Hey everyone. It was a long weekend for me and so I apologize for not post everyday. But I did keep writing. As I near the last week of writing I can say with confidence I will probably not make 50000 words by the end of the month. But I do feel the story id reaching its natural conclusion as a novella. So please enjoy. And we will see how the rest of the story plays out.
-
The day with Cole had been shorter than he had expected it to be. Edward left Cloverdale after saying one last goodbye. She said she would meet him outside of his hotel around 7:30.
Dr. Kravitz spent the rest of his day in his office. Going over the recordings for the past twenty four hours. Most just sat in the room quietly or banged on the door to be let out. Before the time of sedation last night. James had made his final change into whoever he was now. The hazelnut thing fascinated Dr. Kravitz. Unless the file was wrong, James should have had an severe allergic reaction to the drink. It went against the Hippocratic Oath he took in medical school to do no harm, but he wanted to test a theory. It had come back positive. James was fundamental a different person currently. Dr. Kravitz wasn’t even sure that it was possible but it was hard to ignore the evidence.
Whoever was the dominant personality was going to be a problem for them. James was difficult and reserved but he like to talk about himself and his actions. And Dr. Kravitz felt he was actually making progress. They needed to get James back in the driver’s seat so they could have a baseline to work from. Perhaps it would give them some idea to who this new personality was. He was sure at this point hypnosis was not an option. They would have to take the alternative route, it couldn’t be done during the day in case something went wrong. He would have to do at night and only with a few present. Maybe Edward and Terrence and a Nurse maybe. Someone who could assist him if James body crashed from the stress. They were about to play a very dangerous game with a man’s life. A unique man. Dr. Kravitz heard Edwards voice in his own head. A unique man but also a monster. He’s done terrible things. Dr. Kravitz knew the voice was his own. He was trying to justify it. It was necessary after all. Wasn’t it?
-
Edward showered and contemplated shaving. The stubble look was growing on him. He felt it made him look older in a way he was okay with. He too had thought of Cole most of the day. That smile haunted him. The man at that table up in that room, felt wrong. Edward couldn’t put his finger on it. He just knew when they entered that room this morning, the air was rotting somehow.
The feeling made him wonder if he should get into shower and try washing again, but he saw the time was 7:10 and didn’t want to be late meeting Sally downstairs. He wasn’t sure how to dress. He had forgotten to ask what type of place they were going to. Panic filled his mind. A suit. Jeans and a t-shirt. After a moment or two of pacing he settled on mix of the two. He threw on a pair of his nicest jeans and partnered it with his suit jacket. It didn’t look bad, but he wouldn’t be featured in GQ that’s for sure. He put on his watch and gave himself one last look in the mirror before heading out the door. He smiled at himself and for the briefest of moments he swore James Everett Cole was smiling back at him. That wrong smile.
He left quickly and headed down out to the street. A blue sedan was pulling up as he exited the building. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen was behind the wheel. She beckoned him into the car. Edward got into Sally’s car and she smiled. The right kind of smile. Natural and warm. “You ready for our date?”
“Yeah I wasn’t sure what to wear. So I went with this amazing ensemble.”
“Hot stuff.” She joked. “It’ll be fine where we’re going they won’t judge you on your clothes.” She put the car in gear and swung the car in a big U and drove off down the street.
“So where are you taking me? I feel like I am being kidnapped.”
She slapped her forehead. “Oh crap I forgot! Can you pass me my chloroform in the bag back there. It’s next to my filet knife.”
They both laughed. “Ha. Ha. Very funny.”
“You’ll see. Its just up the street over here.”
Edward saw it as they approached. The bar was called Spurs. The neon sign above the doors should a giant cowboy boot and a spiraling glowing spur. “I’m gonna lose the suit jacket.” Edward said slipping it off.
“Honestly your fine. My uncle owns this place. Best food in town I promise. Plus if you turn out to be a sleazy date I know about ten drunks in there that will escort you home.”
She smiled and placed a hand on his. “I’m kidding. Come on.” She parked the car in the lot was pretty empty for a Friday night. They got out and went in side. As they stepped through the doors the smell of good food, cigarette smoke and stale beer hit him like a strange after taste. A group of old timers at the bar turned and all their faces lit up. “Sally!” They are cheered in unison.
“Hey boys. This here is Edward. He’s my date.”
One of the men at the end of the bar stood up. He had a barrel for a chest and a beard as thick as moss. A cigarette clung to his lip and he put out a finger as if he was about to speak. Sally gave him a pat on the chest. “Sit down Mel. He’s a good man. A lawyer. Now leave us alone and leave him alone.”
She took Edward’s hand and guided him to a booth on the other side of the room. The men watched him with vitriol in their eyes as if Edward held the last ray of light in a dark world. “Don’t mind them, they just get protective of me.”
Edward looked around the bar. It was the perfect slice of Americano Bar Life. Neon signs covered every wall. Pictures of old times sprinkled between those and a jukebox played away by a makeshift dance floor. “Nice place.”
“Yeah it’s not to bad. Probably not as fancy as some of the place you go in the city.”
Edward chuckled and took her hand. Beardy at the bar watched him with fiery eyes. “I think you have me mistaken. I live in the city, yeah. But I spend a lot of my time in my apartment or at work. Takeout is my go to for most meals. I don’t live the ‘Wallstreet’ lifestyle. Sure some of the guys from my firm talk about their dinners out with their girlfriends or wives. Hell. Or both. But I really just stick to my work mostly.”
She squeezed his hand. “That sounds sad.”
He chuckled. “It is. So this.” He put a hand up to a neon pig that was smelling a rack of ribs. “This is great.”
“Good.” She said smiling.
An older man with an apron on came over to the table. “Good evenin’, Sal. What can I get you and your friend here?”
“Hey unc. This is Edward.”
Edward put out a hand and they shook.
“You can call me Duke. Everyone does.”
Edward nodded.
“We’ll have two eight ounces with your special spuds. And-“ She looked over to Edward. “Do you want a beer?”
“Yeah that would be great. Anything you got on tap.”
“Same.” Sally said.
Duke nodded. “Coming right up you two.”
She placed a hand on here uncle’s arm and shouted “Oh yeah and can you make those old coots mind there own business.”
The group of men at the bar all laughed and turned back to watch the TV above the bar.
“You got it Sal.” Duke said and walked off.
She looked embarrassed and said “Oh I hope you didn’t mind me ordering for you?”
Edward laughed and said. “No. It’s fine. Plus you know what’s good here. I’m just excited to be here. With you.”
Sally blushed; a hair fell down in front of her face. Edward gently reached across the table and put in back into place behind her ear. “Sorry. Was that weird?”
“No it’s sweet.”
They talked for hours. About life. About money and work. Then about nothing at all. They laughed over drinks and Edward ate the most delicious steak and potatoes he had ever had. When a person thinks back on their lives to the moments they wish could have lasted forever. For Edward this was the one. He would have stayed in that booth with Sally Umbridge until the sun burned out and she was the only ray of light left. Sally was the one the books and the movies told about. The stranger that encapsulates everything you could have ever wanted and some you didn’t even know you needed. In that booth they were happy. After the booth they got a cab back to his hotel room and they continued to laugh. And kiss. And finally as the night pulled itself into the morning. They made love. That too was the kind of act that books take pages to tell. Just as they drifted off to sleep and Edward held her in his arms, he thought dreamily about their future. It was soon. Maybe too soon. But sometimes the heart can’t understand time. And if Edward knew that the next time he held Sally in his arms, she would be dying. He would have never picked up the telephone when Dr. Kravitz called the next morning.
-
Roach looked out of his door and saw the hall was quiet. He had been checking the time for the last two hours every few seconds. It was finally two in the morning. The air in the hall was cooler than in his room and he wondered if he should grab his robe. He worried it might get caught on something or make too much noise, so he left it on the bed near his night table. The last nurse patrol went by at one and he knew another wouldn’t come until three. He stepped out into the hall and walked quickly for the staircase. The one that most patients weren’t allowed to go up. He was allowed but only when making his deliveries at meal time. Patients weren’t supposed to be out of their room after nine so it made his heart race as he climbed the stairs. He went on all fours and ascended the last few steps. Around the corner he peeked. The night guard was gone. He was a habitual smoker he was told and that every night at this time he went out for one. He scrambled down the hallway as fast as he could. Roach wasn’t sure how much time he had. Out of his pajama pants he took the key he had swiped the day earlier from Dr. Kravitz’ office. The doctor kept a spare set of keys for every lock in the place in his office in the back of his closet behind his coats. Everyone as nicely labelled for Roach’s convenience.
He put the key in the lock and lifted the metal bar on the door. The handle turned and he pulled the heavy door aside. Mr. Cole sat up from his bed, his chained clicked as he rose. He was secured to the floor by an anchor. Roach had not found this key. Mr. Cole had told him that only his guard and Dr. Kravitz had a copy and not to worry. He was fine where he was at the moment. He had some games planned. Roach loved games.
“Thank you for coming, my friend.”
“O-Of course, Mr. Cole.”
“Please call me James. We are friends after all. Are we not friends?”
Roach stepped closer, avoiding eye contact with Mr. Cole. “Yes I believe- I would like us to be.”
“Well than we are. And like I promised. That Nurse Calvin will be dealt with as soon as possible you have my word on that. That man is a monster. I have met him once. I can see it in his eyes. He would make a fine addition to my collection.”
“Will you still be collecting me Mr-James?” He stammered.
“In due time. I need you for something a very special job. Unique to talents.”
“A game?”
The man smiled in the dark and his teeth almost seemed to glow. “Yes a delightful game.”
“I like games.” Roach said chuckling.
“Yes. As do I.”
-
Edward had awoken before Sally and stroking her strawberry blonde hair as she slept on his chest. The light of the morning was already starting to peek through the curtains. The phone rang and he cursed it. Sally stretched groggily.
“Sorry.” Edward said turning over and grabbing the headset. “I didn’t request a wake up call this morning-“ He rolled over. “No. No problem. Sure we can come by later night. Okay see you then. Bye.”
Edward hung up the phone. “That was Dr. Kravitz. He asked if we would come to Cloverdale around eight tonight.” He looked apologetic. “Shit! I’m sorry. I should have asked you first.
She leaned over and kissed him. “It’s fine. It just means we have the day to spend with each other.”
“That is very true.” He kissed her back. The smooth outline of her body made his mouth dry and ran a hand down the small of her back.
Sally smiled. “Do you wanna come join me for a shower?” She stood and the sheets fell from her creamy porcelain figure. Over her shoulder she looked at him and smirked. They showered together, neither taking a real interest in hygiene as the warm water washed over them.
They went for breakfast at the diner and Edward introduced Sally to Jan. “He is quite the fellow.”
Jan swooned to Sally.
“Yeah he has plus and minuses.” She replied. The two of them laughed.
They had a nice breakfast and coffee as they talked like new lovers do. Nothing too deep. Experiences. Old flames. Shitty jobs and embarrassing moments. They spent the day together smiling and laughing. Holding hands as they walked down main street. Blissful.
-
Dr. Kravitz gathered the needed supplies. He had made a quick drive to a colleague of his who worked at the hospital in town. It was a strange shopping list of things he got. But all very necessary. Tonight. He thought. Tonight could be the end of my career. Ôr it could be the key to saving James’ life.
-
The sky was slowly becoming dusk as they drove for Cloverdale. “Do you think this will work Edward?” Sally asked looking out the passenger side window into the forest.
“I’m not sure. Dr. Kravitz believes it may be worth a try and I really think he means to help Cole.”
“He really is doing amazing work for those people in Cloverdale. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about tonight. That man makes my skin crawl. Just those eyes watching me.” Sally shuddered. “You can almost feel it. Like a invisible itch covering your whole body.”
Edward knew that feeling. He had felt something like it the first day with Cole, but now Cole was gone and what replaced him seemed worse. More wrong. He shuddered too. “I wish you didn’t have to join us up there. But Winslow said he could use a hand if something goes wrong.”
“Well hopefully it won’t come to that.”
“Me too.”
The trees disappeared in an instant as they breached into the clearing. The large stone building looked unsettling and sickly in the twilight of the evening. It’s windows watched them with its milky diseased eyes. The peak of the tower stood like a spire stretching up towards the heavens. Edward thought of Cole and in his heart felt he should be in basement somewhere, locked up with the other creeping things that shrivel in the sunlight.
They parked the car and got out. “Winslow said to go around to the back.” Sally and Edward circled the building. A group patients where headed back from clearing with racks and clippers in hand. They kept there heads down as not to draw to much attention. Winslow has suggested as much in case tonight did turn sour. He wanted to minimize any involve he could for them. It was his idea and he would go down with the ship if he must and disavow anyone else’s involvement with what they were about to do. After passing around a corner they saw above them was the windowless tower. Behind those bricks was a man responsible for countless deaths and mutilations. A man convinced he was collecting those he killed. Like a dragon he waited in a stone tower, but instead of guarding a princess he held information that may give a family some peace and be able to bury their little girl.
Terrence stood by a small door close to the base of the tower. He waved them into the door. “This way you two.” He led them up a long dark staircase. At the top of it was a door in the ceiling. The latch on it turned and he lifted it outwards. As they stepped out Edward realized they were up in the hallway that led to Cole’s room. “This is some cloak and dagger stuff.”
Dr. Kravitz stood by the door a medical bag in hand. “I believe this was installed for thing reasons similar to our reasons this evening. Not entirely ethical reasons, I mean.”
“Our ends justify the means Winslow. Plus if anything happens there are probably thousands who would gladly shake your hand.”
He frowned slightly at Edward’s comment. Edward meant it. The hall was already becoming dark as night fell. Terrence, Sally, Edward and Dr. Kravitz stood looking at one another.
“One last time. Does anyone want to leave? It is your right. I will not make you stay. This is a diving expedition that I am not sure will be fruitful. But we are running out of time. I understand behind these doors is a man that most people would love to see tarred and feathered and displayed for all to see. He is a killer, I am not oblivious to that fact. But he is a unique individual. I don’t believe he is lying or being deceitful. I don’t think this is a ruse. I do believe we are dealing with someone suffering from something never before seen in the history of human medicine. So I give you this one chance. Does anyone want to leave?”
Sally looked at Edward. Then Terrence. “I’m in however I can help.”
“Me too.” Edward added.
“Ya’ll are crazy, but you know I got you.” Terrence the quiet giant said.
“Okay great. Edward when we get into it. I want you to stay on him just like before. You antagonize him in a way that will allow me to control the questioning. Sally I will need you to monitor his heart rate and vitals. In this bag is everything we need. I will administer the cocktail and it should take about ten minutes to reach full effect. Terrence you just be ready for everything else.” Dr. Kravitz said looking to all of them.
They nodded. “Let’s begin.”
Terrence put his key into the door and turned it as he lifted the latch. Cole or whatever he was now sat smiling at the table. The TV sat playing on the far side of the room. The room was almost entirely dark besides the flickering of color on his face.
“Come to join me for some primetime viewing?” He asked them.
“Something like that.” Edward said.
“Terrence can you please help me secure James to the chair.
“What?” Cole asked.
Dr. Kravitz and Terrence stepped forward and the doctor hand him a set of cloth restraints.
“Hey get the fuck off me!” Cole yelled as both the men secured his hands and feet to the metal chair. As he struggled the chain rattled and slithered like a metal snake on the floor. “This is fucking bullshit. Get me out of these!” He screamed as Terrence finished securing the last restraint.
“I assure you James, you will be fine.” Dr. Kravitz stated as he reached into his bag and pulled out a capped syringe and a small brown vial. He removed the cap with his teeth and shoved the needle into the vial and slowly pulled the plunger.
“What the hell is that stuff?” Cole panted, struggling against the cloth cuffs.
Edward smiled. He actually enjoyed seeing the man squirm. There was some cosmic justice in it somehow. “It’s freedom Cole. Just relax.” Edward said the smile still on his lips.
“Sally here, please place this around his arm.” He handed her a handheld blood pressure monitor and she secured it as she has done a thousand times since nursing school.
“You know this is right Sally.” Cole pleaded.
She ignored him and secured the monitor to his arm.
“Please try and cooperate, James. In my experience its more bearable if you do not fight it.”
“Fuck you, fag. I’ll fight until I die.”
Dr. Kravitz took in a breath to keep from hitting James. “Perhaps you’ll get to prove that theory.” He injected the needle into Cole’s arm and pushed down the plunger. The liquid disappeared into Cole’s veins and they all took a stepped back.
Cole began to laugh. “I’ll fucking take you all. You’ll see. I’ll get out of him and I will collect every single one of you and everyone you fucking love. They will all be with him and they’ll all die with me. This is my time.” He turned to Dr. Kravitz. “I’ll have you and your fairy boyfriend.” He looked to Terrence. “I’ll have you and your wife and your little girl.” He then turned to Edward. “And I’ll have this little bitch too.” He smiled as his gaze shifted to Sally. Edward lunged forward and punched Cole so hard his head went back and hit the side of the chair he was strapped to. Blood dripped from his mouth to his lap and he began to laugh again. “Wow, you have a set a balls after all. I’m impressed. Maybe I’ll take you first.” Cole said as the drugs took hold.
-
What had been in the syringe was a mixture of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, Dimethyltryptamine and two doses of B12. Cole lulled in the chair and a string of blood and drool descended to the floor at his feet.
“How is this suppose to be helpful Winslow, when he can’t even talk?” Edward asked.
“Give him sometime. He’s heading to the end of the universe right now the trip can taxing.” Dr. Kravitz assured him.
Another five minutes went by and Cole began to whisper to himself in a low tone. It didn’t sound quite like words but grunts.
“James, its Doctor Kravitz, I would like to speak to you.”
Cole’s head swayed with the words, but it did not rise to meet them. Dr. Kravitz tried again. “James. Please this is your chance to step forward. I suggest you take it.”
Still no answer.
“We need to know where Sarah’s body is?” Edward shouted.
Cole’s head rose and he sat back. “Where am I?” The voice that came from his lips was soft. His eyes jumped around erratically at the other people in the room. “Why is it so loud? Who are all those people?”
“What do you mean? Who are you?”
“I’m Sarah. Where am I? Where are my mom and dad?”
Sally stepped beside Cole and knelt down. “Sarah, honey, you are in a safe place. This is Dr. Kravitz. He’s here to help you.”
“Why am I tied to this chair? Where are my mom and dad!” She started to scream.
“Sarah. Please. Listen. What do you remember?”
Cole’s chest started to rise and fall. It became quicker with every second. “I don’t know. I don’t know.”
“Please Sarah. Try and remember. We want to help you.” Sally said placing a hand on Cole’s arm.
Cole looked at her. His eyes seemed to be a brighter shade of blue than they were before. They were filled with tears. Tired, sad eyes gripped Sally’s. “I-I was in a dark room. A black room. Their were so many voices. But no one around. Most of them were screaming for someone, anyone to find them. There was a man. He talked to me most of the time. I think I knew him.”
“Did the man have a name?” Edward asked from behind Dr. Kravitz.
“I don’t know. I don’t think so.”
“What else do you remember Sarah, before the black room with the voices?”
“I-I.” Cole looked down at his lap and then at the restraints. “Where am I? Please.”
“You’re safe. Please try and remember.” Edward said trying to smile. It as hard to believe what he was seeing and what they were doing. This had to be a farce. Cole had to be the world’s best actor if he was, but somehow the voice that came from Cole’s mouth and eyes that pleaded to them were so genuine it was hard, not to want to rip the restraints of his wrists.
“I don’t remember anything else. I was at home. In our house. My mom and dad had just run next door to check on Mrs. Wilson’s cows.”
“Who was Mrs. Wilson?” Sally asked. Both Edward and Dr. Kravitz looked at her bewildered. With her off hand she waved away her glances. “She was a neighbour?”
Cole nodded. “She had come down with the flu. She had a herd of twenty. I was watching TV and my brother he was upstairs in his room.”
“What else honey?” Sally asked.
“I don’t know. A man came to the door. He said he was a friend of my daddies. He said he had brought the puppy he had asked for last week. I was excited.” Cole looked to Dr. Kravitz then Edward. “I had been asking for a dog for almost two years. I thought maybe Daddy had finally changed his mind. The man said he had it in his truck if I wanted to see it. He said it was cold out so he didn’t want it to wait in the truck. I don’t think I membered seeing any lights drive up.” Cole’s face scrunched a bit and he turned to Sally. “I don’t. I remember seeing the dog. Why is that?” Cole began to take in quick sharp breaths. He looked at Dr. Kravitz. “Why can’t I ‘member the dog? I ‘member leaving my house to see it. But I don’t ‘member what it looks like. Why? Why?!” He started to screaming.
“It’s okay Sarah. Calm down.”
“I want to see my mother! I. Want. To. See. My. Moth-“ Cole slumped in his chair and against his restraints. His breath was still quick and short but it seemed to becoming more calm. His head rose and he looked around the room once more. He settled on Dr. Kravitz. “Dr. Kravitz what happened?”
“James?” He responded.
“No. Its me. Eloise. What happened?”
“What do you mean.” Dr. Kravitz asked. His hand was writing furious in his clipboard yet he never looked down.
“Those voices. There were so many of them. James was there. The others... I need a smoke.”
Dr. Kravitz looked at Edward, who in turn looked at Terrence; he shook his head. A lighter ignited beside Cole and Sally held out a smoke to his lips. Edward didn’t know she smoked. She hadn’t the entire time they were together.
“For special emergencies” Sally said with a hint of shame.
Cole inhaled deeply and the smoke filled his lungs. “Thank you dear.”
“You said James was with you. Did you speak with him?” Dr. Kravitz asked.
“No. I could just hear him. He was talking but he sounded distorted.” He took a drag off the smoke and exhaled.
“Do you know where you were?” The doctor questioned.
Cole shook his head. “It was very dark.”
“Do you if there is a way we can get in touch with James?” Dr. Kravitz asked.
“No. We don’t talk much. Never really did even when he was little. He was always somewhere else. In his own head or in front of that damn TV. I swear he scrambled his brain being in front of that dum-dum box.”
Edward took this chance to play his part. “Then why did you get him one if you hated it so much. You’re the parent aren’t you?”
Cole turned in the chair to Edward. “I don’t appreciate your tone. And I am guessing you don’t have kids which means you probably have a life. That TV gave me my life back. It was cheaper than any babysitter on the block and he was a smart boy when he needed to be. A TV dinner in the microwave and Mommy got a little me time to go out.”
“A real prize homemaker.” Edward scoffed.
Cole scowled. “I deserved a life too, you know. Just because I got knocked and he couldn’t handle the idea of kids should mean I have to do it all by myself.”
“Kids?” Edward mouthed to Dr. Kravitz.
“Yeah that’s not fair. But men don’t get that. As long as they give their money. That’s that.” Sally said over Cole’s shoulder. She winked at Edward. Sally was amazing. Sharp and quick. He thought she would make a great lawyer. She knew how to get in. Like water looking for a crack in the foundation. Sally Umbridge seemed to get to the bottom of anything she wanted. Edward was in real awe of her.
“See she gets it.” Cole said taking another drag. “This asshole didn’t even pay for nothing. Not a dime not a cent. One lousy birthday card was all he sent. And the scumbag only sent one card for both. Stupid dummy. Let that be a lesson to you missy. Don’t spread it for anyone. You can’t be sure who they are until they have a reason to run.”
“Mrs. Cole, what do you mean by both?” Dr. Kravitz asked.
“Well it wasn’t entirely his fault he didn’t know. I didn’t even show it to James. He’d have too many questions he was such a sensitive boy. He wouldn’t take it well if he knew his daddy didn’t want him and his brother had died.”
“Brother?” Edward and Dr. Kravitz both said.
“Yeah I thought it would have been in his file.” Cole said convinced. “My husband ran out on me when he found out I was having twins. The stupid dummy. He was coward. And sensitive too. Actually James looked a lot like his daddy.”
“Mrs. Cole, I wasn’t aware James had a brother.” Dr. Kravitz stated filling through his copy of Cole’s file. A few pages and pictures wafted to the floor in front of Edward. He bent down and turned over the picture that landed on his shoes. It was the school picture of Sarah. She wore a yellow dress and a bow in her hair. A rush of anger came over him and he gripped the picture almost to the point of crumpling.
“I don’t think the poor thing even make it out of me. He was technically the oldest cause he came out first. I promised my daddy when I was a little girl I would name my first born son after him. But when the baby came out small and grey. The doctors saw he wasn’t breathing, they tried to bring him back but the birth had been to much on him. He died before James came out. Now he was a big baby twice as big as any baby I had seen. I didn’t dare say it, but I wondered if somehow James didn’t get all the food I was eating instead of his brother Everett.”
“Everett?” Dr. Kravitz asked.
“Yeah. I know what you are thinking. But I promised my daddy. I would name my boy after him. But it didn’t seem right giving the first name Everett to my second son after his brother died. So I named him James Everett Cole in honour of his brother and his grand daddy.”
“I see. And you are sure Cole never had any idea, about his brother?” He asked.
Cole nodded furiously. “Yes I am pretty sure. I never mentioned Everett around him or showed him the card from his sperm donor of a daddy.”
“You threw out the birthday card?” Sally asked.
“Well no. It had the address of that dead beat and I thought if I ever got up enough money I could track him down and get a bit of what he owed us, the stupid dummy.”
Edward began to laugh and the room looked at him. He laughed harder and harder. The picture was clutched tightly in his hand.
“Edward are you okay?” Dr. Kravitz asked.
“Let’s just cut the shit here. This is ridiculous. What are we doing here? Make believe. Pretend?” Edward asked stepping forward. “We are just gonna listen to this psycho, blither on like some Norman Bates want to be? He’s faking it. He has everyone convinced he is all these different people. That he collected them. Its insane. He should get the chair.”
“Who is this man? He seems unstable, Dr. Kravitz.” Cole said sitting back in his chair.
“Fuck you.” He clambered towards Cole the picture of Sarah in his hand. “Look at this? You did this.”
Cole looked at it confused “What is that?”
He grabbed Cole by the back of his head and shoved it into the picture. “It’s the little you raped and murdered.”
“Let go of me you bastard!:
Dr. Kravitz watched Edward carefully and put a hand up to Terrence telling him to give Edward some space. Sally cringed watching the man she had made love to not even twenty four hours ago, with a face red from anger.
“Where is Sarah’s body Cole! Give this shit up. Now!” He shook Cole by the neck.
“Edward I think that’s enough.” Dr. Kravitz said.
“No! Where is Sarah where is her body Cole? Where is it?”
Cole began to shake himself. “I don’t know. My son doesn’t know. We don’t know!”
“Stop lying.” He smacked Cole and Dr. Kravitz yelled to Terrence.
“Terrence relieve Mr. Mandrake please.”
The large man scrambled from wall he was standing by, but James was faster. He pulled back and let a punch fly into Cole’s chin. The guard grabbed him and lifted him passed Dr. Kravitz. Cole’s body began to convulse. His eyes rolled up into their sockets and the red pumping veins rose from beneath. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I. Don’t. KNOW!” Cole screamed his body shaking. Sally and Dr. Kravitz watched in horror as Cole’s face changed before them. Tears, laughter, cries of pain came from the man in the chair. They saw his muscle constrict and retract. Veins bulged in his neck and he rocked back and forth.
