--------------------------------------
Chapter 25.
oOo
'Discovery'
oOo
Doug jumped out of his car quickly and rushed around the vehicle to passenger site and opened the door.
"Doug." Judy got out and asked amused by his strange behavior. "What happened to you?"
"Why?" The bigger man raised his brows trying to make as innocent face as possible.
"I can't remember when last time you were so gentlemanly." Judy stopped for a while and observed her friend opened entrance door to the hospital in front of her. She shook her head and crossed the door.
"I always was a gentleman, but you never noticed." Penhall pouted feeling a bit insulted. Was he that asshole before and he even didn't notice?
"Doug." Judy became serious. "What's going on?"
"Nothing."
"Don't lie to me." The female cop looked at her partner and blinked at him. "I've known you long enough to know when there is something bothering you. Not to mention you don't do anything without cause. You never opened the door in front of me before; you never came for me to my apartment to give me a lift, not to mention you made me a breakfast by yourself. And what baffled me the most you were quiet all the time and didn't banter with me. So. I am asking you – what do you want?"
"How did you know I need something?" Doug asked a bit disappointed that his plans were discovered so easily. He meant first to talk with Judy and imperceptibly lead her to the problem he had. Then maybe she agreed to help him…
"Woman intuition." Judy answered with smile. "What is it?"
"You surely noticed Tom's state last days worsened, didn't you?" The cop started carefully.
"Of course I did, Doug!" The young female spat angrily surprising Doug with that. It wasn't the way he wanted start the conversation. "I am not blind! Not only you are sitting on his bedside long hours!"
"I didn't mean that, Judy!" He raised his arms. "You know that."
"Sorry." The young woman made apologizing wave of hand. "I am just so worried and tired."
"Do you really believe what Doctor Reynolds is saying about Tom?"
"He is the specialists. Why shouldn't I?"
"Because it sounds strange. He wants to transfer him to Psychiatric Ward."
"Yeah, I heard." This was the news which almost crushed Judy as she got know.
"Do you agree with that?"
"Like hell I am not, Doug." Judy looked at him strangely. "Where are you heading with that?"
"I don't trust Doctor Reynolds… and Zarmansky as well." Penhall stated undoubtedly but he only scored Judy's irritated look.
"You don't trust any doctor."
"Well, that's true." He looked back. "But this is different."
"Why?"
"I don't know." He answered helplessly. He truly didn't know how to verbalize his doubts and suspicions. Everything was just so far-fetched. "It's just… I can't understand what's happening with Tom, and he is behaving so strangely… Yesterday he asked me for help."
"Tom?"
"Yes. And it wasn't like it was going about his nightmares. He stubbornly mentioned Guardian though… He was groggy but completely aware of what he was talking about."
"Did he say something more?"
"No, he was too weak. He fell asleep." Doug stopped near coffee machine and started searching his pockets.
"And what?" Judy asked not entirely understanding what he wanted to say. "What do have Doctor Reynolds or Zarmansky common with all this?"
"I don't know, Judy." There was unsure answer. "But I know something is wrong. I don't believe Tom is going mad and his relapse is highly incomprehensible."
"And what do you want to do?" Hoffs asked and put two coins inside coffee machine and with relieve smelled the aroma getting out from pouring liquid.
"Brake to Reynolds office." Doug spat out quickly in hope it doesn't sound that stupid. "And Zarmanski's as well."
"You what?" Judy couldn't believe her senses.
"Maybe it is wrong direction, but I have to check it out." Doug persuaded.
"Doug! Do you hear yourself?"
"Judy please help me."
"There is no force to make me to break to doctors' office, Doug. I don't know what about you but I am still police officer. And this is… madness." Judy almost shouted the last word but in time she noticed Mrs. Hanson going in their direction so she just whispered it with incredible voice and then as if nothing happened with smile turned towards the approaching woman. "Hello Mrs. Hanson."
"Good morning sweetheart."
"How is Tom?" Doug asked immediately hoping against hope there changed something for better during last several hours he was absent.
"He slept all the time." The older woman answered with weak smile not sure if the information brought good or bad news.
"Where are you going?" Judy asked as she was a bit surprised seeing Mrs. Hanson dressed in dark green winter coat. She really seldom left Tom's room.
"For a walk." She answered and then added as if apologizing them she left her son. "The walls are starting to close around me."
"I can understand it." Judy commented and squeezed the older woman's arm in sign of unison.
"Is there somebody with Tom?" Doug knew it was highly stupid question, especially judging from Judy's incredulous gaze. Mrs. Hanson wouldn't leave her son if there wasn't somebody watching him, but he couldn't fight the urge. But his over protectiveness didn't have any limits last days.
"Dennis." The older woman smiled inwardly sensing Doug's current state of feelings and forgave him the question. "Oh, he asked for another cup of coffee. If you were so kind…"
"Of course." Judy assured and took another coin from her wallet.
"Have a nice walk." Doug shouted to Mrs. Hanson's back.
