Authors: Priscilla Poole Rainwater
Laughter finally subsiding, Malcolm wiped the tears of mirth from his eyes and tried to ignore the fact his friend and boss was glaring at him like he wanted to kill him. “Ooops, maybe I should go check on the car. Why don't you freshen up too, before you embarrass yourself. A cold shower, maybe?” he chuckled. “If you don't, you're going to be walking funny for hours.” he teased as he gave him a knowing wink, then turned and left.
“You're so, almost fired!!!” Granger shouted as he did his best to comfortably arrange his erection, which was still struggling to make
its
way out of his trousers.
Chapter 30
Zeke watched as Cassandra and Granger walked out of the Inn, hand in hand, and climbed into the SUV. Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel of his rental car, he thought of his conversation with Martina hours earlier. She had sounded desperate, and wanted Cassandra Mortensen taken care of as quickly as possible. She told him she would be going back home to get the money for the hit, and expected to be back by the end of the week with
the cash. Taking a drag from his cigarette and a sip of his Burger King coffee, he muttered, “Well, Mrs. Mortensen, you have less than four days. I hope you enjoy them, I honestly do.”
Suddenly disgusted, he flicked the half-smoked cigarette out the window and took another sip of coffee.
She deserves to be protected, not hunted down like an animal...
he thought, and was suddenly angry with himself. He couldn't understand why he suddenly wished she would leave with her husband, and go someplace safe where people like him couldn't get to her. He couldn't understand why, for the first time in his miserable adult life, he could care less about a big payday. And he couldn't understand why he had been unable to look at himself in a mirror ever since he had met the woman.
Oh, who are you kidding, you know perfectly well why. She's the first truly decent person you've ever been asked to take out. A person who doesn’t deserve it. She reminds you that there's still some goodness and decency in this fucked up world...
he thought, then, uncharacteristically nervous and on edge, he fished another cigarette out of his pocket and lit it with a hand that trembled almost imperceptibly.
“Goodness and decency.” he whispered as he stared straight ahead blankly, then felt a long-dormant pain lance his heart as a vision of his beloved mother manifested in his razor-sharp mind. His beloved mother, who had always doted on him, had such high hopes for him, had believed in him. His beloved mother, senselessly raped and murdered as she made her way out to her car late one night after work. His mother, indeed, his entire world, taken away from him at the age of twelve. It was the sole reason he had became a police officer to begin with, to rid the world of scum, no matter what methods it took. He had made himself into judge, jury, and executioner. And in the process, he himself had became the worst kind of scum, a criminal with a badge, excusing his own actions and deluding himself into thinking that every drug dealer he had ever shook down, every person he had ever carried out a hit on, had deserved it. After he had been fired by the State Police, he had carried on pretty much as he had before, the only difference being that he had excused his actions by labeling himself as some form of righteous vigilante.
A movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he turned to see the Mortensen's pulling out onto the street. Sitting up straight, the burning cigarette between his fingers all but forgotten, he started his own engine, then began following them from a discreet distance. As he drove, he felt uncustomary panic grip him, and this, at least, was no mystery. He knew that there was no stopping Martina, or that lunatic Brett, once they were locked on course. If he didn't carry out the hit, he knew perfectly well that she would find someone else to do it, and afterwards, would have a hit put out on
him.
“I have to go through with it! Martina, the sick fuck, said she wanted the woman's death slow and painful, and even wants me to record it, but fuck that! If I....do go through with it, and I MUST, I'll make it quick and merciful. If someone else carries out the hit, she'll suffer terribly, AFTER she's been sexually assaulted, most likely. I can't let that happen!”
his mind gibbered in genuine fear. Feeling as if a pit was closing over him, he followed the couple's SUV , wondering if there really was such a thing as salvation. And praying that there was.
*************************
Granger's body was tightly coiled as he prayed Doctor Zachrick could unlock the mystery behind Cassandra's attack, and in truth, he hoped and prayed there would be no evidence that his mother had anything to do with her assault and disappearance. But deep in his heart, he felt she was involved, in some capacity.
“Cassandra, can you hear me?” the doctor asked in a soothing voice.
Cassandra was stretched out on her back, on the plush couch, her head resting against a pillow, legs covered with a hospital blanket, in a deep state of hypnosis. “Yesss, I can hear you.” she slurred.
