Chapter 14d06

Chapter 14 (Draft 06)

"Hold on now. We need to do this right."

"Please, Kari, don't turn this into a big scene; it's going to be embarrassing enough. For heaven's sake — I don't know why I let you talk me into this. I look ridiculous."

Kari moved into the living room where Ethan and Robert were sitting in conversation.

"Gentlemen, I have a little surprise for you…"

"Kari, please….," the men could hear Sally's voice complaining in the next room.

"Oh hush, you'll be fine," Kari scolded back in a whisper. She turned to smile at the men again.

"With very little help on my part, I'd like to introduce to you the new Ms. Sally Carmichael."

Kari stepped to the side and raised her hands like a model on the Price is Right.

There was a pause as the men smiled and then adjusted their position to better see the hallway. Sally was nowhere to be seen.

"Sally… get out here!" Kari grumbled from the side of her mouth.

Ethan started to laugh but stopped short as Sally slowly emerged. Looking very uncomfortable, she stepped forward with her hands clinched tight at her waist in a flowered dress and new shoes and a face that looked stunningly beautiful. The gray in her hair was completely gone now, perfectly matching the silky, auburn roots that had started to grow in the months previous. The dress she wore was clinging almost lovingly around Sally's figure in a way that only seemed to underscore her womanly curves. Kari even thought to apply a little makeup on her face, which barely enhanced the beauty that was clearly already there in fine detail. Her cheeks were soft and smooth, but the bones framing them looked to be shaped by an artist's hand in the finest marble. Her nose was unchanged, but somehow seemed smaller and most refined. As Sally looked up, the blue in her eyes appeared to leap from her face to fill the room.

"Holy cow!" Robert said in surprise as he stood together with Ethan. "You look amazing!"

"Doesn't she look beautiful?" Kari said with a smile, looking at her friend admiringly.

Ethan Dodge was at first speechless and he couldn't stop his eyes from straying from the face he thought he knew so well to Sally's ample bosom and shapely curves. As their eyes met again, he could see the woman was blushing through her rouge.

"Completely stunning," Ethan whispered. "Poetry unsaid is a sin, but… Sally… I'm completely lost for words. You're absolutely beautiful."

Sally raised a shaking hand to comb her fingers through her shoulder length hair. She looked like a nervous young girl preparing for her first date. "You… don't think it's too much all at once?" she whispered, never taking her eyes off of Ethan.

Ethan smiled and then hobbled over to the antique cabinet where he pushed some of the buttons inside. An old waltz began to play as he reached out to the beautiful woman who suddenly seemed so out of place in his dreary home.

"Dance with me… please," he asked her simply.

Sally was surprised. "But… your leg."

"I'll manage… please."

Tears were welling in Sally's eyes as he reached out to take Ethan's good hand and together they waltzed in a small circle, staring into each other's eyes as if totally alone in the world. Kari's eyes were full of tears when Robert joined her and she hugged him tight as they watched the two of them dancing together.

It was a quiet morning on Embers Street and the sidewalks snaking their way beneath the old growth trees were strangely clear of its residents. The neighbors, joggers and those walking their dogs should have been relishing the beautiful morning, but the sun was an orphan that day. Inside the meticulously maintained homes, where foreigners made a living keeping up the lawns and gardens, everyday life continued at an oddly somber pace through the breakfast ritual. A few TV sets and radios could be heard murmuring through the trees as the parents within kept their children close. There was a smothering presence over the community, an eerie stillness that remained unmoved even as a scream cut through the morning air. The long and tortured wail made the neighbors cringe behind their locked doors. On any normal day it would have sent them running outside, looking to help the woman they all knew was in obvious pain, but not this morning. Another scream was heard, but nobody moved to go out and see what was wrong; they already knew.

"Who's crying, mommy?" a little girl asked her mother, as her father poured some milk over her cereal.

"Oh it's nothing, baby. Somebody just has their TV on too loud. Eat your breakfast and maybe we'll go to the park today. Would you like that?"

"Yes, mommy. Daddy, are you coming with us?"

The little girl's father sat looking at his wife as another wail split the heavens. He cringed and then kissed his little girl on the forehead.

"All right, sweetheart. Daddy will come too."

"You don't have to go to work today?"

"Not today, pumpkin. Daddy is going to spend the whole day with you and mommy. Eat your cereal and then we'll go, okay?

Another scream was heard and the entire family looked out the kitchen window in response.

Next door, Doctor Gladwin Howard was holding onto his wife as she shuddered in his arms.

