Endgame Chapter 5
Rating: PG-13
Where the hell am I? One minute we were walking on the grounds and then. I can't even remember what happened. I think I'm in a car. But. . . "Jon?"
"James. Remember, I go by James."
"Oh yeah. Sorry. Um, where am I?"
"You're in my car. We're going for a little ride. I want to take you somewhere ~ the first house I ever lived in."
"Oh. Why?"
"You're real cute. Most of the girls take a while to warm up to me, but, well, this is sort of an 'initiation' if you will."
"An initiation?"
"Yep. Into the sisterhood of the girls in 'Cutter's Row' as they like to call it. Relax."
"I don't want. . ." Good girl. Keep up the act. This is exactly what you're here to do ~ catch him in the act. Surely they've noticed you're missing by now. I just hope. . .
"Shut up! It doesn't matter what you want. Look, you were dumb enough to trust me. That was your first mistake. Don't let your pretty little mouth get you into any more trouble."
Great. This was just great. Maybe I can send a mess-. . . Oh no! My phone's gone. Must have fallen out of my pocket when he knocked me out however he did that. "Alright. I'll be quiet."
"That's a good girl. Ok. Here we are."
"It looks abandoned."
"It is ~ the whole block is. Has been for about 30 years now. Come on in and I'll show you around."
There's something to show? Think Kaidlyn, think. What can you do? Human. Make him realize you're human. Make him care about you. Show him you care. "Um, James?"
"Yeah?"
"It seems like something really bad happened to you when you were younger. You want to talk about it?"
"You wouldn't care about my problems. Pretty little rich girl like you? As if you'd even begin to care about me."
"But I do. I'm a good listener. I promise. Try me. You said something back at the hospital about your birth mother? Tell me more. Please?" Keep him talking. Just keep him talking.
"Well, I don't know a lot. My mother gave birth to me ~ and then her husband gave me away to another family. I found that out when I was 16 ~ found 'Mom's' diary and learned everything. Well, not quite. I went to my real mother's house one night. It was just her at the house. She said that her husband had taken their daughter out to eat. Then she filled me in on some things. I left before anyone got home. The next day she. . . The next day she was found dead in her house."
Oh my God. He's got to be talking about Aunt Emily. How many other cases could there be that are so much like this. I mean, granted I didn't know anything about another child, but a mother, a father and a daughter ~ the mother found dead in her house? It's got to be. . . "Really? And you don't know anything else about the family?"
"I know that my birth mother was put in Summit View a couple of times. She had problems and she admitted it. She felt helpless to do anything about it. But at the same time, she didn't want to hurt anyone, so being hospitalized seemed like the best option to her. Her husband wasn't my father but he gave me away. She told me I wasn't his and he knew it. My father was some kid who was working as a gardener at her parents' house. She only married the guy she did because they'd gone out off and on and he had a job. A cop. She was only 16."
That's certainly something I never knew. Maybe it's not who I think it is. "Wow! I guess that was hard for her. So did you go back home after you talked to her?"
"To the people who raised me? Nah. They tried to love me, but it wouldn't ever work out. I was just wired differently. I couldn't relate to them or anyone else."
"Oh. So what did you do? Did you ever try to find. . .?"
"I got a job. At Summit View. Figured if I was in there, maybe I could find out more about my birth mother than I could in one night. It's been a good job. As for the rest of my family? Yeah. I've seen them around. I've got a sister, well, half-sister. She's some kind of detective or something I guess. I know a couple of years ago there were some murders going on at the hospital. One of the patients. She worked with this cop on the case. It's not like I introduced myself to her. But I knew. She looks a lot like her mother."
It's certainly possible. Jordan does look a lot like the old pictures we have of Aunt Emily. "Oh. I see. So what happened?"
"It was too easy. I knew they never figured out who killed her mother and I had a feeling it was torturing her. Especially having to go back to the hospital where her mother had been. So I kind of took advantage of that to help a friend."
"A friend?"
"Yeah. This guy who was in after he was accused of killing his wife and kids. He clammed up so they could never try him, but he was left in Summit View until he either died or started talking. But you see, he talked to me."
"Yeah ~ you have quite a rapport with the patients, I can tell. Any particular reason he decided to talk to you?"