“Now, Cassandra, you're back at the point in time right before you were injured. Tell me where you are, and what's going on.” the doctor prompted.
Watching her closely, Granger noticed her hands, which were resting on her lap, were balled tightly into fists. Suddenly, an angry scowl spread across her lovely features, and her lips clamped tightly together for a moment. “Baby's room, I'm in our baby's room. I'm upset they won't let us leave together. I'm holding him...I'm...I'm crying, I'm scared. I don't know what to do.” she answered with a choked sob. “They won't let me take my baby with me.”
Doctor
Zackrich
glanced at Granger, but said nothing. Looking back at her, he continued. “Ok, Cassandra, now you're moving forward in time, to the day you were attacked.”
Her only answer was a whimper of fear.
Tensing even more, Granger scooted to the edge of his chair, every nerve in his body humming like a high voltage wire.
“I'm at my special place. The place he made for me. Where I fell in love with him.”
“Special place, what is that? And who made it for you?” the doctor asked.
“Granger made it for me. I left home, I needed to time to think. I'm afraid he's going to divorce me. I still love him. I just called Granger at work. He answered, but I was too afraid to speak, so I hung up. I'm afraid he's still angry at me, I'm afraid he'll never want to see me again.”
Granger knew what she meant, and his stomach clinched as a profound sense of shame washed over and through him.
If only I would have stayed and listened to her the day she left, she never would have gotten hurt. It's all my fault !
He
thought.
“Cassandra, what special place?” the doctor repeated.
Leaning close to the man, Granger whispered, “She's talking about our cabin at Roaring Branch I had built for her. It was a wedding present.”
Nodding, he continued. “Cassandra, are you at Roaring Branch?”
Tossing her head from side to side in an almost violent fashion, she suddenly let loose with a blood curdling scream that made the hair on the back of both men's necks nearly stand on end.
In a panic, Granger bolted from his seat, but the doctor quickly stood and placed a hand on his chest and shook his head, stopping him.
“Someone else is in here, I just heard footsteps walk right up behind me and stop....I'm afraid to turn around and look, but I have to. It..it’s a woman, not a man…
OH, GOD IT HURTS.
..” she screamed as her suddenly trembling hands fluttered and flew to her head. “Someone’s hitting me over the head with something...I'm on the floor, but I can't see...there's something in my eyes....oh God...I think it's blood..
.MY BLOOD....I CAN”T MOVE!”
she screamed.
Tears began streaming down Granger's eyes as he watched helplessly, hoping and praying that the doctor knew best.
Quickly, yet calmly, the doctor went to her, pulling her hands from her head gently. “Cassandra, I'm going to count backwards from five to zero, and when I reach zero, you'll be back here with us in the office, safe and sound. Safe and sound with your husband Granger, and myself.” Cupping her face in his thin, cool hands, he began just as she clutched at both his wrists desperately. “Five...slow, steady breaths, Cassandra..four...three..two...one...zero...you're waking up now, safe and sound, and you'll remember everything that has happened during this session.
Slowly, her heavy breathing began to subside, and she opened her eyes.
Releasing his hold on her, the doctor stood up straight and motioned to Granger that it was Ok to approach her.
Sitting on the edge of the couch, he took both her hands in hers, and waited.
Cassandra looked up at him with tears streaming down her face, only this time, they were tears of happiness. Sitting upright, she suddenly kissed the back of both his hands. “Oh Granger, it really
wasn‘t
you!” she half laughed, half sobbed, as relief and happiness shone in her eyes. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she hugged him tightly as she begged his forgiveness for her ever doubting him.
“Shhhh...shhhhh....everything's Ok now, love.” he murmured, immensely grateful that the long nightmare finally seemed to be coming to an end.
Releasing her stranglehold on her husband, she turned and looked at the doctor, eyes still shining with relief and excitement. “Hypnotize me again! I know it was traumatic, but I want to know who hurt me. Everything was kind of blurry, it happened so fast, but I KNOW that was no man who attacked me! I want to know everything, and I want to know right now!” she half asked, half demanded.
