In The Defendant's Chair Page 5

  “Next time we need to be a little more particular on which strands we merge. I believe you got a few more of the characteristics than we’d planned, but we’ll see, huh Lizzie? You’re a beautiful little girl, a real beauty. I believe you’ll find it was all worth it.”

  It was time to leave, time to leave little Lizzie alone. He walked through the nursery admiring the other newborns when he noticed a nurse watching him.

  “How’s it going?” he asked.

  “Fine, but that new baby makes me nervous,” she replied staring away from the child.

  “And why is that?”

  “I don’t know why; she just does. What’s wrong with her anyway?”

  “What’s wrong with you?” he asked. “She’s just a baby. A baby with special needs, yes, but a baby nevertheless. And it’s your job to care for her. Are you saying you’re incapable of performing your duties at this hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit?”

  The head nurse heard the heated discussion and jumped into action.

  “Excuse me,” she whispered. “But we do have babies sleeping. Can we keep it down or take it somewhere else?”

  “Nurse…?”

  “Thembleson… Doctor. Nurse Thembleson,” the head nurse whispered.

  “Well, Nurse Thembleson,” Spangleholtz whispered. “It seems this nurse doesn’t have what it takes to care for a special-needs baby. That makes me nervous, very nervous.”

  “Explain, Paula, please?” the head nurse asked now facing the frightened girl.

  “I… I just said she made me nervous, that’s all. I don’t want to hurt her and I’m afraid I will if I pick her up or try to feed her. He took it the wrong way… honest.”

  “I see,” Spangleholtz interjected. “Will you change her diaper please? I’d like to watch.”

  Paula hesitated for a second but when the head nurse nodded her approval of the doctor’s request, Paula turned around then paused as though in thought. She glanced back at Spangleholtz then walked into the room with the special incubator. She cautiously picked up the baby. As she gazed into little Lizzie’s eyes, Paula smiled.

  “She’s beautiful,” Paula said to Spangleholtz and the head nurse who were now standing just behind her.

  “Yes she is,” he replied.

  “Can she suck? Will I hurt her if I give her a bottle?” Paula asked.

  “I’m glad to hear you ask these types of questions. It means you’re willing to learn. We must use a special bottle for her. Her mouth protrudes.”

  “Almost like a horse?” Paula surmised.

  Spangleholtz chuckled, “Yes, almost like a horse. So we must use a flat-tipped nipple instead of a regular one. These are longer and easier for her to grasp on to. Here give it a try.”

  Nurse Thembleson handed Paula a special bottle and little Lizzie began sucking. She opened her eyes and stared at the woman who was holding her. Paula smiled and glanced at the doctor, who patted Paula on the shoulder.

  “See, nothing to be afraid of, she’s just another baby but with special needs. That’s all.”

  “Yes, doctor, thank you. But doctor?” Paula asked.

  “Yes?”

  “What about the tail?”

  Chapter 15

  DRAKE READ THROUGH the names for Starling, but without the husband’s first name he was stuck.

  “What’s up?” Shelby asked as she gathered her things for the night.

  “Can you help me before you leave?” Drake asked.

  “Can you help me before you leave?” Shelby mocked. She dropped her purse and sweater in a chair and said, “Okay, what’s up?”

  “I need to find a Marty Starling, but I don’t know her husband’s first name. Any ideas?” he asked.

  “With that doggy please help me look splattered all over your face? How could I possibly refuse? Tell me something about this woman.”

  “All I know is she’s pregnant.”

  “Well, that definitely narrows it down doesn’t it?” Shelby laughed. Drake ignored her so she added, “Did you check the recent births? Or do you know her doctor’s name?”

  Drake hit himself on his head. “I’m so stupid.”

  “I could have told you that and it wouldn’t have been so painful,” she laughed.

  “No… I mean…. dag gone it Shelby, I know the doctor’s name.”