"My baby boy; where is he, Glad? Where could he be?" The woman wailed again.

"The police will find him, Lizzy. They have everybody out looking for him." The man looked up at his oldest daughter standing next in the doorway. Looking despondent and tired, she too was crying. "Julie, go get my bag again, please."

The man's wife pushed her husband away. "I don't want another God damn shot! I want my Benny back!"

"Sweetheart, the police will find him. They will, I promise." His cell began to buzz and his wife jumped.

"Answer that! It might be the police; it could be Benny!"

Doctor Howard looked at the number and frowned.

"Who is it? Answer it!"

He stood and slowly raised the cell to his ear. "Hello?" The man could hear the familiar breathing, the hollow sounds of the devil himself wheezing through an oxygen mask. He immediately covered the receiver and shook his head at his wife.

"Shit!" She moaned and fell back to pound the couch. "Shit — shit — shit — shit!

"Take care of her, I have to take this," he told his daughter, and the girl immediately moved in to sooth her mother.

Howard walked into the kitchen and then out the back door to the yard outside. He took a deep breath and then raised the phone to his ear again.

"What have you done with my son?"

"Respect, doctor. I demand it of all my employees… continually."

"Where is my son?!" he yelled into the phone, and then cringed as he looked into the kitchen window for his wife again.

"Young Benjamin is safe, have no fear. You should know that your son is as important to me as you, doctor. Have you done as I asked?"

"I… I haven't had time yet. The police were here all day yesterday after we found out Benjamin was missing. How could you do this to us? I was trying to help you!"

"Was… would be a very dangerous word to keep within your vocabulary right now, doctor. Are you saying you no longer work for me?"

Howard looked to the sky and stuffed his knuckles into his mouth. It was taking all of his strength to keep from screaming.

"Well, doctor? I'm waiting for an answer."

"You know I can't refuse you, not with you holding my son. Please… let me talk to Benjamin? It would mean so much to his mother if she knew he was unharmed."

"Have I not told you that your son remains in good health? Have I not acknowledged his importance to me? Your son remains intact, doctor."

"I want to speak to him!"

"I think not."

"Please!"

"I am not in the habit of repeating myself, doctor."

"For heaven's sake — he's my boy. You don't understand. His condition makes him very susceptible to…"

"I know all about his condition, doctor. You said yourself that if he remains on his medication the little voices in his head are kept at bay. Despite the fact he is your only son, his psychoses is not rare. In fact, it's been my personal experience that schizophrenia can be induced even in healthy children… given the correct methods of encouragement and stimulus."

Howard was shaking uncontrollably. "I'll do anything you say, anything! But please… don't hurt my boy."

"Good. Then, doctor, we are in agreement. You will continue your work with Sally Carmichael at the University and I will expect to see your daily reports beginning tomorrow."

There was another wail inside the house and Howard flinched.

"You had better go back to your wife, doctor, and have faith when I say… she needs your attention more than your son right now." The phone began to buzz, there was a click, and then it was quiet.

Howard slowly closed his phone and dipped his head. "What have I done? Dear Lord, forgive my greed… and don't let him hurt my Benny."

He heard his wife wail again in unison with the doorbell and then her immediate reaction.

"Is that Benny? See if it's Benny!"

"I have it," Howard motioned to Julie as he headed for the door. He looked out the window to see Kari Dietz and Robert Coleman standing outside.

"Uncle Glad, oh my God, we wanted to come over as soon as we heard the news," Kari said as the door opened. She immediately stepped inside. "Where's Aunt Liz?"

They could hear her aunt screaming in the next room. "Benny? Is that Benny?"

"Jesus." Kari threw her purse down behind the door and then ran into the next room. Robert could hear the wife shriek again when she saw it wasn't her son.

"Thanks for coming, Robert; I'm glad you're here."

The detective stepped inside. "How you holding up?"

Doctor Howard shook his head somberly as he closed the door. "I can only hope you've brought something new. Nobody from the police or the FBI has called this morning."

"They knew I was coming over, so they gave me what updates they had." There was another muffled whimper in the adjoining room. Howard looked longingly toward his wife's voice and then directed them to the right.

"Let's go in here."

Coleman followed Howard into a paneled library and the doctor quietly slid the pocket doors closed before turning to face his friend again. "So… what are they telling you? What do they know?"