“Dr. Kravitz, I think we are losing him his blood pressure is dropping.” Sally yelled
“In my bag grab the adrenaline shot. Its in the yellow syringe.” He ran to her and checked Cole’s pulse himself.
She handed him the syringe and he uncovered the needle and implanted into Cole’s arm. The liquid shot into Cole’s blood stream and he let out a guttural ancient scream. His arms and his legs pulled up against the restraints. The one that held down his left wrist broke and Cole’s hand clutched Dr. Kravitz’ throat he threw the man back behind him and he hit the metal bed against the wall. Terrence and Edward were in the hallway when they heard the yell and saw Dr. Kravitz slide across the floor. As time often does in a moment like that, it slowed and focused. Edward screamed he was sure the whole hospital could hear him. Cole-No Everett smiled at him. He was sure in that moment it was not James. Everett took Sally by the arm and pulled her down onto his lap. She fought him as she fell forward. His eyes never left Edward as his tight thick arm wrapped around Sally’s neck. She struggled, tears filling her eyes. She sent a hand with outstretched nails at his face. Four deep lines of red grew on his face, but he never stopped smiling. He pulled hard up on his right arm and the second restraint broke free as well. The newly free arm joined its counterpart wrapping itself around Sally’s neck and head. Her eyes to went to Edward and she screamed as she knew what was about to happen. Cole’s arms turned her neck and head in different directions and from the doorway Edward heard the deafening crack that ended her life.
Edward fell forward crying as Terrence passed him. His baton already in hand. It took four hits with everything he had to send Cole to floor. His arm would hurt the entire next week, but Cole finally laid on the floor in a pool of his own blood. Unconscious and breathing heavy, but still smiling.
Edward crawled to Sally who laid lifeless in the same pool of blood as that monster. Her strawberry hair soaked in the red crimson liquid. He took her body into his arms and couldn’t stop screaming. The words filled his mind and they repeated in his soul like a curse. I think he means to collect. I think he means to collect. I. Think. He. Means. To….collect.
-
Edward sat in the police department lobby for hours. To him it didn’t matter he would wait there for the rest of century. Everything around him was grey and his face hurt from crying. He hadn’t had long with Sally Umbridge, it wasn’t fair. They had found a connection and it was snuffed out but a monster in a cage. His client. Someone he was hired to save. To save his literal life. Edward didn’t want the case anymore. He didn’t want to represent people like Cole anymore. Monsters. He wanted the opposite. In that moment he was glad he didn’t own a gun. He had been stupid and naïve. He wondered about all those parents, brother, sisters, lovers, children; that sat on the other side of the aisle. The ones that curse at him outside of the Courthouses. Was this what they felt? Powerless. So angry that you would glad take the life of someone else to make you feel something. He wanted justice for Sally. He would give her that. Edward owed her that much.
Dr. Kravitz sat down beside him. His face was red and swollen. “I am so sorry, Edward.”
Edward sat their quietly. He was afraid of what he might say if he opened his mouth to Dr. Kravitz. He knew it wasn’t Dr. Kravitz’ fault, but he wanted to blame him wanted to yell. The rage inside of him was bubbly, up and up. Scalding fury waiting to erupt. Needing to erupt.
The police officer waved him in. Edward stood immediately and entered the room. Leaving Dr. Kravitz to his own angry and sad thoughts.
The questioning was routine for Edward. He had represented clients a hundred times in a room like that. He didn’t lie. Not once. He told them exactly what happened and tried not to leave anything out. They wanted a reason to keep Cole in the pan. The fires were stoked and ready. He wasn’t going anywhere.
The officer let him go after a half hour of questioning. Edward gave him his card and the number of his hotel, in case they had any questions for him later. They seemed confident that they wouldn’t. A taxi took him back to his hotel, but he didn’t stay there that night. He grabbed his things as quickly as he could, never looking at the bed. He couldn’t do that. Not now. That night Edward Mandrake slept in his card. It was cold that night, but his anger kept him warm. He didn’t sleep much anyway. That smile kept him awake. It was all he could think about. Had that been James Everett Cole? Or had it been someone else. Something else. It was ridiculous to think such things. But those thoughts floated freely of the cold, dark air of the night. Had it been Everett Cole? Regardless if it was James or Everett. They both were the same man to Edward. Kill one. Kill Both. He thought. Sally deserved justice.
-
Winslow went home after the police were done with their questioning. He put his key in the lock of their condo. The key turned and he stepped in. The condo was black and he could see from the outdoor light that followed him into the entry way, that Bruce’s work shoes were gone. This was one of the times he was happy Bruce wasn’t home to greet him. He knew their would be more questions. Questions he wasn’t ready to answer. He wanted to sleep. Winslow walked down the hallway toward the bedroom. Pictures covered almost every inch of those with smiling images of him and Bruce. Happy. Alive. Poor Sally, Winslow thought. It had been his fault. He knew that. Edward had every right to be angry with him. He saw James for the first time as something more than a patient. It had been the first time he was more concerned with something other than being a doctor and helping someone. James was going to be his life’s work. He was going to change the world. But now it looked like he may not even have a job next week.
He was about to lay down on his bed and never wake up, when he looked down at his hands. They were stained red with Sally’s blood. His head was also crusted with blood from when he was thrown. He took of his pants then his shirt and threw both in the bathroom garbage can. He took of his underwear after he started the water.
Winslow got in a let the scalding water wash over him. As the blood washed off his body the tub basin went pink. Closing his eyes. He replayed those moments in his head. They never did get the information they were looking for. Sarah’s body was still somewhere out there. No dignity for that little girl as the worms had their fill. His hands held his face as he sobbed.
He dried himself off, but was too tired to even put on a new pair of underwear. Winslow got into bed and fell into a dreamless sleep. More unconscious than actually resting. When his eyes opened that morning and he remembered the nightmare from the night before he got up closed the curtains and went back to the dark place under the covers. He remembered as a kid, his dad telling him. Under the covers is where your safe from the monsters. He wondered if that was still true for adults. When were are kids monsters are scary, tentacled beasts, shapeless and infinite with massive teeth and claws. Ready to slice us up and eat us. When you grow up those monsters change. They hid behind the faces of people. People like James Everett Cole. People who wait in the shadows and when you try and pull them out into the daylight they lash out, taking back whoever they can to dark place. The place where there is no light. The black room.
-
Edward sat at the same booth at the diner he had all those mornings. Jan hugged him when she saw him. She was warm and kind. Edward carried a large duffle bag in his hand. Its weight could be heard when he put it down in the booth beside him. “Can I get you something for lunch, hun?” Jan asked.
“No just a coffee.”
“Coming right up.” Jan walked off and Edward placed a hand on the duffle bag just to make sure it was still there. He felt like reality was slipping. He kept falling into daydreams of Sally. Her strawberry blonde hair. It was a lot like his mothers. Diana Mandrake.
Jan placed the coffee down in front of him and said she would be right back with something.
He looked into the brown liquid. He never liked to think of his mother. It made him sad and scared for the future. Diana Mandrake was a beautiful woman. An wanna be actress who full timed at a diner downtown close to Edward’s school. She went out for audition after audition. She landed small parts in plays. She was actually very good people would tell Edward. But she wanted to be a movie star. People also told Edward his mother was to sad. She looked to sad. Talked to sad. Made people feel sad when they were around her. That Edward understood. He thought she looked fine. Tired, but always smiling. But it wasn’t a happy smile. He would come to know it as an adult as a mask. It was a cover. His mother was sad. Her husband had died in a car crash when Edward was just a toddler. She never really recovered. She went to the doctors Edward was told. Spoke to doctors like Dr. Kravitz. They gave her medicine to take. It made her sleepy. She laughed more, but it scared Edward when she did. She’d make toast and forget to check on it. Back then the toasters didn’t automatically pop up. His mother had almost burned their apartment down. More auditions came and went. No more small parts in anything. That only made it worse. At some point she became so sad she became sick and was put into a hospital. A place like Cloverdale that smelt. It was clean, but if you inhaled to much you smelt the sickness. He went to see her every week. His Aunt Michelle would take him. Her hair was duller than it was before. It hung in front of her face as if she was hiding. The last time he saw his mother in that place he smelled the burns before he saw them. Her temples were slightly burned and she looked at him with a dreamy smile. My baby boy. She said to him. The smile actually seemed happy. He wondered if what the doctors were doing was working. The next day he heard from his Aunty, that his mother as dead. That day Edward felt something come over him. Something heavy that clung to his soul like mud. He felt sad and it scared him. It scared him because he saw his mother become so sad it killed her. It scared him from that day until the day he met Sally Umbridge he had felt sad too. And when she died he thought of his mother and her strawberry blonde hair and in that moment he knew how she could become so sad that she wanted to die.
He got up from the booth and left the diner. The bell chimed as Jan walked out of the back. A tray of cookies freshly baked. Her mother’s reciepe. A thank you gift for looking into her mother’s case. He would never end up helping her mother. As Edward got into his car and drove off for Cloverdale a storm was on its way too. One that would change the town forever.
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
NaNoWriMo Day 14 (1893 Words):
Edward arrived at Cloverdale around 9:30. He appeased the entrance gods and stepped through the turn stile. Sally was at the front desk on the phone. She saw him, smiled and gave him a quick wave. It was silly and a part of him felt childish, but his heart fluttered uncontrollably as he approached the desk.
Sally put up a finger. “Yes of course, Maam. No. No worries. Glad to help. Goodbye.” She placed the headset back into the cradle turned to him. “So you excited for our date tonight?”
Play it cool. Play it cool. Echoed in his head. “Yeah. Do I get to know where we are going?”
Her head tilted slightly in playful thought. Edward was on a slippery slop he felt it in his chest.
“Uhhh… no. It’s a surprise.”
“A surprise huh? I am intr-“
A hand clapped gently on his back and they both turned to see Dr. Kravitz. “Edward are you ready? We have a big morning ahead of us.”
Edward shifted his gaze to Sally, he didn’t want to the leave the conversation they were having, but he knew today was important. “Yeah. Yeah of course.”
“Great lets get going, his sedation should be wearing off. Nurse Umbridge.”
“Doctor.” Sally said stoicly. She smiled again at Edward.
He mouthed the word Sorry to Sally and began following Dr. Kravitz. “Wait, one second Winslow. I forgot…” He ran back to the desk and handed Sally the bouquet of Lilies he brought with him. “See you tonight.”
Sally took the flowers and smelled them. The rest of the nurses at the station mockingly cooed. Nurse Calvin only scowled from the other side of the room.
Edward and Dr. Kravitz made the walk down the hall to the stairs. Each time Edward made the walk Cloverdale softened in his eyes. The people that passed look less like maniacs and wild animals and more like just sick people. A change of clothes and a brush of their hair, you couldn’t tell they were patients in a mental institution. Edward wondered if this was taste of how Dr. Kravitz saw the world. Just sick people. Their ailments you could see on their skin, or even in a x-ray, but none the less they were sick. Sick people deserved help and deserved to be treated like people during their healing.
“That’s a lot of coffee, you sleep okay?” Edward asked jokingly. Dr. Kravitz carried four large styrofoam cups of coffee on a tray with sugar and cream.
Dr. Kravitz seemed distant this morning. “Actually I didn’t sleep very well. I stayed here like I usually do throughout the week, but for the life of me I could not catch a wink. But it gave me lots of time to think. There’s a few things I wanted to try with James today. See what information we can pull from him for your case.”
“Sure sounds great. I’ll follow your lead.”
Dr. Kravitz smiled warmly as they climbed the stairs. “Thank you Edward. I pray this will be done soon. I know this is an unconventional case for you.”
“It is strange yes, but it has it’s…benefits.” He smiled.
“Yes I can see you and Nurse Umbridge have hit it off. She is a lovely lady. On her way to being head nurse here at Cloverdale.”
“She does seem pretty fantastic. We have dinner plans tonight.”
They reached the top of the stairs. “That’s great Edward. Now.” He stopped Edward at the end of the hall. He gave Terrence a wave. “To use a euphemism you are familiar with: I would like you to play bad cop. Keep him talking and on his toes. I will lead the questions to where I think you can get the information you need.”
“Okay but what if he is switching channels all day and we don’t get to speak to Cole?”
“Yes I thought of that as well. We may be able to try and put him in a submissive state again.”
“Hypnosis?”
“Or pharmacological if nessacary.”
“Would that work? Drugging him?” Edward asked.
“Have I ever told you about my parents. They were hippies. Free love and all that. Well anyways, from a young age I’ve seen all kinds of drugs have interesting affects on people. Of course the government and that damn president decided all drugs should be treated as arsenic, so studying their effects is not considered…well ethically in psychology, but I personally think it has its uses.”
Edward chuckled. “Damn Winnie, I know a couple guys who would kill for you bring some of that stuff to their next party.”
Dr. Kravitz laughed as well. “I may need their legal representation if I am found out by the board. Come. Let’s get in there. Remember-“
“Bad cop.” Edward said and his face slumped. It wasn’t a frown, but he looked pissed off for being there. He hoped it would be enough. Cole was tough. And smart. Which made him dangerous.
Terrence opened the door and followed them in. “Here Terrence, have a cup.” Dr. Kravitz handed the guard a cup. The cup looked ridiculous in his meaty paws. “Good Morning James. How was your slee-“ He stopped and looked at the man who sat at the table. The eyes glanced back and forth from Edward to Dr. Kravitz and then back to Edward. “Who am I addressing?” He asked.
The man who was Cole but not Cole moved very slowly. “Is one of those for me?”
“Yes.” Dr. Kravitz said. He placed one of the cups in front of Cole. Both Edward and Dr. Kravitz sat. A coffee was handed to Edward and he put it aside as if disgusted. A pissed off man doesn’t want to sip coffee. He wants to get down to business, he thought. Dr. Kravitz sipped his. “I wasn’t sure how you liked it so I brought cream and sugar.”
Cole slowly reached across the table for the sugar. His cuffed hands clinked on the edge of the table. Each link slowly made its way forward then back down. Cole tore open three sugar packets and dumped them into his cup. Dr. Kravitz slid forward a brown stir stick.
“So who am I addressing?” Dr. Kravitz asked again.
“Its me, Dr. Kravitz. James.” He took a sip of the coffee and smiled. It was a cold. Lizard like. It seemed wrong on his face. Edward remembered that smile. He had seen it when Cole was seizing. I think he means to collect.
“Come on. I am not idiot. Do not treat me as such. Who am I addressing?”
Edward shook his head angrily. “Cole I am about done with your bullshit. I personally don’t care if you fry. This is still just a preliminary consultation for all I am concerned. I can go downstairs make a call to my firm, that this is a lost cause, not even with the publicity and I am gone back to the city before dinner. So are you gonna keep fucking us around or are you going to talk to the only two people who give a fuck?”
Cole took another sip of his coffee. “I’m not going to tell you my name. For all intents and purposes I am James Everett Cole. You are my doctor and you-” He finger left the white cup and pointed to Edward. “-are my lawyer.”
“Not for much longer if you don’t start talking.”
“Oh I think you will want to stay around. Because I have a secret.”
“And whats that?” Dr. Kravitz asked.
“Tsk. Tsk. That wouldn’t be very fun.” He put his cup down on the table. “If you can figure out who I am, I’ll tell you my secret.”
Edward scratched his cheek, he had forgotten to bring a razor with him and his stubble was beginning to become itchy. “And why would we care about your secret?”
“Because everyone loves secrets. Every one has one. Don’t they Dr. Kravitz?”
Edward looked over at Winslow. The doctors face was stone.
“And how about you? What’s your secret?”
Edward sat quietly still, maintaining eye contact.
“Can we speak to James please?” Dr. Kravitz asked. He took a drink of his coffee and flipped opened his clip board.
Cole stretched in his chair and looked up at the skylight. The sun warmed his face. “James has gone for bit. He’s a trouble young man. Are you aware of that? That sicko needs to be locked up. His mother was right.”
“Well I wanted to tell James, that a TV will be brought up to him later today as he requested. He promised me a favor.”
Cole chuckled. “I don’t think he would be into giving you the kind of favors you like, Dr. Kravitz. Though if you spoke to Roach, I’m pretty sure between you him and Nurse Calvin, you all could have one hell of a party.”
That one broke Dr. Kravitz slightly and his brow furrowed. Edward stepped up and slapped the coffee of the table. This time he was actually angry.
“Hey!” Cole cried.
“Listen to me you piece shit. After today I am done. You better hope this guy doesn’t give up on you too. He’s a better man than both of us. He’s the only one that really wants to help you. He called us in. But I am done.” Edward stood and walked for the door.
“Wait! Wait.” Cole called. “I’m sorry Dr. Kravitz. I was outline. I am not use to the subtleties of everyday conversation. I’ve been out of the game a long time. Please join us.” He said to Edward.
“Are you done fucking around?”
Cole smirked. “No. But I’ll tell you something. Cole doesn’t have all the answers. He thinks he does. He plays tough. But he doesn’t know where Sarah is.”
“You do?” Edward asked.
Cole nodded slowly.
“So where is she?” Edward asked.
“You think I give it up just like that? My mother taught me better than that. You never give it up on the first date.” He chuckled. “She was awful at following her own advice.”
Dr. Kravitz finally spoke as he stood up. “I guess we are done here for now.” He walked out of the room.
There was no protest from Cole or Edward. Edward followed quickly after. They met at the bottom of the stairs and Edward was startled to find Dr. Kravitz grinning. “What the hell was that? And why are you smiling like that.”
“That was incredible. You did amazing by the way.”
“Thanks, but can you fill me in.”
“I believe that is not one of James’ victims its something else. A different personaility.”
“So he has more than you expected.”
“No its even for than that Edward.” He place his hands on Edward’s shoulders. “That coffee I gave him, had hazelnut in it.”
“So. You gave a convicted serial killer a nice morning coffee?”
He chuckled. “No. Well yes. But James Everett Cole is severely allegric to hazelnuts. It’s in his medical file. We have adrenaline in the first aid kit outside of his room in case of reaction. The man up in that room for all accounts is James Cole. But is in terms of physiologically and psychologically, he is not.”
“So who is he?”
“That I don’t know.”
-
Sally put up a finger. “Yes of course, Maam. No. No worries. Glad to help. Goodbye.” She placed the headset back into the cradle turned to him. “So you excited for our date tonight?”
Play it cool. Play it cool. Echoed in his head. “Yeah. Do I get to know where we are going?”
Her head tilted slightly in playful thought. Edward was on a slippery slop he felt it in his chest.
“Uhhh… no. It’s a surprise.”
“A surprise huh? I am intr-“
A hand clapped gently on his back and they both turned to see Dr. Kravitz. “Edward are you ready? We have a big morning ahead of us.”
Edward shifted his gaze to Sally, he didn’t want to the leave the conversation they were having, but he knew today was important. “Yeah. Yeah of course.”
“Great lets get going, his sedation should be wearing off. Nurse Umbridge.”
“Doctor.” Sally said stoicly. She smiled again at Edward.
He mouthed the word Sorry to Sally and began following Dr. Kravitz. “Wait, one second Winslow. I forgot…” He ran back to the desk and handed Sally the bouquet of Lilies he brought with him. “See you tonight.”
Sally took the flowers and smelled them. The rest of the nurses at the station mockingly cooed. Nurse Calvin only scowled from the other side of the room.
Edward and Dr. Kravitz made the walk down the hall to the stairs. Each time Edward made the walk Cloverdale softened in his eyes. The people that passed look less like maniacs and wild animals and more like just sick people. A change of clothes and a brush of their hair, you couldn’t tell they were patients in a mental institution. Edward wondered if this was taste of how Dr. Kravitz saw the world. Just sick people. Their ailments you could see on their skin, or even in a x-ray, but none the less they were sick. Sick people deserved help and deserved to be treated like people during their healing.
“That’s a lot of coffee, you sleep okay?” Edward asked jokingly. Dr. Kravitz carried four large styrofoam cups of coffee on a tray with sugar and cream.
Dr. Kravitz seemed distant this morning. “Actually I didn’t sleep very well. I stayed here like I usually do throughout the week, but for the life of me I could not catch a wink. But it gave me lots of time to think. There’s a few things I wanted to try with James today. See what information we can pull from him for your case.”
“Sure sounds great. I’ll follow your lead.”
Dr. Kravitz smiled warmly as they climbed the stairs. “Thank you Edward. I pray this will be done soon. I know this is an unconventional case for you.”
“It is strange yes, but it has it’s…benefits.” He smiled.
“Yes I can see you and Nurse Umbridge have hit it off. She is a lovely lady. On her way to being head nurse here at Cloverdale.”
“She does seem pretty fantastic. We have dinner plans tonight.”
They reached the top of the stairs. “That’s great Edward. Now.” He stopped Edward at the end of the hall. He gave Terrence a wave. “To use a euphemism you are familiar with: I would like you to play bad cop. Keep him talking and on his toes. I will lead the questions to where I think you can get the information you need.”
“Okay but what if he is switching channels all day and we don’t get to speak to Cole?”
“Yes I thought of that as well. We may be able to try and put him in a submissive state again.”
“Hypnosis?”
“Or pharmacological if nessacary.”
“Would that work? Drugging him?” Edward asked.
“Have I ever told you about my parents. They were hippies. Free love and all that. Well anyways, from a young age I’ve seen all kinds of drugs have interesting affects on people. Of course the government and that damn president decided all drugs should be treated as arsenic, so studying their effects is not considered…well ethically in psychology, but I personally think it has its uses.”
Edward chuckled. “Damn Winnie, I know a couple guys who would kill for you bring some of that stuff to their next party.”
Dr. Kravitz laughed as well. “I may need their legal representation if I am found out by the board. Come. Let’s get in there. Remember-“
“Bad cop.” Edward said and his face slumped. It wasn’t a frown, but he looked pissed off for being there. He hoped it would be enough. Cole was tough. And smart. Which made him dangerous.
Terrence opened the door and followed them in. “Here Terrence, have a cup.” Dr. Kravitz handed the guard a cup. The cup looked ridiculous in his meaty paws. “Good Morning James. How was your slee-“ He stopped and looked at the man who sat at the table. The eyes glanced back and forth from Edward to Dr. Kravitz and then back to Edward. “Who am I addressing?” He asked.
The man who was Cole but not Cole moved very slowly. “Is one of those for me?”
“Yes.” Dr. Kravitz said. He placed one of the cups in front of Cole. Both Edward and Dr. Kravitz sat. A coffee was handed to Edward and he put it aside as if disgusted. A pissed off man doesn’t want to sip coffee. He wants to get down to business, he thought. Dr. Kravitz sipped his. “I wasn’t sure how you liked it so I brought cream and sugar.”
Cole slowly reached across the table for the sugar. His cuffed hands clinked on the edge of the table. Each link slowly made its way forward then back down. Cole tore open three sugar packets and dumped them into his cup. Dr. Kravitz slid forward a brown stir stick.
“So who am I addressing?” Dr. Kravitz asked again.
“Its me, Dr. Kravitz. James.” He took a sip of the coffee and smiled. It was a cold. Lizard like. It seemed wrong on his face. Edward remembered that smile. He had seen it when Cole was seizing. I think he means to collect.
“Come on. I am not idiot. Do not treat me as such. Who am I addressing?”
Edward shook his head angrily. “Cole I am about done with your bullshit. I personally don’t care if you fry. This is still just a preliminary consultation for all I am concerned. I can go downstairs make a call to my firm, that this is a lost cause, not even with the publicity and I am gone back to the city before dinner. So are you gonna keep fucking us around or are you going to talk to the only two people who give a fuck?”
Cole took another sip of his coffee. “I’m not going to tell you my name. For all intents and purposes I am James Everett Cole. You are my doctor and you-” He finger left the white cup and pointed to Edward. “-are my lawyer.”
“Not for much longer if you don’t start talking.”
“Oh I think you will want to stay around. Because I have a secret.”
“And whats that?” Dr. Kravitz asked.
“Tsk. Tsk. That wouldn’t be very fun.” He put his cup down on the table. “If you can figure out who I am, I’ll tell you my secret.”
Edward scratched his cheek, he had forgotten to bring a razor with him and his stubble was beginning to become itchy. “And why would we care about your secret?”
“Because everyone loves secrets. Every one has one. Don’t they Dr. Kravitz?”
Edward looked over at Winslow. The doctors face was stone.
“And how about you? What’s your secret?”
Edward sat quietly still, maintaining eye contact.
“Can we speak to James please?” Dr. Kravitz asked. He took a drink of his coffee and flipped opened his clip board.
Cole stretched in his chair and looked up at the skylight. The sun warmed his face. “James has gone for bit. He’s a trouble young man. Are you aware of that? That sicko needs to be locked up. His mother was right.”
“Well I wanted to tell James, that a TV will be brought up to him later today as he requested. He promised me a favor.”
Cole chuckled. “I don’t think he would be into giving you the kind of favors you like, Dr. Kravitz. Though if you spoke to Roach, I’m pretty sure between you him and Nurse Calvin, you all could have one hell of a party.”
That one broke Dr. Kravitz slightly and his brow furrowed. Edward stepped up and slapped the coffee of the table. This time he was actually angry.
“Hey!” Cole cried.
“Listen to me you piece shit. After today I am done. You better hope this guy doesn’t give up on you too. He’s a better man than both of us. He’s the only one that really wants to help you. He called us in. But I am done.” Edward stood and walked for the door.
“Wait! Wait.” Cole called. “I’m sorry Dr. Kravitz. I was outline. I am not use to the subtleties of everyday conversation. I’ve been out of the game a long time. Please join us.” He said to Edward.
“Are you done fucking around?”
Cole smirked. “No. But I’ll tell you something. Cole doesn’t have all the answers. He thinks he does. He plays tough. But he doesn’t know where Sarah is.”
“You do?” Edward asked.
Cole nodded slowly.
“So where is she?” Edward asked.
“You think I give it up just like that? My mother taught me better than that. You never give it up on the first date.” He chuckled. “She was awful at following her own advice.”
Dr. Kravitz finally spoke as he stood up. “I guess we are done here for now.” He walked out of the room.
There was no protest from Cole or Edward. Edward followed quickly after. They met at the bottom of the stairs and Edward was startled to find Dr. Kravitz grinning. “What the hell was that? And why are you smiling like that.”
“That was incredible. You did amazing by the way.”
“Thanks, but can you fill me in.”
“I believe that is not one of James’ victims its something else. A different personaility.”
“So he has more than you expected.”
“No its even for than that Edward.” He place his hands on Edward’s shoulders. “That coffee I gave him, had hazelnut in it.”
“So. You gave a convicted serial killer a nice morning coffee?”
He chuckled. “No. Well yes. But James Everett Cole is severely allegric to hazelnuts. It’s in his medical file. We have adrenaline in the first aid kit outside of his room in case of reaction. The man up in that room for all accounts is James Cole. But is in terms of physiologically and psychologically, he is not.”
“So who is he?”
“That I don’t know.”
-
National Novel Writing Month Day One to Day Thirteen
Hey Everybody,
So for the past 13 Days in November I have been doing the National Novel Writing Month challenge. I have been documenting it on my personal facebook page, but I have decided to start updating on here for a bit more freedom with my content.
Here is the past 13 days of work, where I attempt to write 1600 words a day.
Thank you for reading.
-
Past the fortress of ancient evergreens, beyond the surrounding clearing with its immaculately trimmed grass, and within the hardy neutral colored walls of Cloverdale Institute of Mental Health sat James Everett Cole. Some would call him the most wretched and depraved human to have ever cursed the earth with his presence. Edward Mandrake called him his client.
