Baldwin sat behind his desk, his great, sad eyes even sadder on this day.
“It feels a hundred years since I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania,” he said. “I had such dreams.” He turned in his chair to face Hook. “My father worked as a physician for nearly forty years. He had all these expectations for me, none of which included psychiatry.”
Hook said, “Sons fall short, no matter.”
Doctor Helms folded her long legs one over the other.
“There’s a great deal yet to do,” she said.
“Yes,” Baldwin said. “There’s much to be done. I’ve arranged for cuffs and chains for the security ward. After the inmates are medicated, the process should move along rapidly. Once they’re in the train, perhaps we can take off the restraints.”
“I think that’s a bad idea,” Hook said. “I’d recommend they stay cuffed to their seats. Perhaps we could get by with just the leg restraints.”
“I would agree,” Doctor Helms said. “These men are capable of great harm.”
“Well,” Baldwin said, folding his hands over his stomach. “It strikes me as a bit inhumane. The trip will be strenuous.”
“It shouldn’t take that long if all goes as planned,” Hook said.
Baldwin walked to the window. “Security is your job, Mr. Runyon, so I leave the decision to you for now. But I want it understood that these people are not criminals. They are mental patients and are to be treated as such.”
“I understand,” Hook said. “But they are dangerous and cunning. I can’t take any chances with the safety of the others. Perhaps after we are on our way, we can reconsider.”
“Well, then,” Helms said. “We best get this started?”
“There is one other thing I’d like to discuss,” Hook said.
“And what would that be?” Baldwin asked.
“Frankie Yager.”
“What about Frankie?” Baldwin said.
“Do you know anything of his background?” Hook asked.
“Baldwin personnel are thoroughly vetted before they’re employed,” Helms said. “Frankie Yager came highly recommended.”
“What’s your point?” Baldwin said.
Hook stood and rubbed his shoulder. The weight of the prosthesis hung like a sack of rocks.
“As you know there have been a number of unhappy incidences here at Baldwin. They have all involved Frankie Yager in one fashion or another.”
“Could you be more specific?” Helms asked. “Frankie just happened to be absent when a fire burned his ward to the ground,” he said. “And then he somehow managed to escape food poisoning.”
“Go on, Mr. Runyon,” Baldwin said.
“I found the oven breaker thrown, which just happened to be located next to the cooler breakers.”
“I don’t understand,” Baldwin said.
“I believe that someone may have tripped it accidently when they threw the cooler breaker.”
“That’s quite a stretch, isn’t it?” Baldwin said.
“I also believe him to be abusive.”
“Frankie has been effective at keeping his ward under control,” Doctor Helms said. “Believe me, not everyone can handle those inmates. The fact is we have less trouble with his ward than any other.”
Hook said, “I’m not certain of this, but there’s some indication he might be sexually involved with one of the female patients.”
“Oh?” Baldwin said.
“You mean Bertha?” Helms said. “Nurse Andrea mentioned this to me. What you must realize is that this sort of allegation can easily get blown out of proportion in an institution such as this. You see, Bertha is in here for pestering her neighbor until the poor man lost his family over it.”
Hook walked to Baldwin’s bookshelves. He had a nice 1913 Interpretation of Dreams by Freud.
“All I know is that in the real world coincidences are rare. At this point Frankie Yager has had more than his lifetime share.”
Doctor Baldwin paced behind his desk, his hands clasped at his back.
“Doctor Helms is right,” he said. “This is an insane asylum. One has to be careful with allegations made by patients.”
“I think Frankie deserves the benefit of the doubt here,” Helms said.
“Perhaps you should consider removing him from the boys’ ward as a precaution,” Hook said. “Keep him away from the women until we have a chance to check things out. We can’t afford trouble on this trip.”
“Nor can we afford to run help off,” Helms said. “Frankie is experienced and capable.”
Baldwin shrugged. “We could assign him to the security ward section of the train, I suppose,” he said. “Until we know if these allegations have any merit.”
