Deadly Double

Michelle Andrews.” “What?” He asked for dramatic incredulity. Hopefully, he was overdoing it.

“Hospital break, kidnapped, or just plain wandered off. We don’t know yet. I just know that the patient’s sister has been here and made holy hell with Marcus.”

“Sister?”

Rae rolled her eyes. “Oh. Consider yourself lucky you’ve never had to deal with that one. First time she came by to visit, and Andrews attacked her. I swear was like an old episode of Dynasty. Andrews gave her a black eye and everything. After that, we had to keep Andrews heavily sedated; for her safety as well as the staff’s.”

“Sister?” he asked again, feeling a prick of unease.

“Yeah, and a real piece of work, too. Id your ever see her around, stay clear. But I have a feeling she’s going to be around a lot. Marcus is afraid that she’s going to file a lawsuit against the institution.”

William struggled to keep up with the conversation. “That shouldn’t be a problem,” he said worth a weak smile. “I wouldn’t know who she was anyway.” “It’s kind of hard not to.” Rae laughed. “Why is that?” She shrugged. “Because she’s a dead ringer for Michelle Andrews. Twins.”

He could feel his panic morph into a full-blown anxiety attack. Instead of climbing to the twelfth floor, William felt as if the elevator was plummeting to the ground. Luckily, his feelings didn’t come across in his expression because Rae ranted on.

“Frankly, I think someone took her. The last time I checked on Andrews, she was too sedated to go anywhere, let alone muster the strength to steal a badge and escape on her own.” William swallowed. “About this twin sister...” “What about her?” The elevator stopped. “You wouldn’t happen to know her name, would you?” “Sure.” She shrugged as the door opened. “Josephine Ferrell.”

Chapter 11

Numb, William stepped out of the elevator while Rae dogged his heels. Another vision of prison bars flashed in his mind, this time with the added image of him dressed in bright orange suit. “Kind of wild, isn’t it?” Rae asked. “Yeah, it’s a lot to take in,” he said, making his way to his office. “Marcus will keep us abreast of any funeral arrangements. Of course, with Brian in the hospital…”

“Dr. Coleman, I really have to start my rounds. Maybe we can play catch-up later,” he said, exchanging his coat for a white lab jacket. He rushed to his desk and retrieved his digital recorder for dictation.

“Of course we can. I guess I got carried away since I hardly ever see you around. Different shifts and all.”

William nodded, and then waited for her to leave. After a pregnant pause, it finally dawned on her that she was holding him up, and a blush of embarrassment stained her cheeks.

“Well, I better go,” she said, backing out of his office. “I’ll see you around?”

He nodded again and watched her leave. Instead of getting right to work, he closed the door and laid his head against the frame. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”

The severity of his reactions was making him physically ill. At the same time, if he didn’t pull himself together he was going to draw unwanted attention.

“Twins,” he whispered, and backed away from the door.

Josephine had never mentioned she had a sister. It’d had been more than sixteen years since he’d seen her, but he was pretty sure he was right about that.

If he was wrong, he had just kidnapped a schizophrenic patient and left her alone with Ecaterina. He walked over to his desk and grabbed the phone.

A quick rap on the door interrupted him. He turned as an agitated Geena, one of the institute’s older RNs, entered the office with her pudgy hands clamped on her plump waist.

“There you are. Your eight o’clock family counseling session just left. Mrs. Banks said their time is just as valuable as yours and they would come back when you remember how to tell time.” She pushed up her wire-frame glasses on her button nose. “Can’t say that I blame her.” “I deserved that one. But Geena, I’d appreciate it if you could leave the attitude at home.” She straightened. “Will do.” Geena turned with a sly smile and left his office. William picked up his phone again and called Ecaterina. After he counted fifteen rings, he hung up, and feared the worst.

#

The patient had a splitting headache.

At the moment, all she could do was lie still and hope the room would stop spinning. After a while, she grew tired and closed her eyes. A second later, she heard a door open.

“All right now. The electricity is back on, and it’s time for something warm to eat,” a woman’s heavily accented voice said.

Frowning, the patient struggled to open her eyes.

“I’m glad you’re awake,” the elderly woman said, smiling down at her. “William thought you’d be out of it for most of the day.”

William?

“Let’s get you feeling better,” the woman said, easing the patient back against the pillows. “I told him you’d probably be hungry before he came back. I know how these flu bugs can be. You’ll need plenty of fluids, so I made you some chicken noodle soup.”

“W-where...?” the patient forced the question out of her parched lips and winced when her throat burned from the effort.

“Ooh. You really are out of it,” the woman chuckled and then spoon-fed soup into the patient’s mouth.

After a few sips, the patient relished her newfound warmth. However, the older woman’s slow feeding became an agitation and she grabbed the spoon and shoveled the hot soup greedily into her mouth.

“My, you’re hungry.”

She ignored the woman and concentrated on emptying the bowl. After a while, she did away with the spoon and simply lifted the bowl and drained the remaining contents. “Okay.” The older woman said, reaching for the empty bowl. “Maybe I should get you some more.” The patient nodded and wiped her hand along her mouth and struggled to focus on her host. “Who...?” The woman fluttered a blue-veined hand across her chest, and then flattered the patient with a belated smile.

“Of course you don’t know who I am. What was I thinking?” She patted the patient’s arm. “My name is Ecaterina. I work for your cousin Sheila’s brother-in-law?I think.” She laughed at herself. “I get confused whenever I try to decipher things like that.” She chuckled again. “I’ll just run and get you some more soup.”

The patient frowned and eased back against the pillows. Cousin? She struggled to think, but her head ached.

“Sick,” she groaned, pulling at the covers. However, she couldn’t seem to untangle her feet from the bedding. The spinning grew worse while the soup seemed to slosh around in her stomach. “B-bathroom,” she whined as she teetered on the edge of the bed.

“Dear Lord.” Ecaterina reappeared and rushed toward her. However, she didn’t reach the bed in time and the patient toppled out and hit the floor. Stars danced behind her eyes while her stomach threatened to repel her lunch.

“Oh, dear,” Ecaterina said. “Let me help you.”

They made it to the toilet bowl just as her stomach relinquished what she’d eaten. After that, she dry heaved until her stomach muscles cramped.

Ecaterina made a cool compress at the bathroom sink and did her best to help clean the patient up. “You poor thing. How long have you been sick like this?”

The patient gave a slow shake of her head. She didn’t want to talk; she wanted the compress to take away her headache. When it appeared it wasn’t working, she tried being as still as possible.

“Goodness. Maybe I shouldn’t have tried to put something in your belly like that. I guess that’s why William is the doctor, and I’m just a housekeeper.” Ecaterina pressed another compress against the patient’s forehead. “Come on, Josie. I’ll help you get back into bed.” The patient’s eyes fluttered open again. “What?” “I said I’d help you get back into bed.” “No. My name. What did you call me?” Ecaterina frowned. “Josie. That is your name, isn’t it?”