Deadly Institution

by Holly Copella

  He looked past her at the two girls, who cleaned their dishes a little too thoroughly, indicating they were possibly listening to their conversation. He looked back at her.

  “Could I speak to you a moment outside?”

  Jacey sighed and followed him onto the porch. He turned to face her and shook his head while studying her.

  “You know how I feel about you associating with Konrad Asher,” he announced. “You were too young to understand what happened, but you have to trust me when I tell you to stay away from him. At the very least, he’s insane.”

  Jacey cocked her head to one side. “You’re a lawman, Jameson. Surely, you understand innocent until proven guilty. They’ve never been able to prove Asher murdered his wife.”

  “I know they haven’t,” he replied. “I never believed he killed his wife, but I do, however, believe he killed Hal Burgess.”

  “I don’t know how you can assume there was a killing. They never found the guy--dead or alive.” Her brows raised. “Or do you think he ate him too?”

  Jameson sighed and shook his head. “I’ve known Asher for a long time. He’s very intelligent and rather tricky. And since his wife died, I’d say he’s very dangerous.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” she muttered with disinterest. “Thanks for stopping by, Jameson, but I’d better get back to the movie before I miss the ending.”

  “I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” he said with a tone of defeat.

  Jacey entered the kitchen and saw both girls straining to look out the window by the sink as the police blazer drove away from the house and up the long, dirt driveway. Monique and Coleen spun to face Jacey with matching grins.

  “It would seem the deputy is still an interested party where you’re concerned,” Monique said with a giggle.

  “He’s kind of cute too,” Coleen added.

  “Smothering and possessive would be the description I’d choose,” Jacey replied. “In the two weeks we’d dated, he was here four times a day while on duty, and then he’d spend the entire evening here. I couldn’t make a move without his knowing about it, and there were constant questions if I happened to slip out of his sight.”

  “Too bad,” Coleen said. “I think it’d be cool to date a country cop. They all look so handsome wearing those gun belts and cowboy hats.”

  Jacey laughed and shook her head. “Yeah, that’s probably the reason I went out with him too.”

  Chapter Seven

  The rain poured down over the small town. It was a little before noon when Jacey and the two girls ran into the quaint little diner. They stopped just inside to remove their soaking wet jackets. The waitress, Tiffany, approached them by the coat rack.

  “Afternoon, Jacey,” Tiffany said cheerfully. “Bit dreary out today.”

  Jacey moaned and forced a tiny smile. “Hasn’t stopped since late last night,” she replied to the waitress.

  “I just hope we have good weather for the town fair. Hot cocoa?” Tiffany asked.

  All three nodded then sat down at an empty booth. The diner was particularly busy that afternoon. It was always its busiest on rainy days. The diner seemed to turn into a social gathering for farmers and housewives when it rained. The waitress was prompt with their hot chocolate despite the small crowd. Jacey stared out the window at the heavy rain and shook her head.

  “I guess we were due for some rain,” she announced with a defeated sigh.

  “No riding today,” Coleen muttered with a frown.

  Jill Sutten, now in her late thirties, approached their table appearing cheerful. The last ten years had taken their toll on Jill. She almost looked older than she was, but there had been rumors that she took up drinking as a hobby after the death of her brother. Jacey never understood Jill’s relationship with her brother. From what she heard, her brother had been committed before he even reached puberty. Her family moved to town when her brother was transferred to the infamous institution. By all accounts, her brother was a known threat to himself and others.

  “Good morning, Jacey,” Jill said with a pleasant smile and looked at the two girls. “These young ladies must be your houseguests.”

  Jacey wondered how Jill knew she even had houseguests. The gossip grapevine was faster than the internet in Stony Ridge. She introduced both girls to Jill, who appeared pleasant but promptly returned her attention to Jacey. Her expression became serious with a look of desperation. She extended a folded paper.

  “Would you sign this petition to stop them from reopening the institution?” Jill asked.