"Thanks. I will be back soon." Hoffs and Penhall observed the woman disappearing behind the door and then they looked at each other.
"Judy, please help me." Doug repeated his request.
"No way. Anyways what do you expect to find in their offices? A proof of their failures concerning Tom's treatment, or an official statement of… well I can't even say of what. This is just stupid."
"What if somebody made some mistake? You know, it happens, doctors are not infallible, they could miss something."
"Doug, you pick holes where they do not exist. I admit Doctor Reynolds is not a guy who I like as well, but he is doing his best to help Tom. The same I can tell about Zarmansky."
"Yeah, but we can't tell that for sure." Doug insisted stubbornly. He desperately needed to find some way to help Tom. Even if it was most crazy thing he ever did. "Maybe we should ask Fuller to change doctor, or move Tom to another hospital, or… Yeah! We should watch him more closely… I mean Mrs. Hanson is with Tom all the time, but during the night she is asleep, it happens I fell asleep as well. Guardian could…"
"Doug." Judy broke the monolog before it became impossible to interrupt. "I believe what you said about Tom, but there is no way Guardian was in his room. Guards don't let enter his room anybody except people we know, it means us, doctors and nurses. Tom asks for help and calls Guardian because he is in trauma caused by his doings. It's no wonder he is dreaming about him."
"I know but… I need to do something."
"So be with Tom." Judy answered with a confident tone and moved towards Tom's room. They entered it and for some first seconds, until they understood what was playing in front of their eyes, they stood in place utterly petrified.
All sheets were in mess and thrown on the floor. Tom was lying on his stomach in the edge of his bed with legs overhanging out of it. Unaware of their presence he moved his body slowly down so that his bare feet finally touched the floor. The IV was torn out of his hand, as same as the small round ECG sensors. Judy looked panicked around. Dennis was nowhere in the sight.
"Tom!" Doug snapped out of his astonishment as first and moved to his friend quickly, ready to take him back to bed. But Tom already managed to stand uncertainly on his legs and pressing his back against the wall he took with both hands the stand holding bag with glucose and weaved it warningly. All his body was trembling from exertion and pain but in his eyes was clearly visible stubbornness and anger.
"Kkeep away." He whispered forcedly and tried to focus his eyes.
"Tom, it's me, Doug." The bigger man made another step to his friend but Hanson's angry movement caused the long stand to stop and keep Penhall in place. He looked on his side suddenly aware of Dennis getting out form bathroom. On his way he met scared eyes of Judy. She didn't know what to do.
"Iss Guard'n." Tom blinked several times trying to keep his mind awake and his body straight. Waves of pain were visibly cruising through his weak and battered body causing him tremble badly. What animal force kept his friend upright and conscious Doug never got know, but at the moment it made him to start to believe Tom. Entirely and unquestionably.
"Tom!" Judy finally spoke on the edge of tears. "Please, stop it."
"Nno!" The young man shook his head and pressed his back to the wall stronger simultaneously shifting all his weight on his healthy leg. "Guard'n!" With those words though the small reserves of strength left him suddenly and he let go the metal stand he kept in his hands. Then he followed the thing and slid down on the floor second later causing Doug to run to him immediately. He leaned over his friend and took him by his arms.
"Nno!" Tom writhed weakly and looked highly consciously at Penhall. "Please."
"It's all right now, Tommy." Judy closed up to them and observed Tom carefully for any serious injuries. Dennis in that time run for doctor. Hanson reached for Doug's hand and squeezed it forcefully.
"Pplease! Believe mme." Tom winced as he fought to say the last words as clearly as possible in spite of weak and shivering voice. The darkness started closing around him but still he fought it stubbornly and waited for any acknowledgement. Doug's heart almost broke at that sight and he closed his friend in protective cuddle and answered loudly straight to his ear caring it got to Tom clearly:
"I believe you now, Tommy. You hear me? I believe! I will take care of you, I promise!" As he spoke that he felt Tom's body relaxed in his arms as he finally gave up fighting.
"Doug?" Judy was crying. She looked at him with wide opened scared eyes. "Was that…?"
"Yes." The man nodded. "There is something wrong happening in that hospital. And I am going to check it out."
"What happened?" Doctor Zarmasky appeared suddenly on the scene with nurse and Dennis hot at his heels. He entered the room and approached the group then crouched next to Tom and checked him carefully. "Let's take him back on the bed."
Doug hesitated a bit, not sure if the man was trustful enough, but he finally decided that his friend would be more comfortable lying on the soft mattress than in his arms. Though he refused doctors help and took Tom up by himself. It hit him how light and skinny he was.
With his patient lying safely in bed the doctor turned to young police officers and opened his mouth.
"No way, doc." Doug jumped in before the man had chance to say anything. "We are not leaving Tom alone any more."
"Fine." The older man agreed sensing there was no chance to get them out without causing more mess. Without any other word with professional help of accompanying him nurse he replaced the torn ECG sensors on Tom's bandaged chest and turned the small monitor on. The annoying steady sound of Tom's heart filled the room again. Then he inserted new IV, this time to another hand, and checked him for any new injuries. After about ten minutes, when he finally finished, he started preparing big syringe waking instantly Doug's uneasiness.
