Kindred Spirits

Part 5

Vera's pants legs rubbed together as she walked through the halls of Wentworth. She was intent on her mission. The ferocity with which she walked spoke of her determination. She didn't knock before she opened the door to Will's office. Will hadn't been expecting company and looked visibly shocked at the interruption as Vera blew into his office unannounced.

"Is everything alright?" He asked, his voice full of concern for his colleague.

"It's Ferguson!" Vera huffed as her arms flailed about wildly in front of her.

Will glanced at the open door and then at Vera before getting up to shut it himself. Vera didn't seem to care that their private conversation would be heard but Will did.

"Vera, we've spoken about her before. I don't believe she remembers anything. She hasn't caused any trouble since she's been back, and I believe that speaks for itself." Will said, his hands resting on his hips as he looked lost about what to do with the short woman's obsession.

They had been lucky so far. Will didn't understand Vera's need to push the issue with Joan's ability to remember her past crimes. Will would be happy to forget the entire ordeal. After all, he had buried the woman alive. It was a heavy burden to bear.

"I'm telling you she has a plan, Will. I believe I've discovered one of her game pieces. I saw one of the female inmates kissing her this morning." Vera exclaimed, but her words were met with a blank look from Will.

"And?" He asked, not understanding why that would mean anything. "The woman has a right to have a partner. Her sexuality isn't our business."

"She doesn't allow anyone to touch her, Will! She used to fucking bathe herself in damn hand sanitizer anytime she had to shake someone's hand. She has to have a good reason for allowing herself to be touched outside of some basic human need for affection. She's using whoever this young woman is for some kind of scheme." Vera deduced, but Will's face just turned to confusion.

"If she is allowing physical contact she wouldn't have in her past, wouldn't that mean she doesn't remember her past behaviors and give weight to her claims of amnesia?" Will asked as he walked around his desk to sit in his chair.

"Will, it's Ferguson. You can't possibly believe she doesn't remember who she is." Vera said with a heavy sigh.

"You spit bagged her and left her screaming in a dark room on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and she still didn't confess to you, Vera. I have to believe the woman is suffering from legitimate complications of having her skull bashed in," Will said, clasping his hands together on the desk.

"How would you have learned of that incident?" Vera asked in shock.

"Linda happily provided that information when she asked if you had any interest in being governor again. She doesn't believe you are fit to be governor." Will informed Vera without even blinking.

"She said that?" Vera asked in shocked amazement, her hand going to her chest as she smirked in disbelief. "I'm not fit to be governor?! What about her and her fucking baton? I don't suppose she told you that she was the one who spit-bagged Ferguson, did she?"

"You ordered her to, Vera! You have changed, and I can't say it's Ferguson's fault. I didn't understand how you and Anne could be such good friends when I first met Anne. I thought you had nothing in common until Linda came at me with this." Will sat back in his chair and looked at Vera as he rested his chin on his fist. "I understand it perfectly now."

"We are nothing alike, Will! Anne and I are friends, but I don't agree with her actions." Vera said as her eyes glimmered with anger.

"She is obsessed with Judy, and you are obsessed with Joan. You are both willing to go to extreme lengths to prove you are right." Will said pointedly. "Torturous extremes."