He understood why she would want to remember everything as soon as possible and get back to her life and her family, but he didn't think putting her under again so soon would be in her best interest. Years of experience had taught him that absorbing too much, too soon, without time to process it all, often lead to false memories. Holding up a hand to silence her demands, he quietly, but firmly said, “No, we have to take this slow, trust me on this. Not to mention the fact we have to wean you off that poison Doctor Parker was giving you.”
Frowning for the first time since coming out of her trance, she nodded her head slowly. After she had found out about what Brett had been doing to her, her attitude had changed. Initially it had been shock, followed by disappointment, then indifference. However, the more she had thought about it, the angrier she had become. Now, she wanted nothing more than to see him go to prison, for cheating her out of the years she could have been spending with her family. Grabbing Granger's hand again, she laced her fingers through his, as if drawing strength from him. “Why did he do this to me? What did he have to gain?” she asked everyone, and no one.
Although he didn't answer right away, the doctor still had his suspicions. He believed, like Granger, that Brett Parker had became obsessed with her, and had crossed the line. In fact, he had already informed the police about the medicine/poison, and what he believed was criminal negligence as a physician, but the claims and test results were still under investigation, unknown to Brett Parker at this point in time. “Cassandra, the drug combination he gave you effectively interfered with your memory all on
its
own, but that, along with your head injuries and his own hypnotic suggestions to you, nearly sealed your fate. Listen, I'm going to prescribe something for you that'll allow you to safely detox, with very little discomfort. The blood sample that I had the nurse draw when you first arrived will be tested to see if any damage was done to your liver by those drugs.” Knowing that she was becoming overwhelmed by the information, he gave her a sympathetic smile. “I can't promise total recall, but once those drugs are completely out of your system, you should start recovering at least
most
your memories.”
“Ok.” she said.
Pulling the prescriptions he had filled out earlier from his coat pocket, he handed them to her. Although the couple wouldn't know it, inside, he was afire with indignant wrath.
Doctors are supposed to heal! Who else has that animal mistreated?
He
wondered. Clearing his throat, he looked at each of them in turn, and said, “I've informed the state medical board of Mr. Parker's mishandling of this case, and faxed a copy of the lab reports to them also. Ditto for the police. I've also demanded that the hospital board suspend his practice here at the hospital immediately, and I want you both to know I will see this
through to the end. Personally.”
Granger stood, helping Cassandra to her feet, then wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him. “Thank you,
DOCTOR
. You, sir, are actually deserving of that title.”
*******************************************************
After the Mortensen's left, doctor Zachrick sat down at his desk and began making notes about the session. Since he was used to his nurses coming in and out, giving him charts and taking others away and what not, he never looked up as he heard the door to his office open and close. “What can I do for you?” he asked.
“That's a loaded question.” a female voice answered, with seeming amusement.
He looked up to see Joy Bishop standing there, and a smile lit up his face immediately. He had always liked the woman, and admired her work as well. But there was something else. The woman always made his heart go pitter-patter whenever she looked at him. Dropping his pen, he gave her his full attention.
“Since you're always chained to this desk, I've taken it upon myself to make sure you eat.” she said with a smile as she held two bags up in the air and shook them lightly. “Chicken A' La' King, tomatoes with feta cheese, and it's not from the hospital dining hall. I got this from my mother's restaurant, so you can bet your degrees it's gonna' be good.” Putting the bags on the desk, she pulled up a seat, her dark eyes twinkling. “If you're a good boy and eat all your dinner, you'll get a Black Forest Sundae for dessert. Oh, and I made that myself.”
Smiling, he was truly flattered. He had never been much of a ladies man, and if the woman was flirting with him, he honestly couldn't understand why. After all, she was a vision of loveliness, and could have her pick of any of the young, handsome staff members. His last date had been eight months ago, and that was more of a dinner with a colleague than a real date. He had been so wrapped up in his career lately, he really didn't have any private life to speak of. “Well, thank you very much. Matter of fact, you're right, I do get so wrapped up in my work at times that I forget to eat. How can I ever repay you?” he blushed at his lame, nerdy attempt at flirting.
Giving him a sunny smile, she laughed heartily, then reached out and stroked his smooth, pale cheek with one hand, which made him blush even more.
Inwardly, he trembled with excitement, and his heart felt as if it would leap from his chest. He couldn't believe it, this beautiful, ebony goddess actually seemed to be interested in him.