"I almost believe you mean that. Anyway, I never confirmed anything, but he told me he'd worked as a gardener for a few summers when he was a lot younger and it was that or newspaper routes, so perhaps he. . . Never mind. Anyway, he told me he had done it ~ killed his wife and kids. He just snapped. But he wasn't going to go to jail. At the same time he wanted out. When my sister walked in, I saw my chance. I fed him just enough stuff to keep her going and planted stuff from her mother on her car for her to find. It worked like a charm. She bought it hook, line and sinker. And there was a bonus ~ the guy had done such a good job of cleaning things, they couldn't prove anything with the knife. He knew it. But all of a sudden the knife turned up as evidence with blood on it. That's when he clammed up. He knew they were trying to frame him. So he told her it was all about the knife. Of course she went and found it and discovered that the blood had been planted. By her own father. Even I couldn't have dreamed that one up. So she went to the D.A. with the knife and they had to let him go. He gave her directions ~ she thought to find out information about who killed her mother, but it was really to where he'd buried his wife and kids."
"Oh." This seems to be working. He's so into the story, I think he's forgotten why he brought me here in the first place. Hang on kid ~ do not get off guard.
"Yeah. So everything was going ok. Then I got a call from my mother's husband. Somehow he'd found me. Seems some things had come to light and he wanted to take care of things before his daughter got any more involved. But it was too late. She was hooked. So we had a little reunion a couple of years ago. He made up some story about her holding me under the water in the tub. But I know different. Anyway, I scared them both ~ beat him up. Shot at her. Then I ran off."
"But you went back to Summit View to work?"
"I'm not dumb. I knew that he loved his daughter too much to tell her anything else and he'd do everything he could to see that she didn't come looking for me. The guy who claimed to know something about her mother was gone to who knows where. He just vanished. And I think I did a pretty good job of scaring her during our little reunion. I changed my name again ~ this time to Jon Samuel ~ changed up my look a little, and went back to work at Summit View."
"Oh."
"But something changed when they found me. Something in me snapped. I can't help doing what I do. It runs in my family."
"What does?"
"Sickness ~ the inability to control what you do. Acting out impulsively either towards yourself or others. Mine is more outward-focused. My birth mother's was more self-focused. See, she cut herself too. I guess that's why I'm so drawn to that particular wing. I feel close to her there. Especially since she kill-. Did you hear something?"
A car. Outside. Please let it be Haley. "Um. . .no."
Outside in the van. . .
"Max? You sure this is it?"
"Yes. I'm positive."
"Ok. The team should be here soon. They've got to follow our GPS signal since her phone got left behind at the hospital. There they are. Jordan. You stay put! You too Max. Let us handle it. I promise we're going to get Kaidlyn out of there."
"Alright. We'll be here."
"Woody, you come with me. Hey guys. Be quiet. We don't want to get him too nervous and do something. . ."
"Haley? I think I saw some light from inside that house ~ 1947."
"I saw it Woody. Ok guys. Quietly move around the house. I don't want to hear a stick crack."
"Yes sir."
"I wish Kaid had her phone."
"You really think he'd let her answer it?"
"I don't know Woody. I don't know. Maybe. I just know I don't like having her out of contact and out of site. Damn. Was that a gunshot?"
"Haley? Michaels is hit."
"Damn it! One of you get him out of there. Now! I'm going in."
"Haley? You want me to. . .?"
"Woody, go back to the van and do whatever you have to in order to keep Jordan in there! With that gunshot. . . Max I'm not as worried about, but Jordan. . ."
"I know. Believe me. I know."
"Haley? It's Brown. It sounds like he's running through the house. Alone I think. Either that or he's carrying her. It's not her pace or pattern. Want us to follow him if he leaves or go in the house?"
"You be ready to follow him. I'm going in now."
"Gotcha. We're set."
"Jon? James? Whatever your name is? This is Agent Drew Haley of the F.B.I. We have the house. . ."
"Haley, he's out and alone. We're in pursuit."
"Ok. Get him. Whatever you have to do."
"Yes sir."
"Kaidlyn? Kaidlyn answer me!" No answer. Not even a sound. This is not a good thing. What is that noise behind me? "Max? What are you. . .?"
"Haley, I know you said to wait in the van. Woody's there with Jordan. But I know this house ~ I used to live here. Even as run down as it is, I know where the closets and. . ."
"Right. She's not answering, so I'm really concerned. Can you tell me where to go?"
"He probably took her up to the attic. The stairs are over here. Do you want.?"
"Can you check the downstairs? Just to make sure? We know he's out of here, so. . ."
"Ok. Go."
