Reprisals chpt 3
Nodding at the nurse at the reception desk Sam and Dean headed to the bank of elevators, their first stop of a new day. Secretly Dean was glad they were starting out easy, Sam was moving stiffly which was to be expected after pulling a good five pounds of crystal out of his skin. He'd said the lamp base was about twelve inches tall and about seven or eight in diameter and it looked to be about eighty years old. They both knew it was real crystal for certain. Dean's forearms and hands were pretty cut up themselves and neither of them felt particularly up for any detailed charades despite the suits they were wearing.
Dean motioned to a door on the left side of the hallway and Sam knocked lightly before entering the room. The woman in the bed looked at them as if she was looking right through them.
"Miss Guinardi?" Sam asked using his Sharing and Caring voice.
She nodded and brought her awareness to them, "Yes."
"Hi… I'm Sam Rodgers this is my partner Dean Taylor… we're with Metro Mutual…"
"We realize this isn't the best time Miss Guinardi… but in cases like yours…"
"Really? You've had other cases like mine? I'd like to hear about them…" she sniped even though her voice was lethargic. There was something in her demeanor that struck the boys as, 'wrong' for her situation.
"I'm sorry ma'am… I didn't mean to…" Dean shook his head and stopped as her eyes welled with tears.
"Lemme guess you're going to cancel my policy right?" she nodded as if she knew it was so.
"Well that has yet to be determined Miss Guinardi… we do however need to ask you a few questions…" Sam responded sharing an important glance at his brother.
Her hand flipped in a 'whatever' gesture as she sighed tiredly, "I'll tell you the same thing I told the doctors, the police and the shrinks," she shook her head, "Honestly I'm surprised but then again… those nice EMT's…" she leaned back cautiously, like someone who was accustomed to living with pain and knew all too well how to avoid it.
"Miss Guinardi, we're aware that you've said you didn't see your attacker…" Dean started, "And that your statement has been corroborated by the EMT's who arrived first on the scene, but we'd like to know… is there anyone in your life, in your past who might want to cause you to come to harm?"
She shook her head gently, "Not that I know of…" she closed her eyes, for the first time since they'd walked in, not looking at either of them.
Sam and Dean noticed and exchanged a quick glance before Sam asked, "How long have you lived at this location?"
"Three years."
"Any odd smells, unusual leaks, pests?" Dean asked and wondered why he was bothering with the standard questions, Sammy's back was all the evidence they needed that there was something evil and angry in that house. What he really wanted to know was why.
She shook her head and doing one of the things Dean did best, he listened to his instincts and closed the door then pulled the chair up to her bedside where he motioned a pale little brother to rest while he sat on the arm.
"Miss Guinardi… let's cut the crap huh?" he motioned to Sam, "My partner and I were at your property yesterday… we… well he was attacked, like you… and like you…he didn't see his attacker. Now I know you don't know us from Adam but I'm going to ask you some questions that are so far off the record they'll never find their way into any documents… I don't like it when someone attacks my partner… makes me a little angry if you get my meaning… so he's going to put his little notebook away and we're going to talk about things that normal people don't talk about… you understand what I'm saying?" Dean asked, his voice was choppy and stilted and Sam knew he'd be the one to get whatever information they got from this woman.
Damn man… he's so good at reading people! I'll never be that good! Sam thought and though he wanted to lean back and rest a bit the end on end rubbing of exposed and sliced topical nerves in his back forbade him.
"I…" she started, taken completely aback by his demeanor, "I don't…." she shook her head and took one look at that cocked eyebrow of his that said in no uncertain terms, 'try to lie to me', then she sighed. "It's been stalking me for about sixteen months now…"
"What's been stalking you?" Sam asked wincing as Dean dropped a hand onto his shoulder without thinking.
"Sorry…" Dean muttered grimacing for his brother as their attention turned to the human patchwork before them.
"If there's any chance you guys are recording any of this I won't say a thing…." she said softly.
"Ma'am… if we tried to submit any recording of any of this to our superiors we'd be committed…" Dean smiled nodding sarcastically.
It seemed to be just what she needed to hear as she began to spin her story.
"…it…he…" she shook her head, "…it sees blood and it laughs… it sees a tear and it laughs… a whimper… gloats… I lost my child two years ago…chalked it up to a miscarriage… blunt trauma after a hard fall…" she huffed sarcastically, "…no stairs in the house… I never fell… HE… IT… whatever…" she flopped and for the first time in the last forty five minutes broke eye contact with both of them, turning her head to the side and staring out the window, "go away," she shook her head seeming to snuggle down deep under the covers. They knew they'd been dismissed and honestly, both of them felt dirty and angry and impotent. Sam ripped a piece of paper from his little spiral notebook and laid it on her nightstand.
"If there's anything else Miss Guinardi… please don't hesitate to call either of us…" he said softly, his hand gingerly touching her shoulder.
"What can you do?" she asked defeated and refused to look at either of them.
"We can listen…" Sam said softly and touched her hand gently but she snatched it away and rolled onto her side.
Dean put the chair back where it belonged and with their moods dark and ominous, a complete contrast to the pristine day outside, they left Carol Guinardi in her hospital room.