Edward walked up to the steps that lead to a colossal set of wooden double doors. An attendant sat on the bottom step a cigarette in his hand and worn weary look on his face. The was either a bit of dried blood or feces on his smock. Edward wasn’t sure as it was both reddish and brown. He knew he wasn’t getting close enough to find out. The attendant gave him a brief look as Edward rose the steps. “Keep your eyes open sir.”
Edward stopped. “Excuse me?”
“They ain’t all bad. Just keep your eyes open.”
Edward was put off by the unsolicited advice. “Sure.” He responded. What he wasn’t to tell the glorified janitor was that this wasn’t his first time dealing with people with problems. He was a defense attorney. From gangsters to “alleged” rapists and murderers. He defended them all. And he did well. The justice system wasn’t effective, not in the way they wanted it to be. And for a man like him he found the loopholes and statutes that made it simple for most of his clients to get off with time served maybe a couple months in therapy and community service. He had won most of his cases since crossing the aisle. The money was good if you could stomach it. Which he could. But as his hand touched the cold brass handle of the almost century old institution, he couldn’t help feeling as if he should run. As if he should get in his Mercedes, drive as far and fast as he could away from this place. It was not a feeling he was accustomed to and it took the attendant grabbing the other door and passing him to break the spell of mental paralysis that had overtook him.
A deep breath flooded his lungs and he threw open the door entering The Cloverdale Institute for Mental Health.
Just within the doors was a secondary set of doors. These were barred like the turn styles back in the subway of Ellis City. A large security guard in a brown uniform stood before and nodded. “Good Morning Sir. Please sign in over there at the window and then put all of your valuables and any sharp implements such as pens, metal framed glasses etcetera as well any chains or ties or watches.”
Edward stepped over to the small window. Beyond the circle that was cut into the glass for communication sat a older woman with thick plastic spectacles. As the woman spoke Edward was blasted with the smell of stale coffee and pungent cigarettes. Or was it stale cigarettes and pungent coffee? What ever it was it assaulted Edwards nostrils and irritated his tired eyes. He had been up late the night before and most nights before that. “Name and reason for visiting Cloverdale?” She said in a gravelly drawl.
“Edward Mandrake. Attorney. I’m here to see my client James Everett Cole. My firm called ahead.”
The woman’s face changed from the tired, vacant look that seemed to Edward had plagued her her entire life to one of surprise and concern. “Yes, I do believe we received the call.” It seemed she had more to say on the subject, but instead waved him back to the moose of a man that stood before the barred doors. “Values and dangerous goods in the plastic bin please sir. Everything is recorded up there on the CC Cameras, so you can insure everything will be accounted for and returned to you upon exiting the facility.”
Edward did as he was asked. He removed his gold watch, his silver framed glasses and his black tie. He placed them in the tub that sat on the table before the doors.
“And your pen sir.” The guard said point to Edwards inner shirt pocket.
“Is that really necessary? How am I supposed to write anything down with my client if I don’t have a pen?”
“I understand your frustration sir. A charcoal pencil will be supplied to you by one of the attendants at your request.”
The guard had meant no disrespect and was only following a set of rules put into place by the board running the facility, but Edward huffed and threw his pen into the tub with as much attitude as he could muster. The drive was long from Ellis City and he had hoped to check into the hotel before he came for his first visit with Mr. Cole, but it hadn’t gone the way he thought it would. He didn’t know that neither would his first meeting with his new client.
The guard thanked him and let Edward through the doors. The barred turn styles were similar to revolving door in a hotel or a department store. Edward stepped through and the teeth of the turn style swung through each other. He was almost through when a loud buzzer rang out and he was stopped. Caught like a piece of meat between its fangs. “What the hell is going on?” Edward watched as large shutters began to shut over every window. The room when black for a second before the emergency lights turned on. A inch from Edward’s face was hand sticking through the gated bars. He slammed himself back as far away from the hand as he could, which was much. A face joined the hand at the bars. It was jaunt and the eyes seemed nicotine stained, sunken back in their sockets. “He waits for you. I thinks he wants you. I thinks he means to collect. He promises me that I will be among the collected before he leaves. He promis-“ Before the man can finish a black club is brought down onto the back of his head which propels his teeth forward into the bars. The hand and the face slump to the floor.
“We’re clear!” The guard with the club hollers to the room. The guard who took Edward’s belongings places a hands on the bars behind the attorney. “I’m sorry sir. Rodney there is know to get out where he isn’t supposed to. Here let-“ He begins to rotate the turn style back. Assuming Edward may want to leave after his ordeal. Edward placed a trembling on the opposite set of bars. “I would still like to speak to my client please.”
“Oh of course sir.” The large man said. “Coming through!” The guard called to the officer and attendant station that sat at the bottom of a grand stair case. The man know as Rodney was hauled away by Clubber Lang. The sentence I thinks he means to collect drifted through Edward’s mind like Kentucky Harvester. It consumed him as he was informed Dr. Kravitz would be with him momentarily. And it would consume him later in his hotel room.
A doctor wearing a white lab coat and half crescent glasses came down the massive sprawling staircase; a tattered manila folder in his hands that was bursting at its seams with paper. “Ah! You must be Mr. Mandrake.” The doctor fumbled a hand out to Edward.
“Dr. Kravitz?”
“Yes, yes. That’s me. But please call me Winslow. I am a doctor but I’m not pretentious about it. I am here to help people, not flaunt my decrees.” The doctor adjusted his glasses as they did their best to slip off his long crooked nose.
“That’s quite noble of you. Most doctors I meet are quick to tell you how long they have had their noses in medical texts books and usually what comes next is what car they drive.” Edward remarked.
“A Pinto.”
“A what?” Edward responded.
The chuckled slightly and gestured towards a hallway that branched off to the left of the main room. “I drive a Pinto. Excellent car. Great on gas.”
Edward kept pace with the doctor as they walked. “Good thing nowadays, with whats going on in the world.”
“I concur. Now Mr. Mandrake-“
“Hey if I can call you Winslow, you can call me Edward.” Edward said smiling. He knew Winslow as long as he knew that fellow Rodney, but he liked the Doctor a lot more.
“Alright Ed.” Edward grimaced. He hated when people called him Ed. It made him feel like he should be a Gas Jockey somewhere in the Heartland, but he knew the doctor didn’t mean it in disrespect. Winslow continued. “ I have to say, when we got the call that your firm was going to represent James, we were surprised. We figured everyone in the country had written his ticket. That he was set to-“ Winslow lowered his voice. “You know. Fire.”
“Yeah well my firm believes everyone deserves a fair sentence.”
“As do I. I have been James’ primary doctor since he arrived at Cloverdale. I believe he is very troubled. Yes. There is absolutely no doubt. But I do believe disturbed person like himself with such a unique…case deserves to be studied and healed. Not put in a chair or injected with rat poison until his eyeballs melt.”
“You really think someone like my client can be healed. I agree that he doesn’t deserve to be put to death, but he has been convicted of some tremendously awful things. Its my job to keep him out of that chair, but you think he could actually be let out of here one day?”
The walked past several more rooms. Small things, each one smelt worse than the last. A cacophany of sounds echoed around them. Screams, tittering laughter, whispers. Edward hated places like this since he was a kid. They were for crazies and loons. They didn’t help people. It’s just where you put them when you got tired of them screaming on the street asking for change. A place like this is where he spent most of his childhood. He means to collect.
“No not exactly. I don’t know to be honest. I think everyone deserves a chance to be healed. Even the damned. But I should warn, in James’ current state he is not a healthy man. You will need to guard yourself completely. Emotionally, physically maybe even spiritually.”
“Doctor.” Edward said giving Winslow a look.
“I only mean for some people religion can be an extra defense. A way to ward off the negative thoughts. James Everett Cole is a polluted man. A man briming with intelligence, charm and madness. See this scar?”
Winslow pulled his collar down. A oval of a scar sat a the base of his neck. “That was my first week with Mr. Cole. I thought I was making headway, a breakthrough. I got too close. And I forgot who I was talking to. And boom! I was in the hospital for a week.”
“Jesus.” Edward shook his head in disbelief as a woman literally foaming at the mouth was pushed passed them strapped to a bed.
“Yup. Funny thing, the first get well card I got was from James himself. Well I don’t think it was James. One of them.”
They turned right and began climbing set of stairs.
“So you believe him then. That there are more of them. What do they call it split personality disorder?”
Doctor Kravitz shook his head furiously. “No. No. That term is a misnomer. Some of my colleagues in the field believe there is no such thing as split personality disorder. There are not really any documented cases. But I believe James is something else. Unique. You’ll see. But like I said keep your guard up. He likes fucking with the new comers.”
They crested the stairs and turned left. It was a long hallway with rows and rows of barred windows on either side. At the end of the hallway was a large white door sealed with a thick metal beam. A guard enormous compared to Dr. Kravitz and Edward sat reading Pet Sematary beside the door. A camera blinked above him.
“Hey Doctor K. This the guy?”
“Yeah this is him. How has James been today, Terrence?” Winslow asked.
The mammoth of a man stood and placed his book down on the tiny brave folding chair. “He’s been quiet. I think he knows something’s up. Its always bad when he gets quiet.”
“Well let’s not keep James and Edward here waiting.” Winslow said.
Terrence the guard turned and lifted the beam with grunt. Edward wondered how heavy it must be if it made that guy grunt. He then turned the handle and the door creaked open.
I thinks he means to collect.
James Everett Cole was a slender sturdy man. Built like an Irish farmer. A light dusting of amber stubble covered the straight lines of his chin. His hair was short, but went every which way. A clean white cotton shirt hung loosely off his chest. The first time Edward saw Cole on the news he looked like a wild man. As insane as Manson, but spoke with the cadence and intelligence of Kemper or Daumer. As Cole sat at a small metal table bolted to securely to the floor, Edward noticed how tired the man looked. Cage an animal long enough it becomes complacent and sad, but when Cole’s eyes rose to meet his, it took all of his god given fortitude not to shit his pants.
Dr. Kravitz stepped forward first smiling. “Good morning James, how’d you sleep last?”
Cole looked at the doctor for a long time before answering. And when he finally did his gaze shifted back to Edward. “Fine. Who’s the suit? You a cop?”
“James when talked about this last week. Ed here-“
“Edward. My names Edward Mandrake. My firm is the one respresenting you. The ones trying to keep you out of the chair.” Edward said stepping passed Kravitz. Guys like James Everett Cole got off on the power they had. The young attorney knew as much not to show an ounce of fear around guys like Cole. Let alone allow someone else to speak for him.
“Yes well James, Ed and I are your last hope against the death penalty. So do please behave.” Kravitz said.
Cole’s eyes never left Edward’s. It wasn’t until Cole stood suddenly, that Edward realized Terrence the guard was still behind them in a thundering voice shouted, “Watch it Cole.”
A small wet spot now sat in Edwards underwear, but with a quick glance he was sure nothing would show.
“I just wanted to shake the hand of the man my life was being entrusted to. That’s all T.” Cole said smiling at the goliath of a guard.
“You know the rules. No physical contact.” Terrence stated.
“No. It’s fine.” Edward said. He turned to Dr. Kravitz and the guard. “No really it is.” He turned back to meet Cole’s gaze. “I think it’s important we have an understanding. A trust. Am I right?” He asked Cole.
James Everett Cole leaned back slight and smiled. A set of straight, pearly whites twinkled from the sunlight that drifted through the barred skylight overhead. “But of course. Trust begins with a smile and a shake.” Cole’s hand stretched across the table as far as it could go before the linking chain to his other cuff jingled. Edward notice Cole’s feet were cuffed together and then connected to his hand. Precautions had been taken.
Cole noticed his noticing and remarked. “This is for my protection as much as your Mr. Mandrake.”
Edward stepped forward and stretched out his hand through the thick tense air. In those seconds before they shook, Edward felt something coming from Cole. Later he would not be able to articulate what it was or even clearly understand it in the abstract corners of his thoughts. It’s like Cole had a magnetism to him. Something about the man compelled you towards him. You knew he was death and danger you could see that much in his eyes and from those teeth. His smile was a mask. It was covering something. Something old and ancient. Something primeval. Yet you were drawn to it. And as Edward took Cole’s hand, he knew he had walked into the jaws of the beast and he could do nothing to get away. His body came forward abruptly towards Cole and the man’s smile changed into a snarl. It was Terrence who saw it before Dr. Kravitz or Edward himself knew. Terrence to had felt something change in the room and whereas Edward froze and went towards the teeth, the guard drew his club and brought it down hard into the center of Cole’s nose.
Blood covered Edward in a splatter and Cole fell back into his chair. “I fucking told you Cole. I didn’t want to have to hit ya. But you bought it on yourself.” Terrence said calmly.
Edward tried to wipe the blood from his own face as quickly as he could. He felt as if he might be enter his pores. Trying to invade him some how. His hands were shaking.
“Oh come on T. I was just messn’ with the suit. You didn’t have to wallop me. Damn!” Cole shouted. He tilted his head back and held his nose. His white shirt was drench a deep crimson.
“You know the rules. Mr. Mandrake you okay.”
Edward heard nothing. There was only the blood.
“Ed are you all right? Can I get you something? Ed?” Doctor Kravitz asked.
“Edward.” He mumbled.
“What?” Kravitz asked.
“Edward. For fuck sakes. My name is Edward, not Ed or Eddy. Edward Mandrake.” He stumbled forward toward the table angrily. He pointed a trembling finger at Cole who watched the attorney with new curiousity. “Listen to me you sick fuck. I could give a shit about you and whether or not you rot in here. But if you don’t want to end up a god damned crispy fish stick. You need to cut the fucking theatrics and let me help you. You think about that shit.” He turned with out waiting for a response. He pointed at the folder Kravitz was holding. “Is that his file, we requested?”
“Uh y-yes. Yes it is.” Dr. Winslow Kravitz stammered.
Without asking Edward took it from the Doctor and began walking down the long hallway. He need a shower with boiling water and a cigarette. As he reached the stairs he smiled slightly. I got my own theatrics Cole. He thought. But even when he was back in his hotel room and the scalding water was washing over his face, his hands never stopped shaking.
Transcript from the desk of Doctor Winslow Lesley Kravitz:
Kravitz: Recording session 23 with James Everett Cole. Okay let’s begin.
Cole: Its your hour doc.
Kravitz: How have you been sleeping lately James? Has the nurses been giving you the sedative I prescribed?
Cole: Yes those ice queens you call nurses have been giving me the top shelf goods every night.
Kravitz: Has it helped with the nightmares?
Cole: No actually. Your stuff just makes it harder to wake up during the bad ones.
Kravitz: I’m sorry James. Maybe we can try something else. Anyways last time we spoke you mentioned something about your mother?
Cole: I don’t wanna talk about her Doc.
Kravitz: Come now James, I can tell from your tone you didn’t have the best relationship with your mother uhh Catherine.
Cole: I told you, I don’t want to talk about that bitch. She was worse than me. She was a she beast that deserved to be put in the ground for what she did to me.
Kravitz: What did she do to you James? Did she hurt you?
Subject falls silent.
Kravitz: Okay James. I’m sorry for pushing you on that? Can we change the subject?
Cole: Sure. Can I get a smoke?
Kravitz: Of course.
Cole: Thanks Doc.
Kravitz: You said she was worse than you. I’m interested in that thought. Now I don’t mean your mother. I mean you think she is worse than you. Do you think your actions up to this point are something bad? That you have done bad things.
Subject bursts into a fit of laughter.
Cole: Are you serious Doc? You’re asking me if I’ve done bad things. You’ve seen the file. Mutilation, molestation and rumination.
Kravitz: Yes I’ve seen the file. I am aware of your actions. Are you?
Cole: Yes.
Kravitz: And how do you view those actions?
Cole: I did them. They are done. Those people are mine now. I collected them.
Kravitz: You killed them.
Cole: I allowed them to become free from themselves.
Kravitz: And trapped them inside yourself.
Cole: No they are free from their own lives, their own minds. Life sucks out there man. I freed them from that. Yeah sure, I collect them and they stay with me but its better.
Kravitz: So you believe those people you murdered are better off and you did a good thing by killing them?
Cole: I don’t know man.
Kravitz: Okay let me rephrase it. Did you ever collect someone you regretted freeing?
Subject looks out the window smoking his cigarette.
Kravitz: James? Did you hear me?
Cole: Yeah. Yeah I heard ya. I don’t know what you want me to say?
Kravitz: I want to know if you ever regretted collected anyone?
Cole: Sure there has been a few. Sometimes they had something I need. Sometimes that bitch was getting close again. She’d be yapping in my ear. Nit pickin’. The way she used to. She has her way of making you feel an inch tall. Cut your fuckin’ balls off as you stood your ground. Sometimes it’s the only way to shut her-.
Kravitz: What’s wrong James?
Cole: I told you I didn’t wanna talk about her. I don’t appreciate you being sneaky like that Doc. That kind of stuff pisses me off. I’d hate for our little bond we got to end because you are trying to pull a fast one on me.
Kravitz: James I asked you whether or not you were remorseful for what you have done. You brought it back to your mother. If you don’t want to talk about her that’s fine, but do not blame me for your actions.
Cole: Your right Doc. I’m sorry. You’re a good man. To answer your question. Yes. Yes. Sometimes a couple of those in here make me wish they weren’t.
Kravitz: Any specifically?
Cole: Sarah.
Kravitz: The little girl?
Subject ashes his cigarette and looks back out the window.
Kravitz: James I would like to try something.
Cole: Doc you’re a good looking man, but I ain’t no homosexual. I don’t judge or nothing. Just like my sexual partners a little more hairless and a lot more curvy.
Kravitz: I wanted to see if I might be able to alleviate some of your nightmares. Some of my colleagues have had some success with unconventional means.
Cole: More drugs? Some of that blotter acid all the kids are doing?
Kravitz: Hypnosis.
Cole: Oh Doc come on. I thought you were a real doctor. That’s quack stuff. That stuff only works on fat ladies looking to lose a few.
Kravitz: Then there would be no harm to you in trying it. Maybe lose a few yourself.
Cole: Was that a god damn joke Doc?
Subject laughs to himself.
Cole: Well I’ll be damned. I thought all you medical types had to have sticks shoved up your butts on the first day of medical school. Yet here we have Doctor Winslow Kravitz cracking jokes with the mad man of the Midwest. Sure. Hell lets try it. Why not. Go ahead Doc.
Kravitz: Okay. Great. Please get into bed and close your eyes.
Cole: As you wish.
Subject lies down on bed and closes his eyes.
Kravitz: Now James, I would like you to focus on your breathing please. Can you do that for me?
Cole: Mhmm.
Kravitz: Okay. I am going to count to four. On one take in a breath through your nose. Hold it and on four release it from your mouth. Do you understand James?
Cole: Yes.
Kravitz: One. Two. Three. Four. One. Two. Three. Four. One. Two. Three. Four.
This continues for about two and a half minutes until Subject is breathing rhythmically.
Kravitz: James?
Cole: Yes Dr. Kravitz.
Kravitz: You should feel calm and safe. You are safe here. Do you understand that?
Cole: Yes Dr. Kravitz.
Kravitz: Good. If its all right with you, I’d like to speak with one of those you have collected. Would that be okay with you?
Cole: Yes.
Kravitz: Excellent. You can sleep now James, let one of the others come forward.
Cole: Yes doctor Kravitz.
Subject is silent as if sleeping.
Kravitz: Is there someone there?
Cole?: Y-yes. Who are you?
Kravitz: My name is Doctor Winslow Kravitz. What is your name?
Cole?: Sarah. Where am I?
Kravitz: Your in Cloverdale it’s a type of hospital.
Cole?: Where’s my mommy? What’s all that noise?
Kravitz: What noise Sarah?
Cole?: I don’t know. Its loud. Like static. But its. It’s words. Why are they whispering like that?
End of Tape.
Edward had breakfast at the diner down the street from his hotel the next morning. The coffee was fine. He enjoyed it black. He ordered two eggs, runny and a side of bacon. The eggs came hard and the bacon soft. Normally he would send it back, but he realized as the make shift meal was put down before him on the table he wasn’t that hungry. Coffee would be fine. He thanked the waitress none the less and she smiled warmly back at him. “You visiting family?” She asked with distinct yet unrecognizable accent.
“What?” He responded dreamily. He hadn’t slept well the night before and an ache in his head made the florescent lights above him scream.
“I asked if you was visiting family? Not too many people come to the diner wearing a suit as nice as yours at nine in the mornin’.” She said.
“Oh no. I’m here on business actually. I hate working in hotels. I hope you don’t mind me commandeering a table for a bit this morning.”
She smiled again. “Of course not. You’d be a welcome guest than some of the drunks we get sleeping off their stupors at four in the mornin’. I’ll leave you to it. If you need a refill just give me a holler. Name’s Jan.”
“Thank Jan. Edward.”
The pleasant middle aged woman walked back off to her own life and the rest of her tables. Edward’s head tilted back down toward the unopened manilla folder in front of him. He had had the misfortune of opening it when he got back to the hotel last night. His career had lead him to many folders like the one before him. Crimes of every sort with photos of proof. But something about the manilla folder before now made his skin crawl.
James Everett Cole was big deal in the media as of late. His trial was highly publicized. Edwards firm were not representing him at the time of the trial. He had been given some no name public defender. A guy who had never won a case in his life and he was given the biggest case of the 1980s. He botched it. Though in Edwards opinion it was a pretty open and shut case. Cole had confessed and helped the investigation find as many twelve victims. Some the police weren’t even aware of. Cole had no real motive or type. His modus operandi was nonsensical. Almost animalistic. Some were mutilated beyond recognition. There was even evidence of cannibalism. Yet some of his victims were treated with care and swiftness. One had been buried in a five foot grave and given a headstone in a farmers field out side of Camdon County. Cole was the most unique and frightening case anyone had seen. He had been found guilty quickly and sentenced quicker. He was to be put to death. It had been Dr. Kravitz who petitioned the judge to have Cole transferred to Cloverdale. Security was as tight as any maximum facility in the heartland. He could be properly guarded, but also studied due to his unique predilections and claims. He was a dead man anyway so the judge had agreed. Only after a few months with Cole, did Dr. Kravitz realize just how unique he was. It was Kravitz who contacted Edwards’ firm and asked them to represent Cole in his appeal. Kravitz wanted the death sentenced repealed and Cole be allowed to spend the rest of his life in Cloverdale Institution. That he was an invaluable subject to lose. Edward had been given the case and now he sat before Cole’s entire file. Medical and criminal.
He flipped open the file and began to read.
-
Cloverdale Institute of Mental Health had been around since the 1960s. Before that it had been Saint Andrews Sanitarium run by the church. The nuns and the clergy did what they thought was needed to take care of those afflicted with demons spiritual and mental.
The building itself is expansive. Branching out from the center to its East and West wing. Less problematic and stable patients on the main floor are allowed less restricted access to the facilities. Such as the games room, helping in the kitchen and tending the grounds. The second floor on the west side is where the administration and staffing departments are located. There is a few of the larger rooms set up as dormitories to allow staff to stay within the walls to keep them from having to make the hour and a half drive to town and back. On the easterly second floor is where Cloverdale keeps its patients that have issues with being in the general population. Every door is double locked. Only in the case of fire do the doors open on their own, other than that they need to be manually opened with two separate keys. Patients hands and feet are to be bound at all times while in and out of their cells. In some cases the patients may be required to be muzzled for their, the staff and other patients safety. One cell for lack of a better term sits at the top of an eastern staircase one hallway to one door. It is a thirty foot drop to the ground should its current occupant somehow get out through the only window in the ceiling.
James Everett Cole laid in that cell as Edward drank his coffee reading the manilla folder. Cole had slept just as easy as Edward had the night before. He always slept terribly. Even as a child he was plagued by nightmares. Since coming to Cloverdale, they had been getting exceedingly worse and as he awoke with a cold sweat covering his body, he swore he heard her voice.
Below in the kitchen Rodney ‘the Roach’ Coachman was peeling potatoes. His teeth ached but the drugs the nurses gave him made him feel pretty damn fine. He was onto his second endless pot of potatoes when he thought about Cole had told him. Roach was crazy. He knew that. He liked fire a bit too much. He was working on it with Dr. Kravitz. But as he heard Teddy ignite the gas stove on the other side of the room he couldn’t help get a little tight in the pants. Roach knew he was crazy and what he was crazy about. That helped apparently. It allowed him to better manage his craziness. Although Dr. Kravitz told him to stop saying he as crazy, he told him to change his way of thinking. To think that his brain just had a different way of processing information. That once he was able to manage that maybe one day he could leave. And he really did want to leave this. Well he had until the day he met James Everett Cole.
Roach was one of the few patients in Cloverdale that were allowed to have multiple jobs throughout the facility. He worked in the kitchen Mondays and Thursdays. Strictly peeling and cutting. No cooking. Tuesdays and Fridays he was allowed to tend to the grounds. He liked that job the most. The sound of the mowers and the smell of the grass reminded himself of his childhood. On Wednesdays and Saturdays if he wanted to he could help with janitorial duties. Doctor Kravitz told him he didn’t have to work so many jobs if he wanted to, but Roach didn’t mind it kept him busy and away from Nurse Calvin. Everyone even the real nutso’s on floor two knew to stay clear of Nurse Calvin if they could. It was on one of those Wednesdays that he first met James Everett Cole. He was brought by two guards to clean the hallway leading to Mr. Cole’s room. While he was cleaning apparently Mr. Cole hadn’t been feeling well and threw up all over his room. The guards started yelling who was going to have to go in and clean up the mess. Roach knew that Nurse Calvin was on rounds in the after so he volunteered for them. They were shocked and actually quite happy for the help. With his bucket and disinfectant in tow, Roach wheeled himself into the dark vomit smelling room. Even though Mr. Cole was hunched over the toilet, both of the guards informed him to stay where he was until Roach was done. He sprayed the sick and began to scoop it up with his dust pan. He dropped the mess into the garbage bag that hung from his mop cart. Mr. Cole thanked Roach from his ceramic throne.
“You’re my hero, hoss. Thank you.” Mr. Cole said to Roach.
He had heard stories of the man in the tower. The Tower is what the other patients called the room that held Mr. Cole. It was like a tower where a princess would await her prince. Her hero. Yet it was Mr. Cole up in the tower alone and sick. The man didn’t look deranged or murderous. He looked small to Roach. And Roach himself wasn’t a big man. “Your welcome Mr. Cole.”
“No talking.” One of the guards had yelled. And Roach went back to business and Mr. Cole went back to his chucking.
From that point on Roach was extra good and worked extra hard. To the point that he was able to get on meal delivery. He delivered every meal on the eastern wing of the building. Including the Tower. Everyday he would exchange a sentence or two with Mr. Cole. Everytime he called Roach ‘Hoss’ it was the first nickname someone had given him that made him feel important. Roach looked forward to those conversations.
He was finishing his last pot of potatoes when he realized he was alone in the kitchen. “Teddy? Where’d ya go?”
The door to the kitchen opened. “Teddy was needed somewhere else.” The voice sent all over Roach’s body. His stomach tense and he wondered if he could shit himself. Or pee. Something. Nurse Calvin walked over to pot and looked down. “Someone spit in there.”
“What? No they didn’t.”
