Just as Tracy was about to answer the question, someone started banging on Hanna’s door.
“Let me in, let me in,” the person outside pleaded.
“My God, who’s that?” Aldon looked unnerved as he ran to the door, opened it, and Ashley barged right in. Her long, blonde hair was strewn across her face wildly and she looked terrified.
A police officer came in quickly behind her, grabbing her shoulders and holding her back.
“Sorry about this,” the officer said. “I don’t know how she got out and found her way down here. I heard the patients were all being locked in their rooms.”
“I have to talk to you, Tracy, I must,” Ashley demanded. “Don’t let him hurt me, please.”
“The police are not hurting you, they’re restraining you, Ashley.” Aldon stepped in.
“Tell him to take his hands off me.” Ashley’s voice got louder.
“It’s okay,” said Tracy, going over to Ashley and taking the policeman’s hands off her shoulders.
“Nothing’s okay, nothing!” Ashley insisted. “I have to talk to you right away.”
Tracy glanced at Aldon and nodded.
“Okay,” said Aldon. “Get her out of this room and talk to her in the hallway. Forensics will be returning any minute.”
“Thank you, thank you,” Ashley murmured as they all went out into the hallway.
“While the two of you are talking, I’ll go get the car,” said Aldon. “There’s an emergency meeting at the FBI offices in the city in a few hours.”
Tracy was taken aback. “We have to leave the hospital in the middle of all this?”
“Yes we do. Besides, there are no more interviews with patients until tomorrow. They’re all too upset.”
“What about Hunter?” asked Tracy from out of nowhere. “What’s he doing?”
Aldon was taken aback. “Hunter’s staying at the hospital right now. He’s in charge of the search for the weapon. Take all the time you need with Ashley, then meet me downstairs, in the front.”
“Thank you,” Ashley repeated, throwing a grateful glance at Aldon. “I appreciate this. I really do. I can’t get through the night without talking to Tracy.”
“Go ahead, talk to her,” said Aldon, kindly.
“First have the patient tell you how she got out of her room.” The police officer nudged Aldon, who shook him away.
“I’ll take over now,” said Tracy to the cop. “Ashley and I are going down to the small room at the end of the hall to talk. When I’m finished you can take her back to her room.”
“I want to know how she got out,” the cop repeated.
“It doesn’t matter, let it go,” Aldon murmured to him.
Tracy and Ashley started walking quickly together to the end of the hallway. Tracy was also curious, though, about how Ashley got here.
“How did you get out?” Tracy asked as they approached the little sitting room.
“I have my ways,” Ashley said as they walked into a dingy room with a broken coffee dispenser and blinds that were pulled shut.
Tracy motioned for them to sit on the bench under the windows. “What kind of ways do you have?” Tracy asked.
“I know how to kick in the edge of the door at just the right angle to make it open,” Ashley said. “I have to know things like that, don’t I? I don’t want to be a sitting duck like Hanna was and Maggie and Deidre.”
Tracy realized how terrified Ashley really was.
“You’re scared to death of being trapped in here?” asked Tracy.
“That’s putting it mildly,” breathed Ashley, smoothing out her hair. “And especially trapped in my room with Kaylna. Who knows what she’ll do next?”
“Do you think that Kaylna killed the patients?” Tracy had to ask.
“Anything is possible,” breathed Ashley, “but I have other ideas about the murders, too.”
“What?” Tracy was on edge.
“I think either Sam or Enid could have done it,” Ashley went on. “They’re both strange in their own ways.”
“How?” asked Tracy.
“Strange, strange,” Ashley continued. “I wouldn’t trust either of them. I don’t believe Sam was anyone’s boyfriend really. He just hangs onto the girls. He wants to know every little thing about them. I told them all not to believe him, but nobody listened. If they’d listened to me, their lives could have been saved. The people in here are stupid.”
Tracy felt desperate. “What about Hanna? Sam had nothing to do with her, did he?”
Ashley looked away. “No, of course not. Nobody really did. Hanna was a loose cannon. Any minute she’d go from friend to enemy. I hate that, don’t you?”
Tracy hadn’t perceived Hanna that way. “You think Sam killed Maggie and Deidre and someone else killed Hanna?” she asked.