"Not much, I'm afraid; in fact, nothing more than yesterday. I've pulled some strings to get the forensics moving on the note the kidnappers left in your son's dorm room, but that won't be available until tonight. Frankly, I wouldn't leave a lot of hope on that front. This looks like a very professional job. I know the lead detective on the case and he said your son was taken after class on his way to the campus library. Then the kidnappers took the time to enter his dorm room unseen to leave the note. That shows a lot of determination and planning, Glad. I doubt they left anything for us to find there."

Howard heaved as he sat behind his desk. His wife could still be heard moaning through the doors. Coleman watched the man closely and was troubled by what he saw. The doctor seemed preoccupied to him.

"Listen, Glad… is there something else going on here? Anything else I need to know?"

The doctor looked up at him and frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know. You just seem… a little distant in all of this."

Howard thought for a moment and then looked resigned. "You must understand, Robert… nothing in my life takes precedence over the well-being of my family, but there is something very important I need to tell Kari… it's regarding her friend Mrs. Carmichael."

"About Sally? What is it?"

Howard looked at him and shook his head. "You must think me crazy to be worried about this… and at a time like this, but I can't help it."

"What are you talking about?"

"Sally is in a lot of trouble, Robert, more than she realizes. After reviewing all of my test results, I've come to the conclusion that she doesn't have that much time left to live."

Robert was surprised. After seeing Sally dancing with Ethan the day before, the news of her questionable health came as a shock.

"What's wrong with her?"

Howard heaved. "I could give you a lot of medical answers, but I believe without treatment her condition will continue to run its course until the end."

"What do you mean, 'run its course'? How does something like this end?"

"Well… she'll continue to get younger until be becomes a child again, and then a baby, and then…"

"Jesus. You're kidding?"

Howard stood, he looked very nervous. "We have to convince Mrs. Carmichael to come to the University."

Robert frowned. "What a minute. Why are we even talking about this? Your son is missing, Glad. Nobody expects you to drop everything just to…"

"Can you get Sally to the hospital!?" Howard yelped, cutting him off.

Robert was surprised again. "Are you saying… that… you can help her?"

"I think so, but I won't know for sure unless I can get her to my lab."

Robert shook his head. "That won't be easy, Glad. She's changed a lot since you last saw her. You wouldn't believe your eyes."

"All the more reason she should be with us. Her condition will likely accelerate going forward unless we find a way to suppress what's happening to her. She must be convinced to let me help her."

Robert stared at Howard for a time and then, "But even if she'll agree to go there, you won't be able to help her — not with all of this going on here."

"Oh — I'll be there. I've set everything else in my life aside.

The detective was stunned. He could see the determination in Howard's face and once again the cop was suspicious. Howard's purpose was out of place given the situation with his son.

"Are you all right?"

"You must allow me to speak to her. There's so much at stake."

"Okay, I'll pull Kari aside so you can explain it to her."

"Mrs. Carmichael must be in the University hospital by tonight. Any further delay could be detrimental to her life."

"Tonight? Are you planning on working tonight?"

"If Carmichael is there, yes… that's where I'll be."

"But… what about your son? Your wife is going to need you here."

"Julie and Janice are here. They can take care of her."

The detective's cell started to ring. He seemed frozen to the spot and didn't react to the call until the fourth buzz.

"Sorry, I'm still on duty." He raised his phone.

"Coleman here. Yeah, Doug. No… what about it? Yeah, so?" Howard watched the detective's face fall. "You're kidding. Where? Jesus. Who's working the case? Fine, did he leave you his cell?" Coleman started to rifle in his pockets and Howard handed him a pen from his desk. "Wait… okay go ahead." He scribbled quickly. "Got it. Yeah I'll call him right now. Thanks for the call again, Doug. I appreciate it." He closed the phone.

"Something about Benny?"

Coleman looked at his friend. "Oh, I'm sorry — no. Apparently, somebody was murdered at Mercy."

"Murdered? Inside the hospital itself? Is it somebody we know?"

"A nurse by the name of Andrew Johnson."

Howard frowned. "That name does sound familiar, but I don't know why."

"He's a friend of Kari's. That's why the homicide detective on the case wants me to call him. They want me to ask Kari to come down to the precinct for some questions."

"Kari? But why would they want to talk to my niece? She wouldn't have anything to do with…"

"No — no, it's nothing like that. This is normal procedure because they worked together at the hospital and because the two of them dated for a while before Kari and I hooked up."

Howard looked angry. "Christ — Kari is already under a lot of pressure with Benny and her friend, and now this? Is it really necessary to tell her about this now?"