Nurse Calvin cleared his throat and drop a light loogy into the pot. “I think you should take another look.”
Roach’s throat became tight and he struggled to speak. “I’ll get started on a fresh pot sir.”
“Well I think you should take a look first.”
Roach stood and looked over the pot slowly.
“Closer.” Nurse Calvin whispered. Roach hesitantly leaned further over. “Do you see it?”
“Y-yes sir.” Roach stammered.
“Good.” He felt Nurse Calvin move closer. “Now make sure it doesn’t move or any more gets in there.”
Roach nodded and was about to speak when he his pants fall to his feet.
-
Edward needed to know everything he could about James Everett Cole before their next meeting. With the folder finally open he began to read all that had been compiled on the madman of the midwest. Cole fresh from another batch of incredible night terrors thought of his past as well but for different reasons entirely.
James Everett Cole was an only child. Born to Elouise Magnola Cole. Father unknown. Cole grew up in the small southern town of Alhambro. It was quiet life in a small two bedroom house. A matchbox compared to the others in the neighbourhood. It was painted yellow and smelled of mold. His bedroom was drafty and on the cold nights of winter, although no snow fell in Alhambro he could help but shiver.
His mother was a prideful woman and Cole wondered if that was why he never knew who his Daddy was. Or had the unlucky guy just put up with as much crazy as he could from Elouise Cole and decided it was better to hit the bricks. Cole would only ask a few times when he was a child where his daddy was. Those times often ended with his mother angry and yelling. Asking little James why she wasn’t good enough for him. Why he needed a daddy when he had a mama who was busting her ass at the cleaners to keep the roof over their head. James learned quickly that his daddy was gone and it was only him and his mother.
James went school like any other kid. He wasn’t prone to making friends as kids can often be cruel especially when you don’t have the money for new shoes every year when school comes around or you have the same peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day for lunch even though you can stomach the things anymore. No the kids all thought his elementary and junior high days were not kind to James Everett Cole. In those years and with his mother’s help he harder more than most kids. When others were out hitting baseballs and climbing trees with friends. Cole was inside, watching tv. And unlike other kids his age he loved commercials. Life seemed to perfect in those ads. Mothers were kind and doting. Kissed scraps and made soup for the kids. No one yelled and guilted one another or other things. And of course there was always a Dad. Strong, hardworking. Cole loved tv and commercials so much he could remember them word for word. Sometimes on only one viewing. He wanted to be in the tv one day. An actor he supposed. Mother had laughed at him and told him to act like he was doing the dishes. That night when he did them he pretended he was someone else in one of those commercials.
Life changed slightly for Cole in high school. There were a few more electives available then previous years and with Mother’s new boyfriend showing up at the house all the time Cole joined as many as he could. Although he tried everything from Art to football, he found none of those really took. What had really caught his eye was when the school put on a play about Annie Oakley. Cole had seen Desmona Witherspoon perform as Annie and he was smitten. The next day Cole joined the school’s drama department. He was great at. The next show was coming up in a few weeks, it was going to be Hamlet by William Shakespeare. After only one day with the script Cole had learned the entire play. The teacher was amazed and gave him the lead role. Every day he would practice. Not only playing his parts but the parts of the other actors. It also gave him a reason to talk to Desmona. Cole’s feet never left the ground in those weeks. Not until his mother’s boyfriend caught him playing the part of Ophelia in his room. The bastard was drunk and angry. Beat the crap out of Cole and left him with a broken arm. Cole quit the drama club three days later.
As much as Cole would come to hate his mother in the last few years of his life. He remembered that night that her boyfriend had beaten him and broke his arm. Something burned in his mother’s eyes and although she was a pridefully stubborn it was the first time she told Cole she was sorry. Cole would wondered what happened to her boyfriend after that because he never came back to the house and a few weeks after the beating the cops had come to the house looking for him. Cole’s mother had said she caught him beating her boy and told him to leave or she was gonna call the cops. She said he did. Took off like a bat out of hell he did. Cole wondered if his mother had made his daddy leave as quick as she had her boyfriend that day perhaps maybe a lot of men had a habit of running like that from his mother. Perhaps his mother would have been alive to see her baby be put up on trial for crimes he had done, if only he had run like his daddy and her boyfriend. Maybe what happened to him after that would have never happened if he had ran. Maybe what he had done to those other folks wouldn’t have happened if he had ran. Maybe his Mother wouldn’t be yapping in his ear again. Maybe he wouldn’t have to collect again.
-
Edward closed the folder and went to take a drink of his coffee when he realized it was empty. He was about to call Jan over for a top up when he notice his watch. It was getting close to eleven and he told Dr. Kravitz over the phone he would be back at Cloverdale around twelve thirty. He called to Jan for the check and she smiled and brought it over right away. The bill was cheap in comparison to breakfast in the city. He paid the bill and tip generously. His own mother had raised him on a diner job so he made it a point to tip the wait staff well.
Jan told him to have a nice day and he left the diner. The air had not warmed much from the morning and the cool chill of fall had began to set in. He pulled his overcoat snuggly against his body and turned up its collar. Once back at the hotel he went to his car, got it and fired up the engine. The drive to Cloverdale was long, but it gave himself time to prepare for his next encounter with Cole, which after reading some of the things he had done, made the coffee in his stomach churn and curdle.
He turned on the radio and immediately turned it off as he heard The Police sing the lines “I’ll be watching you.”
-
By the time Edward reached Cloverdale a fog had settled over the clearing surrounding the monolithic building. It looked sick itself in the pale light that seeped through the clouds. The eyes of the windows watched him as he parked his car in the visitors lot. He grabbed his briefcase that held the manilla folder and began the long walk to the front doors. There were shapeless forms in the fog and voices drifted on the wind. An attendant walked by wearing a large brown coat and nodded a greeting at Edward. Another attendant and a patient passed him coming down the stairs to the front door. They must be doing work on the grounds. Edward thought. He stopped at the top of the steps before the large wooden doors and looked back out into the opaque ocean of fog. The workers looked like ghosts. Lost in the dim nothing. Drifting. The cold air gave him a chill and he entered Cloverdale.
He was greeted by the same ancient nurse at the small circular window and the guard at the iron teeth of the turn style. Today was uneventful against the first. He gave his valuables and anything that could be used against him as a weapon and walked through the gates. No patients accosted him and no patients were bludgeoned. Edward went over to the nurses station in the middle of the main room and spoke to the lady at the desk. Dr. Kravitz was out sick today she had told him. But he was told he may meet with Mr. Cole in his room as long as he was accompanied by Terrence once up there. Edward thanked the lady and she went back to her work.
For a moment he waited there wondering if someone was going to escort him up to Cole’s room. The nurse noticed him waiting. “Go on honey. Terrence is expecting you. You know where the room is right? Just go down that hallway and up the stairs to the second floor and take a left.”
She turned and lifted the headset of her phone and began rotaring a number into it before Edward could ask if it was safe he go alone.
This is a mental hospital for christ sakes.
He took a deep breath and started off down the hallway. The hall seemed longer than it had the day previous. The doors of hallway were mostly shut. He noticed through the windows on the doors that most of the occupants were sitting at their beds with a small tray eating. Edward as thankful for the small blessing. It was quiet but in the distance he could still hear the constant wail of some unfortunate soul. What unsettled him the most about places like this, was what really separated a person here in their rooms eating meatloaf and mashed potatoes on their bed and him. Without his suit and briefcase, if he heard a voice that wasn’t there. Or had some uncontrollable compulsion or depending on the decade just enjoyed sex too much he could be put away in a place like this. A place for lost souls. He hated places like this cause it reminded him of his mother.
Edward reached the stairs and climbed them like before and turned left at the top of the stairs like before. He saw Terrence the behemoth of a guard and sighed a bit of relief. The man was big, but more importantly he was quick. Yesterday with Cole had been a show, he had seen it countless times before with gangbangers. They liked to show you who was in control. Having someone of Terrence’s statue and speed would help keep the physical presence in control while Edward handled the mental presence needed to face Cole.
“Welcome back Mr. Mandrake. Wasn’t sure if you would be joining us again after yesterday.”
Edward chuckled. “Yeah I wasn’t sure either, but that’s why I get paid the big bucks right. To deal with the degenerates and crazies.”
“I hear yeah. But watch that word around Mr. Cole. He doesn’t like that one too much.”
“Duly noted. Thank you. And thank you for the save yesterday.” Edward said as the man stood.
“No problem Mr. Mandrake that’s why they pay me the big bucks. To protect men like you and Dr. Kravitz from guys likes Mr. Cole. Just try not to get too close today. Better to be safe than sorry.”
Edward nodded and Terrence began his sequence of unlocking and opening the door.
The room was darker than the day before. Cole sat at the same bolted table. His tray was sitting in front of him and he was eating the unrecognizable mass on it. A small dollop of something was sitting on his bristled chin.
“Hello Mr. Mandrake. Welcome back to my casa. Please have a seat. I was just finishing this fine meal the lovely institute of Cloverdale has proved for me.”
“Thank you. You have a little bit of something there.” Edward said as he sat at the table.
Cole smiled and took his cloth napkin and wiped his face. His nose was swollen and red from the day before. “Much obliged.”
Edward swung his briefcase onto the edge of the table and opened it. “I’m assuming Dr. Kravitz informed you why I am here. What my role is in ensuring your survival here in Cloverdale?”
“Yes.” Cole nodded and he took another bite of food. Through a full mouth he said. “You are here to make sure I don’t get the chair and barbequed by our amazing government. All so Dr. K can have more time to study me and my special gift.”
“Gift?”
“Yes. Now I am assuming you read my file or hell even a damn newspaper about me. So you are aware that every person I have freed has joined me. Has become a part of me.”
“Good that should help us with the insanity plea.” Edward stated not looking up from his briefcase.
Cole slammed his hand down into his tray and the remain meal went everywhere. “I fucking serious. I’m not crazy.”
Terrence stood up and Cole sat back down hands up in defense. Edward had barely acknowledged the blow up. In fact he had been expecting it. But expecting it didn’t stop his legs from shaking. “I never said you were. All I said is that it will help your case. That’s my job. To make sure you are put to death for the crimes you have been convicted of. An insanity plea is the easiest way to that appeal. So if you can stop with the outbursts that would be great.”
Cole leaned back and took in a breath. “Sorry. Sometimes I am quick to anger. That’s what the Doc says anyway. Hey T, may I clean up this mess? I promise not to make any sudden moves.”
Terrence looked to Edward. He nodded back in return.
“Thank you both. Again. I’m embarassed. I haven’t been sleeping well.” Cole took his napkin and began wiping up the mess back onto the tray.
“No problem Cole.” Edward said. “Now I see the biggest sticking point for the judge was this murder in 79’. A little girl. You confessed to all the murders but that one. Why? You gave detailed accounts of every other one. Why not that one?”
Cole chuckled under his breath. “Not all of them. Only the ones they caught me on. But I didn’t confess to that one cause it wasn’t me who collected her.”
“Collected? What do you mean?”
He rose back to the table and sat down and his chains clinked. “I told you. They stayed with me. They are with me right now. Every single one of them. If I really want I can go see just like walking down a hallway. They’re with me Mr. Mandrake. Everyone but her. I didn’t collect her.”
Edward sighed. “Cole I am your lawyer. You don’t have to lie to me. This might be the lynch pin that saves your ass. What about this little girl? What about Sarah?”
Cole leaned in the muscles of his neck tensing. “I told you. I don’t know. She wasn’t one of mine. She’s not here. I seen her. I know her from the pictures. I’ve had her blood on my hands. But I didn’t kill her and I don’t know where her body is.”
“How is that possible Cole? They have your prints, your DNA. They just want the body. So just give it to them and I can have the death penalty pulled in a few weeks. Just show me on a map. Where is it?”
“You guess is as good as mine.”
Edward put a hand up to his forehead. “You gotta help me here Cole.”
“Ed if I could I would. But I got nothing. Besides the memory of her blood on my hands and seeing her body. I don’t remember anything else after that.” His muscles tensed more. And the veins on his neck began to buldge. “I d-don’t.”
“It’s okay. I’ll think of-“
Cole began to rock back and forth. “I don’t. I don’t remember. Stop talking. Stop. All of you. Stop. Shut up. For fucks sake. Shut the fuck up. You’re all so loud. Shut up, shut up. Shut up.” Cole’s jaw clenched and blood dribbled from the sides of his mouth. Terrence ran over to him and told Edward to back up. He pulled his radio off his shoulder and called for doctor and some nurses. Cole’s body looked rigid and it began to shake uncontrollably. His jaw unclenched and a spasm of words flowed out incoherently. To many words as if he was saying multiple sentences at once. Before he went unconscious, his face changed and didn’t at the same time. He was Cole, but not Cole. The face smiled at Edward then Cole screamed. The last bit of air left his body Cole went lifeless on the floor in Terrence’s arms.
-
Dr. Kravitz kissed his boyfriend good bye the next morning and drove into work. Throughout the week he stayed at Cloverdale, had a small cot in his office that he would stretch out on and sleep. He hated being away from Bruce throughout the week, but the work he did at Cloverdale was his calling. The people there needed him. James needed him.
He had been the Director of Cloverdale for about five years. The previous Director had been running the place into the ground. He had been required for the government funding the institution receives to renovate and update the infrastructure of the building. When Dr. Kravitz had finally took over almost nothing had been update. The sewage system was a glorified septic tank fifty feet off of the grounds that was years beyond over flowing. The piping in the building was plagued by leaks that caused most of the rooms in the hospital to have mold. It was only after one of the patience died of the modern day equivalent of the black lung that the government sent in an investigation team and the former Director was fired and charged with misappropriation of funds. Dr. Kravitz had been a part time professor of Psychology at Ellis City University and a practicing Psychiatrist at Hawthorne Hospital when the position became available. The Institute looked like a lost cause for the state. No one wanted the position. No one cared thought Kravitz. Even as Director there wasn’t much to be made. But he viewed it as his chance to do what all real doctors want to do. To change things. To try something new in an old field. To make a difference for the men and women with the walls of Cloverdale. So he applied and received the acceptance within 72 hours of sending it.
The first thing he did was get a team of contractors bidding on the job to renovate and more important update the facility to modern standards. Unlike his predecessor he came in under budget. The patients were moved to the west wing while the east was worked on, then moved east wing while the west was worked on. It was not the easiest situation for them. Most patients, Dr. Kravitz found, flourished with routine to follow. Whether it was scheduled games or crafts, meetings and small jobs around the building. It gave them purpose other than sitting around drugged to the gills.
Once the building was done almost a year later he began his true work. He met with every single employee and asked them how he could make their jobs easy, but also better for the patients. A committee was made among the different departments and monthly they met to put forth their ideas on how to make Cloverdale the pinnacle of efficiency when it came to dealing with mental health. And it worked. Patient incidences went down by twenty nine percent and employee turn over almost halted entirely. The place was becoming what Dr. Kravitz dreamed it would be.
After the staff and the building were tended to his purpose came. Every patient that came through his doors were unique. Each had a problem, a disorder or a compulsion. They needed help. Society was not very sensitive to these people. Most that came to him from the state were homeless. People society just cast off as nuts. Wackos. Crazies. He saw them a people. Sure they may be broken in some way. But Dr. Kravitz never saw a patient beyond fixing. He helped those he could and in fact he helped quite a bit find a manageable solution to their ailments. Coping mechanisms that would allow them to function as society said they should, but most importantly he gave them their lives back.
Yet for all the ones he and his staff helped, there were some that just had too many demons to be beyond the walls of Cloverdale. At least inside the walls he thought more of his home them his and Bruce’s condo, they were safe. He could protect them from the world that didn’t want them.
He had came down with something the night before and was finally feeling himself this morning. The drive refreshed him and as he pulled up to the large stone building he smiled. This was his legacy.
He entered the building through the front doors and instantly Nurse Umbridge was upon him at the turnstile. “Doctor Kravitz. You didn’t return any of my calls. I left – I don’t know like twenty messages on your answering machine.”
Kravitz was waved in by the guard and stepped through the turnstile. “Calm down Sally. What is it? What is it?”
“Its James Cole, doctor. We believe he had a seizure yesterday afternoon. Dr. Jenkins looked him over. He is sedated in the tow- in his room” Nurse Sally Umbridge stammered.
Instantly Kravitz turned and made his way towards James’ room.
“Doctor Kravitz wait!” Sally called after him. “There’s something else.”
-
When he got up to James’ room he hadn’t expected to see him sitting at the table after having a seizure only half a day ago. His legs were crossed in front of him and his hands were draped over them. He smiled at Doctor Kravitz. He had seen James smile often. It was one of his social cues he used when he was trying to be charming. The smile that was now stretched around James’ lips was different. His lips even seemed different. Feminine.
“Hello Doctor Kravitz. I’ve been meaning to speak to you.”
“Hello.” He said hesitantly. “Who am I addressing?”
James stood. His knees stayed together as if held by a skirt that hugged his hips. He leaned forward and placed his hand gingerly into Dr. Kravitz. “Elouise Cole. My boy has been up to some mischief as of late and I think its time we discuss some things.” James’ sat and Dr. Kravitz would have as well if his legs allowed him to move from that spot. They wouldn’t for the next five minutes.
-
Edward’s hotel phone rang anxiously in its cradle. He heard it from the shower. The night had not been kind to him and he awoke late in the morning. With the carefulness of a bull he jumped out of the shower. The gods were with him as hit the ceramic tile and only slid slightly. It made it to the phone just as Dr. Kravitz was about to hang up.
“Hello. Hello?” Edward said, water soaking his bed.
“Edward, the most incredible thing has happened. Are you coming in this afternoon?” Dr. Kravitz asked excitedly.
The phone was slipping between his shoulder and ear. He dried both and answered. “Yes. I over slept. I am just getting ready and I’ll drive in.”
“Excellent. Excellent. Please come right away.” Kravitz’ sounded almost giddy with excitement.
“Is everything okay my client?”
Someone spoke to Dr. Kravitz and he answered them. “Yes. He’s fine. At least I believe he is okay. Just come right away please. Sorry I have to go. I’ll see when you get here. Bye.”
The line went dead and Edward chuckled at the phone. Dr. Kravitz had sounded maniacal. Like a mad scientist from a bad cartoon. He wondered what it could be that got him so electric. Maybe Cole had given up the information they needed to save his case and keep him off death row. Edward hoped because he was already sick of being in this hotel room. The water pressure sucked and the blankets made him itchy. They reminded him of hospital blankets.
He finished his shower and got dressed in his suit. He was about to put on his black tie when he decided against it. He was just going to have to remove it upon arrival anyway. With a to go coffee in hand curtesy of Jan from the diner he made the drive to Cloverdale.
As he walked through the front doors he had that weird sense of not remembering the drive. Like when you become familiar with a route and you mind and body do all the heavy lifting and get you there. That was how he felt in that moment. Like time had just shifted. Put him in a different place against his will. He stepped through the doors and Dr. Kravitz was already there on the other side of the turnstile like a puppy awaiting his master.
“Edward! Hello. I had them radio me when you came through the front gates. Come. Come.”
Edward went over to the small window. But Dr. Kravitz called for him again. “Forget all that. Come on.” He was practically pulled the turnstile by Dr. Kravitz past the security guard.
“What is going on Dr. Kravitz?”
“Winslow.”
“Sorry. Winslow.”
Dr. Kravitz placed a hand on Edwards back and stretched a hand down the east hallway. “The most incredible thing has happened. I don’t mean incredible as in good mind you. I am actually still determining whether we have made a step forward or backward. But after your meeting with James he had a minor episode.”
“I know. I don’t know what happened.” Edward said regretfully.
“Don’t worry Edward. I don’t believe you had much of a contribute to the episode. I believe James was holding onto something he could keep control of any longer.”
“What do you mean?” A woman ran past them giggling and clutching a tattered doll.
“No running Meredith. Please for your safety and the safety of the others.”
The woman slowed. “Sorry Winnie.” She called.
He raised a hand and smiled then turned back to Edward and leaned in closer. “I believe James has had a psychotic break. You’ve read the file. For a number of sessions now I have tried hypnotherapy with him and found in a calm suggestive state James regresses back inward to his subconscious and others come out in his place.”
“Yes. But he could just be faking it right? You said yourself there is no such thing as multiple personalities.”
“No document cases that can be proven one hundred percent, no. But since James’ episode he has been changing personalities almost every half hour on the nose. Like the changing of a channel.”
They reached the stairs and Edward stopped. “But could he be faking it?”
“Perhaps, but the speed and manner in which he changes its, well incredible. Even his vocal tenor changes. Everything. What’s more fascinating is the personalities that are surfacing are those he said he has collected. I’ve verified fifteen different people so far. Not all of them are as coherent or talkative as others, but I’ve crossed referenced their names from his criminal files and they check out.”
“But again Dr. Kravitz.”
“Winslow.”
“But again, Winslow he could be faking it?”
“Yes that is entirely possible. But the contrary could be as well.”
“Okay, but tell me one thing. Out of all the…personalities that have come through have you spoken with Sarah?”
Dr. Kravitz looked down and put his hands into his pockets. “Yes once. But only a few words.”
“What did he say?”
“She said…” He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Dr. Kravitz pinched the bridge of his nose and his glass hung from his pinky. “She said ‘help me. He won’t let me leave. He’s hurting me.’”
“Christ.”
“Yes it is rather unsettling. Doctor Jenkins had to sedate him last night so he could sleep. He’s been awake now for a couple hours, but we should put him under again for a bit soon.”
They made the journey up the stairs and for the first time since coming to Cloverdale, Edward noticed the door was open. Terrence the guard was standing in the door way.
“We’ve hand him under constantly surveilance since he awoke. I’ve been recording none stop. I have friend who is a dialect coach at ECU, I hoped he would look over the tapes and be able to tell me some things about James’ speech changes.”
From the open door Edward heard the sound of chatter then a burst of laughter. They reached the door and Terrence turned. “Good morning.”
“Thank you for keeping my place Terrence.” Dr. Kravitz said. He leaned towards Edward and whispered. It comforts most of them to not have the door locked. But I have taken the precaution of stationing extra guards and attendants in the East Wing.” He turned toward Cole and smiled. “Hello. Who am I addressing?”
Cole sat at the table as usual. A camcoder sat in the corner of the room pointed towards Cole with is watching red eye.
“Beau. You’re the guy in charge of this place right?” Cole said pointing at Dr. Kravitz.
Winslow had been right. Cole’s posture seemed different. And his tone of voice was deeper. His drawl was gone and it was replaced with a more ‘tough guy way of talking.’ Like a Gambino right out of the Godfather.
“Yes I am the Director of Health here at Cloverdale.”
“And who’s this suit?”
“This is your lawyer. Edward Mandrake.”
“He ain’t my lawyer. My lawyer is Charles Goldstein. A old Jewish guy from the neighborhood. I don’t know this guy and I don’t care for the way he is eyeballing me. And when do we eat in this joint? Am I under arrest or something.”
“I’ll have one of the nurses bring you up something. It’s almost twelve, they are probably already delivering the meals. And yes in a matter of speaking you are being detained. What is your full name Beau?”
Cole shifted in his seat. He looked to Dr. Kravitz then Edward. His eyes were incredibly untrusting. “My name is Beauregard King-“
Dr. Kravitz’ watch began to beep. He turned his wrist up and saw the time. “Edward.” He showed Edward his watch the time showed 11:58. “And your age?”
Cole inhaled sharply and shifted again. “Thirty-two. So when is that meal comin’. I’m starvin’.”
“Do you know a James Everett Cole?” Edward asked stepping forward.
“Never heard of the guy. What kind of shit head has three first names?”
“A real shit head who is bat shit crazy.” Edward stated. Winslow and Terrence both gave him a look and he put a hand up. “Anyway we heard this James Everett Cole freak was momma’s boy. Loved his mother more than anything. Maybe a bit too much.”
“Sounds like one hell of a sick fuck. Hey I love my moms as much of the next guy but there’s a limit. You know?”
“I agree.” Edward said sighing. “Do you know Sarah Donavon?”
“No I aint hear-“ Cole slumped to the table mid sentence. Edward glanced over at Dr. Kravitz who still had his watch held out. The time said 12:00. Terrence, Edward and Dr. Kravitz stood unmoving watching as Cole sat back up. He rubbed the stubble on his chin and his cold steely blue eyes fell on Edward. In a charmingly deep drawl Cole said, “That wasn’t very nice Ed.”
“J-James?” Dr. Kravitz asked.
“Hey Doc. Hey T. When’s lunch?”
Cole smiled coldly at Edward. Those words echoed once more in his mind. I think he means to collect.
-
It truly was incredible as Dr. Kravitz had said. It was like Cole had entirely changed. The look in his eye, the tone in his voice. When James Everett Cole came back from where ever he was. It was clear it was him. Not Beaureguard or who ever he claimed to be. He was Cole.
Cole took plate of spaghetti and meatballs from the Nurse ravenously. He stuffed massive amounts of the squirming noodles into his mouth and slurped them down.
“Edward Mandrake this is one of our invaluable members at Cloverdale, Nurse Sally Umbridge.”
Edward smiled and shook her out stretched hand. Sally locked eyes with Edward and he was lost in them. “Are you hungry Mr. Mandrake? Spaghetti days are always hard to judge how much we need to make so there is lots.”
“Go on Edward. James’ looks to be quite content at the moment.”
Edward looked over at James and he winked. In that moment he felt unclean. All from a wink from a man who looked like a toddler with tomato sauce all over his face. He grimaced and turned back to Nurse Umbridge and instantly forgot the feeling. “Only if you don’t mind keeping me companying?”
“Of course. Its my lunch break about now anyway. Come we can eat in the staffing lounge.”
Edward followed Sally and James watched intently as he shoved another heap of noodles into his mouth.
-
“So what got you into Nursing?” Edward asked as he and Sally sat at a long metal table in the staffing lounge. A male attendant and a security guard sat at the other end chatting.
“My grandfather was sick most of my childhood. It was expensive to keep him in a home or in the hospital so we kept him at home with us. My mother and father were busy with their own careers, so after school I mostly took care of him. After he died I just kept on helping and made it here.”
Edward spun his fork, coiling noodles all around it. “Are you from town then?” He put the fork into his mouth and unintentionally sucked in a long noodle. It spasmed around his lips like an out of control fire hose before it entered his mouth.
Sally laughed. Edward was embarrassed and quickly wiped his mouth. “Sorry.”
“No its fine. Compared to half of the messes I’ll see before my shift is over that’s nothing. And no. I grew up in another town close by. Smaller.”
Edward chuckled. “I didn’t think that was possible.”
Sally took a forkful. With a hand up to her mouth, she said chewing. “Yeah it was tiny. Only a couple street lights. You? Where’d you grow up? I heard you came from Ellis City.”
“Yeah, born and raised. I grew up in a little borough off Central Island. Rough neighbourhood. It was either gangs or get out. So I got out as soon as I could. Could have been faster but my mom had some health problems.”
“Oh I’m sorry.” She said taking another bite.
“No need to be sorry. She was sick for a long time when I was a kid. Spent a lot of my childhood in a place like this.”
She nodded connecting the dots. “So you got out though and became this big city lawyer?”
He laughed. “Yup best big city lawyer there is. You have a murderer or some gangster up for money laundering. I got you covered.” Edward wouldn’t meet those this time. It was a joke. But at the same time not a joke that made him want to laugh.