"What is that for?" He asked eyeing the man suspiciously.
"I am going to take his blood for analysis." The doctor answered.
"Why?" Judy moved forward and looked hardly at the person in front of her.
"As doctor with more than twenty years of experience I never met with such bad and strange case. I just want to check my suspicions."
"And what are those?"
"I am not going to talk about this." The doctor took now full of red liquid syringe and handed it to the nurse. "Cathy, take that blood to the laboratory. Tell them that I need this for yesterday."
"Why you keep this out from us?" Doug asked as soon as the door closed behind the woman.
"Because I could harm somebody with my suspicions."
"You mean Doctor Reynolds, don't you?" Penhall didn't give up.
"Don't you?" Judy urged, after the accident from several minutes ago she was as suspicious and devoted to check what caused Tom's current state as Doug.
"I have reasons to suspect something." The doctor nodded after some seconds of linger. "But still it doesn't mean anything."
"Like hell it does, doc." Doug protested. "If his irresponsibility caused all that mess I am going to kill that guy!"
"Doug, calm down, please." Hoffs was a bit scared of seriousness Doug said the last sentence.
"What do you think you will find in Tom's blood?" Dennis asked slowly catching up the situation displaying in front of him.
"Well, his behavior indicates that he is highly drugged."
"But I thought you are giving him some drugs… you know analgesics, sedatives…"
"I do, of course, but those dosages have no right to cause all that."
"And, that what gives Doctor Reynolds could?" Penhall wanted to know.
"Did he tell you he was going to give Tom something?" Doctor Zarmansky asked looking for any other clue to support his suspicions.
"Only that he is going to prescribe some medicines." Judy remembered what Fuller said about his first meeting. "Surely he gives him something during those sessions."
"Doctor Reynolds failed to inform me about that." The older man commented the news bitterly and with rising anger. "There is no note about any medicine he gives him in his medical card."
"Why?"
"Because I wouldn't agree."
"So, why did he do that?"
"'If' Doug." Doctor accented the word "'If' he did this. You can't accuse him without prove."
"Why are you defending him?"
"I am not. But as police officer you should know better…"
"Okay, let's assume he did do that." Dennis started loosing his patience. "Why?"
"I don't know. Maybe… maybe because he desperately needs results to his another book."
"For me the reason is not good enough." Judy stated.
"He is ambitious and I think the scientific environment presses him for results so that he is ready to even break the law on his way."
"It is unbelievable."
"But it happens."
"I am going to call for Fuller now." Doug had heard enough and moved towards the door. "I need to talk with him."
"Judy will you stay with Tom?" Dennis asked and followed his friend.
"I am not going anywhere." Hoffs shouted after them and turned her attention to her beloved. New hopes filled her and it itself enhanced her mood.
oOo
"Doctor Zarmansky really said he is suspecting Doctor Reynolds for failure?" Mrs. Hanson asked Doug once again. She couldn't keep up with all those events happening here last time. Thinking was just too confusing. The people around, walking or sitting by near tables in the hospital canteen eating, drinking, talking looked just surreal for her as if taken from another world. Her own world wasn't that normal, it was turned upside down.
"He said he has some suspicions." Doug informed. "This just confirmed my own suspicions I had just before we found Tom outside bed this morning."
"So, we have no choice than change doctor as quick as possible." Fuller stated without hesitation.
"But what with Reynolds?" Doug opposed. "He has to suffer the consequences!"
"He will." Captain answered. "I will take care of that."
"I can't believe that." Mrs. Hanson shook her head and took out the book she got from Doctor Zarmansky. "He wrote so many wise things in there. How it was possible he neglected my son so terribly just because of his ambitions?"
"He is just a man. Everybody makes mistakes." Fuller stated matter of factly though it didn't mean he was going to be gentle with the man.
Doug in that time took closer look at the back of the mentioned book. The bell inside his head started ringing so loudly he almost felt deafened by the sound. There was something disturbing in the picture introducing the author… Something indefinable, indistinguishable… The hell! What was that? Then…
"Ohhh…" Doug moaned prolonging the sound strangely as he suddenly realized what was bothering him. He caught his head. "…Holy shit!"
"What?" Fuller snapped a bit discontent his subordinate swore like that in Mrs. Hanson's presence.
"Damn it!" Doug looked up at Fuller, his eyes wide as if they were just going to jump out. "Doctor Reynolds is Guardian!"
oOo
…
Well, I didn't mean to make the fact that Reynolds is Guardian THAT obvious; I hoped it would be some surprise to you, but it seems I miserably failed in my attempts. Still I have got very much to learn about writing.
Thanks for great reviews to those 'old' reviewers as well as and those new ones. I really appreciate every review and I am happy that this story is still able to interest anybody because last times I started losing hopes.
Please review. It makes me happy. Thanks.