Helms glanced at Hook. “Would that work for you, Mr. Runyon?”
“For the time being,” Hook said.
“Then so be it,” Helms said.
“Fine, then,” Baldwin said. “We’ll assign Frankie to the security ward for the duration. Now, I must be on my way.”
“Will you not be assisting in administering the chloral hydrate to the inmates?” Helms asked Baldwin.
“Perhaps you could handle it, Doctor Helms. I’ve arranged to meet with the Howard Real Estate Agency in town. It’s my hope to sell the property here soon.”
“The train is ready for departure the moment we’re loaded,” Hook said. “Any delay invites trouble.”
“I’ll meet you at the train,” Baldwin said.
“I’ve requested sandwiches be prepared at the Harvey House,” Hook said. “Apparently meals were not arranged for today.”
“My fault. I’m afraid it slipped my mind,” Doctor Baldwin said. “I’ve been preoccupied. I’ll see the food is delivered.”
After leaving his sidearm at the office, Hook and Doctor Helms walked over to the security ward. Roy met them at the door.
“I thought maybe you and Seth ran off to Germany where it’s safe,” Roy said.
“I can’t say it didn’t cross my mind,” Hook said.
“I been here by myself,” Roy said.
“It’s right uncomfortable.”
“Where’s the security guard?” Helms asked.
“He just up and left. Said most likely he wouldn’t get his pay anyway.”
“You’ve been here alone?” Hook asked.
“No, I been here with the biggest collection of misfits this side of Texas.”
“I might put you up for a medal, Roy. It’s damn fine duty you pulled.”
“To tell you the truth, I’m a little nerved up myself, Hook. The inmates are all in a stir, figuring something’s amiss what with the comings and goings.”
“I have the chloral hydrate in pill form,” Helms said. “It’s mild enough to induce calmness, not so strong as to put them to sleep, at least not right away.”
“I could use a little chlorine myself,” Roy said.
Helms looked over her glasses. “We’ll start at the far end with Van Diefendorf. He’s usually compliant in these matters.”
Hook and Roy waited as Helms prepared the doses. She placed cups of water on a tray and handed it to Roy.
When they approached Van Diefendorf’s cell, he moved to the back.
“We’d like for you to take your medication now,” Doctor Helms said.
Van Diefendorf turned his back to them and edged into the corner.
“It’s alright,” Doctor Helms said. “Just something to calm you.”
Van Diefendorf hung his head.
“Maybe he’d drink some shine,” Roy said.
“We want him calm, not comatose,” Hook said.
Helms unlocked the door. “I’m going in,” she said.
“Are you certain?” Hook asked.
“Roy, bring the water.”
“Me?”
“He won’t hurt you here,” she said. “It’s not his style.”
Roy followed Helms into the cell and looked back over his shoulder at Hook.
“I think I like living under a bridge,” he said.
She took Van Diefendorf by the arm. “You must take your medications.”
Suddenly Van Diefendorf lurched toward Roy, knocking him off balance. Roy tipped the tray, sloshing the cups of water. Hook started to move in, but Helms held up her hand.
“It’s alright,” she said, taking a cup off the tray. “Here, Mr. Van Diefendorf, I know how much you dislike the straitjacket.”
Van Diefendorf hesitated, took the cup, and washed down his pill.
“Good,” Helms said. “Now to the others.”
They worked their way down the cell block. Most of the inmates took their medications without protest, peering over the tops of their cups with blank eyes. It took longer with the inmate who had failed in his suicide. He repeatedly spewed the pill back until it had dissolved on his chin and had to be replaced.
Finally, Helms said, “Robert Smith’s the only one left now.”
“I ain’t going in there,” Roy said.
“Maybe he will take it on his own,” Helms said. “Sometimes he’s cooperative. Other times not.”
Hook looked in. Robert Smith sat on the end of his bunk, his hands clasped between his knees. He looked up with cold eyes.