We have got to find her. It is way too cold and I doubt he let her get her coat before. . . I just hope she's ok. After everything I went through to prove that she could do this. . . "Kaid? You up here?" It looks like something ~ or someone is over in the corner. I don't want to say anything until I know. "Kaid?" It's her. She's unconscious. But breathing. Oh God, Kaidlyn. Say something. "Kaidlyn? Guys, I need that ambulance here NOW! Max! I found her."
"You did? Is she?"
"We'll come down there. Go outside and flag down the paramedics."
"Ok." Oh God. Paramedics? That's not. . . Now Max, you're jumping to conclusions. It's probably just a precautionary thing.
"Kaidlyn? Sweetheart? Wake up." Please wake up.
"Uhhh. . .Haley?"
"That's a girl. Yeah. I'm here." Ok. Pick her up. Ok, out the door.
"What. . .?"
"Shh. Don't try to talk right now. Here we go ~ fresh air. They're not here yet?"
"No, but I can see the lights fla-. . . Jordan! What are you doing out of the van?"
"Is she ok? What did he. . ."
Bang!
"Guys? What was that?"
"We got him, Haley."
"Do we need to call for another. . .?"
"Don't bother."
Jordan. . . I'm not even registering what they're saying. He obviously beat her. If he did anything else to my cousin I'll. . .
"Jordan? Sweetie, give her some air. Ok?"
"But Woody. . ."
"Over here guys. She's over here. Pretty bad bump on the head, temporary L.O.C. but other than that she seems to be ok. Still a little woozy, though. I want to get her checked out."
"Yes sir. We'll take her to Boston General. Do you want to come along?"
"I need to stay here and deal with this situation. Max, you want to ride with her?"
"Sure. Woody? You and Jordan meet us there?"
"Yeah, but we don't. . ."
"You can take the van we came in. I'll catch a ride with the others."
"Ok. Come on Jordan. She's going to be fine."
"Yeah, Jordan. I'm ok. I'll see you there in a little while."
"Ok. Load her up. Under normal circumstances, sir, you'd need to ride up front, but she seems stable so I'm willing to bend the rules a little. Come on in the back with me."
"Thanks. Haley? Thank you."
"I'll be there as soon as I can Max."
to be continued. . .
Where the hell am I? One minute we were walking on the grounds and then. I can't even remember what happened. I think I'm in a car. But. . . "Jon?"
"James. Remember, I go by James."
"Oh yeah. Sorry. Um, where am I?"
"You're in my car. We're going for a little ride. I want to take you somewhere ~ the first house I ever lived in."
"Oh. Why?"
"You're real cute. Most of the girls take a while to warm up to me, but, well, this is sort of an 'initiation' if you will."
"An initiation?"
"Yep. Into the sisterhood of the girls in 'Cutter's Row' as they like to call it. Relax."
"I don't want. . ." Good girl. Keep up the act. This is exactly what you're here to do ~ catch him in the act. Surely they've noticed you're missing by now. I just hope. . .
"Shut up! It doesn't matter what you want. Look, you were dumb enough to trust me. That was your first mistake. Don't let your pretty little mouth get you into any more trouble."
Great. This was just great. Maybe I can send a mess-. . . Oh no! My phone's gone. Must have fallen out of my pocket when he knocked me out however he did that. "Alright. I'll be quiet."
"That's a good girl. Ok. Here we are."
"It looks abandoned."
"It is ~ the whole block is. Has been for about 30 years now. Come on in and I'll show you around."
There's something to show? Think Kaidlyn, think. What can you do? Human. Make him realize you're human. Make him care about you. Show him you care. "Um, James?"
"Yeah?"
"It seems like something really bad happened to you when you were younger. You want to talk about it?"
"You wouldn't care about my problems. Pretty little rich girl like you? As if you'd even begin to care about me."
"But I do. I'm a good listener. I promise. Try me. You said something back at the hospital about your birth mother? Tell me more. Please?" Keep him talking. Just keep him talking.
"Well, I don't know a lot. My mother gave birth to me ~ and then her husband gave me away to another family. I found that out when I was 16 ~ found 'Mom's' diary and learned everything. Well, not quite. I went to my real mother's house one night. It was just her at the house. She said that her husband had taken their daughter out to eat. Then she filled me in on some things. I left before anyone got home. The next day she. . . The next day she was found dead in her house."
