Chapter 15

Silence seemed to be the order of the day. Breakfast at the Austins (poached eggs on toast for Jaime and Steve and a scrambled egg for Becca) was punctuated only by the child's enthusiasm and the new word she'd proudly tried on for size.

''Juice!'' she said excitedly as Jaime put a cup in front of her. ''Juice! Juice!''

Steve chuckled. ''And eggs and toast, Bug,'' he said lightly, trying to interest Becca in the rest of her meal. He and Jaime ate their own food in relative silence, giving all of their attention to their daughter and pretending things between them weren't so icy and disjointed.

They'd gone to bed still angry. The alternative would've been staying up all night fighting, as they'd reached a true impasse. Oscar was due within the hour to at least try and wrangle a statement out of a recalcitrant, stubborn Jaime - and the doctors were due just before lunch. With the animosity Jaime felt toward Oscar, Steve suspected she just might need a doctor by then.

Rudy, newly released from his hospital bed, was in Michael's office, having an early morning briefing on their patients' conditions and Jaime's treatment plan for the day. While they were both doing their fair share of talking, Michael was remaining silent on what mattered most - his new discovery and his plans to use it. He suspected (correctly) that Rudy might not approve...but Michael just knew it would work and serve to set Jaime back on the road to normalcy.

His plans after that would depend on the results with Jaime and on whether or not he had enough pull (and stealth) to get inside the secure holding area at OSI-Los Angeles...

Oscar was nearly completely silent as Russ drove him to his meeting at the Austins' house. Charges for Mark Conrad did not depend entirely on what Jaime had to say (or what she might refuse to say) but without her statement today - and hopefully, her future testimony - the case against the therapist could prove to be dead in the water.

Steve met them outside on the doorstep - never a good sign. ''She's in no mood for this,'' he warned.

''Then let's get started,'' Oscar announced. ''The sooner we begin, the sooner she can be done.''

Steve opened the door - and they were greeted by a sharp, ornery call from the living room. ''Bring him in...so I can tell him exactly what I think of him!''

Jaime sat with her legs drawn up to her chest and her chin resting on her knees as she glared at the (for her) unwelcome visitor. ''You're really determined to lock him up, aren't you? For doing his job and doing it well?''

Oscar seated himself and opened the file he carried with him, his pen poised even though it was already clear there wouldn't be much information voluntarily or freely given. ''Jaime,'' he began carefully, ''it's my job to consider whether Mark's methods and his treatment of you placed you in unnecessary danger.''

''Well, let me tell you something, Mister Goldman, Sir!'' Jaime snapped. ''If it wasn't for Mark Conrad, I'd still be an emotional cripple, dreaming about men with drills...and chains...and roller coasters...and too afraid of my next flashback to ever leave the house! And Steve - do you realize that without Mark's help our marriage would've disintegrated and we certainly wouldn't have been healthy enough - or even close enough - to have had that beautiful little girl in there! I can't imagine why you think he deserves to be locked up...unless it was a slow day at the office...but you are way off-track here! And you may as well lock me up too because I have NO intention of helping you!''

Steve had known his wife's explosion was coming, but Oscar was temporarily struck dumb. And when he doggedly began to try an extract a statement from Jaime, every one of his questions was met with stony silence and a hostile glare. Finally, he had no choice but to give up (for now). He'd have to go with his own knowledge and Steve;s statement - which meant if this were ever to go to court, the Austins would very likely be sitting on opposite sides of the table.

Rudy and Michael were met far more hospitably, with hugs and a handshake for the elder doctor and a handshake and nod of respect (from Steve) for Michael. Both doctors moved efficiently and painstakingly through examining their respective patients. They had finished all that needed to be done (including putting Jaime through her paces in the backyard) and were preparing to leave when Michael quietly removed a small gray and black box from an inside pocket of his lab coat. It had several dials on top and a cone fashioned of wires that stuck out from one end. Steve spotted it in the young surgeon's hand as he moved up behind where Jaime sat next to her flowerbed.

''What's that?'' Steve questioned, grabbing Michael's arm. ''And what are you doing?''

''You need to trust me on this,'' Michael said quietly.

''With my wife? Hell, no! We've had quit enough strange contraptions, thank you very much!''

''Steve?'' Jaime questioned, lifting her head and turning toward the two men standing behind her.

''It's alright, Sweetheart,'' Steve told her. He had only one good hand and for a split-second, he released his hold on Michael to reach down and try to soothe his wife.

It was enough; the break Michael needed. The box in his hand made a strange sound as he leaned forward and touched the wires to the back of Jaime's neck. Instantly, her head lolled forward as she lost consciousness before she could say a word.