“I didn’t say that.” Ashley became flippant. “I’m just sharing my thoughts. You asked me to.”
“Yes, of course I did,” agreed Tracy.
“I don’t know who got Hanna,” whispered Ashley, “but I know that Sam’s a Peeping Tom. The hospital didn’t tell you that, did they?”
Actually, they did say that Sam was a Peeping Tom, but Tracy didn’t want to tell Ashley. She
wanted to hear more of what was on her mind.
“The hospital doesn’t think Sam’s dangerous,” Tracy offered.
“Who cares what the hospital thinks?” Ashley scowled. “If they knew what was happening
Hanna wouldn’t be dead. And Enid’s no better than Sam. Everyone knows Enid can’t stand the patients. She can’t be trusted for a minute.”
“Is that what you wanted to say to me?” Tracy continued. “Is that why you came to Hanna’s room?”
“Not only that.” Ashley’s tone became personal. “I want to give you the name and address of my family. They live in the city, near you.”
“Near me?” Tracy was startled. “How do you know where I live?”
“I know things, I told you. I have ways of finding everything out,” Ashley replied.
Tracy didn’t want to dwell on this now. There were more important things to handle.
Ashley then handed Tracy a slip of paper with a name and address written on it.
“Remember, these people are not my natural family, they’re the ones who raised me. Please go to them immediately and tell them I’m in danger. I’ve tried to contact them, but they won’t listen to me. They don’t believe me, they don’t like me.”
Tracy wondered what kind of family could possibly refuse to listen to Ashley, would leave her locked up in danger.
“Tell my family they have to take me back home,” Ashley continued. “If they don’t, if I die, it will be their fault. My blood will be on their hands.”
Of course Tracy couldn’t tell them that. She fell silent.
“And if you don’t do it,” Ashley continued, “my blood will be on your hands as well. I hate to say it, but it’s true.”
“I can’t force your family to take you out of here, Ashley,” Tracy murmured.
“But you can do your best,” Ashley grumbled. “And if they won’t take me, you can still save my life and help me get out. I can get a job if I’m out. I can take care of myself.”
“Have you ever worked?” asked Tracy.
“Sure, I’ve held down all kinds of jobs in the past,” remarked Ashley. “I’ve been a waitress and a nanny. Kids love me. I can get a nanny job and live with a family. Look, I’m not crazy, I’m not stupid. I was only admitted for anxiety, terrible anxiety sometimes.”
“I never thought you were crazy or stupid,” said Tracy.
“But once you’re stuck in here, everyone else thinks that,” Ashley went on. “The people here play with your mind. They take your life away from you.”
Tracy could certainly understand how Ashley felt.
“Please, I’m begging you, I’m really begging you, get me out of here! Or else I’ll end up dead like Hanna,” Ashley cried plaintively.
At that moment the door of the little room flew open and to Tracy’s surprise, Enid appeared.
“What’s going on here?” Enid looked outraged. “Ashley does not have permission to be out of her room. How did she get out?”
Ashley stood up tall. “We’re all in danger and you know it.” She glared at Enid.
“How did you get out?” Enid repeated. “There will be consequences, you can be sure of that.”
“How did you find out that Ashley was gone?” asked Tracy.
“Kaylna reported it,” Enid spit out. “Kaylna’s terrified that now Ashley’s going to be the next victim.”
“See, I told you, I told you.” Ashley took a long breath. “Kaylna’s creating doom, she’s calling death to us.”
“There are going to be consequences to everything you say, as well,” Enid added.
Ashley was right, thought Tracy now, Enid was bitter and cruel.
“I requested this time with Ashley.” Tracy stepped in. “I’ll take whatever consequences there happen to be.”
“You had no right to request that.” Enid grimaced. “The announcement was made that there would be no patient interviews until tomorrow morning.”
“But I did it anyway,” countered Tracy. “Ashley came here in response to an order from law enforcement. She had every right to do so.”
Ashley looked at Tracy, delighted.
“I’m taking Ashley back to her room now, though,” Enid demanded. “I have to check into everything you just told me. I believe it’s against hospital orders.”
“Check all you want,” said Tracy, as she stood up and nodded at Ashley. “Don’t be afraid,” she said to her, “I heard everything you said.”