  Jacey eyed her skeptically. “I don’t think that’ll matter at this point. The building’s already been sold and renovations are mostly complete.”

  Jill frowned with apparent disgust. “That place must never be opened again. It’s cursed,” she insisted. “If they open it, more people will die.”

  Jacey rolled her eyes and looked away a moment. Monique and Coleen looked at each other with apparent doubt to the woman’s sanity. Jill was becoming more paranoid with each passing year. She often spoke of curses. Jacey looked at the paper briefly and noted the signatures on it. She looked back at Jill and returned the paper unsigned.

  “I heard there’s a group of scientists moving into the old institution,” Jacey announced with a tiny smile. “They’ll be studying the stars, fossils, and other scientific areas. The main building is going to be made into a museum with archaeological finds, dinosaur bones, and educational displays.”

  “They’re going to do experiments on animals, make chemicals that could harm our town, pollute our water, and kill organic life,” Jill insisted. “No good will ever come from that place. It should be torn down and made into a park to remember those who’d died there.”

  Jacey raised her brow. “A park behind the town cemetery? Hardly. Besides, we already have a big park just three blocks down the road.”

  “Do you approve of animal research, Jacey?” Jill demanded to know. “If your father was alive today, he’d be helping to fight this atrocity.”

  Jacey inhaled deeply then leaned toward the woman. “If my father was alive today, he’d tell you just what I’m about to tell you. The new institution will be highly educational and profitable for both the town and future generations. There will be no chemicals to speak of and certainly no experiments on animals. There’ll just be old fossils and a huge telescope sticking out the top of the building, which I assure you won’t transmit radiation or signal alien attackers. The building isn’t and never was cursed.”

  Jill appeared annoyed. She huffed, snatched the paper, and glared at Jacey. “I should’ve expected that from a friend of his,” she hissed as her temper quickly rose. “You just wait and see. When more people die, you’ll be just as responsible as the others who allowed them to open that place.”

  All three watched Jill storm across the diner and to a small table with four other women. The five women were the town’s busybodies, known for causing trouble. They were also partially responsible for the town’s attitude toward Asher. If it were up to them, Asher would’ve been lynched from the tallest tree in Town Square.

  “She’s a bit eccentric,” Monique said under her breath.

  Jacey shook her head and sighed. “Her brother died in the institution fire ten years ago. She couldn’t find anyone to hold accountable, not for lack of trying. Now she’s blaming some curse for the trouble there. If you ask me, she’s more insane than her brother ever was.”

  “So we see,” Coleen replied dryly.

  Tiffany approached their table with a tiny smile on her face. “You could’ve saved yourself her wraith had you just signed her stupid paper,” she remarked. “Half the people who signed it just wanted to get her away from them. It’s not going to matter anyway.”

  “I’m sure it won’t, but I don’t want anyone to think I support that rubbish.”

  “It’s always entertaining to watch a confrontation with Jill,” Tiffany giggled. “She’s pretty amusing when she starts with that curse stuff.”
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  “Unfortunately, there are many people in this town who are crazy enough to believe her,” Jacey replied.

  “This town never was high on intelligence,” Tiffany said. “They’ll believe just about anything.”

  She took their lunch order then left the table. Jacey glanced around the crowded diner. She saw Roseanne Pierce, now in her mid-thirties, approach the crowded counter. Roseanne wore a conservative nurse’s scrub uniform with cartoon animals on her scrub top. She had been working the last nine years as Dr. Talbert’s nurse. Dr. Talbert was now the town’s general practitioner. He had an excellent practice since the institution closed. Derek Falcone, the diner’s short-order cook, approached Roseanne and appeared cheerful.

  “Here for your take-out?” he said a little too cheerfully. He was obviously smitten with the still beautiful nurse.

  Roseanne returned the smile with less interest in him despite his attractiveness. “Yeah, I’m here for Dr. Talbert’s usual.”

  “Liverwurst,” Derek remarked with a look of distaste. “I don’t know how he can eat that stuff every day.” His smile broadened. “I’ll get your order. Give me a minute.”