"I'm afraid it is. It's either me or the homicide squad knocking on her front door." The detective turned to look out the window. He seemed to be in deep thought.

"What's the matter, Robert?"

The detective turned to him. "This Johnson guy… he was one of the nurses caring for Sally Carmichael during all of those tests you were doing on her."

Howard's eyes seemed to drift away to think. "Oh yes, I remember him now; a black man, right? He was quite good for Mrs. Carmichael, always kept her laughing. Oh my God, I can't believe he was murdered."

"Yeah, down in the hospital basement. Shot in the head.

"Goodness, that's terrible."

"Yeah… terrible." His stare returned to the window again.

"Robert?"

"It's just that… Johnson was the second person attacked who…"

There was another pause. "Robert? What is it? What are you thinking?"

"…who was spending time with Sally." Coleman looked at the doctor again. "Ethan Dodge was attacked too."

Howard was taken aback. "And you think the two crimes… might be connected?"

"Probably not… probably just me over-thinking things again, but it's kind of strange." He opened his phone again and started punching numbers.

"Detective Mitchell? Yeah — hey, this is Coleman, West Precinct? Doug gave me the message. No, I haven't told her yet. We're over there at her uncle's house; yeah, the kidnapping.

"Listen, have you guys narrowed down the time of death yet for Johnson?" He listened for a while and then, "So it happened in the middle of the day? Hmmm, have you checked for elevator cameras? A big hospital like that is bound to have… And?" He listened again. "I know there's a lot of people using the elevators but…" The detective turned to look out the window again. "And did you see anything that caught your eye?" He listened again. "Let me ask you something… did you see a big guy in the elevator with Johnson before that time? Maybe two big guys — in black suits? Really? And did he follow Johnson out the elevator?" He paused again. "Okay, listen — when I bring Kari in, I'll need to get you caught up on some things that I've been following down at the hospital. I think it might be related." He looked at his watch and then to Howard. "Ah… give me… about an hour?" Howard nodded. "Great… I'll see you then." He hung up.

"So?"

The detective was hurriedly putting his cell into his suit pocket. "They got some film of Johnson getting off one of the hospital elevators around the time of his death. They can't really tell if he got off at the basement floor or not, but they're assuming he did. They caught him on tape talking to a large man in a black suit in the elevator as he was getting off."

"Were they fighting?"

"No, nothing like that and the man didn't follow Johnson out."

"But you suspect him?"

Robert was writing in his notepad. "Yeah… maybe. He didn't follow him out, but that doesn't mean the guy wasn't smart enough to go back up and then down again in the stairwell. The squad has requested the stairwell tapes from hospital security. They should know more by the time I get Kari to the precinct.

"I better get going. It isn't going to be easy to tell Kari about this, but the sooner I get her downtown the better." He looked at Howard again. "Can you help me break her away?"

"Of course." The doctor headed for the door, but Robert stopped him as he passed.

"Listen, Glad. You would tell me if you were in any trouble wouldn't you?"

The doctor was surprised. "Trouble?"

"Yes, if there was anything wrong… if you were in trouble in any way."

"Robert? Why… would ask me such a thing?"

Coleman studied the man closely. "It's just that Sally's case is rather extraordinary, isn't it?"

Howard frowned. "Yes… it is, absolutely."

"It's just that… two people close to Sally have been seriously hurt or, in this case, killed. First Ethan Dodge is attacked and then there's this Johnson murder. You've been very close to Sally as well." There was another moan heard in the next room that jerked Howard's attention toward the door." He frowned again and then surprise seemed to dawn on him.

"You think the people that took Benny might be involved in these other attacks?" Coleman didn't reply. He was staring at his friend for any unexpected reaction, any nuance of acknowledgement in his expression.

Howard slowly moved to take his turn at the window. What Robert was suggesting was so obvious to him now. Of course the attack on Ethan Dodge could be related. He recalled the conversion with Bezuhov and how upset he was that Sally was planning to leave the hospital; would that beast of a man hurt somebody like Ethan to keep Sally in the hospital? He frowned. But what about this Johnson murder? He was one of Mrs. Carmichael primary care givers along with his niece. Why would Bezuhov hurt him?

"Glad? Is there something you need to tell me?"

Howard almost forgot Robert was standing in the room with him. He turned and tried to force a look of bewilderment. "I… really don't see how these things at the hospital and my son could possibly be related."

"Are you sure?"

"I pray to God you're wrong, Robert."

