrived, he would have the entire inmate base searched until he was satisfied.
Jake stumbled in first. He had a hangover from partying too much the night before, and he grumbled incoherently, calling Donovan every name in the book for dragging him out of bed on a Sunday. When there were quiet Sunday mornings, he usually spent them catching an extra few winks, but no, not today. He didn't see the boss at first, but noticed that his office door was cracked open just the slightest bit. Taking a chance, he climbed upstairs and pecked on the door. He entered the room without giving Donovan the chance to yell at him. The boss sat staring intensely at his computer monitor. It appeared as if he had thrown on the first clothes he touched.
"What's going on," Jake mumbled through his hangover.
Donovan looked up, acknowledging Jake's presence. Without a word, he slid the neon green envelope toward him. "This was awaiting us when we came back from Rockbridge."
"Another one," he asked stupidly. Of course, it was another one. Damn hangover.
"Hooooooo hoooooooo," Cody called from downstairs. "Anyone home?"
Donovan grabbed the envelope and made his way downstairs. "Cody, I want you to check out Rockbridge Hospital. Give me a list of every inmate that has been there for the past ten years. Can you do that?"
Cody nodded. "Easy. A toddler could get that. What's up?"
Donovan jerked his head toward the second card still in Jake's hands. "This is up. I think the sender is at Rockbridge. Don't just stand there, Cody, get on this. Now."
"Sure sure," Cody said hastily. "I was on it five minutes ago."
* * *
Donovan paced back and forth between both Monica and Cody. Every now and then, he would stop and breathe down their necks, frustrated that the search was taking too long. Both of them had been working on the task for about two hours. There were hundreds of names and Cody had begun printing them as soon as he churned them out of Rockbridge's records bank. Donovan scanned the lists page by page, but didn't recognize one name. Fuck it, he thought. They were getting nowhere fast. What made it worse for him was that he felt he should know. Something, some tiny piece of his memory hung onto the clue that would put an end to this hideous game. He wanted to rip the pages to shreds, throw the pieces on the floor, and set them afire. However, a tantrum wouldn't allay his fear or concerns. He stopped pacing for a moment to gain control of his temper. Absently, he caressed the nape of his neck as he felt a tension headache building. To keep from clenching and unclenching his fist, he stuffed his left hand into the pocket of his jeans. It hit something hard and plastic. He then remembered what brought about this sudden urgency.
The night before, neither he nor Loralei had been thrilled about receiving the new card. Donovan expected his wife to become withdrawn again, but she didn't. She had been upset, of course, but not like the first time. They had put the card away hastily, and he had assured her that he would have the hospital records checked out thoroughly. He intended to have the hospital inspected, and would arrange that on Monday. There was fear, concern, and a few tears, but no urgency. Loralei had stuffed the card into a dresser drawer just before they went to bed. She had made good on her promise not to dwell on Black Heart. It's fine, we can work on this, she had said. I'm not pleased in the slightest, Frank, but I trust you. I trust that if anyone can find out who this is, it's you and your team. No urgency. None. Yet, it had changed the moment Donovan peered into the drawer.
He went toward the dresser with the intention of retrieving the card. He had simply wanted to study it, to see if it could open his stubbornly closed memory. He had the card in his hands and nearly shut the drawer until something else caught his eye. It was a white plastic case, similar in size and shape as a compact. This was Loralei's drawer. In it, she kept several different things such as makeup, perfume, and birth control pills. He recalled voicing his suspicions of her being pregnant the day before, and he remembered her 'I take them faithfully' comment. He was tempted to check it out, to see if she did, in fact, take them. At the last moment, he changed his mind and shut the drawer. They'd discussed having children, they wanted children, but Loralei hadn't wanted to become pregnant right away. He wanted her to be pregnant, wanted it so badly that he couldn't stand it, but he also wanted to respect her wish to wait. Still, he was suspicious, and wanted-no-needed to know. He went back to the dresser and slid the drawer open. He picked up the case and popped up the lid. What he saw inside it shocked him. Every single pill was still inside, untouched. He had started to place it back where he found it, but Loralei stirred in bed behind him, and he stuffed it into his pocket and hastily shut the drawer. Suddenly, everything had changed. Suddenly, the need to find the person responsible became urgent. There appeared to be more at stake right now than ever before. Donovan wanted to talk to her about it immediately, but his need to solve this perplexing mystery was greater. They would talk, but first, he had to find a suspect.
"Boss?"
He snapped out of his daze and fixed his eyes on Cody's face. "What is it?"
Cody handed him a stack of paper. "More names."
