Shattered 13
"I'm afraid she's in no condition to answer any questions, gentlemen." Dr. Corwin addressed the two detectives at the nurses' station. "She's resting at the moment, and we're doing all we can to help her."
Detectives Ackley and Warman were not completely without sympathy for the woman who had been rushed to ICU, but they had other matters to consider. The shock of her neighbor's murder had physically upset her to the point of threatening the pregnancy. It was Dr. Corwin's main concern to save the baby, and of course ease the mother's distress. The officer's primary concern was to locate Norman Bates.
"We understand, doctor." Ackley assured. "And we don't want to disturb her, but there is a vicious murderer loose and we need to find this woman's husband."
"Norman Bates." Corwin glanced at the file in his hand. "Do you think he's responsible?"
"It's too early to say." Warman explained. "But he has had a history of similar violence, mainly toward women. You can understand the urgency to locate him, under the circumstances."
"I don't relish your job." Corwin nodded. "Who was the victim?"
"An elderly neighbor. Overkill, actually."
"And the patient's husband is missing?"
"Seems to be that way." Ackley agreed. "No sign of him at the house, his car is gone, according to another neighbor. If we could just talk to your patient for a moment--"
"I'm sorry, gentlemen, but as I've told you, she's resting. She's sedated and being carefully monitored."
"We'd like to station one of our men in the ward, if you don't mind."
"What? Is there a danger he might come here?"
"Never can be too careful." Warman smiled and handed the doctor his card. "Please give us a call when she's awake. The sooner we can find Norman Bates, the sooner we can move along with the investigation."
The pair departed, as Corwin thought it over. Suppose this missing man was the murderer? And what if he did show up at the hospital, possibly intending his wife-- or the staff-- harm? Corwin had examined the woman when she was admitted, and there was no indication of any assault, any injuries or old evidence of physical violence. He would put the staff on alert, and as soon as Connie Bates could be questioned, he would make that call.
By 9 am, word of Mrs. Harrison's murder was all over the news. Though names were not as yet mentioned, reports indicated that the police were seeking 'a person of interest'. In Oakland of course, neither Laney or Norman bothered to turn on the TV.
As promised there was breakfast in bed.
Too little time and not much sleep made every moment precious to the pair. They stayed in bed as long as they dared, cuddling, laughing and ignoring the world. Each sweet word, gentle touch and soft kiss was savored and cherished like some divine secret. All too soon it was time to go.
"I've had the most wonderful time, Norman." Laney found herself standing in the foyer again, stroking his face as he cradled their box of memories in his arms. "I'm so sorry that Sandy's an idiot.
"She was worried about you. I can understand that." And the less I think about that woman and that incident, the better for all concerned. "Though I wasn't prepared for an audience."
"I hope you weren't too embarrassed to be seen with me!"
"Never." He kissed her forehead tenderly. "I suppose we should be grateful for their timing."
"I doubt we would have noticed them otherwise."
There was a wordless moment as they looked into each other's eyes and smiled. They didn't need to put into words what they both obviously felt.
"I know you need to pack and catch a plane. You'd never get away from me so quickly otherwise."
"Well, book signing tours don't last forever, thankfully. I could come visit you when it's over?"
"I'd like that-- but I know someone who wouldn't." He smirked and pet her hair. "Besides, I don't really know where I'll be just then."
"You have all my numbers and addresses." She'd been certain to give her cell phone, home and office information to him. "Don't lose them! I'll be home right after the first of the month. And I want to see you."
They embraced one last time, with tender kisses and promises to be reunited soon.
"I'm so glad we found each other again, Laney." he whispered softly. "Nothing has ever felt so right. I want to be with you."
"You will be." she promised. "I'd like nothing better to see that lovely face on my pillow every morning."
It was over too soon. Norman was gone and Laney was hurriedly packing. The front desk called in Sandy's stead; she didn't quite have the nerve yet to speak to her associate. Norman returned to his room, deciding to get started on his return trip. If he was to lie down he'd fall asleep again and end up staying an extra-- pointless-- day in Oakland.
He had a purpose now, something more than escape. Before it was just the problem of running away from Connie as soon as possible. Now it was a matter of going away to be with Laney, to start a life together.
He was convinced that the divorce would be uncontested-- I've committed adultery, there's reason enough for Connie right there, But she doesn't need to know. I don't want her to ever hear about Laney or to mention her name. Irreconcilable differences will be enough of a complaint. I'll add assault to the bargain if she doesn't listen to reason. I'll leave that nightmare behind once and for all and forget the past. My new life will be pure, loving and beautiful, and no one and nothing here will ever touch it.