“Every body deserves a chance.”
He decided against his better judgement and met those bright green eyes. That were made only more emerald by her strawberry blonde hair.
“Some of these guys were bad people.”
“Then why do you do it.”
“The money’s good. I don’t know why I do it anymore.”
“That’s why you’re here though right. To defend James Everett Cole?”
“Yeah. Another boy scout deserving a second chance.”
Sally placed a perfect hand on his and smiled. “I find it helps to think that most of the people in here, even the dangerous ones, were once kids. Sure some of them were born with problems, but sometimes life just dealt them a hand that there was no winning. It’s not fair. They are in most cases still responsible, but it all starts somewhere. It helps me anyway. To keep going when you have to give medicine to a rapist or even bring spaghetti to serial murderer. Or you know… have lunch with a scum bag big city lawyer who slurps his noodles.”
Edward and Sally both laughed so loudly the attendant and the security guard looked over. “Sorry Glen and Kevin.”
The security guard answered. “No worries Miss Sally.”
She turned back to Edward. “Anyway, I should be getting back to work. This was nice.”
He stood and wiped his mouth. “Yeah maybe we can do it again sometime. Maybe somewhere a little bit less hospitally.”
“Come find me before you leave and maybe I’ll let you have my phone.” Nurse Umbridge walked off.
“Man, you one lucky sonabitch.” Glen or Kevin said to Edward.
“She does seem pretty amazing.” He looked down at their plates.
“Don’t worry about those man. One of the cleaning crews will be by any minute.”
Edward nodded and thank the men and started off back towards Cole’s room. In that moment being within the walls of the hospital didn’t seem so bad. Didn’t remind him of death. Didn’t remind him of his mother. They didn’t remind him of thing. They were the place he first met Nurse Sally Umbridge.
-
While Edward and Sally ate Dr. Kravitz barraged James Everett Cole with question after question. James looked at him confused.
“I don’t know what you are talking about Doc. I fell asleep yesterday. Sleep like a fucking log I might add. Whatever your nurses gave me really did the trick. I slept well.”
“Interesting.” Dr. Kravitz said tapping his charcoal pencil on his chin. “So you had no night terrors what so ever last night James?”
James took the last fork full of spaghetti and shove it into his mouth. “Nope, nothing. I appreciate it Doc. It was nice to have those god da-“ James seemed to catch himself and wipe his mouth. “Well anyways it was nice to get some shut eye in this place.”
Dr. Kravitz made a note on his page. Subject has clearly been plagued by voices. Recently. They seem to have stopped since the incident.
“James tell me do you remember anything from when you went to sleep to when you woke up at this table?”
James scratched his head and pushed away his dirty plate. “Nope, not really Doc. I remember having a chat with our lawyer friend there. Then it got dark. And I must have passed out. Hard too if you boys were able to get me into this chair and cuffed.”
“Do you know a man named Beauregurad?”
He was in the process of picking meatball out of his teeth when Dr. Kravitz asked. James stopped his fingernail still sitting between his prominent canine tooth and his incisor. “I knew a Beaureguard. Yes. Why do you ask? You’ve seen my file. Hell you probably know more about me than me. What’s my blood type Doc.”
“AB Positive.”
“See what I mean. Now you are asking me a question that I sure as hell know you know the answer to.”
Kravitz nodded his face was clinically blank. “Yes but I would like to hear it from your mouth.”
“I’m getting pretty tired of being up here. Yeah pretty fucking tired of it. When do I get some time out their in the yard. This shit is inhumane. All I have is these god damned books and I hate readin’. I want some god damned TV time.” James was just heating up. He was about to stand and slam his hands down on the table like a child, but Dr. Kravitz saw it coming. And said quickly.
“Sure of course James.”
He frozen impotently in his chair. His chest was still rising and falling almost in a pant. All the build up with no climax.
“Good.” James huffed.
“I will put the paper work through for you to have a TV brought up for you. We don’t get much channels out here but it should keep you occupied. Is there anything else we can get you?”
James chuckled. “Yeah how about some Playboys or a Penthouse or two.”
Dr. Kravitz looked up from his notes. “Sorry James. Too much stimulation can be bad for your treatment.”
“Guess I’ll have to keep it to the mental spank bank then. That hot young nurse should be enough for me tonight.”
He ignored the vulgar comment and readied his next move. “Well if you do think of anything else let me know. I don’t want you to feel trapped up here. But if I am going to be getting you some favours. I need one in return.”
James had known that something like this was coming. A little tit for tat. “What’s that Doc?”
Doctor Kravitz turned and said over his shoulder. “Terrence can you hand me that please?”
A small leather satchel bag sat in the shadow of the room by the still recording camera. The doctor took it and looked inside. His hand went in and came out with a brown bound notebook and a charcoal pencil. “One a day. I would like you to write down your thoughts. It can be anything you want to be.”
He stretched his arm across the table. James looked at it as if the notebook might clamp down on his own hand and never let go.
“Fine, if you aren’t willing to do me this one thing then I can’t be both-“ Dr. Kravitz went to take the book and pencil away when a rough hand landed on his.
“Cole!” Terrence thundered.
“It’s alright.” Dr. Kravitz said raising his other hand. “Do we have an understanding James?”
Their eyes were locked. James hadn’t seen this side of Winslow Kravitz before. He had shown his kindness and understanding. He had seemed like a boob. A willow of a man. But passed those crescent shaped glasses were the sharp eyes of a hawk. A mental hunter. While some men chased their prey through the woods Dr. Kravitz hunted them through their own thoughts. James knew in that moment he would have to be more careful around Dr. Kravitz.
James smiled. “You got it Doc. I write in your little notebook and I get the chance to watch my stories.”
“Yup. That’s the deal.”
“And you’ll work on getting me those Penthouse’s?” His lips rose off his teeth. The prominent canines almost glinting in the low light from the skylight.
“Perhaps. We’ll see how you keep up your end of this deal first.” Dr. Kravitz took his hand away from James’ and turned. He looked down at his watch. It read 12:28. “See you later James, Edward should be back soon to discuss your case further.”
Dr. Kravitz walked out of the door slowly with his bag in tow. The time ticked away on his wrist. As he reached the stairs he looked down and saw the time was now 12:30. He stopped counted thirty seconds and went back up the few steps and walked down the hall back to Jame’s room. He put on the largest most friendly smile he could.
James groggily sat up from the table. “What? Where am I?” James was no longer James. Everything about him had changed as Dr. Kravitz had suspected. “How’d I get out of there? How? Where is he?”
“Please. Please, be calm. Everything is okay. My name is Doctor Winslow Kravitz. I’m here to help. Who am I addressing?”
-
The year was 1978. Brittany Halliday was walking home from the dorm mixer in Langdon Hall. She had had an okay time. He friends Margo and Janice had went with her but ultimately ended up staying. Fall was here in full swing. The tree had changed from green to orange and now as the wind blew across campus they did their best to cling to the trees. The swaying trees made the lights following the path back to her dorm flicker.
She jumped as someone ran past her. “Come on Tubs. Let’s go!” The runner called over his shoulder. A puffing ball carrying to six packs of Coors huffed by Brittany.
She smiled at the trailer as he tromped by.
It was her first year at Cameron College. She was fresh off the farm and ready to begin her life as a college student in the city. It was a big city to be honest, but it was bigger than Demoine. She had loved animals since she could remembered. Her parents had every farm animal you could imagine and she loved it. As soon as she heard their was a job that would have you taking care of animals and making them better when she was six years old, she knew she was going to be a veterinarian. Making the grades were easy. Top of her class she was. It wasn’t had being top of the class when half the people in her graduating skipped half the days of the year to help their farm harvest or get a herd ready for auction. But it was her accomplishment none the less. The farthest college that she felt comfortable going to that wasnt too far that she couldn’t go home for the weekend as Cameron.
According to her school councilor it had an excellent veterinary department. The problem was it was also filled with animals; of the human variety.
A large hand fell on her shoulder and she jumped.
“Whoa! Calm down, Red.” The guy wore a letterman jacket and his lips dripped with a smooth southern drawl, at least it started out smooth. Booze wafted heavily on the guy’s breath. “I saw you leave the party. Why so early?”
“I have an early class.” She said. Something in her gut made her take a step back. He filled that step with his own.
“Yeah me too.” He smiled. “I think we have a biology class together on Wednesdays.”
Brittany thought she recalled seeing him somewhere before. “Yeah maybe.” She pulled her coat tightly from the chill in the air and the cramp in her gut. “I should get going. Early class and all.”
“No. Yeah of course.” He took a step back. “Do you think it would be okay if I walked you back? The campus can be a sketchy place at night.”
“I don’t know. Maybe another time. Thank you for the offer.” Brittany turned and began walking off. “See you in Bio.” Her grate was quicker than normal but she tried to not seem as if she wanted to start running, even though she did.
After turning around the corner to one of the buildings she looked over her shoulder to make sure she wasn’t being followed. She wondered if she was being overly caution. He really hadn’t been doing anything too suspicious. He was just drunk. Keep walking. Regardless of his behaviour you don’t feel safe. Talk to him on Wednesday if you want. Right now get home.
She decided to pick up the pace. Her dorm was about fifty feet away. The door up to her floor was just down the small lane separate. Chilton Hall and Cheverelly Tower. The alley was dark. She had heard other girls talking to the RA that the light in it needed to be replaced. The RA had seemed to high to understand english in that moment as he munch away like a toddler on his cookie. In that moment she felt angry and unsafe. She didn’t know why. It was just a feeling. She was angry cause this was her school. The place she was supposed to spend the next four years and she couldn’t walk from one end to the other without wanting to scream when the sun went down. Go quick.
She entered the alley she would never leave.
Only after a few steps in she smelt him before she heard him. “Hey Red!” She started to run.
“Whoa! Calm down. I just want to talk.” He ran after her.
“Leave me the fuck alone. I’ll scream.” She tripped on something and feel down. The hem of her skirt rose on her thighs.
The guy in the letterman stood over her. “Are you okay? I just wanted to talk. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Wrong with me?” She stood to face him and got an inch away from his face. Every rancid breath that hit her in the face made her angrier. “You the one following me down a dark alley and started chasing me.”
“I wasn’t chasing you. I just wanted to talk. Maybe see if you wanted to have some drinks back in your dorm.”
She wanted to hit him. “Are you that fucking thick!? No. I don’t want to have drinks with you. Leave me the fuck alone!”
“Fucking psycho bitch. Your loss.” Letterman jacket turned and start back down the alley where they had entered.
She did the same. Her blood was hot. Never had she been so angry. Yet she still felt her body shaking like a leaf. Behind her she heard a loud thunk and something cracking. Like a two bowling balls colliding. Brittany looked over her shoulder and saw the guy in the Letterman jacket slide down the stone wall. From the light that crept in from the entrance of the alley she saw his body leave a trail of blood as it slid. Another man stood in the entrance of the alley.
“It really is his loss.” The man ran at her. He was quick. Quicker than her. He pounced on her and she started to scream. For everyone, for anyone. He put his hands around her throat and she stopped. The air was gone in that moment. Her hands went up for his face. Her nails made purchase and she felt skin rip off of his face, but the alley got darker. Darker than before. Impossibly dark. She felt her limbs begin to betray her as she entered the dark. Why had she left Demoine was her last thought. Her last thought before she woke up at a table. Face two men. A balding man with curly hair and half crescent moon glasses and another man wearing a black suit without a tie. They watched her suspiciously as she told her story. They made notes. More questions. After she was done she felt that pull in her gut. She didn’t want to go. She said as much as it went dark again.
“Please I don’t want to go back there. Please.” James Everett Cole begged as slumped down in his chair.
Edward and Dr. Kravitz looked at each other, both clearly disturbed. Both unsure what just happened.
-
Edward didn’t know what to do. His client was clearly insane. But that wasn’t enough for the judge. He was a hard ass no nonsense guy. Old school. Even with the video tape of Cole doing whatever the hell it was he just did, it wouldn’t be enough. He wanted the location of Sarah’s body.
“Winslow can I have a minute with you?”
Dr. Kravitz’ eyes stayed on Cole. Edward wondered if he was even blinking. He was captivated. His hand was writing away on the table. His eyes stayed unblinking on Cole.
“Doctor.” Edward said louder.
Dr. Kravitz jumper slightly and turned. “Yes Edward.”
“May I have a minute with you outside?”
“Oh yes, of course.” He said nodding sleepily. His eyes with red. “Come I need a cup of coffee. We can talk in my office. Terrence do you mind watching Cole. I’ll send one of the Nurses to sedate him. I believe what ever keeps happening to James is taking a bit of a toll on him.”
As Edward and Dr. Kravitz walked away Terrence mumbled, “Is that really a bad? Sick mother fucker.”
He turned to Cole who was already sitting at the table. A wicked smile was stretched across his face. He too knew Cole. Had been one of two guards stationed to him since he came to be the Tower’s permanent guest. The man that sat at the table was not Cole. The voice that spoke from his lips, was shrill and lacked the southern drawl of James Everett Cole.
“That’s not very nice Terrence. Come closer I’d like to tell you something.”
Terrence looked at the monster at the table. It looked more inhumane that Cole had. “Come on. I’ll tell you a secret. You’d be a hero.”
The large man stood in the door way intrigued. Intrigued but not fucking stupid. He thought. Terrence shook his head and left the monster chained to the table and shut the door behind him. Even though a big iron door separated them, he felt as if Cole was with him now. Or whatever that had been at the table was with him. It made his skin crawl. And though he was do for another shift tomorrow. He thought about calling in sick.
-
Edward sat down in a large brown leather chair that faced Dr. Kravitz’ desk. The room was not filled with plaques and certificates as he pictured most doctors offices were. It was understated besides the three chairs. One that Dr. Kravitz sat in now sipping his cup of coffee and the two that faced his desk.
“Not very much in here for the Director of Medicine.” Edward said gesturing to the room.
“I don’t like spending my time in here when those who need help are out there. Doctors can be the most arrogant sonabitches you could ever meet.”
Edward chuckled. “Lawyers too.”
“So I have heard. Anyways most of them are to busy blowing smoke up their own asses than taking care of those who need their years of schooling.”
Edward sipped his coffee as well. “That’s very altruistic of you Winslow. You are a rare man.”
Winslow let out a sharp laugh. “I wish I could say it is all entirely humanitarian. I like most men want to make my mark. Every time I can help someone that’s a small mark I leave in someone’s life. But James. He could be my legacy.” Winslow said this with a dreaminess look in his eye.
“He’s really gotten you taking the bait.” Edward said putting his cup down.
“What do you mean by that?”
“He’s playing us. Every half hour he’s changing personalities. That’s ridiculous.”
“I understand that it seems strange. But he has no way of knowing the time.”
Edward shifted forward in his seat. “Maybe he saw your watch, when you weren’t looking. Or asked one of the nurses when they bring him his meds. Watches the shadows move across his floor from the skylight. Guys like Cole are unconventional geniuses.”
Dr. Kravitz nodded slightly. “Perhaps. I too thought of that. Except this last time. While you were off in the staffing lounge I gave Cole a journal and walked off. When I reached the stair I changed the time on my watch made it five minutes and twenty seconds slow. When Brittany Halliday was done talking to us, James slumped in his chair he did so exactly to the second. Now I understand it is unbelievable. And believe me, even though I do not have my walls covered in my degrees and certificates. I am not a gullible man who doesn’t properly gauge his patients. But when they keep passing the tests, I can’t ignore that either Edward.”
He felt embarrassed. Winslow was kind and welcoming, but he was most assuredly an intelligent man. Always watching and assessing. “I’m sorry Winslow.”
“No offense taken. I understand the need for skepticism. I have some other ideas for us to try tomorrow. I’ll fill you in when I get them all figured out. Now what as it that you wanted to discuss?”
“Oh right.” Edward bent over and grabbed his briefcase and placed it on his lap. He opened it and hesitantly pulled out the thick manilla folder. “In one of your sessions you tried hypno therapy?”
“Yes I did it a couple times to no success. I am assuming you mean when I made contact with Sarah?”
He nodded. “Yes exactly. Do you think we would be able to get her to come out again?”
“I’m not sure. Hypno therapy isn’t an exact science. And since the incident we are seeing more and more personalities surface.”
“I need Cole to tell me what happened with Sarah and where her body is. That’s the only thing that I can leverage to keep him alive.”
“I understand Edward. You have my full support.”
Edward picked up his cup again and drank deeply, finishing it off. Grounds clung to the bottom in small clumps. “Are we bad people?”
“What was that?”
He held the cup in both his hands in his lap. “Are we bad people? For protecting a guy like Cole?”
Dr. Kravitz stood and looked out the window behind him into the clearing. “In my profession I don’t always get to choose who I help. I help the person the best I can regardless if they killed their kids in a fit. Or raped someone from some perverse compulsion. I help them. It’s my job. Not every patient gives me hope in humanity. But I look for the ones that do. James is neither of those. He’s a puzzle. The true first puzzle of my life, that I feel a need to solve. For that I need you to make the appeal for the death sentence to be recanted. If it helps you can view yourself as a function of my need to save my patient. Not you saving a bad man from his may be deserved sentence.”
Edward knew that Winslow was giving him what he needed to hear a justification. A reason to fight harder. He had entirely misjudged the Doctor. His mind quick and clinical. Even if the words that Dr. Kravitz just told him are what he wanted to hear or needed to hear, he had done so with precision and in a way actually made Edward feel better.
“Ill see you tomorrow, Edward. First thing.” He turned and put out a hand to Edward. “I promise we’ll get the information we need out of James. You’ll win the appeal and perhaps you can start doing pro bono work in the inner city. Make a difference. Defend the defenseless and all that.”
More words that spoke directly to Edward’s soul. Dr. Kravitz was scary good. “Thank you Winslow. I’ll keep that in mind.” He hoped he was good enough to get to James. Get the location of that little girl. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Edward Mandrake walked over to the door and was about to leave when Dr. Kravitz said. “And Edward. Nurse Umbridge is partially to lilies in case you were wondering.”
He chuckled and tipped his hat to the doctor. “Thanks for the tip Winnie.”
-
Up in the Tower in the dim light from the skylight sat Cole. But as Terrence suspected, he really wasn’t Cole. He wasn’t sure who he really was either. He was as much Cole as Cole. Felt comfortable in his skin. It felt right. Flexing the muscles felt acute. Strong. This was the third time he had had control. Maybe four. But that was more influence than control. One was now. As he sat at the table. Planning. The second was when he finally got out and caused the rest to get free too. And the third. The third had been the most fun. The third was the reason he fought so hard to get back. The third was the reason why Cole was being put to death. Cause he had no idea where the girl was. It was true. Cole didn’t. But he did. Cole was still to strong. The other ones too took up to much of his energy. He needed more time. He could wait. He waited for all those years. Whispering. Guiding. He thought warmly of Sarah and her pretty dress. He smirked darkly in the dim rays of the skylight. He could wait. Cole didn’t have much time left anyway.
-
Before he left Cloverdale for night, Edward stopped to asked Sally to dinner the next evening. She said yes and he almost flew back to town. She had written her number down on post-it note, which he had now stuck to the dashboard of his car. It was a strange place to meet someone that was true. But perhaps it was the strangeness of that place and the situation that electricfied the air when he was around her. It soon and sudden. And the logical side of his brains blasted the warnings. Its too soon to be that smitten. You need to reel it back Tiger. Play it cool. He felt silly, nervous and excited. When was the last time he had gone out on a date he wondered. Law School? Had it really been that long? That thought made him more nervous than he had been before. Play it cool. He said to himself over and over again, like a mantra or perhaps even a spell to ward off the strange way Cloverdale made you feel.
-
That night Dr. Winslow Kravitz slept in his office at Cloverdale. It was not a restful sleep. He turned and rolled in the small cot unable to drift off. He sat up and looked around his dark office. A few shafts of light peeked through the curtains from the spotlights that lit the clearly outside. Just beyond the light in the shadows, he thought he saw James watching him and it stole his breath. His eyes adjusted to the darkness and the vision faded. His heart still thumped away in his chest. A hand went to his forehead and he yawned. He put his hand out to his desk and found his glasses. With his other hand he clicked on lamp that sat arched on his desk.
He thought of calling Bruce. The man had a way of calming him. Soothing him. They had met when Winslow was putting in his community hours at the hospital. Bruce was a nurse in the ER. They both had taken a break at the same time in the courtyard. Winslow was eating something atrocious from the hospital cafeteria. He always found it ironic that a place of healing always had the most unhealthy meals available. Bruce had a wrap and Greek salad. They made small talk and Bruce commented about the book Winslow had been reading. It was Carrie by Stephen King. The book was delightful gruesome and tragically sad. Bruce said as much. He said he felt for the poor girl. Hiding herself, her true self away. An overly religious mother persecuting her for something she had no control over. Bruce asked if Winslow had very felt that way. He had in some ways. He was a gay man in the 1980s. It was a scary time. But his parents had been hippies and spent most of his time in the Bay area. They supported and loved him. Helped him grow in an unkind time. Winslow saw in Bruce’s eyes he was checking. Testing. Winslow smiled and asked if Bruce wanted to go to dinner with him sometime. Bruce looked around cautious of listening ears. Winslow’s eyes never left his.
“As long as I can choose the place. From your lunch you have questionable choices in food.” Bruce replied.
They both laughed and had dinner later that week. Shortly after that they moved in together. And shortly after that they moved to town so Winslow could be closer to Cloverdale. Bruce got a job at the local hospital and for a small town, life was quiet for them. Of course they still were careful in public. Times were changing. But times had a way of changing in two ways. All at once or a drip at a time.
He missed Bruce as he sat alone in his cold dark office. His stomached grumbled and Winslow remembered he hadn’t eaten. He got up threw on his shoes and jacket and headed out of his office down to the staffing lounge.
“Hey Doctor K.” An attendant said as the passed in the hall.
“Good evening, Nurse Calvin. Alls quiet in night I presume?”
“A couple of rough sleepers up in ISO. Just about to do my check in Gen Pop.”
Winslow cringed. “This is a hospital. I’d prefer if you refrained from using prison terms, Nurse Calvin.”
“No worries, sir. Old habits and all that.” Nurse Calvin said smirked in the low light of the hallway. “I should get back to it though boss.”
“Of course. Don’t let me keep you.” Winslow continued his walk to the lounge. Nurse Calvin was comparably new to Cloverdale. Had been a prison attendant before arriving. A few infractions had been mentioned in his file when he was interviewed about the job, but since coming to Cloverdale no issues were brought to Winslow’s desk.
As Winslow entered the dark lounge, the distant sound of Nurse Calvin’s gentle whistling faded. He flicked the switch on the wall and florescent lights blinked to life above, filling the room with light. He walked over to the fridge and looked inside. A large bowl of left over spaghetti sat in the center. After making himself a plate and heating the pasta, he turned on the TV that sat on a wooden table in front of a set of green cloth couches. He sat down and began to ate while watching the news. He’d have to remember to get a TV bought out of storage for James tomorrow. It was his key to getting him writing in the journal.
-
Nurse Calvin walked down the halls of Cloverdale and fear crept along side him.
He leaned into the room of Frida Gonzales. “Good evening Frida. It’s late you shouldn’t be up.”
She scrambled under her covers and switched off the flashlight she was using to read Archie comics. “I don’t have to give you the rod again to teach you a lesson do I?”
Frida’s body shook. She couldn’t talk. She could try to scream for help all she wanted and before she had. But nothing came from her lips. According to her chart she was prone to bouts of anger. Dr. Kravitz believed she may have mental disadvantages as well as being mute, which causes her to become extremely frustrated. Dr. Kravitz took his time with her. Was patience. Listened without her having to speak. Nurse Calvin had a different diagnosis. She need discipline and to be put into place. Most of these retards did. She trembled and he smiled. After he left the room Frida wet herself out of relief.
He continued his march down the hall. Nurse Calvin had an itch he needed scratch and he knew the perfect bug for the job.
-
Edward too had trouble sleeping. His remedy was similar to Dr. Kravitz’. He walked down the block, dressed in faded blue jeans and a grey t-shirt. A bell chimed over head as he entered the diner. A friendly familiar face came out from the back. Jan smiled. “You’re up late.”
“And you are working late.” He said in response.
“I need the money.” She said here smile fading.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to pry.” He took a sit at the both he had breakfast at the previous morning.
“Coffee?”
“How about vanilla milkshake? And some fries?” He asked.
“You got it, hun.” Jan said. She yelled the order over her shoulder to Johnny the night cook.
She made him the milkshake and brought it over in a metal cup that was frosty with condensation.
“Care to join me for a bit?” Edward asked the night and hotel made him lonely. He thought of Sally.
The old gal laughed and gestured around the diner. “I don’t know, hun. I’m pretty busy here.”
She joined him in the booth and he did his best to suck the thick shake through the red and white straw. “Is it really worth it, working the night shift here for you?”
“Some nights. Drunks for the most part tip pretty well. They tend to handsy though. But Johnny back there has a big meat tenderizer and looks out for us ladies. Plus I need the money. My mother is sick.”
Edward frowned slightly. “I’m sorry. I understand how that can be.”
“Yeah and what’s worse is the damn insurance company has said they are done paying for her treatment. Saying it aint covered no more.”
Edward sat back in confusion. “What?”
“It wasn’t even a pre-existing condition. She worked for years over at the pulp mill. I think that placed messed with her lungs and now she can barely breath without her medicine and oxygen. And they say they aint gonna pay for it no more.”
“That sounds illegal.”
“I wouldn’t know. I heard its happening to a lot of the local old timers who used to work at the mill. It’s a rough place. But they paid into their insurance and now they say it’s not covered. It’s bullshit. And I’m the only one left to take care of her.”
“I work for a law firm.” Into his wallet and pulled out his card. “If you want-“
“No sir. I can’t afford a lawyer. Not working here.”
Edward shook his head. “No. It’s fine. When I am finished with my work at Cloverdale. I want you to give me a call and I will into for you.”
Jan looked like she was about to cry. “I can’t its-“ She choked back some tears.
“Please I need this. It would be my pleasure. We’ll make sure your mother gets the help she is entitled to. Then you won’t have to serve assholes like me at two in the morning.” He placed the card gently in her hand and she placed her other hand on his.
“You’re a good man. Thank you.” She stood, tears still filling her eyes. “Johnny put a damn burger on the grill and load that sonabitch up. My lawyer needs to eat and get his ass to bed, he’s got cases to win.”
Edward was mid sip when he burst out laughing. He covered his mouth which saved the booth from a barrage of ice cream and milk.
The case sounded easy enough no more than a day or two of his time and his paralegals, but the feeling he felt in that moment was worth weeks of work. After the meal and the remainder of his milkshake and a hug from Jan his new client, he made his way back to his room. Once in bed he thought of that feeling. It sent him into a deep, sleep.
Dr. Kravitz soon slept as well. James Everett Cole was sedated and unconscious, yet the guard posted at his door would tell Terrence the next morning he heard whispering all night. And Roach there would be no sleep for Roach for he was paid a visit by Nurse Calvin and when Nurse Calvin walked the halls, no one slept.
So for the past 13 Days in November I have been doing the National Novel Writing Month challenge. I have been documenting it on my personal facebook page, but I have decided to start updating on here for a bit more freedom with my content.
Here is the past 13 days of work, where I attempt to write 1600 words a day.
