Shadowed-Death by Design

Chapter Eight - Wall of Mirrors?

In the hospital corridor, the short man disappeared once the gurney was moved. When the wheels stopped, Lucy awakened and opened her eyes to the white that surrounded her. When she peeked out from under the sheet, an entire wall of mirrors. Upon closer examination, she realized it was an expanse of very large, highly polished stainless steel drawers. 

Lucy's nurse, Jeanette, was sitting beside her. “You are awake! It is cold here in the hospital morgue! I will get you more warm blankets. You may be here for a while, per Doctor Laurence's orders. Doctor is serious about you getting your rest, even if it has to be here! Our ploy has been effective so far. The short guy must think, just as we staged it, that you are dead. We will have to wait and see if the short doctor or Pierre Lecroix can find you in here!”        

Next morning Jeanette appeared with a disguise for Lucy. While she was changing, Jeanette said, “Lucy, take my phone number and please stay in touch! Remember what I said about Christian. If you ever cast him aside, please point him in my direction!”  

Newly discharged, Lucy was in a wheel chair for her ride out of the hospital. As she and Jeanette waited for the employees’ elevator, Lucy quickly glanced through newspaper headlines on a table, “Ville Judge Letour Found Dead In His Home” and “Court Bailiff Missing.” When the elevator stopped and the nurse pushed Lucy outside, Doctor Laurence’s voice came from the shadows of a covered patio. “I will take Mademoiselle Andrews from here, Jeanette. Thank you.” 

When she had disappeared, Lucy gushed, “Doctor Laurence, you saved my life! How can I ever thank you?”   

"By calling me Sean. I have signed your discharge pages and released you. It is official! You are no longer my patient. So, may I call you Lucy? May I contact you? I will miss you. Remember, do nothing strenuous! Must you go straight to court? Take good care of yourself. Adieu, until we meet again." He helped her into a waiting cab and managed to kiss her hand before the driver pulled away from the curb. 

Having stashed her umbrella in the courthouse foyer, Lucy paid attention to a new bailiff. His voice, much deeper than Bailiff Phillipe’s Georges’ voice, commanded, “All rise. The court will recognize a moment of silence in remembrance of the late and beloved Judge Lamont Letour, an institution in this principality. The honorable Anton Nouveau will preside at this hearing, investigation into the death of Marcel---” Judge Nouveau interrupted, calling court to order and then relinquishing it to Attorney Duvet.

“The Prosecution calls expert witness Francoise LeMahieu, medical supply vendor whom the coroner contacted as his CPAP mask information resource.” The exceedingly handsome Monsieur LeMahieu slipped Lucy a note on his way up the center aisle to the witness stand. She read it and shook her head no. Counselor Duvet began. “If the Court will direct its attention to Exhibit F, the murder weapon, the CPAP mask breathing device found on Marcel's face when his body was discovered. Note its chamber for liquid, connectors, motor, and tubing. Monsieur LeMahieu, what do the letters ‘CPAP’ mean and what is its purpose, in laymen’s terms?”  

“Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. The mask is prescribed for sleep apnea, when a person ceases to breathe while asleep, awakening each time. Without CPAP, the patient’s own intensely loud snoring awakens him, as well. Then he goes back to sleep. Without CPAP, the patient rises the next morning more tired than when he went to bed the night before. And there is danger of heart attack with non-use of CPAP, especially for gentlemen like the deceased, in their sixties.  

The air in the room, filtered and humidified through the machine’s distilled water tank, travels through the long tube leading to the mask. The pump motor maintains a steady amount of air pressure, at regular breathing intervals, going through the trachea to the lungs, preventing the airway from collapsing during sleep, and pushing the mist through a deviated septum, enlarged tonsils, flimsy uvula, or other breathing obstructions.”