Shattered

Chapter 10 Mark

"Patience is not the ability to wait but the ability to stay patient while waiting." Unknown

Mark was just about to drift off into a deep sleep when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He lifted his head from the pillow, not surprised to see that Phil had snuck back in the room.

"Move your legs so I can sit, I'm tired as hell," whispered Phil. Mark pointed to the recliner against the wall. "Oh, good idea." The metal legs from the chair squeaked against the linoleum. Mark motioned for him to be quiet. "She's out, dude. Did you see the size of that needle they shoved in her arm? The girl can't even handle two Benadryl pills. I'm positive she can't hear a thing."

Mark leaned over as close as he could to Bradley's face without smothering her. Her breaths were deep and rhythmic. She was definitely out. Mark released his embrace and sat up stretching his arms high above his head.

"What are you doing in here?" he asked Phil.

"I told Tommy to go home, he's wrecked. And, I didn't want to sit in the waiting room with Katy and Julia. They're so dramatic. Besides, you're here and I'm not leaving you alone."

Mark's eyes began to sting. He needed to get some decent sleep, even for a few short hours. "What happened at Brody's after I left with Bradley?" Phil was silent. "Phil?"

"Huh?"

"What happened at Brody's after I left?"

"Oh," he exhaled, "it was a confusing mess. Brody's gonna need therapy after this. He was so drunk he was crying. I mean the police asked us all questions. They talked to his parents a bunch. I think they were going to interview neighbors next, ask if anyone saw anything. I mean, none of us saw anything. We were all together. It's not like we can really get in trouble for something we had nothing to do with, can we?"

Mark shrugged his shoulders. The Police asking questions was becoming an all too familiar habit. "Why were you with Kristin in the hospital tonight?"

"I just wanted to see if she was lying about not remembering what happened to her."

"Is she?" Phil was silent for a minute. "Do you think she's lying?"

"I might be too tired to be rational, and I'm no behavioral analyst but I might-could actually believe her," he pursed his lips. "She didn't deny being responsible for the video but she also looked perplexed when I said that it had gone viral. I don't think she has any memory of actually sending it. It's strange. Can ketamine actually wipe out someone's memory like that?"

"I guess so. That Detective Jones lady told Bradley that neither Kristin nor Emma remembered a thing."

"How convenient for them both," Phil rolled his eyes. "For a second, I thought about trying to talk to her but she's on a different floor in a glass room so they can watch her constantly. Apparently, she has a nasty head wound with some swelling and a concussion and they're monitoring her. Besides, her parents are up there. 'Hey, Emma's parents, I'm Phil Catalano, the kidnapper. Can I have a word with your lying psychotic daughter?'"

"Good call," Mark laughed. "But, wait...do you believe Emma is still lying, I mean, do you think she could have zip tied her own hands behind her back?"

"Yes!" Phil's posture straightened. "I never touched her. And, I think Kristin drugged Bradley," Phil blurted out. "I think they're both lying."

"What? I thought you said that you believed Kristin?"

"I do," Phil shook his head. "I believe that she doesn't remember doing it. But, dude, we walked in the room and Bradley had a complete panic attack. She saw Kristin and that was it, boom, she went someplace else."