Thank you for reading.
-
Past the fortress of ancient evergreens, beyond the surrounding clearing with its immaculately trimmed grass, and within the hardy neutral colored walls of Cloverdale Institute of Mental Health sat James Everett Cole. Some would call him the most wretched and depraved human to have ever cursed the earth with his presence. Edward Mandrake called him his client.
Edward walked up to the steps that lead to a colossal set of wooden double doors. An attendant sat on the bottom step a cigarette in his hand and worn weary look on his face. The was either a bit of dried blood or feces on his smock. Edward wasn’t sure as it was both reddish and brown. He knew he wasn’t getting close enough to find out. The attendant gave him a brief look as Edward rose the steps. “Keep your eyes open sir.”
Edward stopped. “Excuse me?”
“They ain’t all bad. Just keep your eyes open.”
Edward was put off by the unsolicited advice. “Sure.” He responded. What he wasn’t to tell the glorified janitor was that this wasn’t his first time dealing with people with problems. He was a defense attorney. From gangsters to “alleged” rapists and murderers. He defended them all. And he did well. The justice system wasn’t effective, not in the way they wanted it to be. And for a man like him he found the loopholes and statutes that made it simple for most of his clients to get off with time served maybe a couple months in therapy and community service. He had won most of his cases since crossing the aisle. The money was good if you could stomach it. Which he could. But as his hand touched the cold brass handle of the almost century old institution, he couldn’t help feeling as if he should run. As if he should get in his Mercedes, drive as far and fast as he could away from this place. It was not a feeling he was accustomed to and it took the attendant grabbing the other door and passing him to break the spell of mental paralysis that had overtook him.
A deep breath flooded his lungs and he threw open the door entering The Cloverdale Institute for Mental Health.
Just within the doors was a secondary set of doors. These were barred like the turn styles back in the subway of Ellis City. A large security guard in a brown uniform stood before and nodded. “Good Morning Sir. Please sign in over there at the window and then put all of your valuables and any sharp implements such as pens, metal framed glasses etcetera as well any chains or ties or watches.”
Edward stepped over to the small window. Beyond the circle that was cut into the glass for communication sat a older woman with thick plastic spectacles. As the woman spoke Edward was blasted with the smell of stale coffee and pungent cigarettes. Or was it stale cigarettes and pungent coffee? What ever it was it assaulted Edwards nostrils and irritated his tired eyes. He had been up late the night before and most nights before that. “Name and reason for visiting Cloverdale?” She said in a gravelly drawl.
“Edward Mandrake. Attorney. I’m here to see my client James Everett Cole. My firm called ahead.”
The woman’s face changed from the tired, vacant look that seemed to Edward had plagued her her entire life to one of surprise and concern. “Yes, I do believe we received the call.” It seemed she had more to say on the subject, but instead waved him back to the moose of a man that stood before the barred doors. “Values and dangerous goods in the plastic bin please sir. Everything is recorded up there on the CC Cameras, so you can insure everything will be accounted for and returned to you upon exiting the facility.”
Edward did as he was asked. He removed his gold watch, his silver framed glasses and his black tie. He placed them in the tub that sat on the table before the doors.
“And your pen sir.” The guard said point to Edwards inner shirt pocket.
“Is that really necessary? How am I supposed to write anything down with my client if I don’t have a pen?”
“I understand your frustration sir. A charcoal pencil will be supplied to you by one of the attendants at your request.”
The guard had meant no disrespect and was only following a set of rules put into place by the board running the facility, but Edward huffed and threw his pen into the tub with as much attitude as he could muster. The drive was long from Ellis City and he had hoped to check into the hotel before he came for his first visit with Mr. Cole, but it hadn’t gone the way he thought it would. He didn’t know that neither would his first meeting with his new client.
The guard thanked him and let Edward through the doors. The barred turn styles were similar to revolving door in a hotel or a department store. Edward stepped through and the teeth of the turn style swung through each other. He was almost through when a loud buzzer rang out and he was stopped. Caught like a piece of meat between its fangs. “What the hell is going on?” Edward watched as large shutters began to shut over every window. The room when black for a second before the emergency lights turned on. A inch from Edward’s face was hand sticking through the gated bars. He slammed himself back as far away from the hand as he could, which was much. A face joined the hand at the bars. It was jaunt and the eyes seemed nicotine stained, sunken back in their sockets. “He waits for you. I thinks he wants you. I thinks he means to collect. He promises me that I will be among the collected before he leaves. He promis-“ Before the man can finish a black club is brought down onto the back of his head which propels his teeth forward into the bars. The hand and the face slump to the floor.
“We’re clear!” The guard with the club hollers to the room. The guard who took Edward’s belongings places a hands on the bars behind the attorney. “I’m sorry sir. Rodney there is know to get out where he isn’t supposed to. Here let-“ He begins to rotate the turn style back. Assuming Edward may want to leave after his ordeal. Edward placed a trembling on the opposite set of bars. “I would still like to speak to my client please.”
“Oh of course sir.” The large man said. “Coming through!” The guard called to the officer and attendant station that sat at the bottom of a grand stair case. The man know as Rodney was hauled away by Clubber Lang. The sentence I thinks he means to collect drifted through Edward’s mind like Kentucky Harvester. It consumed him as he was informed Dr. Kravitz would be with him momentarily. And it would consume him later in his hotel room.
A doctor wearing a white lab coat and half crescent glasses came down the massive sprawling staircase; a tattered manila folder in his hands that was bursting at its seams with paper. “Ah! You must be Mr. Mandrake.” The doctor fumbled a hand out to Edward.
“Dr. Kravitz?”
“Yes, yes. That’s me. But please call me Winslow. I am a doctor but I’m not pretentious about it. I am here to help people, not flaunt my decrees.” The doctor adjusted his glasses as they did their best to slip off his long crooked nose.
“That’s quite noble of you. Most doctors I meet are quick to tell you how long they have had their noses in medical texts books and usually what comes next is what car they drive.” Edward remarked.
“A Pinto.”
“A what?” Edward responded.
The chuckled slightly and gestured towards a hallway that branched off to the left of the main room. “I drive a Pinto. Excellent car. Great on gas.”
Edward kept pace with the doctor as they walked. “Good thing nowadays, with whats going on in the world.”
“I concur. Now Mr. Mandrake-“
“Hey if I can call you Winslow, you can call me Edward.” Edward said smiling. He knew Winslow as long as he knew that fellow Rodney, but he liked the Doctor a lot more.
“Alright Ed.” Edward grimaced. He hated when people called him Ed. It made him feel like he should be a Gas Jockey somewhere in the Heartland, but he knew the doctor didn’t mean it in disrespect. Winslow continued. “ I have to say, when we got the call that your firm was going to represent James, we were surprised. We figured everyone in the country had written his ticket. That he was set to-“ Winslow lowered his voice. “You know. Fire.”
“Yeah well my firm believes everyone deserves a fair sentence.”
“As do I. I have been James’ primary doctor since he arrived at Cloverdale. I believe he is very troubled. Yes. There is absolutely no doubt. But I do believe disturbed person like himself with such a unique…case deserves to be studied and healed. Not put in a chair or injected with rat poison until his eyeballs melt.”
“You really think someone like my client can be healed. I agree that he doesn’t deserve to be put to death, but he has been convicted of some tremendously awful things. Its my job to keep him out of that chair, but you think he could actually be let out of here one day?”
The walked past several more rooms. Small things, each one smelt worse than the last. A cacophany of sounds echoed around them. Screams, tittering laughter, whispers. Edward hated places like this since he was a kid. They were for crazies and loons. They didn’t help people. It’s just where you put them when you got tired of them screaming on the street asking for change. A place like this is where he spent most of his childhood. He means to collect.
“No not exactly. I don’t know to be honest. I think everyone deserves a chance to be healed. Even the damned. But I should warn, in James’ current state he is not a healthy man. You will need to guard yourself completely. Emotionally, physically maybe even spiritually.”
“Doctor.” Edward said giving Winslow a look.
“I only mean for some people religion can be an extra defense. A way to ward off the negative thoughts. James Everett Cole is a polluted man. A man briming with intelligence, charm and madness. See this scar?”
Winslow pulled his collar down. A oval of a scar sat a the base of his neck. “That was my first week with Mr. Cole. I thought I was making headway, a breakthrough. I got too close. And I forgot who I was talking to. And boom! I was in the hospital for a week.”
“Jesus.” Edward shook his head in disbelief as a woman literally foaming at the mouth was pushed passed them strapped to a bed.
“Yup. Funny thing, the first get well card I got was from James himself. Well I don’t think it was James. One of them.”
They turned right and began climbing set of stairs.
“So you believe him then. That there are more of them. What do they call it split personality disorder?”
Doctor Kravitz shook his head furiously. “No. No. That term is a misnomer. Some of my colleagues in the field believe there is no such thing as split personality disorder. There are not really any documented cases. But I believe James is something else. Unique. You’ll see. But like I said keep your guard up. He likes fucking with the new comers.”
They crested the stairs and turned left. It was a long hallway with rows and rows of barred windows on either side. At the end of the hallway was a large white door sealed with a thick metal beam. A guard enormous compared to Dr. Kravitz and Edward sat reading Pet Sematary beside the door. A camera blinked above him.
“Hey Doctor K. This the guy?”
“Yeah this is him. How has James been today, Terrence?” Winslow asked.
The mammoth of a man stood and placed his book down on the tiny brave folding chair. “He’s been quiet. I think he knows something’s up. Its always bad when he gets quiet.”
“Well let’s not keep James and Edward here waiting.” Winslow said.
Terrence the guard turned and lifted the beam with grunt. Edward wondered how heavy it must be if it made that guy grunt. He then turned the handle and the door creaked open.
I thinks he means to collect.
James Everett Cole was a slender sturdy man. Built like an Irish farmer. A light dusting of amber stubble covered the straight lines of his chin. His hair was short, but went every which way. A clean white cotton shirt hung loosely off his chest. The first time Edward saw Cole on the news he looked like a wild man. As insane as Manson, but spoke with the cadence and intelligence of Kemper or Daumer. As Cole sat at a small metal table bolted to securely to the floor, Edward noticed how tired the man looked. Cage an animal long enough it becomes complacent and sad, but when Cole’s eyes rose to meet his, it took all of his god given fortitude not to shit his pants.
Dr. Kravitz stepped forward first smiling. “Good morning James, how’d you sleep last?”
Cole looked at the doctor for a long time before answering. And when he finally did his gaze shifted back to Edward. “Fine. Who’s the suit? You a cop?”
“James when talked about this last week. Ed here-“
“Edward. My names Edward Mandrake. My firm is the one respresenting you. The ones trying to keep you out of the chair.” Edward said stepping passed Kravitz. Guys like James Everett Cole got off on the power they had. The young attorney knew as much not to show an ounce of fear around guys like Cole. Let alone allow someone else to speak for him.
“Yes well James, Ed and I are your last hope against the death penalty. So do please behave.” Kravitz said.
Cole’s eyes never left Edward’s. It wasn’t until Cole stood suddenly, that Edward realized Terrence the guard was still behind them in a thundering voice shouted, “Watch it Cole.”
A small wet spot now sat in Edwards underwear, but with a quick glance he was sure nothing would show.
“I just wanted to shake the hand of the man my life was being entrusted to. That’s all T.” Cole said smiling at the goliath of a guard.
“You know the rules. No physical contact.” Terrence stated.
“No. It’s fine.” Edward said. He turned to Dr. Kravitz and the guard. “No really it is.” He turned back to meet Cole’s gaze. “I think it’s important we have an understanding. A trust. Am I right?” He asked Cole.
James Everett Cole leaned back slight and smiled. A set of straight, pearly whites twinkled from the sunlight that drifted through the barred skylight overhead. “But of course. Trust begins with a smile and a shake.” Cole’s hand stretched across the table as far as it could go before the linking chain to his other cuff jingled. Edward notice Cole’s feet were cuffed together and then connected to his hand. Precautions had been taken.
Cole noticed his noticing and remarked. “This is for my protection as much as your Mr. Mandrake.”
Edward stepped forward and stretched out his hand through the thick tense air. In those seconds before they shook, Edward felt something coming from Cole. Later he would not be able to articulate what it was or even clearly understand it in the abstract corners of his thoughts. It’s like Cole had a magnetism to him. Something about the man compelled you towards him. You knew he was death and danger you could see that much in his eyes and from those teeth. His smile was a mask. It was covering something. Something old and ancient. Something primeval. Yet you were drawn to it. And as Edward took Cole’s hand, he knew he had walked into the jaws of the beast and he could do nothing to get away. His body came forward abruptly towards Cole and the man’s smile changed into a snarl. It was Terrence who saw it before Dr. Kravitz or Edward himself knew. Terrence to had felt something change in the room and whereas Edward froze and went towards the teeth, the guard drew his club and brought it down hard into the center of Cole’s nose.
Blood covered Edward in a splatter and Cole fell back into his chair. “I fucking told you Cole. I didn’t want to have to hit ya. But you bought it on yourself.” Terrence said calmly.
Edward tried to wipe the blood from his own face as quickly as he could. He felt as if he might be enter his pores. Trying to invade him some how. His hands were shaking.
“Oh come on T. I was just messn’ with the suit. You didn’t have to wallop me. Damn!” Cole shouted. He tilted his head back and held his nose. His white shirt was drench a deep crimson.
“You know the rules. Mr. Mandrake you okay.”
Edward heard nothing. There was only the blood.
“Ed are you all right? Can I get you something? Ed?” Doctor Kravitz asked.
“Edward.” He mumbled.
“What?” Kravitz asked.
“Edward. For fuck sakes. My name is Edward, not Ed or Eddy. Edward Mandrake.” He stumbled forward toward the table angrily. He pointed a trembling finger at Cole who watched the attorney with new curiousity. “Listen to me you sick fuck. I could give a shit about you and whether or not you rot in here. But if you don’t want to end up a god damned crispy fish stick. You need to cut the fucking theatrics and let me help you. You think about that shit.” He turned with out waiting for a response. He pointed at the folder Kravitz was holding. “Is that his file, we requested?”
“Uh y-yes. Yes it is.” Dr. Winslow Kravitz stammered.
Without asking Edward took it from the Doctor and began walking down the long hallway. He need a shower with boiling water and a cigarette. As he reached the stairs he smiled slightly. I got my own theatrics Cole. He thought. But even when he was back in his hotel room and the scalding water was washing over his face, his hands never stopped shaking.
Transcript from the desk of Doctor Winslow Lesley Kravitz:
Kravitz: Recording session 23 with James Everett Cole. Okay let’s begin.
Cole: Its your hour doc.
Kravitz: How have you been sleeping lately James? Has the nurses been giving you the sedative I prescribed?
Cole: Yes those ice queens you call nurses have been giving me the top shelf goods every night.
Kravitz: Has it helped with the nightmares?
Cole: No actually. Your stuff just makes it harder to wake up during the bad ones.
Kravitz: I’m sorry James. Maybe we can try something else. Anyways last time we spoke you mentioned something about your mother?
Cole: I don’t wanna talk about her Doc.
Kravitz: Come now James, I can tell from your tone you didn’t have the best relationship with your mother uhh Catherine.
Cole: I told you, I don’t want to talk about that bitch. She was worse than me. She was a she beast that deserved to be put in the ground for what she did to me.
Kravitz: What did she do to you James? Did she hurt you?
Subject falls silent.
Kravitz: Okay James. I’m sorry for pushing you on that? Can we change the subject?
Cole: Sure. Can I get a smoke?
Kravitz: Of course.
Cole: Thanks Doc.
Kravitz: You said she was worse than you. I’m interested in that thought. Now I don’t mean your mother. I mean you think she is worse than you. Do you think your actions up to this point are something bad? That you have done bad things.
Subject bursts into a fit of laughter.
Cole: Are you serious Doc? You’re asking me if I’ve done bad things. You’ve seen the file. Mutilation, molestation and rumination.
Kravitz: Yes I’ve seen the file. I am aware of your actions. Are you?
Cole: Yes.
Kravitz: And how do you view those actions?
Cole: I did them. They are done. Those people are mine now. I collected them.
Kravitz: You killed them.
Cole: I allowed them to become free from themselves.
Kravitz: And trapped them inside yourself.
Cole: No they are free from their own lives, their own minds. Life sucks out there man. I freed them from that. Yeah sure, I collect them and they stay with me but its better.
Kravitz: So you believe those people you murdered are better off and you did a good thing by killing them?
Cole: I don’t know man.
Kravitz: Okay let me rephrase it. Did you ever collect someone you regretted freeing?
Subject looks out the window smoking his cigarette.
Kravitz: James? Did you hear me?
Cole: Yeah. Yeah I heard ya. I don’t know what you want me to say?
Kravitz: I want to know if you ever regretted collected anyone?
Cole: Sure there has been a few. Sometimes they had something I need. Sometimes that bitch was getting close again. She’d be yapping in my ear. Nit pickin’. The way she used to. She has her way of making you feel an inch tall. Cut your fuckin’ balls off as you stood your ground. Sometimes it’s the only way to shut her-.
Kravitz: What’s wrong James?
Cole: I told you I didn’t wanna talk about her. I don’t appreciate you being sneaky like that Doc. That kind of stuff pisses me off. I’d hate for our little bond we got to end because you are trying to pull a fast one on me.
Kravitz: James I asked you whether or not you were remorseful for what you have done. You brought it back to your mother. If you don’t want to talk about her that’s fine, but do not blame me for your actions.
Cole: Your right Doc. I’m sorry. You’re a good man. To answer your question. Yes. Yes. Sometimes a couple of those in here make me wish they weren’t.
Kravitz: Any specifically?
Cole: Sarah.
Kravitz: The little girl?
Subject ashes his cigarette and looks back out the window.
Kravitz: James I would like to try something.
Cole: Doc you’re a good looking man, but I ain’t no homosexual. I don’t judge or nothing. Just like my sexual partners a little more hairless and a lot more curvy.
Kravitz: I wanted to see if I might be able to alleviate some of your nightmares. Some of my colleagues have had some success with unconventional means.
Cole: More drugs? Some of that blotter acid all the kids are doing?
Kravitz: Hypnosis.
Cole: Oh Doc come on. I thought you were a real doctor. That’s quack stuff. That stuff only works on fat ladies looking to lose a few.
Kravitz: Then there would be no harm to you in trying it. Maybe lose a few yourself.
Cole: Was that a god damn joke Doc?
Subject laughs to himself.
Cole: Well I’ll be damned. I thought all you medical types had to have sticks shoved up your butts on the first day of medical school. Yet here we have Doctor Winslow Kravitz cracking jokes with the mad man of the Midwest. Sure. Hell lets try it. Why not. Go ahead Doc.
Kravitz: Okay. Great. Please get into bed and close your eyes.
Cole: As you wish.
Subject lies down on bed and closes his eyes.
Kravitz: Now James, I would like you to focus on your breathing please. Can you do that for me?
Cole: Mhmm.
Kravitz: Okay. I am going to count to four. On one take in a breath through your nose. Hold it and on four release it from your mouth. Do you understand James?
Cole: Yes.
Kravitz: One. Two. Three. Four. One. Two. Three. Four. One. Two. Three. Four.
This continues for about two and a half minutes until Subject is breathing rhythmically.
Kravitz: James?
Cole: Yes Dr. Kravitz.
Kravitz: You should feel calm and safe. You are safe here. Do you understand that?
Cole: Yes Dr. Kravitz.
Kravitz: Good. If its all right with you, I’d like to speak with one of those you have collected. Would that be okay with you?
Cole: Yes.
Kravitz: Excellent. You can sleep now James, let one of the others come forward.
Cole: Yes doctor Kravitz.
Subject is silent as if sleeping.
Kravitz: Is there someone there?
Cole?: Y-yes. Who are you?
Kravitz: My name is Doctor Winslow Kravitz. What is your name?
Cole?: Sarah. Where am I?
Kravitz: Your in Cloverdale it’s a type of hospital.
Cole?: Where’s my mommy? What’s all that noise?
Kravitz: What noise Sarah?
Cole?: I don’t know. Its loud. Like static. But its. It’s words. Why are they whispering like that?
End of Tape.
Edward had breakfast at the diner down the street from his hotel the next morning. The coffee was fine. He enjoyed it black. He ordered two eggs, runny and a side of bacon. The eggs came hard and the bacon soft. Normally he would send it back, but he realized as the make shift meal was put down before him on the table he wasn’t that hungry. Coffee would be fine. He thanked the waitress none the less and she smiled warmly back at him. “You visiting family?” She asked with distinct yet unrecognizable accent.
“What?” He responded dreamily. He hadn’t slept well the night before and an ache in his head made the florescent lights above him scream.
“I asked if you was visiting family? Not too many people come to the diner wearing a suit as nice as yours at nine in the mornin’.” She said.
“Oh no. I’m here on business actually. I hate working in hotels. I hope you don’t mind me commandeering a table for a bit this morning.”
She smiled again. “Of course not. You’d be a welcome guest than some of the drunks we get sleeping off their stupors at four in the mornin’. I’ll leave you to it. If you need a refill just give me a holler. Name’s Jan.”
“Thank Jan. Edward.”
The pleasant middle aged woman walked back off to her own life and the rest of her tables. Edward’s head tilted back down toward the unopened manilla folder in front of him. He had had the misfortune of opening it when he got back to the hotel last night. His career had lead him to many folders like the one before him. Crimes of every sort with photos of proof. But something about the manilla folder before now made his skin crawl.
James Everett Cole was big deal in the media as of late. His trial was highly publicized. Edwards firm were not representing him at the time of the trial. He had been given some no name public defender. A guy who had never won a case in his life and he was given the biggest case of the 1980s. He botched it. Though in Edwards opinion it was a pretty open and shut case. Cole had confessed and helped the investigation find as many twelve victims. Some the police weren’t even aware of. Cole had no real motive or type. His modus operandi was nonsensical. Almost animalistic. Some were mutilated beyond recognition. There was even evidence of cannibalism. Yet some of his victims were treated with care and swiftness. One had been buried in a five foot grave and given a headstone in a farmers field out side of Camdon County. Cole was the most unique and frightening case anyone had seen. He had been found guilty quickly and sentenced quicker. He was to be put to death. It had been Dr. Kravitz who petitioned the judge to have Cole transferred to Cloverdale. Security was as tight as any maximum facility in the heartland. He could be properly guarded, but also studied due to his unique predilections and claims. He was a dead man anyway so the judge had agreed. Only after a few months with Cole, did Dr. Kravitz realize just how unique he was. It was Kravitz who contacted Edwards’ firm and asked them to represent Cole in his appeal. Kravitz wanted the death sentenced repealed and Cole be allowed to spend the rest of his life in Cloverdale Institution. That he was an invaluable subject to lose. Edward had been given the case and now he sat before Cole’s entire file. Medical and criminal.
He flipped open the file and began to read.
-
Cloverdale Institute of Mental Health had been around since the 1960s. Before that it had been Saint Andrews Sanitarium run by the church. The nuns and the clergy did what they thought was needed to take care of those afflicted with demons spiritual and mental.
The building itself is expansive. Branching out from the center to its East and West wing. Less problematic and stable patients on the main floor are allowed less restricted access to the facilities. Such as the games room, helping in the kitchen and tending the grounds. The second floor on the west side is where the administration and staffing departments are located. There is a few of the larger rooms set up as dormitories to allow staff to stay within the walls to keep them from having to make the hour and a half drive to town and back. On the easterly second floor is where Cloverdale keeps its patients that have issues with being in the general population. Every door is double locked. Only in the case of fire do the doors open on their own, other than that they need to be manually opened with two separate keys. Patients hands and feet are to be bound at all times while in and out of their cells. In some cases the patients may be required to be muzzled for their, the staff and other patients safety. One cell for lack of a better term sits at the top of an eastern staircase one hallway to one door. It is a thirty foot drop to the ground should its current occupant somehow get out through the only window in the ceiling.
James Everett Cole laid in that cell as Edward drank his coffee reading the manilla folder. Cole had slept just as easy as Edward had the night before. He always slept terribly. Even as a child he was plagued by nightmares. Since coming to Cloverdale, they had been getting exceedingly worse and as he awoke with a cold sweat covering his body, he swore he heard her voice.
Below in the kitchen Rodney ‘the Roach’ Coachman was peeling potatoes. His teeth ached but the drugs the nurses gave him made him feel pretty damn fine. He was onto his second endless pot of potatoes when he thought about Cole had told him. Roach was crazy. He knew that. He liked fire a bit too much. He was working on it with Dr. Kravitz. But as he heard Teddy ignite the gas stove on the other side of the room he couldn’t help get a little tight in the pants. Roach knew he was crazy and what he was crazy about. That helped apparently. It allowed him to better manage his craziness. Although Dr. Kravitz told him to stop saying he as crazy, he told him to change his way of thinking. To think that his brain just had a different way of processing information. That once he was able to manage that maybe one day he could leave. And he really did want to leave this. Well he had until the day he met James Everett Cole.
Roach was one of the few patients in Cloverdale that were allowed to have multiple jobs throughout the facility. He worked in the kitchen Mondays and Thursdays. Strictly peeling and cutting. No cooking. Tuesdays and Fridays he was allowed to tend to the grounds. He liked that job the most. The sound of the mowers and the smell of the grass reminded himself of his childhood. On Wednesdays and Saturdays if he wanted to he could help with janitorial duties. Doctor Kravitz told him he didn’t have to work so many jobs if he wanted to, but Roach didn’t mind it kept him busy and away from Nurse Calvin. Everyone even the real nutso’s on floor two knew to stay clear of Nurse Calvin if they could. It was on one of those Wednesdays that he first met James Everett Cole. He was brought by two guards to clean the hallway leading to Mr. Cole’s room. While he was cleaning apparently Mr. Cole hadn’t been feeling well and threw up all over his room. The guards started yelling who was going to have to go in and clean up the mess. Roach knew that Nurse Calvin was on rounds in the after so he volunteered for them. They were shocked and actually quite happy for the help. With his bucket and disinfectant in tow, Roach wheeled himself into the dark vomit smelling room. Even though Mr. Cole was hunched over the toilet, both of the guards informed him to stay where he was until Roach was done. He sprayed the sick and began to scoop it up with his dust pan. He dropped the mess into the garbage bag that hung from his mop cart. Mr. Cole thanked Roach from his ceramic throne.
“You’re my hero, hoss. Thank you.” Mr. Cole said to Roach.
He had heard stories of the man in the tower. The Tower is what the other patients called the room that held Mr. Cole. It was like a tower where a princess would await her prince. Her hero. Yet it was Mr. Cole up in the tower alone and sick. The man didn’t look deranged or murderous. He looked small to Roach. And Roach himself wasn’t a big man. “Your welcome Mr. Cole.”
“No talking.” One of the guards had yelled. And Roach went back to business and Mr. Cole went back to his chucking.
From that point on Roach was extra good and worked extra hard. To the point that he was able to get on meal delivery. He delivered every meal on the eastern wing of the building. Including the Tower. Everyday he would exchange a sentence or two with Mr. Cole. Everytime he called Roach ‘Hoss’ it was the first nickname someone had given him that made him feel important. Roach looked forward to those conversations.
He was finishing his last pot of potatoes when he realized he was alone in the kitchen. “Teddy? Where’d ya go?”
