"If I can assist you in any way, please, feel free to let me know," Lyman said to Fenton as he exited Holden's office ad closed the door.
Fenton sighed and opened the drawer of the file cabinet where his son's chart was kept. Each patient had a chart outside of their room Fenton had learned during his tour of the facility as Aaron Poe. He knew he was supposed to be looking for Crystal Lane's file, and he would, but the father inside of him had control over the investigator and he had to know how his son was doing, especially after seeing him looking so sad in the hallway just a short time ago.
Finding the file, he pulled it out and scanned it, his mouth tightening into a thin line as he read the entry concerning Joe's punishment for not eating his dinner Sunday night. He only wished the psychiatrist's observations were also contained within. Putting the file back, he opened another drawer and pulled out the one for Crystal Lane. He was actually surprised to find it. He had expected them to dispose of it after her death or at the very least transfer it to disk.
After reading it over he replaced the file and began looking through the other files. The one strange thing he noticed was that each file had a numerical and alphabetical designation. Each patient had a number, one through four, listed in the top left inside of the folder followed by either an A or a B. He pulled Crystal's back out and did a recheck. Hers had originally been classified as 2B but had been marked through and the designation 4A was noted beneath the original entry.
Frowning, he removed Joe's file once more. The number and code for his file was 1A. What did the letters and numbers mean, he wondered. He replaced the files and moved over to Holden's desk. He hoped to find something that would tell what the numbers signified but after half an hour he had come to the conclusion he would not find the answer here. He sighed, grateful that his cover allowed him the authority to ask about the code.
Finished with the desk, he turned on the computer. Most of the files he found were open to him but a few were encrypted. 'I expected as much,' he thought, reaching into an inner pocket of his blazer and pulling out a blank disk. He inserted it and copied the files then put the disk back into his pocket. Finished, he turned off the computer and left the room.
***************************************************************
Joe was ready when Rimes returned for him. He was taken to lunch instead of his room and although Joe hated broccoli, his previous night's experience had taught him his personal preferences were inconsequential.
As he ate, he glanced around the cafeteria, his gaze locking briefly with the green-eyed state inspector. Joe had the feeling he knew the man but couldn't recall ever having met the curly redhead before.
"Not a lot of people in here," commented Fenton, turning away from the sad blue eyes of his son.
"No," agreed Nurse Davis who sat across the table from him. "The main symptom of anorexia is vanity so we keep the male patients away from the female ones except when they are in the common room."
"How many male patients are there?" inquired Fenton.
"Currently, we have just the one," Dr. Holden answered for the nurse, his gaze switching briefly to Joe before returning to the inspector. "The most we have ever had at any given time is two and that was shortly after the foundation was formed."
"Why so few?"
"Males are not as susceptible to the disease as females," Holden stated.
"Why not?" Fenton asked.
"If we knew the answer to that with any amount of certainty we could very well be on our way to a cure," Dr. Holden replied, turning to look at Joe once more in a way that sent chills down Fenton's spine.
"And are you exploring this channel?" asked Fenton, controlling the surge of anger that threatened to surface.
"Most definitely," Holden affirmed, turning to smile at Fenton. "Joe is being closely monitored," he began. "His physical condition is checked every day and his weight and blood pressure are taken a minimum of eight times a day. Too, he has been meeting with Dr. Turner every day."
"The psychiatrist?" Fenton asked for clarification.
"Correct," acknowledged Holden. "We are hoping to find what Joe and our female patients have in common."
"Any luck so far?"
"Joe has only been here since Saturday afternoon," Dr. Holden informed Fenton. "It is really too soon to make a hypotheses."
"I noticed there were numbers and letters on each of the files," said Fenton, changing the subject. "One A, Two A, Two B , etcetera. What do they signify?"
"Each number represents the risk factor of the patient," Nurse Davis informed him. "The lower the number, the more likely the patient is to be a danger to himself."
"And the letters?" Fenton pushed for an explanation.
"If you will excuse us," Dr. Holden said, rising. "Nurse Davis and I have to get back to work. If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask."
Fenton couldn't help scowling as he watched the doctor and nurse leave. He was almost positive Nurse Davis would have answered his question about the letters but now he was equally sure any answer he received at a later date would not be a truthful one.
Fenton looked over at Joe as he stood on the scales before leaving the cafeteria. Although he did not approve of Joe's method for infiltrating the foundation, he had to agree that something was going on here. Something that one young girl may have discovered and died for.