  “I’ll tell you what. Email me what you do know and when I get home tonight I’ll see what I can find out. Okay? I’ll have it for you in the morning. No reason for the both of us to be up all night.”

  “I really appreciate this Shelby,” he said smiling at her. “I also need you to contact the detectives. I want to know if there were any wine glasses in the kitchen sink or in the living room of the Sutton place. Or in the whole house for that matter.”

  “Anytime, boss, anytime.”

  Chapter 16

  CARRIE, SKYLER AND Lacey checked into a small hotel in Centralia, West Virginia just off the major highway. After unpacking their clothes, they decided they would head out to the blast site deep in the hills of Prestonia. As they passed through the lobby, Lacey decided to check a few things out for herself.

  “Hello,” she said to the clerk behind the desk.

  “Hi,” he answered.

  “How far is Prestonia?”

  “Why you want t’ go out there fer?” he asked with a deep accent.

  “We came to see the new hole in the ground like everybody else.”

  He shook his head and said, “It’s about an hour ride, but no one goes there, and there’s no road for yer car.” Lacey looked confused so the clerk added, “Yah take the train.”

  “Where?” Lacey asked.

  “The station’s just down the street to yer right. You’ll see it,” he winked at her, which made Lacey squirm and feel somewhat nasty inside.

  “Thanks,” she replied looking out the window for a glimpse of a train station.

  * * * * * *

  The girls fell onto the beds exhausted. It has been a long day and they were dirty, tired and hungry.

  “Let’s order a pizza,” Skyler suggested.

  “Yeah,” Lacey agreed. “Great idea. I’ll call.”

  “So what did we get out of today?” Carrie asked. “Anything at all, or did we ride that stupid train all the way there and back for nothing? I wish we had the time to stay and see the hole.”

  “Who ever heard of a town with no roads anyway?” Skyler asked. “I’m hitting the shower before the pizza gets here.”

  “I’m next,” Carrie hollered.

  Lacey tossed the phone book onto the desk after dialing the number. “I guess I’m last.”

  After they all showered and ate as much pizza and soda as their stomachs could hold, each girl was about to fall asleep when Lacey sat straight up in bed.

  “Is it just me or did anyone else notice there wasn’t any clean up going on out there today?”

  “No, I noticed it too,” Carrie mumbled almost asleep. She sighed then added, “It did seem odd there was only us around, no police, no nothing. It almost looked as if it’d already been sterilized or something.”

  “Or something,” Skyler moaned barely lifting her head off her pillow. “Just keep those thoughts until the morning okay? I’m bushed.”

  With the lights off and only strange shadows reflecting off the walls, each girl slept dreaming about the huge crater that laid quiet and abandoned in the middle of a large forest only a few miles away.

  Chapter 17

  “… IS THE SIXTH case this year where the mother mutilated her family and claims to have no memory. Tammy Brooksfield woke from a trance today in court, just like Early Sutton and the other four women. The only difference between their stories is the mileage. Sutton lives in Pennsylvania, Brooksfield in California, and the others in New Mexico, Washington, Montana, and Florida…”

  As the newscaster continued to talk, Drake dropped his coffee, which splattered across the floor.

  “Damn it, Drake,” Vickie yelled. “I just
cleaned this place yesterday.”

  “What in the…”

  “Hello? Drake… anybody home?” Vickie hollered from her knees wiping up the coffee.

  “Oh sorry Hon, but did you hear what that lady just said?” Drake asked running for the remote to turn up the volume.

  “How can I not hear? The TV’s too loud,” she screamed over the now blaring television.

  “…the judge has ordered a continuance but everyone involved is suspicious for each woman’s story is exactly the same. Their husbands are doctors and they all have young children between the ages of…”

  “Is she saying there’s other cases like mine?”

  “Where have you been? Mars?” she asked, shaking her head. “And turn that damn thing down will yah? Maybe you’ll be able to hear me better.”

  Drake hit the mute button and turned to his wife. “Honey, I’m sorry. I guess I’ve had my head up my ass lately with this case and all. But I haven’t had the chance to watch the news or read the papers in months, what’s going on?”