The door to the kitchen opened. “Teddy was needed somewhere else.” The voice sent all over Roach’s body. His stomach tense and he wondered if he could shit himself. Or pee. Something. Nurse Calvin walked over to pot and looked down. “Someone spit in there.”
“What? No they didn’t.”
Nurse Calvin cleared his throat and drop a light loogy into the pot. “I think you should take another look.”
Roach’s throat became tight and he struggled to speak. “I’ll get started on a fresh pot sir.”
“Well I think you should take a look first.”
Roach stood and looked over the pot slowly.
“Closer.” Nurse Calvin whispered. Roach hesitantly leaned further over. “Do you see it?”
“Y-yes sir.” Roach stammered.
“Good.” He felt Nurse Calvin move closer. “Now make sure it doesn’t move or any more gets in there.”
Roach nodded and was about to speak when he his pants fall to his feet.
-
Edward needed to know everything he could about James Everett Cole before their next meeting. With the folder finally open he began to read all that had been compiled on the madman of the midwest. Cole fresh from another batch of incredible night terrors thought of his past as well but for different reasons entirely.
James Everett Cole was an only child. Born to Elouise Magnola Cole. Father unknown. Cole grew up in the small southern town of Alhambro. It was quiet life in a small two bedroom house. A matchbox compared to the others in the neighbourhood. It was painted yellow and smelled of mold. His bedroom was drafty and on the cold nights of winter, although no snow fell in Alhambro he could help but shiver.
His mother was a prideful woman and Cole wondered if that was why he never knew who his Daddy was. Or had the unlucky guy just put up with as much crazy as he could from Elouise Cole and decided it was better to hit the bricks. Cole would only ask a few times when he was a child where his daddy was. Those times often ended with his mother angry and yelling. Asking little James why she wasn’t good enough for him. Why he needed a daddy when he had a mama who was busting her ass at the cleaners to keep the roof over their head. James learned quickly that his daddy was gone and it was only him and his mother.
James went school like any other kid. He wasn’t prone to making friends as kids can often be cruel especially when you don’t have the money for new shoes every year when school comes around or you have the same peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day for lunch even though you can stomach the things anymore. No the kids all thought his elementary and junior high days were not kind to James Everett Cole. In those years and with his mother’s help he harder more than most kids. When others were out hitting baseballs and climbing trees with friends. Cole was inside, watching tv. And unlike other kids his age he loved commercials. Life seemed to perfect in those ads. Mothers were kind and doting. Kissed scraps and made soup for the kids. No one yelled and guilted one another or other things. And of course there was always a Dad. Strong, hardworking. Cole loved tv and commercials so much he could remember them word for word. Sometimes on only one viewing. He wanted to be in the tv one day. An actor he supposed. Mother had laughed at him and told him to act like he was doing the dishes. That night when he did them he pretended he was someone else in one of those commercials.
Life changed slightly for Cole in high school. There were a few more electives available then previous years and with Mother’s new boyfriend showing up at the house all the time Cole joined as many as he could. Although he tried everything from Art to football, he found none of those really took. What had really caught his eye was when the school put on a play about Annie Oakley. Cole had seen Desmona Witherspoon perform as Annie and he was smitten. The next day Cole joined the school’s drama department. He was great at. The next show was coming up in a few weeks, it was going to be Hamlet by William Shakespeare. After only one day with the script Cole had learned the entire play. The teacher was amazed and gave him the lead role. Every day he would practice. Not only playing his parts but the parts of the other actors. It also gave him a reason to talk to Desmona. Cole’s feet never left the ground in those weeks. Not until his mother’s boyfriend caught him playing the part of Ophelia in his room. The bastard was drunk and angry. Beat the crap out of Cole and left him with a broken arm. Cole quit the drama club three days later.
As much as Cole would come to hate his mother in the last few years of his life. He remembered that night that her boyfriend had beaten him and broke his arm. Something burned in his mother’s eyes and although she was a pridefully stubborn it was the first time she told Cole she was sorry. Cole would wondered what happened to her boyfriend after that because he never came back to the house and a few weeks after the beating the cops had come to the house looking for him. Cole’s mother had said she caught him beating her boy and told him to leave or she was gonna call the cops. She said he did. Took off like a bat out of hell he did. Cole wondered if his mother had made his daddy leave as quick as she had her boyfriend that day perhaps maybe a lot of men had a habit of running like that from his mother. Perhaps his mother would have been alive to see her baby be put up on trial for crimes he had done, if only he had run like his daddy and her boyfriend. Maybe what happened to him after that would have never happened if he had ran. Maybe what he had done to those other folks wouldn’t have happened if he had ran. Maybe his Mother wouldn’t be yapping in his ear again. Maybe he wouldn’t have to collect again.
-
Edward closed the folder and went to take a drink of his coffee when he realized it was empty. He was about to call Jan over for a top up when he notice his watch. It was getting close to eleven and he told Dr. Kravitz over the phone he would be back at Cloverdale around twelve thirty. He called to Jan for the check and she smiled and brought it over right away. The bill was cheap in comparison to breakfast in the city. He paid the bill and tip generously. His own mother had raised him on a diner job so he made it a point to tip the wait staff well.
Jan told him to have a nice day and he left the diner. The air had not warmed much from the morning and the cool chill of fall had began to set in. He pulled his overcoat snuggly against his body and turned up its collar. Once back at the hotel he went to his car, got it and fired up the engine. The drive to Cloverdale was long, but it gave himself time to prepare for his next encounter with Cole, which after reading some of the things he had done, made the coffee in his stomach churn and curdle.
He turned on the radio and immediately turned it off as he heard The Police sing the lines “I’ll be watching you.”
-
By the time Edward reached Cloverdale a fog had settled over the clearing surrounding the monolithic building. It looked sick itself in the pale light that seeped through the clouds. The eyes of the windows watched him as he parked his car in the visitors lot. He grabbed his briefcase that held the manilla folder and began the long walk to the front doors. There were shapeless forms in the fog and voices drifted on the wind. An attendant walked by wearing a large brown coat and nodded a greeting at Edward. Another attendant and a patient passed him coming down the stairs to the front door. They must be doing work on the grounds. Edward thought. He stopped at the top of the steps before the large wooden doors and looked back out into the opaque ocean of fog. The workers looked like ghosts. Lost in the dim nothing. Drifting. The cold air gave him a chill and he entered Cloverdale.
He was greeted by the same ancient nurse at the small circular window and the guard at the iron teeth of the turn style. Today was uneventful against the first. He gave his valuables and anything that could be used against him as a weapon and walked through the gates. No patients accosted him and no patients were bludgeoned. Edward went over to the nurses station in the middle of the main room and spoke to the lady at the desk. Dr. Kravitz was out sick today she had told him. But he was told he may meet with Mr. Cole in his room as long as he was accompanied by Terrence once up there. Edward thanked the lady and she went back to her work.
For a moment he waited there wondering if someone was going to escort him up to Cole’s room. The nurse noticed him waiting. “Go on honey. Terrence is expecting you. You know where the room is right? Just go down that hallway and up the stairs to the second floor and take a left.”
She turned and lifted the headset of her phone and began rotaring a number into it before Edward could ask if it was safe he go alone.
This is a mental hospital for christ sakes.
He took a deep breath and started off down the hallway. The hall seemed longer than it had the day previous. The doors of hallway were mostly shut. He noticed through the windows on the doors that most of the occupants were sitting at their beds with a small tray eating. Edward as thankful for the small blessing. It was quiet but in the distance he could still hear the constant wail of some unfortunate soul. What unsettled him the most about places like this, was what really separated a person here in their rooms eating meatloaf and mashed potatoes on their bed and him. Without his suit and briefcase, if he heard a voice that wasn’t there. Or had some uncontrollable compulsion or depending on the decade just enjoyed sex too much he could be put away in a place like this. A place for lost souls. He hated places like this cause it reminded him of his mother.
Edward reached the stairs and climbed them like before and turned left at the top of the stairs like before. He saw Terrence the behemoth of a guard and sighed a bit of relief. The man was big, but more importantly he was quick. Yesterday with Cole had been a show, he had seen it countless times before with gangbangers. They liked to show you who was in control. Having someone of Terrence’s statue and speed would help keep the physical presence in control while Edward handled the mental presence needed to face Cole.
“Welcome back Mr. Mandrake. Wasn’t sure if you would be joining us again after yesterday.”
Edward chuckled. “Yeah I wasn’t sure either, but that’s why I get paid the big bucks right. To deal with the degenerates and crazies.”
“I hear yeah. But watch that word around Mr. Cole. He doesn’t like that one too much.”
“Duly noted. Thank you. And thank you for the save yesterday.” Edward said as the man stood.
“No problem Mr. Mandrake that’s why they pay me the big bucks. To protect men like you and Dr. Kravitz from guys likes Mr. Cole. Just try not to get too close today. Better to be safe than sorry.”
Edward nodded and Terrence began his sequence of unlocking and opening the door.
The room was darker than the day before. Cole sat at the same bolted table. His tray was sitting in front of him and he was eating the unrecognizable mass on it. A small dollop of something was sitting on his bristled chin.
“Hello Mr. Mandrake. Welcome back to my casa. Please have a seat. I was just finishing this fine meal the lovely institute of Cloverdale has proved for me.”
“Thank you. You have a little bit of something there.” Edward said as he sat at the table.
Cole smiled and took his cloth napkin and wiped his face. His nose was swollen and red from the day before. “Much obliged.”
Edward swung his briefcase onto the edge of the table and opened it. “I’m assuming Dr. Kravitz informed you why I am here. What my role is in ensuring your survival here in Cloverdale?”
“Yes.” Cole nodded and he took another bite of food. Through a full mouth he said. “You are here to make sure I don’t get the chair and barbequed by our amazing government. All so Dr. K can have more time to study me and my special gift.”
“Gift?”
“Yes. Now I am assuming you read my file or hell even a damn newspaper about me. So you are aware that every person I have freed has joined me. Has become a part of me.”
“Good that should help us with the insanity plea.” Edward stated not looking up from his briefcase.
Cole slammed his hand down into his tray and the remain meal went everywhere. “I fucking serious. I’m not crazy.”
Terrence stood up and Cole sat back down hands up in defense. Edward had barely acknowledged the blow up. In fact he had been expecting it. But expecting it didn’t stop his legs from shaking. “I never said you were. All I said is that it will help your case. That’s my job. To make sure you are put to death for the crimes you have been convicted of. An insanity plea is the easiest way to that appeal. So if you can stop with the outbursts that would be great.”
Cole leaned back and took in a breath. “Sorry. Sometimes I am quick to anger. That’s what the Doc says anyway. Hey T, may I clean up this mess? I promise not to make any sudden moves.”
Terrence looked to Edward. He nodded back in return.
“Thank you both. Again. I’m embarassed. I haven’t been sleeping well.” Cole took his napkin and began wiping up the mess back onto the tray.
“No problem Cole.” Edward said. “Now I see the biggest sticking point for the judge was this murder in 79’. A little girl. You confessed to all the murders but that one. Why? You gave detailed accounts of every other one. Why not that one?”
Cole chuckled under his breath. “Not all of them. Only the ones they caught me on. But I didn’t confess to that one cause it wasn’t me who collected her.”
“Collected? What do you mean?”
He rose back to the table and sat down and his chains clinked. “I told you. They stayed with me. They are with me right now. Every single one of them. If I really want I can go see just like walking down a hallway. They’re with me Mr. Mandrake. Everyone but her. I didn’t collect her.”
Edward sighed. “Cole I am your lawyer. You don’t have to lie to me. This might be the lynch pin that saves your ass. What about this little girl? What about Sarah?”
Cole leaned in the muscles of his neck tensing. “I told you. I don’t know. She wasn’t one of mine. She’s not here. I seen her. I know her from the pictures. I’ve had her blood on my hands. But I didn’t kill her and I don’t know where her body is.”
“How is that possible Cole? They have your prints, your DNA. They just want the body. So just give it to them and I can have the death penalty pulled in a few weeks. Just show me on a map. Where is it?”
“You guess is as good as mine.”
Edward put a hand up to his forehead. “You gotta help me here Cole.”
“Ed if I could I would. But I got nothing. Besides the memory of her blood on my hands and seeing her body. I don’t remember anything else after that.” His muscles tensed more. And the veins on his neck began to buldge. “I d-don’t.”
“It’s okay. I’ll think of-“
Cole began to rock back and forth. “I don’t. I don’t remember. Stop talking. Stop. All of you. Stop. Shut up. For fucks sake. Shut the fuck up. You’re all so loud. Shut up, shut up. Shut up.” Cole’s jaw clenched and blood dribbled from the sides of his mouth. Terrence ran over to him and told Edward to back up. He pulled his radio off his shoulder and called for doctor and some nurses. Cole’s body looked rigid and it began to shake uncontrollably. His jaw unclenched and a spasm of words flowed out incoherently. To many words as if he was saying multiple sentences at once. Before he went unconscious, his face changed and didn’t at the same time. He was Cole, but not Cole. The face smiled at Edward then Cole screamed. The last bit of air left his body Cole went lifeless on the floor in Terrence’s arms.
-
Dr. Kravitz kissed his boyfriend good bye the next morning and drove into work. Throughout the week he stayed at Cloverdale, had a small cot in his office that he would stretch out on and sleep. He hated being away from Bruce throughout the week, but the work he did at Cloverdale was his calling. The people there needed him. James needed him.
He had been the Director of Cloverdale for about five years. The previous Director had been running the place into the ground. He had been required for the government funding the institution receives to renovate and update the infrastructure of the building. When Dr. Kravitz had finally took over almost nothing had been update. The sewage system was a glorified septic tank fifty feet off of the grounds that was years beyond over flowing. The piping in the building was plagued by leaks that caused most of the rooms in the hospital to have mold. It was only after one of the patience died of the modern day equivalent of the black lung that the government sent in an investigation team and the former Director was fired and charged with misappropriation of funds. Dr. Kravitz had been a part time professor of Psychology at Ellis City University and a practicing Psychiatrist at Hawthorne Hospital when the position became available. The Institute looked like a lost cause for the state. No one wanted the position. No one cared thought Kravitz. Even as Director there wasn’t much to be made. But he viewed it as his chance to do what all real doctors want to do. To change things. To try something new in an old field. To make a difference for the men and women with the walls of Cloverdale. So he applied and received the acceptance within 72 hours of sending it.
The first thing he did was get a team of contractors bidding on the job to renovate and more important update the facility to modern standards. Unlike his predecessor he came in under budget. The patients were moved to the west wing while the east was worked on, then moved east wing while the west was worked on. It was not the easiest situation for them. Most patients, Dr. Kravitz found, flourished with routine to follow. Whether it was scheduled games or crafts, meetings and small jobs around the building. It gave them purpose other than sitting around drugged to the gills.
Once the building was done almost a year later he began his true work. He met with every single employee and asked them how he could make their jobs easy, but also better for the patients. A committee was made among the different departments and monthly they met to put forth their ideas on how to make Cloverdale the pinnacle of efficiency when it came to dealing with mental health. And it worked. Patient incidences went down by twenty nine percent and employee turn over almost halted entirely. The place was becoming what Dr. Kravitz dreamed it would be.
After the staff and the building were tended to his purpose came. Every patient that came through his doors were unique. Each had a problem, a disorder or a compulsion. They needed help. Society was not very sensitive to these people. Most that came to him from the state were homeless. People society just cast off as nuts. Wackos. Crazies. He saw them a people. Sure they may be broken in some way. But Dr. Kravitz never saw a patient beyond fixing. He helped those he could and in fact he helped quite a bit find a manageable solution to their ailments. Coping mechanisms that would allow them to function as society said they should, but most importantly he gave them their lives back.
Yet for all the ones he and his staff helped, there were some that just had too many demons to be beyond the walls of Cloverdale. At least inside the walls he thought more of his home them his and Bruce’s condo, they were safe. He could protect them from the world that didn’t want them.
He had came down with something the night before and was finally feeling himself this morning. The drive refreshed him and as he pulled up to the large stone building he smiled. This was his legacy.
He entered the building through the front doors and instantly Nurse Umbridge was upon him at the turnstile. “Doctor Kravitz. You didn’t return any of my calls. I left – I don’t know like twenty messages on your answering machine.”
Kravitz was waved in by the guard and stepped through the turnstile. “Calm down Sally. What is it? What is it?”
“Its James Cole, doctor. We believe he had a seizure yesterday afternoon. Dr. Jenkins looked him over. He is sedated in the tow- in his room” Nurse Sally Umbridge stammered.
Instantly Kravitz turned and made his way towards James’ room.
“Doctor Kravitz wait!” Sally called after him. “There’s something else.”
-
When he got up to James’ room he hadn’t expected to see him sitting at the table after having a seizure only half a day ago. His legs were crossed in front of him and his hands were draped over them. He smiled at Doctor Kravitz. He had seen James smile often. It was one of his social cues he used when he was trying to be charming. The smile that was now stretched around James’ lips was different. His lips even seemed different. Feminine.
“Hello Doctor Kravitz. I’ve been meaning to speak to you.”
“Hello.” He said hesitantly. “Who am I addressing?”
James stood. His knees stayed together as if held by a skirt that hugged his hips. He leaned forward and placed his hand gingerly into Dr. Kravitz. “Elouise Cole. My boy has been up to some mischief as of late and I think its time we discuss some things.” James’ sat and Dr. Kravitz would have as well if his legs allowed him to move from that spot. They wouldn’t for the next five minutes.
-
Edward’s hotel phone rang anxiously in its cradle. He heard it from the shower. The night had not been kind to him and he awoke late in the morning. With the carefulness of a bull he jumped out of the shower. The gods were with him as hit the ceramic tile and only slid slightly. It made it to the phone just as Dr. Kravitz was about to hang up.
“Hello. Hello?” Edward said, water soaking his bed.
“Edward, the most incredible thing has happened. Are you coming in this afternoon?” Dr. Kravitz asked excitedly.
The phone was slipping between his shoulder and ear. He dried both and answered. “Yes. I over slept. I am just getting ready and I’ll drive in.”
“Excellent. Excellent. Please come right away.” Kravitz’ sounded almost giddy with excitement.
“Is everything okay my client?”
Someone spoke to Dr. Kravitz and he answered them. “Yes. He’s fine. At least I believe he is okay. Just come right away please. Sorry I have to go. I’ll see when you get here. Bye.”
The line went dead and Edward chuckled at the phone. Dr. Kravitz had sounded maniacal. Like a mad scientist from a bad cartoon. He wondered what it could be that got him so electric. Maybe Cole had given up the information they needed to save his case and keep him off death row. Edward hoped because he was already sick of being in this hotel room. The water pressure sucked and the blankets made him itchy. They reminded him of hospital blankets.
He finished his shower and got dressed in his suit. He was about to put on his black tie when he decided against it. He was just going to have to remove it upon arrival anyway. With a to go coffee in hand curtesy of Jan from the diner he made the drive to Cloverdale.
As he walked through the front doors he had that weird sense of not remembering the drive. Like when you become familiar with a route and you mind and body do all the heavy lifting and get you there. That was how he felt in that moment. Like time had just shifted. Put him in a different place against his will. He stepped through the doors and Dr. Kravitz was already there on the other side of the turnstile like a puppy awaiting his master.
“Edward! Hello. I had them radio me when you came through the front gates. Come. Come.”
Edward went over to the small window. But Dr. Kravitz called for him again. “Forget all that. Come on.” He was practically pulled the turnstile by Dr. Kravitz past the security guard.
“What is going on Dr. Kravitz?”
“Winslow.”
“Sorry. Winslow.”
Dr. Kravitz placed a hand on Edwards back and stretched a hand down the east hallway. “The most incredible thing has happened. I don’t mean incredible as in good mind you. I am actually still determining whether we have made a step forward or backward. But after your meeting with James he had a minor episode.”
“I know. I don’t know what happened.” Edward said regretfully.
“Don’t worry Edward. I don’t believe you had much of a contribute to the episode. I believe James was holding onto something he could keep control of any longer.”
“What do you mean?” A woman ran past them giggling and clutching a tattered doll.
“No running Meredith. Please for your safety and the safety of the others.”
The woman slowed. “Sorry Winnie.” She called.
He raised a hand and smiled then turned back to Edward and leaned in closer. “I believe James has had a psychotic break. You’ve read the file. For a number of sessions now I have tried hypnotherapy with him and found in a calm suggestive state James regresses back inward to his subconscious and others come out in his place.”
“Yes. But he could just be faking it right? You said yourself there is no such thing as multiple personalities.”
“No document cases that can be proven one hundred percent, no. But since James’ episode he has been changing personalities almost every half hour on the nose. Like the changing of a channel.”
They reached the stairs and Edward stopped. “But could he be faking it?”
“Perhaps, but the speed and manner in which he changes its, well incredible. Even his vocal tenor changes. Everything. What’s more fascinating is the personalities that are surfacing are those he said he has collected. I’ve verified fifteen different people so far. Not all of them are as coherent or talkative as others, but I’ve crossed referenced their names from his criminal files and they check out.”
“But again Dr. Kravitz.”
“Winslow.”
“But again, Winslow he could be faking it?”
“Yes that is entirely possible. But the contrary could be as well.”
“Okay, but tell me one thing. Out of all the…personalities that have come through have you spoken with Sarah?”
Dr. Kravitz looked down and put his hands into his pockets. “Yes once. But only a few words.”
“What did he say?”
“She said…” He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Dr. Kravitz pinched the bridge of his nose and his glass hung from his pinky. “She said ‘help me. He won’t let me leave. He’s hurting me.’”
“Christ.”
“Yes it is rather unsettling. Doctor Jenkins had to sedate him last night so he could sleep. He’s been awake now for a couple hours, but we should put him under again for a bit soon.”
They made the journey up the stairs and for the first time since coming to Cloverdale, Edward noticed the door was open. Terrence the guard was standing in the door way.
“We’ve hand him under constantly surveilance since he awoke. I’ve been recording none stop. I have friend who is a dialect coach at ECU, I hoped he would look over the tapes and be able to tell me some things about James’ speech changes.”
From the open door Edward heard the sound of chatter then a burst of laughter. They reached the door and Terrence turned. “Good morning.”
“Thank you for keeping my place Terrence.” Dr. Kravitz said. He leaned towards Edward and whispered. It comforts most of them to not have the door locked. But I have taken the precaution of stationing extra guards and attendants in the East Wing.” He turned toward Cole and smiled. “Hello. Who am I addressing?”
Cole sat at the table as usual. A camcoder sat in the corner of the room pointed towards Cole with is watching red eye.
“Beau. You’re the guy in charge of this place right?” Cole said pointing at Dr. Kravitz.
Winslow had been right. Cole’s posture seemed different. And his tone of voice was deeper. His drawl was gone and it was replaced with a more ‘tough guy way of talking.’ Like a Gambino right out of the Godfather.
“Yes I am the Director of Health here at Cloverdale.”
“And who’s this suit?”
“This is your lawyer. Edward Mandrake.”
“He ain’t my lawyer. My lawyer is Charles Goldstein. A old Jewish guy from the neighborhood. I don’t know this guy and I don’t care for the way he is eyeballing me. And when do we eat in this joint? Am I under arrest or something.”
“I’ll have one of the nurses bring you up something. It’s almost twelve, they are probably already delivering the meals. And yes in a matter of speaking you are being detained. What is your full name Beau?”
Cole shifted in his seat. He looked to Dr. Kravitz then Edward. His eyes were incredibly untrusting. “My name is Beauregard King-“
Dr. Kravitz’ watch began to beep. He turned his wrist up and saw the time. “Edward.” He showed Edward his watch the time showed 11:58. “And your age?”
Cole inhaled sharply and shifted again. “Thirty-two. So when is that meal comin’. I’m starvin’.”
“Do you know a James Everett Cole?” Edward asked stepping forward.
“Never heard of the guy. What kind of shit head has three first names?”
“A real shit head who is bat shit crazy.” Edward stated. Winslow and Terrence both gave him a look and he put a hand up. “Anyway we heard this James Everett Cole freak was momma’s boy. Loved his mother more than anything. Maybe a bit too much.”
“Sounds like one hell of a sick fuck. Hey I love my moms as much of the next guy but there’s a limit. You know?”
“I agree.” Edward said sighing. “Do you know Sarah Donavon?”
“No I aint hear-“ Cole slumped to the table mid sentence. Edward glanced over at Dr. Kravitz who still had his watch held out. The time said 12:00. Terrence, Edward and Dr. Kravitz stood unmoving watching as Cole sat back up. He rubbed the stubble on his chin and his cold steely blue eyes fell on Edward. In a charmingly deep drawl Cole said, “That wasn’t very nice Ed.”
“J-James?” Dr. Kravitz asked.
“Hey Doc. Hey T. When’s lunch?”
Cole smiled coldly at Edward. Those words echoed once more in his mind. I think he means to collect.
-
It truly was incredible as Dr. Kravitz had said. It was like Cole had entirely changed. The look in his eye, the tone in his voice. When James Everett Cole came back from where ever he was. It was clear it was him. Not Beaureguard or who ever he claimed to be. He was Cole.
Cole took plate of spaghetti and meatballs from the Nurse ravenously. He stuffed massive amounts of the squirming noodles into his mouth and slurped them down.
“Edward Mandrake this is one of our invaluable members at Cloverdale, Nurse Sally Umbridge.”
Edward smiled and shook her out stretched hand. Sally locked eyes with Edward and he was lost in them. “Are you hungry Mr. Mandrake? Spaghetti days are always hard to judge how much we need to make so there is lots.”
“Go on Edward. James’ looks to be quite content at the moment.”
Edward looked over at James and he winked. In that moment he felt unclean. All from a wink from a man who looked like a toddler with tomato sauce all over his face. He grimaced and turned back to Nurse Umbridge and instantly forgot the feeling. “Only if you don’t mind keeping me companying?”
“Of course. Its my lunch break about now anyway. Come we can eat in the staffing lounge.”
Edward followed Sally and James watched intently as he shoved another heap of noodles into his mouth.
-
“So what got you into Nursing?” Edward asked as he and Sally sat at a long metal table in the staffing lounge. A male attendant and a security guard sat at the other end chatting.
“My grandfather was sick most of my childhood. It was expensive to keep him in a home or in the hospital so we kept him at home with us. My mother and father were busy with their own careers, so after school I mostly took care of him. After he died I just kept on helping and made it here.”
Edward spun his fork, coiling noodles all around it. “Are you from town then?” He put the fork into his mouth and unintentionally sucked in a long noodle. It spasmed around his lips like an out of control fire hose before it entered his mouth.
Sally laughed. Edward was embarrassed and quickly wiped his mouth. “Sorry.”
“No its fine. Compared to half of the messes I’ll see before my shift is over that’s nothing. And no. I grew up in another town close by. Smaller.”
Edward chuckled. “I didn’t think that was possible.”
Sally took a forkful. With a hand up to her mouth, she said chewing. “Yeah it was tiny. Only a couple street lights. You? Where’d you grow up? I heard you came from Ellis City.”
“Yeah, born and raised. I grew up in a little borough off Central Island. Rough neighbourhood. It was either gangs or get out. So I got out as soon as I could. Could have been faster but my mom had some health problems.”
“Oh I’m sorry.” She said taking another bite.
“No need to be sorry. She was sick for a long time when I was a kid. Spent a lot of my childhood in a place like this.”