Two o'clock and Laney was looking wistfully from the planbe window as they taxied for take off. Sandy had been relatively quite and apologetic, wisely keeping her distance. Lucky for Ms Chandler that Laney was in a very good mood-- a direct result from her time with Norman. It was business as usual and soon the rude interruption of last night would be forgotten, or at least mention avoided.
Laney smiled softly, imagining Sandy's reaction when she eventually found out Norman was in her life to stay. She would probably throw a fit and threaten to end their association-- and Laney would happily agree if it came to that. She felt elated and inspired to finish signing obligations and start work on a new book. Life had been good before; now it had become fantastic!
Norman had been driving for a few hours, not bothering with the radio. He preferred to make this trip in silence, thinking fondly on the night just past. He was a new man as a result, no longer chained to the horrors of his history. The true and final cure for a life of misery had been so ridiculously simple, it inspired laughter several times during the journey.
It didn't matter if a hundred doctors cleared his release from a dozen hospitals. It didn't matter if he had been a saint, more clever than Einstein, rich as a king or poor as a pauper-- and the most sane man on the planet at that very moment. None of it would have made any difference. He was elevated-- by a single night in his lover's arms-- to a feeling of euphoria he had never known. It went beyond the simple physical pleasure most would associate with a night of love-making. I have a reason to survive. No more trying to get through life a day at a time, just happy that no crisis came up. After all this time, and all these wasted wrong years, the answer had been under my nose from the start.
When he stopped for gas at 4 or 5, he filled up on coffee as well, and bought a sandwich for the ride. It came to mind, during the latter half of his trip, that he'd need to tell Connie something about where he'd been and what he'd been doing. I drove to Oakland to buy some children's books. Technically true, but laughable. He could tell her anything but the whole truth at this point. It was enough to know he went away and came back again.
At least for awhile.
Detectives Ackley and Warman had returned to the Harrison house as the investigation progressed, after a stop at headquarters. By that time, the body had been studied, photographed and lastly moved to the morgue. The police were still finding random bits of the woman throughout the house.
"20 years on the job, and I've never seen anything like this." Warman shook his head as technicians passed him in the hall. "What did Hazzerd tell you?"
Ackley looked at the pad in his hand, where he had jotted a few notes from an earlier phone conversation.
"Neighbors claim she kept to herself. Retired school teacher, with an elderly brother in a nursing home up in Washington. No other family. She wasn't going to win the prize for Most Popular. She had a temper and wasn't really friendly with the families around here. Always yelling at the kids for running across her lawn or making too much noise."
"Wasn't local kids that did this."
"I looked into the record on that Bates guy next door, I mean, since he has a record." Ackley only knew him by name before this; most of the cops in the department made a point to know about all the residents on their beat with priors, but they generally relied on word of mouth about the histories. Case details never mattered until something came along to match.
"And I'll tell you what you found." Warman smirked. "Poisoned his mother and her lover when he was a teenager. Killed three other females and a private investigator before they locked him up the first time. Declared insane, discharged twenty years later, when another killing spree happened-- surprisingly, not his doing. Vengeful relatives of one of his early victims, trying to make it look like he was at it again. But the strain was apparently too much. By the time he was caught the next year, he'd added an old woman, 2 girls and a transient male who had worked for him to his credit."
"How'd he get out again?"
"That woman in the hospital? His pregnant wife? She's a doctor-- a psychiatrist or psychologist or something."
"Helps to have friends on the inside."
"Yeh, well. I'm not convinced this was his doing." Another technician had to get by, so Warman led his partner onto the back porch where there was less traffic. "It's too-- I don't know-- disorganized?"
"And that's not his style."
"No. He was always meticulous in cleaning up his messes. Wash everything, wipe up the blood, dispose of the bodies-- except for the two women he stuffed."
"Stuffed?" Ackley must have missed that part.
"His mother and the other old lady. Like taxidermy? He treated and preserved the corpses to keep them around for company."
Ackley snorted a laugh.
"Necrophilia?"
"Perish the thought! They were his 'mothers'. Of course, if your twisted enough to off some old broads and then preserve them, I don't imagine incest would bother you much."
"Anyway, we've got a warrant to investigate next door. Until the wife comes around and can give us a few answers, we should have a look."
Warman gestured broadly toward the house in question.
"After you."