No Escape

After filling Mindy in as discreetly as she could without others overhearing, she hung up the phone just as Lauren came into view for their evening session. She had kept her word about keeping her talk with Lauren a secret. She didn’t mention their discussion about escaping, or about how Lauren asked her to look her up if she ever did make it out of there. “Ready?” Lauren asked with a smile. Shania nodded, walking alongside the dark, sexy therapist. “How’ve you been?” Lauren asked, unlocking the door to her office. Shania shrugged as she walked past Lauren and into the room. “Tell me what’s going on,” Lauren said as they both took their seats. Shania let out a sigh and then filled Lauren in on the events of the previous night. “My, my,” said Lauren when she had finished. “What is the world of psychiatry and psychology coming to?” “Nothing good,” Shania said dubiously. “Did you tell anyone else what you saw?” “No, I didn’t. I was afraid of what might happen if I did, not that I’d expect to be believed.” “I can understand that much. Hopefully, Larisa herself spoke up.” “So what if she did? Think anyone would believe her any more than they would me?” “Maybe not, but one has to start somewhere. The more people speak up, the more suspicious attention is drawn to the person in question.” “Guess you have a point there,” Shania agreed. “And I don’t have to be a genius to know that Larisa’s probably not the only one.” “Has he ever come on to you?” “No, but he practically rapes me with his eyes. That’s creepy enough.” Lauren nodded with understanding. “I try not to show my fears if I can help it. I believe mean people are like vicious dogs; show them your fear and they’re more likely to pounce. However, I’m a little too pissed off these days to be very fearful.” “I’m sure you are,” said Lauren, “but can I give you a word of advice?” Shania nodded. “Of course.” “Don’t let yourself get caught snooping around here,” Lauren warned. “It’ll only cause more trouble for you.” “I’ll be careful.” “I’d be very careful. Concentrate on earning the staff’s trust so you can get the hell out of here, not meddling around in offices, okay?” Shania nodded again. “And remember to keep as low a profile as you can when you do get out because there’s going to be a warrant out for your arrest.” Shania stiffened. “I hadn’t thought about that one, but it makes sense that there would be a warrant issued.” Lauren nodded. “If you signed yourself in here voluntarily and escape, then no, there’s no warrant. It’s those who’ve been committed against their will that they put warrants out on.” Shania gazed into Lauren’s blazing dark eyes and asked, “Do you still think I’ll get out of here?” “I do,” Lauren assured her. “It just won’t be one of those things you can predict beforehand. It’ll be a spur-of-the-moment thing that you can’t know how or when it’ll happen.” The two gazed at each other, aware of the deepening feelings they were developing for one another. Then Shania asked, “What are we going to do once I get out and contact you?” “We’ll worry about that when the time comes. It’s best to cross one bridge at a time. The first bridge to cross is the one that gets you out of here.” After some trivial chatter, Shania left Lauren’s office feeling as if she’d been given yet another dose of strength and encouragement and headed for her room. As much as she treasured every moment she spent with Lauren in her office and hated to leave, she knew Lauren would see her before she left, just as she said she would. For now, she would either chat with Larisa or Bianca in the lounge or do some reading in her room if they were occupied with other things. Hoffritz watched as Shania left the therapist’s office with a joyous smile plastered on her face. Just what had they talked about to create such a smile and seemingly happy mood? He had entered the ward just as she rounded the corner to the long part of the ward and had walked behind her. All she’d had to do was look over her shoulder, and she’d spot him in an instant. He was glad she hadn’t, though. Instead, she turned into her room almost halfway down the corridor. He strode briskly past her room, down the rest of the corridor, and to his office. He unlocked the door and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. Once seated at his desk, he checked for messages and found one waiting for him from Maureen, asking him to call her right away. He sighed heavily. She was getting to be a real pest these days. Nonetheless, he dialed her number, which was becoming all too familiar to him. She answered on the first ring. “Uncle Jonas?” “Yes, Maureen. How’d you know?” “Caller ID.” “Oh, okay. So, what’s up, kiddo?” “Work's been great,” she boasted. “That’s good to hear, considering all I’ve had to do to get the McCarthy girl out of your way just so you could have the damn position,” he responded. Maureen giggled like a silly schoolgirl. “Just how is the lunatic doing anyway?” “Stable, so to speak.” “Oh, really?” Hoffritz nodded as if his niece could see him. “I think she’s realized that there’s simply no escape. Not by her means, anyway.” “Good,” Maureen said firmly. “I’m glad you’re happy, but listen, dear.” “Yes?” “I can’t keep things going forever.” “What do you mean?” “I mean, I can’t keep her here forever unless she keeps acting up.” Maureen silently absorbed her uncle’s words, then said, “Maybe we can provoke her into acting up somehow.” “Maybe, but