Oh my God. He's got to be talking about Aunt Emily. How many other cases could there be that are so much like this. I mean, granted I didn't know anything about another child, but a mother, a father and a daughter ~ the mother found dead in her house? It's got to be. . . "Really? And you don't know anything else about the family?"
"I know that my birth mother was put in Summit View a couple of times. She had problems and she admitted it. She felt helpless to do anything about it. But at the same time, she didn't want to hurt anyone, so being hospitalized seemed like the best option to her. Her husband wasn't my father but he gave me away. She told me I wasn't his and he knew it. My father was some kid who was working as a gardener at her parents' house. She only married the guy she did because they'd gone out off and on and he had a job. A cop. She was only 16."
That's certainly something I never knew. Maybe it's not who I think it is. "Wow! I guess that was hard for her. So did you go back home after you talked to her?"
"To the people who raised me? Nah. They tried to love me, but it wouldn't ever work out. I was just wired differently. I couldn't relate to them or anyone else."
"Oh. So what did you do? Did you ever try to find. . .?"
"I got a job. At Summit View. Figured if I was in there, maybe I could find out more about my birth mother than I could in one night. It's been a good job. As for the rest of my family? Yeah. I've seen them around. I've got a sister, well, half-sister. She's some kind of detective or something I guess. I know a couple of years ago there were some murders going on at the hospital. One of the patients. She worked with this cop on the case. It's not like I introduced myself to her. But I knew. She looks a lot like her mother."
It's certainly possible. Jordan does look a lot like the old pictures we have of Aunt Emily. "Oh. I see. So what happened?"
"It was too easy. I knew they never figured out who killed her mother and I had a feeling it was torturing her. Especially having to go back to the hospital where her mother had been. So I kind of took advantage of that to help a friend."
"A friend?"
"Yeah. This guy who was in after he was accused of killing his wife and kids. He clammed up so they could never try him, but he was left in Summit View until he either died or started talking. But you see, he talked to me."
"Yeah ~ you have quite a rapport with the patients, I can tell. Any particular reason he decided to talk to you?"
"I almost believe you mean that. Anyway, I never confirmed anything, but he told me he'd worked as a gardener for a few summers when he was a lot younger and it was that or newspaper routes, so perhaps he. . . Never mind. Anyway, he told me he had done it ~ killed his wife and kids. He just snapped. But he wasn't going to go to jail. At the same time he wanted out. When my sister walked in, I saw my chance. I fed him just enough stuff to keep her going and planted stuff from her mother on her car for her to find. It worked like a charm. She bought it hook, line and sinker. And there was a bonus ~ the guy had done such a good job of cleaning things, they couldn't prove anything with the knife. He knew it. But all of a sudden the knife turned up as evidence with blood on it. That's when he clammed up. He knew they were trying to frame him. So he told her it was all about the knife. Of course she went and found it and discovered that the blood had been planted. By her own father. Even I couldn't have dreamed that one up. So she went to the D.A. with the knife and they had to let him go. He gave her directions ~ she thought to find out information about who killed her mother, but it was really to where he'd buried his wife and kids."
"Oh." This seems to be working. He's so into the story, I think he's forgotten why he brought me here in the first place. Hang on kid ~ do not get off guard.
"Yeah. So everything was going ok. Then I got a call from my mother's husband. Somehow he'd found me. Seems some things had come to light and he wanted to take care of things before his daughter got any more involved. But it was too late. She was hooked. So we had a little reunion a couple of years ago. He made up some story about her holding me under the water in the tub. But I know different. Anyway, I scared them both ~ beat him up. Shot at her. Then I ran off."
"But you went back to Summit View to work?"
"I'm not dumb. I knew that he loved his daughter too much to tell her anything else and he'd do everything he could to see that she didn't come looking for me. The guy who claimed to know something about her mother was gone to who knows where. He just vanished. And I think I did a pretty good job of scaring her during our little reunion. I changed my name again ~ this time to Jon Samuel ~ changed up my look a little, and went back to work at Summit View."
"Oh."
"But something changed when they found me. Something in me snapped. I can't help doing what I do. It runs in my family."
"What does?"
"Sickness ~ the inability to control what you do. Acting out impulsively either towards yourself or others. Mine is more outward-focused. My birth mother's was more self-focused. See, she cut herself too. I guess that's why I'm so drawn to that particular wing. I feel close to her there. Especially since she kill-. Did you hear something?"
A car. Outside. Please let it be Haley. "Um. . .no."
