He smiled. “Oh, yeah, they’ll tell you in a way that you’ll never understand, but there you are.” The driver pointed up ahead. “Welcome to Babbage Town.” He added with a grin, “Hope you enjoy your stay with us.”
CHAPTER 12
WHILE SEAN WAS WORKING on his investigation, Michelle was intent on beginning one of her own. In the cafeteria she took her tray and made her way over to the table where the woman in the wheelchair was having lunch. Michelle sat down beside her and opened her bottle of water. She glanced over at the lady.
“I’m Michelle.”
“Sandy,” the woman said. “What are you in for?”
“I’m apparently suicidal,” Michelle said bluntly.
The woman brightened. “So was I, for years, but you get over it. I mean I guess you do, unless you actually manage to kill yourself.”
Michelle ran her gaze over the woman. She was in her late forties, long bottle blond hair meticulously styled, fine cheekbones, a pair of vibrant hazel eyes, and an ample bosom. Her makeup and fingernails were immaculate. Even though she was only wearing plain khaki pants, tennis shoes and a purple V-neck sweater, she carried it off with the confident air of a woman used to far more expensive things in life. Her voice had a Deep South foundation to it.
“So what are you in for?” Michelle asked.
“Depression, what else? My shrink says everybody’s depressed. But I don’t believe him. If everybody felt the way I did, well, I just don’t believe him, is all.”
“You seem okay to me.”
“I think I have a chemical imbalance. I mean that’s what everybody blames it on these days. But then like a snap, I just run out of energy. You seem okay too. Sure you’re not in here goldbricking?”
“I’ve heard of goldbricking when you’ve been physically injured.”
“People in lawsuits claiming emotional distress or mental trauma can help their case if they wind up in a place like this. You get a bed, three squares a day and all the meds you want. For some, that’s nirvana. Then their shrink testifies how they’ll never reach orgasm again or can’t leave their homes without fainting and, bam, they get a big, fat settlement.”
“Quite a scam.”
Sandy added, “Oh, I’m not saying lots of people aren’t legitimately screwed up, I happen to be one of them.”
Michelle glanced at the woman’s legs. “Accident?”
“I was shot in the spine by a nine-millimeter bullet fired from a Glock,” she said matter-of-factly. “Instant and irreversible paralysis and in a split second outgoing, athletic Sandy became a poor crip.”
“My God,” Michelle exclaimed. “How’d that happen?”
“I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Is that why you were suicidal? Because you were paralyzed?”
“The paralysis I could deal with. It was other crap that was hard to take,” she added mysteriously.
“What other crap?” Michelle asked.
“Not going there. You think you’re getting better?”
Michelle shrugged. “I think it’s too early to say. Physically I feel okay.”
“Well, you’re young and pretty, so once the bruises heal you’ll be fine to take control of your life.”
“Take control of it how?”
“Get yourself a man with money, and let him take care of you. Use your looks, honey, that’s why God gave them to you. And just remember this, title everything as joint tenants with right of survivorship. Don’t swallow the line that his money is his money bullshit.”
“You sound like you speak from experience.”
Sandy gave a shudder. “God I wish they let you smoke in here, but they say nicotine is an addictive substance. I say give me my cigs and get out of my damn face.”
“But you want to be here, right?” Michelle asked.
“Oh, we all want to be here, honey.” She smiled and slid two pieces of asparagus neatly into her mouth.
Barry passed by, assisting a young man.
Michelle nodded at him. “You know that attendant, Barry?”
Sandy studied him for a moment. “I don’t know him, but it’s easy to tell that book by its cover.”
“Where’s home for you?”
“Definitely not where the heart is, sweetie. Now I’ve gotta go, I feel a migraine coming on and I don’t like people to see me that way. You might change your high opinion of old Sandy.”
She quickly wheeled herself away, leaving Michelle staring at her food.
After lunch, Michelle took a stroll that carried her by Sandy’s room. As she slowly walked by she glanced in the square cut of Plexiglas in the middle of the woman’s door. Sandy was lying asleep in her private room. Michelle continued on down the hall until she stopped at the locked door to the pharmacy. She glanced through the barred window and saw a short, balding man in a white coat dispensing a prescription. When he looked up and saw her she smiled. He turned his back to her and continued his work.
“Okay, you’re off my Christmas card list,” Michelle said to herself.
“Wandering again?” the voice said.
Michelle turned quickly to see Barry staring at her.
“What else is there to do?” she said.
“I can think of a few things. Your face looks better. Getting those killer cheekbones back.”
“Thanks,” she said curtly.
“I saw you talking to Sandy at lunch today,” he remarked.
“Nice lady.”
“I’d watch out for her.”
“Oh, you know her well?”
“Let’s just say I know people like her. They can be trouble. You don’t want to get into trouble, right?”
“I never go looking for trouble,” she lied.
“Good girl,” he said condescendingly. “Look, if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Anything like what?”
He seemed both surprised and amused by her question.
“Anything means anything.” Barry looked around and moved closer to her. “I mean I know it gets damn lonely in here for a hot babe like you.”
“It never gets
Later that afternoon Horatio Barnes sat down across from Michelle.
“No tape recorder today?” she observed.
He tapped his head. “I took my vitamins today, so I’ve got it all up here. By the way, I talked to your brother.”
Michelle sat forward, her look suddenly anxious. “How much did you tell him?”
“Just enough to let him follow along.”
“Did you tell him about the bar?”
“Why would I tell him you went to a bar to get a drink and
“Stop screwing with me. Did you tell him?”
“I was actually more interested in what he had to say about you.” He flipped back through his notebook. “He said you were a dynamo, with limitless energy and a drive that put everyone in the family to shame. A walking, talking tornado was his description. I’m sure he meant it with great affection. ”
“Bill has been known to exaggerate.”