“He doesn’t look cooperative to me,” Hook said.
“Robert,” Helms said. “We need you to take your medications now.”
Robert didn’t move, except for his leg, which bobbed up and down at a rapid pace.
“Robert,” she said again. “You know you have to take your medications.”
Suddenly, Robert stood and walked straight to the window, his face only inches from the bars. Helms stepped back.
“Okay, then. Good,” she said, regaining her composure. “Here’s your pill.”
Robert held out his hand, steady, but small like a child’s hand. Helms gave him the pill and slipped the cup of water through the bars. Smith dropped the pill into his mouth and drank down the water, a drop clinging to his lip.
Helms glanced over at Hook. “There,” she said. “Not so hard.”
Hook turned to Roy. “Do you smell something?”
Roy sniffed. “Smoke,” he said.
“Oh, no,” Helms said. “It’s coming from Van Diefendorf’s room.”
Smoke boiled from his window and under his door. Helms worked at the lock. All the while Van Diefendorf coughed and sputtered from somewhere inside the cloud of smoke. When Helms swung open the door, Hook took a deep breath and went in.
Van Diefendorf lay naked on the floor, his bedding smoldering in the corner of his room. Hook stamped out the flames and dragged him out by his arm. Van Diefendorf flopped onto his back, his eyes at half-mast, a box of matches clutched in his hand.
The ward burst into pandemonium behind them. “Fire boy, fire boy, fire boy,” someone chanted.
Helms pried the matches from Van Diefendorf’s grip. “Where did he get these?” she asked.
“They look a bit like mine,” Roy said. “Though all matches are more or less similar.”
“Didn’t I tell you no matches in the wards?” Helms asked.
“I forgot,” Roy said.
She narrowed her eyes. “Next time you follow instructions, do you understand? You’ll get us all killed.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Roy said, hanging his head.
Van Diefendorf lay on his back in a stupor, soot under his eyes and around his mouth.
“Get him dressed,” she said.
By the time Hook and Roy managed to get Van Diefendorf secured, a quiet had fallen over the ward. Hook checked the cells one by one. To the last man, they were either asleep or staring off into space. Robert Smith, too, lay curled on his cot, his eyes closed, his knees drawn into the fetal position.
“I’ll be damn,” Hook said. “I could use a little of that stuff out on the line.”
“Let’s get them cuffed and on their way before they’re all asleep,” Helms said.
They cuffed the inmates, leading them into the hallway, where they slumped against the wall in silence. Helms opened the door to Robert Smith’s cell.
“You did see him take his pill?” Hook asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“He drank it down,” Roy said.
“Let me check his eyes,” she said.
Helms leaned over to open his eyes when Smith sat straight up, shoving the door closed behind her. A scream issued from Helms’s throat, a cry so pitiful that it caused the hair on Hook’s neck to prickle.
When Hook next looked, Smith had cuffed Helms to the bedpost. Opening his hand, he showed Hook the pill and the room key. A slow smile spread across his face as he began unbuttoning Helms’s blouse.
“Nooo!” Helms cried, jerking against the cuffs. “Help me. Help me.”
Hook tried the door but to no avail. Smith stepped in close to Helms, slipping his hand into her blouse.
Roy looked at Hook.
“There’s no key,” Hook said.
“My office,” Helms cried out. “Top drawer. Hurry, for God’s sake. Hurry.”
Roy stood still, mesmerized at what played out before him. “Go get it, Roy,” Hook said.
“Maybe you better go, Hook.”
“Roy, goddang it.”
“Right,” he said.
By the time Roy got back, Helms was pleading with Smith, which had only served to spur him into a frenzy.
“Here’s the key,” Roy said.
Smith turned just as Hook shoved him hard into the corner. Picking up the pill, Hook stuck it down Smith’s throat.
Helms adjusted her blouse and pushed her way past Roy, who was standing frozen in the doorway.
At her office, she turned. “Don’t either one of you say a word about this,” she said, slamming the door shut behind her.