Outside in the van. . .
"Max? You sure this is it?"
"Yes. I'm positive."
"Ok. The team should be here soon. They've got to follow our GPS signal since her phone got left behind at the hospital. There they are. Jordan. You stay put! You too Max. Let us handle it. I promise we're going to get Kaidlyn out of there."
"Alright. We'll be here."
"Woody, you come with me. Hey guys. Be quiet. We don't want to get him too nervous and do something. . ."
"Haley? I think I saw some light from inside that house ~ 1947."
"I saw it Woody. Ok guys. Quietly move around the house. I don't want to hear a stick crack."
"Yes sir."
"I wish Kaid had her phone."
"You really think he'd let her answer it?"
"I don't know Woody. I don't know. Maybe. I just know I don't like having her out of contact and out of site. Damn. Was that a gunshot?"
"Haley? Michaels is hit."
"Damn it! One of you get him out of there. Now! I'm going in."
"Haley? You want me to. . .?"
"Woody, go back to the van and do whatever you have to in order to keep Jordan in there! With that gunshot. . . Max I'm not as worried about, but Jordan. . ."
"I know. Believe me. I know."
"Haley? It's Brown. It sounds like he's running through the house. Alone I think. Either that or he's carrying her. It's not her pace or pattern. Want us to follow him if he leaves or go in the house?"
"You be ready to follow him. I'm going in now."
"Gotcha. We're set."
"Jon? James? Whatever your name is? This is Agent Drew Haley of the F.B.I. We have the house. . ."
"Haley, he's out and alone. We're in pursuit."
"Ok. Get him. Whatever you have to do."
"Yes sir."
"Kaidlyn? Kaidlyn answer me!" No answer. Not even a sound. This is not a good thing. What is that noise behind me? "Max? What are you. . .?"
"Haley, I know you said to wait in the van. Woody's there with Jordan. But I know this house ~ I used to live here. Even as run down as it is, I know where the closets and. . ."
"Right. She's not answering, so I'm really concerned. Can you tell me where to go?"
"He probably took her up to the attic. The stairs are over here. Do you want.?"
"Can you check the downstairs? Just to make sure? We know he's out of here, so. . ."
"Ok. Go."
We have got to find her. It is way too cold and I doubt he let her get her coat before. . . I just hope she's ok. After everything I went through to prove that she could do this. . . "Kaid? You up here?" It looks like something ~ or someone is over in the corner. I don't want to say anything until I know. "Kaid?" It's her. She's unconscious. But breathing. Oh God, Kaidlyn. Say something. "Kaidlyn? Guys, I need that ambulance here NOW! Max! I found her."
"You did? Is she?"
"We'll come down there. Go outside and flag down the paramedics."
"Ok." Oh God. Paramedics? That's not. . . Now Max, you're jumping to conclusions. It's probably just a precautionary thing.
"Kaidlyn? Sweetheart? Wake up." Please wake up.
"Uhhh. . .Haley?"
"That's a girl. Yeah. I'm here." Ok. Pick her up. Ok, out the door.
"What. . .?"
"Shh. Don't try to talk right now. Here we go ~ fresh air. They're not here yet?"
"No, but I can see the lights fla-. . . Jordan! What are you doing out of the van?"
"Is she ok? What did he. . ."
Bang!
"Guys? What was that?"
"We got him, Haley."
"Do we need to call for another. . .?"
"Don't bother."
Jordan. . . I'm not even registering what they're saying. He obviously beat her. If he did anything else to my cousin I'll. . .
"Jordan? Sweetie, give her some air. Ok?"
"But Woody. . ."
"Over here guys. She's over here. Pretty bad bump on the head, temporary L.O.C. but other than that she seems to be ok. Still a little woozy, though. I want to get her checked out."
"Yes sir. We'll take her to Boston General. Do you want to come along?"
"I need to stay here and deal with this situation. Max, you want to ride with her?"
"Sure. Woody? You and Jordan meet us there?"
"Yeah, but we don't. . ."
"You can take the van we came in. I'll catch a ride with the others."
"Ok. Come on Jordan. She's going to be fine."
"Yeah, Jordan. I'm ok. I'll see you there in a little while."
"Ok. Load her up. Under normal circumstances, sir, you'd need to ride up front, but she seems stable so I'm willing to bend the rules a little. Come on in the back with me."
"Thanks. Haley? Thank you."
"I'll be there as soon as I can Max."
to be continued. . .