Maureen, honey, she’s not going to return to work where you work anyway once she’s let go.” “No, she won’t. She’ll just go to our houses instead and kill us there. Think about it, Uncle Jonas. If someone got you locked up for practically no reason at all, wouldn’t you want to hunt them down and kill them the first chance you got?” Hoffritz chose his words carefully. “Not if I didn’t want to be thrown right back in here, or worse, in prison.” “I’d take my chances if it were me,” Maureen countered. “Well, anything’s possible, though I highly doubt she’d go after us. Either way, I can’t keep her here forever. Think about what you’re asking of me, honey. You’re asking me to steal a woman’s freedom over a job promotion. Is that really fair? Having your ex confined was one thing after he got you pregnant and ran off, refusing to do his part, but having a coworker confined over a job promotion is a whole different story.” “But it was just so unfair!” Maureen insisted like a spoiled brat. “Life’s not fair, Maureen. You just have to accept that. You don’t have to like it, but you have to accept it.” “Then why did you agree to do it in the first place if you don’t think she should be there?” Maureen asked, frustration and disappointment began to sound in her voice. “If she gets out…” “When I agreed to do it, I made it clear that I couldn’t keep her in here forever. She’d literally have to attack someone on a regular basis in order to be kept here for a significant amount of time, or better yet, kill someone. Meanwhile, if she stays rational and doesn’t harm herself or anyone else, she’ll have to be discharged six months to a year from now. Maybe even less.” “Oh, great. Just great,” moaned Maureen. “And just what do I do then?” “You moved last week. She doesn’t know where you live now.” “No, but she could always follow me home from work and find out. She said it herself, that she was going to have us harmed.” “Maureen, she was only bluffing, trying to do whatever she could think of to get out of here.” Maureen was quiet for a moment, then she said, “Well, I hope you’re right.” After spending another ten minutes reassuring his niece that she had nothing to fear, he hung up. He then pulled off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. He was exhausted both physically and mentally. Sitting back in his chair, which creaked and groaned noisily as he did so, he pondered the situation at hand. Maybe his niece was right. Spoiled, but right. Maybe the McCarthy girl was dangerous enough to retaliate and just maybe she would. As it was, he knew he didn’t need to ask himself if McCarthy was capable of violence. Perhaps anybody was. Especially after they’d been tossed into a funny farm without just cause. Hoffritz called his wife next to let her know he’d be late, getting just the reaction he expected he’d get. “Jonas, you’ve been doing this an awful lot lately,” his wife whined. “Just what in the world is going on?” “I told you, Erin. It’s really important that I attend these meetings. Believe me, I don’t like it any more than you do.” “Why must the meetings always extend into the early evenings, and why can’t I call you?” “You can call, honey. I just can’t answer the phone during the meetings, so you’ll have to leave a message.” “Why are these meetings so important?” Erin persisted. “As I told you, the hospital is undergoing many changes and hiring many new mental health workers, and, well, somebody’s got to break them in on the policies here, the patients, et cetera.” A thick silence penetrated the earpiece of Hoffritz’s phone. “Okay,” Erin finally relented, “but this better not go on much longer, Jonas. You’re married to me, not that damn hospital.” “Yes, dear, I know that,” Hoffritz said, trying to keep his waning patience hidden. “I’ll be home as soon as I can. Say hi to Jasmine for me.” “Jasmine’s going to be awfully disappointed in you,” Erin rattled on. “She was counting on you to help her study for her history test tonight, remember?” “Yes, I remember,” Hoffritz said lamely, not understanding why one must know what happened two hundred years ago in order to advance in grades and eventually graduate. “I’ll make it up to her somehow. I promise.” “Don’t promise, Jonas. It’s those who make promises who are less likely to keep them. Do you really want to make false promises to a teenager?” Hoffritz’s frustration hit its peak. “Erin, there’s nothing I can do about it tonight, as much as I wish otherwise. Now I have to get to this meeting. It wouldn’t look very good if the guy who’s the head of his own clinic were late, would it?” “I suppose not,” said Erin, though not with much conviction. “I’ll see you whenever it is you happen to get home.” “Okay, sweetheart,” he said, mustering up the most loving, appreciative voice he could. “I’ll be looking forward to it.” He hung up, relieved to be rid of his wife, and looked at the clock. The second shift was approaching. Time to go do what he really had to do. Lauren stared in frustration out the window of the spacious two-bedroom condo she shared with her best friend, Courtney. She took no solace in the gentle sway of the palm fronds, or in the bright array of colors from the bed of petunias and geraniums abloom in the yard. “Lauren,” Courtney said, “look at it this way. If she gets out and comes to you, and then you both get caught, you end up going down with her.” “Yeah, I know,” Lauren said, turning back to face her friend, “but