Fenton sighed and opened the drawer of the file cabinet where his son's chart was kept. Each patient had a chart outside of their room Fenton had learned during his tour of the facility as Aaron Poe. He knew he was supposed to be looking for Crystal Lane's file, and he would, but the father inside of him had control over the investigator and he had to know how his son was doing, especially after seeing him looking so sad in the hallway just a short time ago.
Finding the file, he pulled it out and scanned it, his mouth tightening into a thin line as he read the entry concerning Joe's punishment for not eating his dinner Sunday night. He only wished the psychiatrist's observations were also contained within. Putting the file back, he opened another drawer and pulled out the one for Crystal Lane. He was actually surprised to find it. He had expected them to dispose of it after her death or at the very least transfer it to disk.
After reading it over he replaced the file and began looking through the other files. The one strange thing he noticed was that each file had a numerical and alphabetical designation. Each patient had a number, one through four, listed in the top left inside of the folder followed by either an A or a B. He pulled Crystal's back out and did a recheck. Hers had originally been classified as 2B but had been marked through and the designation 4A was noted beneath the original entry.
Frowning, he removed Joe's file once more. The number and code for his file was 1A. What did the letters and numbers mean, he wondered. He replaced the files and moved over to Holden's desk. He hoped to find something that would tell what the numbers signified but after half an hour he had come to the conclusion he would not find the answer here. He sighed, grateful that his cover allowed him the authority to ask about the code.
Finished with the desk, he turned on the computer. Most of the files he found were open to him but a few were encrypted. 'I expected as much,' he thought, reaching into an inner pocket of his blazer and pulling out a blank disk. He inserted it and copied the files then put the disk back into his pocket. Finished, he turned off the computer and left the room.
***************************************************************
Joe was ready when Rimes returned for him. He was taken to lunch instead of his room and although Joe hated broccoli, his previous night's experience had taught him his personal preferences were inconsequential.
As he ate, he glanced around the cafeteria, his gaze locking briefly with the green-eyed state inspector. Joe had the feeling he knew the man but couldn't recall ever having met the curly redhead before.
"Not a lot of people in here," commented Fenton, turning away from the sad blue eyes of his son.
"No," agreed Nurse Davis who sat across the table from him. "The main symptom of anorexia is vanity so we keep the male patients away from the female ones except when they are in the common room."
"How many male patients are there?" inquired Fenton.
"Currently, we have just the one," Dr. Holden answered for the nurse, his gaze switching briefly to Joe before returning to the inspector. "The most we have ever had at any given time is two and that was shortly after the foundation was formed."
"Why so few?"
"Males are not as susceptible to the disease as females," Holden stated.
"Why not?" Fenton asked.
"If we knew the answer to that with any amount of certainty we could very well be on our way to a cure," Dr. Holden replied, turning to look at Joe once more in a way that sent chills down Fenton's spine.
"And are you exploring this channel?" asked Fenton, controlling the surge of anger that threatened to surface.
"Most definitely," Holden affirmed, turning to smile at Fenton. "Joe is being closely monitored," he began. "His physical condition is checked every day and his weight and blood pressure are taken a minimum of eight times a day. Too, he has been meeting with Dr. Turner every day."
"The psychiatrist?" Fenton asked for clarification.
"Correct," acknowledged Holden. "We are hoping to find what Joe and our female patients have in common."
"Any luck so far?"
"Joe has only been here since Saturday afternoon," Dr. Holden informed Fenton. "It is really too soon to make a hypotheses."
"I noticed there were numbers and letters on each of the files," said Fenton, changing the subject. "One A, Two A, Two B , etcetera. What do they signify?"
"Each number represents the risk factor of the patient," Nurse Davis informed him. "The lower the number, the more likely the patient is to be a danger to himself."
"And the letters?" Fenton pushed for an explanation.
"If you will excuse us," Dr. Holden said, rising. "Nurse Davis and I have to get back to work. If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask."
Fenton couldn't help scowling as he watched the doctor and nurse leave. He was almost positive Nurse Davis would have answered his question about the letters but now he was equally sure any answer he received at a later date would not be a truthful one.
Fenton looked over at Joe as he stood on the scales before leaving the cafeteria. Although he did not approve of Joe's method for infiltrating the foundation, he had to agree that something was going on here. Something that one young girl may have discovered and died for.