He took the stack of paper and leaned against a table behind him. He divided the pages and handed a stack to Alex and another to Jake. "As before, call out each name." Carefully, meticulously, he went over every name on his stack as Alex and Jake called out the names on their lists. He shook his head almost constantly as he skimmed his own. Nothing. Another brick wall had begun making its way toward him.
"Kelly Bartlet," Alex said.
At first, Donovan shook his head. It was almost an automatic response. He stopped for a moment and focused his eyes on Alex's face. "What was that name again?"
"Kelly Bartlet."
Dear God, he thought. Kelly Bartlet. How long had it been? Ten years? The last time he saw her, she was in the hospital digging bloody grooves on her face. He had all but forgotten her. He shook his head. No, that wasn't true. He hadn't forgotten her, but he had effectively buried her. She haunted his dreams at night, had done so for years. Kelly Bartlet. The memories came flooding back. She had nearly killed him after he broke off their relationship. He had driven her over the edge and had been responsible for her committal. This incredible ghost had come back seeking revenge, seeking his soul. Although he had vowed not to do it, he had put Loralei right into the line of fire once again. She [and their child (?)] was set to pay for what he'd done. The woman Loralei had seen, the one in a cell just down from the Black Heart had to have been Kelly.
"Donovan? Boss?"
He looked over at Jake. He absently nodded his head. "It's her. It's Kelly Bartlet."
"Who is Kelly Bartlet?"
He didn't answer, he couldn't. He ran back upstairs and grabbed the phone. He didn't notice, but his team had followed his lead and they stood in the doorway, peering cautiously into the office. He waited impatiently for the other line to be answered, and when it was, he barked, "I don't care what you have to do. You find Counselor Hall and get his ass on the phone. Tell him it's Frank Donovan. If he doesn't call in the next fifteen minutes, I'm coming up there and I will not hesitate to kick his ass out of bed." The team watched, fascinated, as he fixed his eyes on his watch. He wasn't kidding. He was actually timing it. "Dig up everything you can on Fred Hall," Donovan spat toward Cody. "Bring it to me in fifteen minutes."
There was no way Cody would try to yank Donovan's chain today. He didn't appear to be in the mood to tolerate it. Without a smart comeback, he went downstairs with Monica on his heels. Alex and Jake remained standing just at the door. Donovan stared down at his watch and maintained his usual icy exterior.
Within five minutes, Monica shuttled back upstairs carrying another sheaf of papers. Donovan said nothing; he nodded his gratitude and went about the task of reading the information emotionlessly. He quickly discovered that Fred Hall had a few ethics charges in his colorful past, including inmate brutality. He wondered vaguely if the man had lied to secure his current position.
"Who is Kelly Bartlet," Alex asked, cutting through his enraged fog. "Why is she sending the cards to you?"
He was about to open his mouth to respond, but the phone rang suddenly, drawing his attention away. He swooped it up after the second ring. "Donovan," he spat.
"Mr. Donovan," Counselor Hall spat. "Why are you demanding to speak to me on a Sunday morning? I thought we had our issues cleared up."
Donovan gritted his teeth. It took extreme control for him not to yell. "My wife and I received another card yesterday. This card came from your facility. I cannot prove it, but I'm almost positive it came from one of your inmates, not Carly Butler. It came from Kelly Bartlet. You do have her there, correct?"
"Kelly Bartlet? Mr. Donovan, Ms. Bartlet is continually medicated, and has never caused us any problems."
He closed his eyes and gripped the phone tightly. He wanted to wrap his hands around Hall's throat. "Kelly Bartlet tried to kill me. She has found me, and I believe she intends to harm my wife. Shake down her cell immediately, Counselor Hall. I want it done right now. I have two agents en route as we speak. They will report to me as soon as they arrive. If it's not completed by then, I will deal with you personally. Do we understand each other?"
"Yes," he said stiffly.
"If anything is found during the shake down, I will see to it that you never work in corrections again. I mean exactly what I say, I do not make idle threats." Without another word to the man, he hung up the phone. Shocked, Jake and Alex peered at him. His behavior reminded them of the rogue Donovan, the man who nearly lost his mind. "You heard what I said," he told them. "The hospital is about two and a half hours away. Question every guard, every employee. If Hall has hidden any evidence, take him into custody immediately. Move."
Donovan followed the two agents downstairs. As soon as they were gone, he glanced at Cody and Monica. "I have to take care of something at home. I'll be back."
* * *
Loralei had just gotten out of bed when Donovan arrived. She had felt crappy all morning, and could do little else but sleep. She was just slipping into her robe as her husband entered the room. He watched her with cautious eyes, immediately noticing the pale tone of her skin. He would deal with his suspicions later. Right now, he had to tell her about Kelly Bartlet.
"Where did you go," she asked.