love does strange things to you.” “Love? But you’ve only known her for a matter of days.” “Coming up on two weeks.” “Then how could you love her? Are you sure you’re not mistaking lust for love?” “Yes, I’m sure,” Lauren said confidently. “I still don’t see how you could love someone you barely know.” Lauren shrugged. “But I do. All I know is that my heart fell the first time she came to my office, and, well, the rest is history.” “I think your sanity fell, girl, not your heart.” “No, I know how I felt, and I know how I feel now. There’s no doubt about it. It’s one of those things you just have to experience to understand.” Courtney rolled her eyes. “I’ll never understand you, Lauren. But as long as you’re sure of yourself and are happy, then I guess that’s all that really matters.” Lauren smiled. “What really matters right now is her getting out of there.” Nineteen-year-old Quinn Rainy brushed her pale blond hair from her face as she waited in the Chinese restaurant, well on the other side of town and away from the hospital. She ignored the rude stares from two preppy-looking men as they passed her booth. Actually, she was as amused as she was offended. The spoiled daddy’s girl from Louisiana knew she was good-looking with her long, lean legs and ample bosom. Her eyes were cornflower blue and her white teeth shone brilliantly against her tanned skin, the result of regular trips to the tanning salon since she had no time for trips to the beach with her hectic and unpredictable schedule. At least some things are predictable, she thought with a wry grin. Jonas Hoffritz was predictable. It wasn’t that he was all that attractive, but he was rich. Very, very rich. That’s what mattered most to Quinn. She’d known since their affair began four months ago that he wasn’t happy with his wife, who was fast gaining years, wrinkles and inches. She felt confident that it was just a matter of time before he left his wife for her. Men were like dogs; easy to train. For now, she would keep her patience in check and do whatever he asked of her, even if it wasn’t something she wanted to do, like play pool, for instance. The game bore her to tears. Yet she knew it was best to appear obedient and ready, willing, and able to satisfy his every whim so that she could win him over. She always wanted to be a doctor’s wife. A rich doctor’s wife. Then she could quit her job, which she hated. For now, the job was better than nothing and she would simply have to wait until he was ready to dump his wife for her in order to give up doing what she hated most… caregiving. “Good evening, princess.” Quinn gave a slight jolt, startled. She hadn’t realized just how deep in thought she’d been, staring out at the waning sun. “Jonas, hi! How good to see you. I was hoping we’d get together soon,” she said, beaming. Then her smile melted like butter on a hot plate as she noted his downcast expression. “What’s wrong, honey?” Hoffritz took a seat, hesitated, then took a deep breath. “Well, something’s come up.” Quinn felt a surge of anxiety. “We haven’t been discovered, have we?” “Oh no, not at all. It’s nothing like that.” Relief flooded through Quinn, and she put her smile back in place. “It’s about that girl I told you about.” “Shania McCarthy?” “Shh,” Hoffritz said in a loud whisper. “You’re the only one who knows about her. Not even my niece knows you know, for God’s sake, and I…” “Okay, okay, calm down, honey. I’ll lower my voice. No need to panic.” “I’m not panicking,” Hoffritz said defensively. Then, pulling his taut nerves together, he allowed himself to relax and smiled. “It’s just that—well—Maureen’s worried about her.” “Worried?” Quinn asked as though she was unfamiliar with the word. Hoffritz nodded. “Why?” “She’s afraid she’ll come after us when she’s released.” Quinn appeared thoughtful as she weighed the possibilities in her mind. “Will she?” Hoffritz shrugged. “She attacked me.” “Yes, but that was while she was trapped in there by you. Once free, I’d think you and your niece would be the last people she’d want to even think about, let alone have to face.” “Can’t say for sure.” “But Jonas, sweetheart, you said it yourself that you can’t keep her locked up in there forever.” “No, but I can stall for time. That’s where you come in.” “Me?” He nodded again. Quinn eyed Hoffritz curiously as she listened carefully to his plan. “Anything you say, Doc, anything you say,” she said a few minutes later, grinning, leaning forward seductively and exposing generous amounts of cleavage. Hoffritz couldn’t help but notice. Neither could the two young men who sat nearby. “Well,” Quinn said, sitting back, “time for a trip to the ladies’ room. You can order my usual favorite while I’m gone. You know, egg foo young with pork fried rice?” Hoffritz nodded. “I won’t be long, babe.” He forced a smile as she rose from her seat and sauntered off towards the restroom, hips swaying suggestively. He felt his anger grow as he noted all the stares she drew from the male customers in the diner. Those accompanied by females received looks of reprimand. Phony bitch, he thought. He only put up with her childish games because she satiated his neglected sexual needs. What else did he have to look forward to? Just a daughter with a million demands and a wife as cold and as frigid as the Arctic itself. Most importantly, he could use the dumb broad’s help with the McCarthy girl, whom he was beginning to think was ruining his life.