  Vickie stood up holding the dripping coffee-soaked rag in front of her. “How do you expect to win a case if you don’t come up for air once in a while? Yes, there’s been several other mummies just like yours—Baby-Killers. But I think yours is the first.”

  “Explain please?” Drake urged.

  Vickie dropped the dripping rag into the sink and grabbed a handful of paper towels as she handed her husband another cup of coffee. “Come and sit down before you drop this one too.”

  His wife continued to explain and clean the floor as he sat at the small kitchen table numb.

  “I don’t know what’s going on exactly, but each of those women killed their families and then several weeks later they suddenly wake up.” Vickie sat up and flailed her arms over her head as if to pretend she was floating in the air then added, “… they claim to know nothing… nothing at all. Can you honestly believe that? Well, I can’t.” Drake sat in silence realizing something more evil and sinister was unfolding. Five other women suddenly waking up in a courtroom, each having no memories of the last several weeks or months. This just can’t be a coincidence, he thought. What in the world is going on? Drake jumped up and accidently knocked over his hot cup of coffee as he grabbed his car keys from the table.

  The coffee dripped down in front of Vickie and she screamed. “Drake. What is the matter with you? And where do you think you’re going?”

  “I’ve got to get in touch with one of those other lawyers,” he yelled as the front door slammed behind him.

  Vickie sat in silence, watching as the coffee dripped from the table onto the recently cleaned floor. Then she looked over at the sleeping dog by the fireplace.

  “I don’t imagine you’d like to slurp this up would yah, Henry?”

  The dog looked up, yawned, then lay back down.

  “Didn’t think so…”

  Chapter 18

  THE THREE GIRLS admired the view from the deck at the train station that overlooked a deep drop into the valley below. They were waiting for the seven at seven to arrive. All three held hot coffee and shivered as a cool breeze seeped through their sweatshirts. The sun rose from behind the distant mountain range but didn’t warm them.

  “I didn’t know it’s so cold up here in May,” Lacey said shivering.

  “With the mountains so high the heat doesn’t show up ‘til about ten thirty or so. It’ll warm up a little, but don’t count on much,” Carrie stated admiring the view.

  “You’re pretty sure about that?” Skyler asked.

  “Well when your significant other is a member of a native tribe, you eventually end up in the mountains once in a while,” Carrie smiled as she spoke. “And spring is rather cool. Late summer and fall are the killers.”

  The distant whistle of a train announced it was close to seven, so the girls blew faster on their drinks to get a few more sips before boarding. Their view was spectacular. The rolling ranges with their various trees and rocks mirrored their vivacious colors as the dew reflected the morning sun. Fresh mountain springs and newly bloomed wild flowers filled the air with a sparkling newness full of life and innocence.

  “It’s beautiful up here,” Skyler exclaimed turning around to see how close the train might be. “Wow, when did all these people get here?”

  Lacey and Carrie turned only to be surprised by a rather large group of people now waiting for the train.

  “They were not here a few minutes ago,” Carrie said with a weird look on her face. “Nor were they here yesterday afternoon. Let’s get in line before we lose a seat.”

  Skyler and Lacey followed Carrie down the stairs to the rather large group of people waiting silently for the train. Skyler, in her mid twenties, had inherited her long blonde-reddish hair and freckles from her fraternal grandmother and her height from her mother. She was just over five eight and an exact copy of her sister Tyler. Skyler studied Human Psychosis Prediction for her PhD, which delves into the inner mind and how humans react to a sudden and life-threatening event. Tyler, however, stayed in the field of biology with the goal of becoming a physician. Although carbon copies of each other, both girls were complete opposites when it came to their wants and desires.