Coleman could see it in his eyes. There was something in the man's response that told the detective he was right in his assumptions. He stepped closer to his friend and placed his hands on his shoulders. He stared straight into his eyes.

"Have you ever heard of a man named Bezuhov?"

Howard's eyes widened with horror. The question had come so far out of nowhere that Howard couldn't control his reaction to it. And his response left him naked and vulnerable to Robert's inspection. The doctor tried to turn away, but Coleman snapped him back.

"You do know him, don't you?"

Howard's normally clear and analytical mind was fumbling as his son's face began to swim through his mind. "Of course… I ah… I know him. He's one of the major supporters of my work."

"Supporters of your work? What work?"

"My work on aging at the university. He's a very generous man. In fact, his generosity has allowed me and my team to advance far in our studies."

"Have you met with this man?"

"Yes… once, before I took the Director's post. That's when the University President told me about Bezuhov and suggested that I should meet with him at his home."

"You know where the man lives?"

"In Los Angeles, yes." Howard was now in a full panic for his son. He knew that if Bezuhov found out he was talking to the police about him; he tried to remain calm. "Robert, I don't understand. Bezuhov is a very old man. For God's sake he's over a hundred and dying. He lives in a secluded mansion up in the hills in a wheelchair."

"But he's rich, right? Rich enough to fund your work on aging. I want his address."

Panic reached in to snatch Howard's heart. "I… I can't give you his address."

"Why not?"

"Because Mr. Bezuhov is an extremely private man. I would never have said his name if you hadn't mentioned it first. How do you know him?"

Coleman finally released his friend. "Because I think the people I suspect of hurting Ethan Dodge work for him."

"What?"

"That's right. I don't have any proof yet, but I believe one of his men was caught on tape speaking to Johnson just before he was killed at the hospital."

Howard fell back in surprise.

"Glad, I want you to tell me the truth now. Is it possible that his man… this Bezuhov, has your son?"

Howard immediately turned away.

"Does he have Benny?"

"Of course not."

"You're lying, doctor."

Howard jerked up to glare back. "How dare you… suggest…"

"Does he know about Sally?

"What?"

"Does Bezuhov know about your work with Sally Carmichael?"

"Well… yes… of course he knows about her. He knows about all of the patients in my studies. He sees the results of my work on a weekly basis."

"Is this why you're willing to work on Sally's case at the university even while your son is in danger?"

"Excuse me?"

"He wants Sally Carmichael, doesn't he? This is all about her. Why? Why does he want her so bad?"

Howard tried to smile. "Robert, I think your detective training is running amuck. I don't see any connection between one of the leading supporters of my work and…" he swallowed hard, "… my son. I think you have let yourself…"

"And what if I told you that I won't let you take Sally to the university?"

Howard looked sick, suddenly deathly ill. His mouth dropped and then began to quiver.

"I thought so. You're scared of this man — this Bezuhov guy. Did he threaten you?"

Howard didn't reply.

"Does he have Benny?"

Howard still didn't reply.

"Jesus Christ, Glad. You know who has your son and you're not telling us? What the hell is wrong with you? Do you think…?"

"Robert — stop it! I never said Mr. Bezuhov had Benny. I never said anything of the sort."

"Yes you did, Glad. You most certainly did. You're saying it right now — I can see it all over your face, and I'm going to tell the FBI what I suspect, even if you won't."

"DON'T DO THAT!" Howard shot back. "For God's sake, Robert… who do you think you are?"

"I'm your friend, Glad. The man has your son and you probably know where they have him hidden in LA. You're gonna tell the FBI what you know, or so help me…"

"Stop it! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!" Howard was yelling. "I want you out of my house, Robert. You're upsetting me and you're about to upset my family. Take Kari to the police station and do what you have to do, but don't you dare contact Bezuhov. You don't understand anything; you don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh — I know exactly what's going on here. You might be the smartest man I know, but you're way out of your league here. And you're betting your son's life you can give this man what he wants before they hurt him."

"Get out! Get out of my house!" Howard headed for the door. He slid the panels open, stepped into the hallway and immediately opened the front door. "Get out! I'll send Kari along behind you."

Robert was fuming, but he could plainly see Howard was scared to death. The detective walked passed the doctor and stepped out on the porch, but turned quickly to face his friend again.

"I won't let Sally go to the University, Glad. I'm not going to just stand by and let her get hurt too. That's not going to happen on my watch. No way! You tell your friend Bezuhov that."

"He's not my friend," Howard said feeling ashamed as he closed the door.

Robert stood outside looking in. "You could have fooled me"

19