The Psychiatrist: Trilogy to The Doll Collector

Chapter 13: Maria

My time with Kris on the lakeside took longer than expected, but I managed to return to my room before daylight broke. I took off my sweater and plopped down on my bed, ready to fall asleep, dead to the world. The hangover I'd tried to fight with a small nap was now here, and ready to claim me as its victim for the rest of the day.

Sleepiness overtook my body in a warm flood, when suddenly my door swung open. Anxiety and fear ripped through me as I sat up and pressed myself against the wall. A nurse was standing at the door with widened eyes. Well, I was awake now. My heart was still a jackhammer in my chest and my mind was fogged over from lack of sleep, but I succeeded in hearing what she said. A patient of mine was found dead.

Shit.

With shaky legs I managed to get out of bed and grabbed my doctor's jacket. I pulled on a pair of slippers, well aware that I was a sorry sight, but if she was busting into my room, then they needed me now.

As we stepped back into the hallway, I spotted other doctors and nurses, opening their doors and spilling out with us. They had hangover written all over them, so I hoped they wouldn't pay too much attention to the commotion.

Zach's lanky figure caught my attention. He was just barely poking his head out, his eyes squeezed shut to protect against the bright light. I wanted to laugh for a second. Hangover for him too, but I bit back the amusement. He finally opened an eye and called out to me. The nurse pulled me behind her, so I was unable to say anything. We hurried to the hospital grounds.

My heart was twisting into an origami swan, already knowing that Sheriff Honeycomb would be breathing down my neck. My patients were dropping like flies. I was with Kris last night, I couldn't have blacked out, could I?

We made it to the hospital where nurses and deputies were crowding around my patient's room. Yellow police tape was strung in an x formation over the door. Sheriff Honeycomb emerged from the group and looked me straight in the eye. My feet felt like they were nailed to the floor. I was an obvious suspect now. One patient, maybe two was enough to bring me down to the station, but now three of my patients were dead? I was going to leave here in handcuffs.

I walked towards the group, feeling every single eye land on me. The pressure was immense, and it was physically weighing down on my shoulders. Sheriff Honeycomb met me halfway and pulled me to a separate area. Before he could speak, Dr. Lamb was by my side.

"Sheriff Honeycomb, before you start your interrogations, I must point something out that would be of interest to you." she said.

He reluctantly looked away from me and granted Dr. Lamb the attention she was seeking.

"I've spent some time thinking about what links these patients," she began, "The nurse on duty at the time of their deaths was the same person. That person was Nurse Drucker, and she was the one who found Tania."

"How do you know this?" he asked.

"We have rotating shifts. I've checked the log, and she was the nurse on every shift a patient died. She came to find me to tell me about Tania. I'm not one to throw my people under the bus, but our patients are dying. You must exhaust all leads, must you not?" Her voice was no innocent, though I could detect that she was struggling.

"Yes ma'am, you're right. Jordana, I would still like to see you down at the station. I'll give you time to get dressed, but I will speak to you, today." he sternly said.

The burden landed right back on my shoulders. Dr. Lamb placed her hand on the small of my back, and assured Sheriff Honeycomb that I would be down at the station in half an hour.

He nodded and walked over to Nurse Drucker. The moment his back was turned, Dr. Lamb led me down the hallway towards the dormitory.

Our walk was silent and that scared me more than going down to the Sheriff's Station. When we entered my room, Dr. Lamb immediately shut the door.