  Lacey was younger than the others and like Skyler just recently joined The Agency. Her uncle had worked for The Agency for as long as Lacey could remember. As a young child, Lacey was involved in a NASA conspiracy and almost lost her right arm in South America. Although a little weaker than her left, the only lasting effect was a nasty scar that ran the length of her inner arm. Her mother urged her to have plastic surgery, but Lacey refused. The scar was a reminder of what could happen. Lacey favored more her father than her mother. She had long wavy brown hair and was of average height. For medical reasons, Lacey spent many years at The Agency after her terrible childhood experience and soon became so comfortable she decided early on she would dedicate her life to her country.

  Carrie was just Carrie, blonde, blue eyes and sharp as a whip. Carrie, now in her late twenties, was already an accomplished professional. Her cases ranged from the most dangerous to the most bizarre. In her early days at the FBI, Carrie’s first assignment was to track down the famous Senator Killer… Maddie Edwards. Although Maddie was an Agent for the Agency, it wasn’t until years later Carrie got to know her personally.

  Carrie also knew Skyler was Maddie’s niece and therefore was dedicated in making sure Skyler returned home safe. Carrie’s last assignment almost took her leg and life. Carrie blamed herself for running madly into a dark basement and falling down the stairs. Carrie was so anxious to save her client she failed to notice several steps had been deliberately removed. When her foot hit the missing stair and sunk into the abyss, she fell forward snapping her shin bone. Not only did she almost bleed to death, she also put her partner’s safety in jeopardy. She promised herself she would never again put herself, or anyone else, in that kind of danger. Carrie also discovered what a few months in rehab could do to a person’s mind, body and spirit. Isolation does strange things to a person when they’re left to their own justifications.

  The three stood in line as the train crept to a stop. As they waited, Carrie just couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Okay, I give up, where did all you people come from? I’ve been here for the last half hour and when I first got here there was no one but us. So where did all of you come from?”

  Some passengers turned and looked at Carrie but then, without saying a word, turned back around. Others completely ignored her altogether. One woman, who looked to be in her mid-thirties glanced over at her and said, “Home.”

  That was all she needed; Carrie took the bait. “What is this place anyway? Twilight Zone USA? Hello? Are we alive here or are we all the walking dead?”

  Again, no one paid her any attention. Carrie gulped the rest of her coffee and tossed the paper cup into a nearby trash bin. She then looked over at her companions and shook her head.

  “Maybe they don’t speak-a-da Engli
sh. Maybe they only speak Western Virginia. CAN ANYONE HERE TRANSLATE FOR ME?” Carrie yelled.

  Skyler and Lacey both gave each other a glaring stare as they walked right past Carrie and boarded the train. Carrie stood back and watched as the passengers ignored her and boarded. Not one person spoke to another. It was a weird sensation and Carrie didn’t like the feeling one little bit. Not to mention the woman who had talked earlier was now also ignoring her. It was as if Carrie wasn’t there; perhaps no one could see her anymore.

  “Drats,” Carrie said to no one in particular. “If I can talk to a ghost, I’m sure I can talk to someone from West Virginia.” Carrie turned to a woman wearing a business suit and asked, “Ma’am, are you going out to the blast site?”

  The woman stared at Carrie and without any change in facial expressions said, “And why would I want to go there?”

  Carrie sighed and crammed her hands deep into her sweatshirt’s pockets. She studied each person who boarded the train and deliberately made sure she was the last one. As she walked down the cramped aisle, she paid close attention to each individual and what they were doing, which wasn’t much. After a few seconds, Carrie plopped herself between Skyler and Lacey.

  “Well, are you done making a fool of yourself?” Lacey asked. “Nothing like trying to start something so soon.”

  “Just checking,” Carrie answered.

  “Checking for what?” Skyler asked.

  “Oh just checking to see which movie we just dropped into, you know, Silent Hill, Blair Witch, or maybe The Body Snatchers.” Carrie grinned.

  Skyler sighed and turned to stare out the window. But Lacey, not having a window, just stared down the aisle.

  “Now you resemble one of them,” Carrie whispered into Lacey’s ear.