She nodded connecting the dots. “So you got out though and became this big city lawyer?”
He laughed. “Yup best big city lawyer there is. You have a murderer or some gangster up for money laundering. I got you covered.” Edward wouldn’t meet those this time. It was a joke. But at the same time not a joke that made him want to laugh.
“Every body deserves a chance.”
He decided against his better judgement and met those bright green eyes. That were made only more emerald by her strawberry blonde hair.
“Some of these guys were bad people.”
“Then why do you do it.”
“The money’s good. I don’t know why I do it anymore.”
“That’s why you’re here though right. To defend James Everett Cole?”
“Yeah. Another boy scout deserving a second chance.”
Sally placed a perfect hand on his and smiled. “I find it helps to think that most of the people in here, even the dangerous ones, were once kids. Sure some of them were born with problems, but sometimes life just dealt them a hand that there was no winning. It’s not fair. They are in most cases still responsible, but it all starts somewhere. It helps me anyway. To keep going when you have to give medicine to a rapist or even bring spaghetti to serial murderer. Or you know… have lunch with a scum bag big city lawyer who slurps his noodles.”
Edward and Sally both laughed so loudly the attendant and the security guard looked over. “Sorry Glen and Kevin.”
The security guard answered. “No worries Miss Sally.”
She turned back to Edward. “Anyway, I should be getting back to work. This was nice.”
He stood and wiped his mouth. “Yeah maybe we can do it again sometime. Maybe somewhere a little bit less hospitally.”
“Come find me before you leave and maybe I’ll let you have my phone.” Nurse Umbridge walked off.
“Man, you one lucky sonabitch.” Glen or Kevin said to Edward.
“She does seem pretty amazing.” He looked down at their plates.
“Don’t worry about those man. One of the cleaning crews will be by any minute.”
Edward nodded and thank the men and started off back towards Cole’s room. In that moment being within the walls of the hospital didn’t seem so bad. Didn’t remind him of death. Didn’t remind him of his mother. They didn’t remind him of thing. They were the place he first met Nurse Sally Umbridge.
-
While Edward and Sally ate Dr. Kravitz barraged James Everett Cole with question after question. James looked at him confused.
“I don’t know what you are talking about Doc. I fell asleep yesterday. Sleep like a fucking log I might add. Whatever your nurses gave me really did the trick. I slept well.”
“Interesting.” Dr. Kravitz said tapping his charcoal pencil on his chin. “So you had no night terrors what so ever last night James?”
James took the last fork full of spaghetti and shove it into his mouth. “Nope, nothing. I appreciate it Doc. It was nice to have those god da-“ James seemed to catch himself and wipe his mouth. “Well anyways it was nice to get some shut eye in this place.”
Dr. Kravitz made a note on his page. Subject has clearly been plagued by voices. Recently. They seem to have stopped since the incident.
“James tell me do you remember anything from when you went to sleep to when you woke up at this table?”
James scratched his head and pushed away his dirty plate. “Nope, not really Doc. I remember having a chat with our lawyer friend there. Then it got dark. And I must have passed out. Hard too if you boys were able to get me into this chair and cuffed.”
“Do you know a man named Beauregurad?”
He was in the process of picking meatball out of his teeth when Dr. Kravitz asked. James stopped his fingernail still sitting between his prominent canine tooth and his incisor. “I knew a Beaureguard. Yes. Why do you ask? You’ve seen my file. Hell you probably know more about me than me. What’s my blood type Doc.”
“AB Positive.”
“See what I mean. Now you are asking me a question that I sure as hell know you know the answer to.”
Kravitz nodded his face was clinically blank. “Yes but I would like to hear it from your mouth.”
“I’m getting pretty tired of being up here. Yeah pretty fucking tired of it. When do I get some time out their in the yard. This shit is inhumane. All I have is these god damned books and I hate readin’. I want some god damned TV time.” James was just heating up. He was about to stand and slam his hands down on the table like a child, but Dr. Kravitz saw it coming. And said quickly.
“Sure of course James.”
He frozen impotently in his chair. His chest was still rising and falling almost in a pant. All the build up with no climax.
“Good.” James huffed.
“I will put the paper work through for you to have a TV brought up for you. We don’t get much channels out here but it should keep you occupied. Is there anything else we can get you?”
James chuckled. “Yeah how about some Playboys or a Penthouse or two.”
Dr. Kravitz looked up from his notes. “Sorry James. Too much stimulation can be bad for your treatment.”
“Guess I’ll have to keep it to the mental spank bank then. That hot young nurse should be enough for me tonight.”
He ignored the vulgar comment and readied his next move. “Well if you do think of anything else let me know. I don’t want you to feel trapped up here. But if I am going to be getting you some favours. I need one in return.”
James had known that something like this was coming. A little tit for tat. “What’s that Doc?”
Doctor Kravitz turned and said over his shoulder. “Terrence can you hand me that please?”
A small leather satchel bag sat in the shadow of the room by the still recording camera. The doctor took it and looked inside. His hand went in and came out with a brown bound notebook and a charcoal pencil. “One a day. I would like you to write down your thoughts. It can be anything you want to be.”
He stretched his arm across the table. James looked at it as if the notebook might clamp down on his own hand and never let go.
“Fine, if you aren’t willing to do me this one thing then I can’t be both-“ Dr. Kravitz went to take the book and pencil away when a rough hand landed on his.
“Cole!” Terrence thundered.
“It’s alright.” Dr. Kravitz said raising his other hand. “Do we have an understanding James?”
Their eyes were locked. James hadn’t seen this side of Winslow Kravitz before. He had shown his kindness and understanding. He had seemed like a boob. A willow of a man. But passed those crescent shaped glasses were the sharp eyes of a hawk. A mental hunter. While some men chased their prey through the woods Dr. Kravitz hunted them through their own thoughts. James knew in that moment he would have to be more careful around Dr. Kravitz.
James smiled. “You got it Doc. I write in your little notebook and I get the chance to watch my stories.”
“Yup. That’s the deal.”
“And you’ll work on getting me those Penthouse’s?” His lips rose off his teeth. The prominent canines almost glinting in the low light from the skylight.
“Perhaps. We’ll see how you keep up your end of this deal first.” Dr. Kravitz took his hand away from James’ and turned. He looked down at his watch. It read 12:28. “See you later James, Edward should be back soon to discuss your case further.”
Dr. Kravitz walked out of the door slowly with his bag in tow. The time ticked away on his wrist. As he reached the stairs he looked down and saw the time was now 12:30. He stopped counted thirty seconds and went back up the few steps and walked down the hall back to Jame’s room. He put on the largest most friendly smile he could.
James groggily sat up from the table. “What? Where am I?” James was no longer James. Everything about him had changed as Dr. Kravitz had suspected. “How’d I get out of there? How? Where is he?”
“Please. Please, be calm. Everything is okay. My name is Doctor Winslow Kravitz. I’m here to help. Who am I addressing?”
-
The year was 1978. Brittany Halliday was walking home from the dorm mixer in Langdon Hall. She had had an okay time. He friends Margo and Janice had went with her but ultimately ended up staying. Fall was here in full swing. The tree had changed from green to orange and now as the wind blew across campus they did their best to cling to the trees. The swaying trees made the lights following the path back to her dorm flicker.
She jumped as someone ran past her. “Come on Tubs. Let’s go!” The runner called over his shoulder. A puffing ball carrying to six packs of Coors huffed by Brittany.
She smiled at the trailer as he tromped by.
It was her first year at Cameron College. She was fresh off the farm and ready to begin her life as a college student in the city. It was a big city to be honest, but it was bigger than Demoine. She had loved animals since she could remembered. Her parents had every farm animal you could imagine and she loved it. As soon as she heard their was a job that would have you taking care of animals and making them better when she was six years old, she knew she was going to be a veterinarian. Making the grades were easy. Top of her class she was. It wasn’t had being top of the class when half the people in her graduating skipped half the days of the year to help their farm harvest or get a herd ready for auction. But it was her accomplishment none the less. The farthest college that she felt comfortable going to that wasnt too far that she couldn’t go home for the weekend as Cameron.
According to her school councilor it had an excellent veterinary department. The problem was it was also filled with animals; of the human variety.
A large hand fell on her shoulder and she jumped.
“Whoa! Calm down, Red.” The guy wore a letterman jacket and his lips dripped with a smooth southern drawl, at least it started out smooth. Booze wafted heavily on the guy’s breath. “I saw you leave the party. Why so early?”
“I have an early class.” She said. Something in her gut made her take a step back. He filled that step with his own.
“Yeah me too.” He smiled. “I think we have a biology class together on Wednesdays.”
Brittany thought she recalled seeing him somewhere before. “Yeah maybe.” She pulled her coat tightly from the chill in the air and the cramp in her gut. “I should get going. Early class and all.”
“No. Yeah of course.” He took a step back. “Do you think it would be okay if I walked you back? The campus can be a sketchy place at night.”
“I don’t know. Maybe another time. Thank you for the offer.” Brittany turned and began walking off. “See you in Bio.” Her grate was quicker than normal but she tried to not seem as if she wanted to start running, even though she did.
After turning around the corner to one of the buildings she looked over her shoulder to make sure she wasn’t being followed. She wondered if she was being overly caution. He really hadn’t been doing anything too suspicious. He was just drunk. Keep walking. Regardless of his behaviour you don’t feel safe. Talk to him on Wednesday if you want. Right now get home.
She decided to pick up the pace. Her dorm was about fifty feet away. The door up to her floor was just down the small lane separate. Chilton Hall and Cheverelly Tower. The alley was dark. She had heard other girls talking to the RA that the light in it needed to be replaced. The RA had seemed to high to understand english in that moment as he munch away like a toddler on his cookie. In that moment she felt angry and unsafe. She didn’t know why. It was just a feeling. She was angry cause this was her school. The place she was supposed to spend the next four years and she couldn’t walk from one end to the other without wanting to scream when the sun went down. Go quick.
She entered the alley she would never leave.
Only after a few steps in she smelt him before she heard him. “Hey Red!” She started to run.
“Whoa! Calm down. I just want to talk.” He ran after her.
“Leave me the fuck alone. I’ll scream.” She tripped on something and feel down. The hem of her skirt rose on her thighs.
The guy in the letterman stood over her. “Are you okay? I just wanted to talk. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Wrong with me?” She stood to face him and got an inch away from his face. Every rancid breath that hit her in the face made her angrier. “You the one following me down a dark alley and started chasing me.”
“I wasn’t chasing you. I just wanted to talk. Maybe see if you wanted to have some drinks back in your dorm.”
She wanted to hit him. “Are you that fucking thick!? No. I don’t want to have drinks with you. Leave me the fuck alone!”
“Fucking psycho bitch. Your loss.” Letterman jacket turned and start back down the alley where they had entered.
She did the same. Her blood was hot. Never had she been so angry. Yet she still felt her body shaking like a leaf. Behind her she heard a loud thunk and something cracking. Like a two bowling balls colliding. Brittany looked over her shoulder and saw the guy in the Letterman jacket slide down the stone wall. From the light that crept in from the entrance of the alley she saw his body leave a trail of blood as it slid. Another man stood in the entrance of the alley.
“It really is his loss.” The man ran at her. He was quick. Quicker than her. He pounced on her and she started to scream. For everyone, for anyone. He put his hands around her throat and she stopped. The air was gone in that moment. Her hands went up for his face. Her nails made purchase and she felt skin rip off of his face, but the alley got darker. Darker than before. Impossibly dark. She felt her limbs begin to betray her as she entered the dark. Why had she left Demoine was her last thought. Her last thought before she woke up at a table. Face two men. A balding man with curly hair and half crescent moon glasses and another man wearing a black suit without a tie. They watched her suspiciously as she told her story. They made notes. More questions. After she was done she felt that pull in her gut. She didn’t want to go. She said as much as it went dark again.
“Please I don’t want to go back there. Please.” James Everett Cole begged as slumped down in his chair.
Edward and Dr. Kravitz looked at each other, both clearly disturbed. Both unsure what just happened.
-
Edward didn’t know what to do. His client was clearly insane. But that wasn’t enough for the judge. He was a hard ass no nonsense guy. Old school. Even with the video tape of Cole doing whatever the hell it was he just did, it wouldn’t be enough. He wanted the location of Sarah’s body.
“Winslow can I have a minute with you?”
Dr. Kravitz’ eyes stayed on Cole. Edward wondered if he was even blinking. He was captivated. His hand was writing away on the table. His eyes stayed unblinking on Cole.
“Doctor.” Edward said louder.
Dr. Kravitz jumper slightly and turned. “Yes Edward.”
“May I have a minute with you outside?”
“Oh yes, of course.” He said nodding sleepily. His eyes with red. “Come I need a cup of coffee. We can talk in my office. Terrence do you mind watching Cole. I’ll send one of the Nurses to sedate him. I believe what ever keeps happening to James is taking a bit of a toll on him.”
As Edward and Dr. Kravitz walked away Terrence mumbled, “Is that really a bad? Sick mother fucker.”
He turned to Cole who was already sitting at the table. A wicked smile was stretched across his face. He too knew Cole. Had been one of two guards stationed to him since he came to be the Tower’s permanent guest. The man that sat at the table was not Cole. The voice that spoke from his lips, was shrill and lacked the southern drawl of James Everett Cole.
“That’s not very nice Terrence. Come closer I’d like to tell you something.”
Terrence looked at the monster at the table. It looked more inhumane that Cole had. “Come on. I’ll tell you a secret. You’d be a hero.”
The large man stood in the door way intrigued. Intrigued but not fucking stupid. He thought. Terrence shook his head and left the monster chained to the table and shut the door behind him. Even though a big iron door separated them, he felt as if Cole was with him now. Or whatever that had been at the table was with him. It made his skin crawl. And though he was do for another shift tomorrow. He thought about calling in sick.
-
Edward sat down in a large brown leather chair that faced Dr. Kravitz’ desk. The room was not filled with plaques and certificates as he pictured most doctors offices were. It was understated besides the three chairs. One that Dr. Kravitz sat in now sipping his cup of coffee and the two that faced his desk.
“Not very much in here for the Director of Medicine.” Edward said gesturing to the room.
“I don’t like spending my time in here when those who need help are out there. Doctors can be the most arrogant sonabitches you could ever meet.”
Edward chuckled. “Lawyers too.”
“So I have heard. Anyways most of them are to busy blowing smoke up their own asses than taking care of those who need their years of schooling.”
Edward sipped his coffee as well. “That’s very altruistic of you Winslow. You are a rare man.”
Winslow let out a sharp laugh. “I wish I could say it is all entirely humanitarian. I like most men want to make my mark. Every time I can help someone that’s a small mark I leave in someone’s life. But James. He could be my legacy.” Winslow said this with a dreaminess look in his eye.
“He’s really gotten you taking the bait.” Edward said putting his cup down.
“What do you mean by that?”
“He’s playing us. Every half hour he’s changing personalities. That’s ridiculous.”
“I understand that it seems strange. But he has no way of knowing the time.”
Edward shifted forward in his seat. “Maybe he saw your watch, when you weren’t looking. Or asked one of the nurses when they bring him his meds. Watches the shadows move across his floor from the skylight. Guys like Cole are unconventional geniuses.”
Dr. Kravitz nodded slightly. “Perhaps. I too thought of that. Except this last time. While you were off in the staffing lounge I gave Cole a journal and walked off. When I reached the stair I changed the time on my watch made it five minutes and twenty seconds slow. When Brittany Halliday was done talking to us, James slumped in his chair he did so exactly to the second. Now I understand it is unbelievable. And believe me, even though I do not have my walls covered in my degrees and certificates. I am not a gullible man who doesn’t properly gauge his patients. But when they keep passing the tests, I can’t ignore that either Edward.”
He felt embarrassed. Winslow was kind and welcoming, but he was most assuredly an intelligent man. Always watching and assessing. “I’m sorry Winslow.”
“No offense taken. I understand the need for skepticism. I have some other ideas for us to try tomorrow. I’ll fill you in when I get them all figured out. Now what as it that you wanted to discuss?”
“Oh right.” Edward bent over and grabbed his briefcase and placed it on his lap. He opened it and hesitantly pulled out the thick manilla folder. “In one of your sessions you tried hypno therapy?”
“Yes I did it a couple times to no success. I am assuming you mean when I made contact with Sarah?”
He nodded. “Yes exactly. Do you think we would be able to get her to come out again?”
“I’m not sure. Hypno therapy isn’t an exact science. And since the incident we are seeing more and more personalities surface.”
“I need Cole to tell me what happened with Sarah and where her body is. That’s the only thing that I can leverage to keep him alive.”
“I understand Edward. You have my full support.”
Edward picked up his cup again and drank deeply, finishing it off. Grounds clung to the bottom in small clumps. “Are we bad people?”
“What was that?”
He held the cup in both his hands in his lap. “Are we bad people? For protecting a guy like Cole?”
Dr. Kravitz stood and looked out the window behind him into the clearing. “In my profession I don’t always get to choose who I help. I help the person the best I can regardless if they killed their kids in a fit. Or raped someone from some perverse compulsion. I help them. It’s my job. Not every patient gives me hope in humanity. But I look for the ones that do. James is neither of those. He’s a puzzle. The true first puzzle of my life, that I feel a need to solve. For that I need you to make the appeal for the death sentence to be recanted. If it helps you can view yourself as a function of my need to save my patient. Not you saving a bad man from his may be deserved sentence.”
Edward knew that Winslow was giving him what he needed to hear a justification. A reason to fight harder. He had entirely misjudged the Doctor. His mind quick and clinical. Even if the words that Dr. Kravitz just told him are what he wanted to hear or needed to hear, he had done so with precision and in a way actually made Edward feel better.
“Ill see you tomorrow, Edward. First thing.” He turned and put out a hand to Edward. “I promise we’ll get the information we need out of James. You’ll win the appeal and perhaps you can start doing pro bono work in the inner city. Make a difference. Defend the defenseless and all that.”
More words that spoke directly to Edward’s soul. Dr. Kravitz was scary good. “Thank you Winslow. I’ll keep that in mind.” He hoped he was good enough to get to James. Get the location of that little girl. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Edward Mandrake walked over to the door and was about to leave when Dr. Kravitz said. “And Edward. Nurse Umbridge is partially to lilies in case you were wondering.”
He chuckled and tipped his hat to the doctor. “Thanks for the tip Winnie.”
-
Up in the Tower in the dim light from the skylight sat Cole. But as Terrence suspected, he really wasn’t Cole. He wasn’t sure who he really was either. He was as much Cole as Cole. Felt comfortable in his skin. It felt right. Flexing the muscles felt acute. Strong. This was the third time he had had control. Maybe four. But that was more influence than control. One was now. As he sat at the table. Planning. The second was when he finally got out and caused the rest to get free too. And the third. The third had been the most fun. The third was the reason he fought so hard to get back. The third was the reason why Cole was being put to death. Cause he had no idea where the girl was. It was true. Cole didn’t. But he did. Cole was still to strong. The other ones too took up to much of his energy. He needed more time. He could wait. He waited for all those years. Whispering. Guiding. He thought warmly of Sarah and her pretty dress. He smirked darkly in the dim rays of the skylight. He could wait. Cole didn’t have much time left anyway.
-
Before he left Cloverdale for night, Edward stopped to asked Sally to dinner the next evening. She said yes and he almost flew back to town. She had written her number down on post-it note, which he had now stuck to the dashboard of his car. It was a strange place to meet someone that was true. But perhaps it was the strangeness of that place and the situation that electricfied the air when he was around her. It soon and sudden. And the logical side of his brains blasted the warnings. Its too soon to be that smitten. You need to reel it back Tiger. Play it cool. He felt silly, nervous and excited. When was the last time he had gone out on a date he wondered. Law School? Had it really been that long? That thought made him more nervous than he had been before. Play it cool. He said to himself over and over again, like a mantra or perhaps even a spell to ward off the strange way Cloverdale made you feel.
-
That night Dr. Winslow Kravitz slept in his office at Cloverdale. It was not a restful sleep. He turned and rolled in the small cot unable to drift off. He sat up and looked around his dark office. A few shafts of light peeked through the curtains from the spotlights that lit the clearly outside. Just beyond the light in the shadows, he thought he saw James watching him and it stole his breath. His eyes adjusted to the darkness and the vision faded. His heart still thumped away in his chest. A hand went to his forehead and he yawned. He put his hand out to his desk and found his glasses. With his other hand he clicked on lamp that sat arched on his desk.
He thought of calling Bruce. The man had a way of calming him. Soothing him. They had met when Winslow was putting in his community hours at the hospital. Bruce was a nurse in the ER. They both had taken a break at the same time in the courtyard. Winslow was eating something atrocious from the hospital cafeteria. He always found it ironic that a place of healing always had the most unhealthy meals available. Bruce had a wrap and Greek salad. They made small talk and Bruce commented about the book Winslow had been reading. It was Carrie by Stephen King. The book was delightful gruesome and tragically sad. Bruce said as much. He said he felt for the poor girl. Hiding herself, her true self away. An overly religious mother persecuting her for something she had no control over. Bruce asked if Winslow had very felt that way. He had in some ways. He was a gay man in the 1980s. It was a scary time. But his parents had been hippies and spent most of his time in the Bay area. They supported and loved him. Helped him grow in an unkind time. Winslow saw in Bruce’s eyes he was checking. Testing. Winslow smiled and asked if Bruce wanted to go to dinner with him sometime. Bruce looked around cautious of listening ears. Winslow’s eyes never left his.
“As long as I can choose the place. From your lunch you have questionable choices in food.” Bruce replied.
They both laughed and had dinner later that week. Shortly after that they moved in together. And shortly after that they moved to town so Winslow could be closer to Cloverdale. Bruce got a job at the local hospital and for a small town, life was quiet for them. Of course they still were careful in public. Times were changing. But times had a way of changing in two ways. All at once or a drip at a time.
He missed Bruce as he sat alone in his cold dark office. His stomached grumbled and Winslow remembered he hadn’t eaten. He got up threw on his shoes and jacket and headed out of his office down to the staffing lounge.
“Hey Doctor K.” An attendant said as the passed in the hall.
“Good evening, Nurse Calvin. Alls quiet in night I presume?”
“A couple of rough sleepers up in ISO. Just about to do my check in Gen Pop.”
Winslow cringed. “This is a hospital. I’d prefer if you refrained from using prison terms, Nurse Calvin.”
“No worries, sir. Old habits and all that.” Nurse Calvin said smirked in the low light of the hallway. “I should get back to it though boss.”
“Of course. Don’t let me keep you.” Winslow continued his walk to the lounge. Nurse Calvin was comparably new to Cloverdale. Had been a prison attendant before arriving. A few infractions had been mentioned in his file when he was interviewed about the job, but since coming to Cloverdale no issues were brought to Winslow’s desk.
As Winslow entered the dark lounge, the distant sound of Nurse Calvin’s gentle whistling faded. He flicked the switch on the wall and florescent lights blinked to life above, filling the room with light. He walked over to the fridge and looked inside. A large bowl of left over spaghetti sat in the center. After making himself a plate and heating the pasta, he turned on the TV that sat on a wooden table in front of a set of green cloth couches. He sat down and began to ate while watching the news. He’d have to remember to get a TV bought out of storage for James tomorrow. It was his key to getting him writing in the journal.
-
Nurse Calvin walked down the halls of Cloverdale and fear crept along side him.
He leaned into the room of Frida Gonzales. “Good evening Frida. It’s late you shouldn’t be up.”
She scrambled under her covers and switched off the flashlight she was using to read Archie comics. “I don’t have to give you the rod again to teach you a lesson do I?”
Frida’s body shook. She couldn’t talk. She could try to scream for help all she wanted and before she had. But nothing came from her lips. According to her chart she was prone to bouts of anger. Dr. Kravitz believed she may have mental disadvantages as well as being mute, which causes her to become extremely frustrated. Dr. Kravitz took his time with her. Was patience. Listened without her having to speak. Nurse Calvin had a different diagnosis. She need discipline and to be put into place. Most of these retards did. She trembled and he smiled. After he left the room Frida wet herself out of relief.
He continued his march down the hall. Nurse Calvin had an itch he needed scratch and he knew the perfect bug for the job.
-
Edward too had trouble sleeping. His remedy was similar to Dr. Kravitz’. He walked down the block, dressed in faded blue jeans and a grey t-shirt. A bell chimed over head as he entered the diner. A friendly familiar face came out from the back. Jan smiled. “You’re up late.”
“And you are working late.” He said in response.
“I need the money.” She said here smile fading.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to pry.” He took a sit at the both he had breakfast at the previous morning.
“Coffee?”
“How about vanilla milkshake? And some fries?” He asked.
“You got it, hun.” Jan said. She yelled the order over her shoulder to Johnny the night cook.
She made him the milkshake and brought it over in a metal cup that was frosty with condensation.
“Care to join me for a bit?” Edward asked the night and hotel made him lonely. He thought of Sally.
The old gal laughed and gestured around the diner. “I don’t know, hun. I’m pretty busy here.”
She joined him in the booth and he did his best to suck the thick shake through the red and white straw. “Is it really worth it, working the night shift here for you?”
“Some nights. Drunks for the most part tip pretty well. They tend to handsy though. But Johnny back there has a big meat tenderizer and looks out for us ladies. Plus I need the money. My mother is sick.”
Edward frowned slightly. “I’m sorry. I understand how that can be.”
“Yeah and what’s worse is the damn insurance company has said they are done paying for her treatment. Saying it aint covered no more.”
Edward sat back in confusion. “What?”
“It wasn’t even a pre-existing condition. She worked for years over at the pulp mill. I think that placed messed with her lungs and now she can barely breath without her medicine and oxygen. And they say they aint gonna pay for it no more.”
“That sounds illegal.”
“I wouldn’t know. I heard its happening to a lot of the local old timers who used to work at the mill. It’s a rough place. But they paid into their insurance and now they say it’s not covered. It’s bullshit. And I’m the only one left to take care of her.”
“I work for a law firm.” Into his wallet and pulled out his card. “If you want-“
“No sir. I can’t afford a lawyer. Not working here.”
Edward shook his head. “No. It’s fine. When I am finished with my work at Cloverdale. I want you to give me a call and I will into for you.”
Jan looked like she was about to cry. “I can’t its-“ She choked back some tears.
“Please I need this. It would be my pleasure. We’ll make sure your mother gets the help she is entitled to. Then you won’t have to serve assholes like me at two in the morning.” He placed the card gently in her hand and she placed her other hand on his.
“You’re a good man. Thank you.” She stood, tears still filling her eyes. “Johnny put a damn burger on the grill and load that sonabitch up. My lawyer needs to eat and get his ass to bed, he’s got cases to win.”
Edward was mid sip when he burst out laughing. He covered his mouth which saved the booth from a barrage of ice cream and milk.
The case sounded easy enough no more than a day or two of his time and his paralegals, but the feeling he felt in that moment was worth weeks of work. After the meal and the remainder of his milkshake and a hug from Jan his new client, he made his way back to his room. Once in bed he thought of that feeling. It sent him into a deep, sleep.
Dr. Kravitz soon slept as well. James Everett Cole was sedated and unconscious, yet the guard posted at his door would tell Terrence the next morning he heard whispering all night. And Roach there would be no sleep for Roach for he was paid a visit by Nurse Calvin and when Nurse Calvin walked the halls, no one slept.
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