"I had to deal with the cards. I know who it is."
She cocked her head curiously to the side and gazed at him. His face was drawn into its usual unreadable expression. "Who? How did you find out?"
"I think you should sit down for this," he said. He stood back and watched as she sat down on the foot of the bed. She wanted him to join her, but he didn't move. "Her name is Kelly Bartlet, and I met her several years ago while attending college. We began dating casually, but our relationship grew intense really fast. Eventually, she moved in with me. She became obsessive shortly thereafter, and tried to give me everything she thought I wanted. I asked her to leave, but she thought I was going to ask her to marry me. Something happened to her, I don't know what, and she broke. She tried to run me down one morning on campus. I went with her to the hospital, but when she saw me, she began screaming and clawing at her face. I wanted to help her, to try to repair some of the damage I caused, but I couldn't. I walked away like a coward, and I never thought of her again. She suffered while I went on with my life as if she didn't exist. I did this to her, I hurt her, and now she's trying to hurt us."
Loralei was stunned, almost too stunned to speak. "Why didn't you know this before? Why didn't you think of her sooner?"
He sighed and shook his head. "I had her buried, Loralei, buried so deeply in the back of my mind that I only saw her in nightmares. I couldn't know, didn't know, not until I heard her name. I'm afraid she wants you to pay for something I did."
"The woman I saw? It was her," she spat suddenly.
"Yes, I'm certain it was. It was never Black Heart, it was Kelly." He approached her and knelt down before her, placing his body snuggly between her thighs. "After the widow nearly killed you, I vowed to do everything in my power to ensure that you were never hurt again. I've failed, Loralei."
She ran her hand over his cheek and through his hair. He would never show his vulnerable side to anyone other than her. "No, Frank, you haven't failed. Not at all," she whispered. "You've never failed me. Never. What you did wasn't cowardly, what you did was cope the best way you knew how. You protected yourself, and there's nothing wrong with that. What happened to her was something she did to herself." She placed her hands on his shoulders as if bracing him against some sort of shocking news. "Baby, I hate to break it to you, but your ego is out of control. You're good, but not that good. After all, look at me, I'm still sane."
He closed his eyes and sighed. Donovan found himself thinking again that this was no joking matter. However, it was either laugh or cry, and he chose the former. "What would I do without you," he asked as he gazed into her eyes steadily and intensely.
"I'm not sure," she said, "and I hope we never have to find out."
"Loralei, there's something I need to know," he said.
She watched as he moved back to dig something out of his pocket. To her utter amazement, he pulled out the plastic compact thingy which held that 'wonderful invention' she had been skipping lately. Of course skipping wasn't the exact truth. It was more along the lines of not taking them period.
Her pale face began to darken a bit as she realized she had been caught in a little white lie. "Uh oh," she said. "Busted."
"You are? Really?"
She nodded. "Uh huh. About six weeks."
"And your reason for not telling me?"
She gazed down into his dark eyes. He wasn't angry, but he wouldn't leave until she confessed. "I was going to tell you the night we came home, but that little pink envelope interrupted my plans. I didn't want you to have to worry about me on top of everything else. You've known all morning, haven't you? Hell, you knew yesterday. When you saw those pills, what ran through your mind? I'll bet you had everybody jumping through hoops this morning, didn't you? You didn't need that kind of pressure."
"Yes, I called the entire team in, and I did have them jumping through hoops," he confessed. "You must understand that the need to find this person, to deal with her, to deal with the hospital became extremely urgent. Not only did I have your safety to consider, but I also had to think about our child. I do not want to lose either of you. Even if I hadn't been suspicious, even if I hadn't found out, I would have worked tirelessly to keep you out of harm's way. I won't ever let you suffer due to a mistake I have made. Never again do I want to see you take your last breath." Donovan then stood and brought her up with him. He took her into his embrace and kissed her very gently. "I have to get back."
"What's going to happen now?"
He shook his head. "Honestly, I don't know. I hope the threats I made to Fred Hall will be enough, but I sincerely doubt it. Jake and Alex are on their way to make sure Kelly's cell is clean. I don't expect it to be."
Frowning now, she asked, "It's not going to be easy, is it?"
He shook his head. "No. We're good as long as she remains locked away. Irregardless of that, I want you to pack up some things and go to your parents for a couple of weeks."
"Frank," she began.
"Don't argue with me, please," he said softly. "I won't have you here with her knowing where we live. I don't care if she is locked down. I'm not willing to risk it. You can come home when it's clear. I'll call you every day."
"I won't go," she said stubbornly. "I won't leave you."
"Please, Loralei. Do this for me. Get a flight out tonight if you can."
Without giving her a chance to argue, he gave her another brief kiss before leaving her.