The Psychiatrist: Trilogy to The Doll Collector

Chapter 19: Maria

The time had finally come to meet with Zach at the lake. His presence had escaped me all day, it was only my hope that nothing had happened to him. That's usually how these stories went, right? The one with the most vital information was captured by the killer and murdered to prevent their identity from coming forth. I tried to catch glances of him throughout the day, but he seemed to be avoiding me. I couldn't help but think that it had a lot to do with Charley. She dropped in on me several times to see how I was getting along with my new cases. That being said, there was definitely something going on.

As the time for our meeting grew closer, I couldn't help but feel anxiety seal up my throat. What is Zach wasn't waiting for me on the lake, but the killer was? My hands trembled as I put on a coat to accompany me to the lake. The wind was biting through it anyway and licking at my skin. Very rude if you ask me. I could see my breath puff up in a cloud in front of my face as I scurried to the lake.

I didn't remember it being so cold when Kris and I had been out here. Then again, the seasons were changing, and soon it'd be much too cold to engage in shenanigans out here. The hairs on the back of my neck stood when I remembered that the cameras had likely picked up on me leaving the dormitory. Up ahead, Zach's lanky figure was already waiting for me at the lake's edge. Relief bubbled through me to see that he was still alive. Unless, he was the killer. Stop thinking brain.

He bent over, picking up a rock and skipped it across the surface of the lake. My foot stepped on a stray dry branch, earning his attention.

Zach glanced at me over his shoulder but offered no smile. I supposed this was just as serious as it had been in my office. I made it beside him and greeted him as he skipped another rock.

"How was your day?" he asked.

"I uh... got an unexpected visitor. My brother showed up out of nowhere with Kris' ex-partner to bring me home." I told him.

"Why didn't you leave?"

"I can't just leave. I have a responsibility."

"Well after I tell you what I have to tell you, you're going to want to leave."

"I doubt it but go ahead. Take your best shot."

So, we sat, and he took his best shot. Loraine managed to regain her composure when Zach sat her down. She had a hair-trigger and spilled the dirty secret she'd been harboring. Being Dr. Lamb's right hand, she had discovered a journal within her desk. Inside were detailed fantasies about murdering the patients. What made her lose it was that she'd also found a detailed plan to kill the first patient. Charley caught Loraine reading the diary and threatened to kill her if she dared speak a word of this. For several nights, Charley would leave her notes in her bedroom or show up unexpectedly with a knife to threaten her. Loraine could barely sleep, terrified that Charley would carry out her threat. Zach told her that they'd go to the authorities together and she agreed, but Zach made her promise to calm down and not give it away to Charley. Charley knew that they were close, but to keep Zach safe Loraine pretended like they'd had an argument because Zach wouldn't believe her. They acted it out during lunch in front of the other doctors. The thing was that Loraine was lying to him. She was convinced that the authorities would do nothing, so she took matters into her own hands and she tried to kill Charley. Everyone witnessed Loraine being carried away. She was locked in solitary confinement and has been there ever since.

I snapped my eyes to him. Loraine was still in the hospital?

"I visit her as often as I can. But she's disassociated. She doesn't remember me anymore, but she lets me sit with her. She doesn't speak, doesn't react, nothing, but my presence doesn't threaten her. It's nice to at least have that between us." Zach said. His tone was distant, and I could detect a tinge of hurt in his eyes.