  Roseanne nodded and looked around the crowded diner. Her eyes suddenly rolled back. Jill was standing directly in front of her with her petition clutched firmly in hand.

  “Hey, Rosy,” Jill announced with a smirk chiseled on her face. “I’m trying to get a petition passed against the reopening of--”

  “I know what you’re peddling,” Roseanne suddenly snapped with hatred in her eyes. “Get away from me with that paper!”

  Several patrons suddenly turned and looked at Roseanne, having heard her raised voice. Jill looked stunned by the hostility.

  “But you don’t even--”

  “I don’t care,” Roseanne retorted. “You and your little petitions nearly cost me my livelihood. I lost my job when you and your cronies petitioned to have the institution shutdown. I was lucky enough to become Dr. Talbert’s nurse, but some of my friends weren’t so lucky. It’s because of you they all moved away to find work. So you just stay the hell away from me.”

  Derek approached the inside counter with Roseanne’s take-out bag and eyed Jill sternly.

  “I think you’d better go back to your table and mind your own business, Jill,” Derek informed her. “This is a diner; not your personal forum.”

  Jill sneered at Derek and returned to her table. Roseanne frowned and shook her head.

  “I’m sorry, Derek,” she said softly while running trembling fingers through her hair. “That woman just brings out the worst in me.”

  “You and everyone else,” Derek chuckled. “Don’t worry about it.”

  Roseanne smiled her appreciation, paid for her lunch, and left the diner. Derek stared after her until she was gone. Jacey glanced at Monique and Coleen and held her breath.

  “Tensions are certainly high today,” Jacey muttered.

  “I’m surprised someone hasn’t whacked Jill,” Monique casually remarked and immediately received stares from Jacey and Coleen. She saw them staring at her and apparently realized she’d spoken aloud. She smiled with embarrassment. “Sorry, I’ve read one too many detective novels.”

  The door to the diner opened and several men in suits and trench coats entered. Several heads turned to watch them, indicating they were strangers. Jacey followed tradition and looked as well. They hung up their wet trench coats, proceeded past her table, and took a larger table near the back. There were five men and one woman all dressed for business. Tiffany scurried to their table with typical curiosity on her mind. Most strangers came to their town purely by accident. The five gossiping biddies were only two tables away, stretching their necks to have a look at the newcomers. Their lack of discretion was almost humorous.

  “Plenty of interest in that group, huh, Jacey?” Coleen said with less interest now. “They look like a bunch of pompous scientists to me.”

  Jacey nodded then minded her cocoa. “Might be just that,” she replied.

  “Not a bad looking bunch,” Monique remarked while sipping her hot chocolate. She purposely left the whipped cream on her upper lip and tried to make Coleen laugh.

  Coleen rolled her eyes at her friend’s warped sense of humor. “The waitress seems to think so too,” Coleen added and watched Tiffany flirt with the men.

  Jacey felt compelled to look in the direction of the table full of strangers. Tiffany was using her standard body language on a particularly handsome man with a clean-cut, youthful face. He had a modern haircut, which was short on the sides and slightly longer on top with stray locks falling into bangs. Jacey had to admit he was handsome. She had a sneaky suspicion about handsome men. Too often, they knew they were handsome and reeked of arrogance. Jacey now felt compelled to scan the other four men and woman. The woman was rather serious looking and refined adding an odd sort of attractiveness about her. She wore her nearly black hair back in a bun. Her lips were red and pinched in an almost prudish manner. She was more than likely stuck on herself. There was a definite class about the woman, which almost made Jacey envious. She was undoubtedly respected, which was something Jacey couldn’t seem to achieve but desperately sought. Men seemed to come on hard then react defensively when she’d turn them down. It appeared some thought country girls were easily had.

  One of the other men was in his fifties. He was distinguished looking with gray hair, a gray beard, and a pleasant smile. He appeared to be the typical grandfather type. There was a heavyset man with slightly longer hair. He appeared pleasant and smiled most of the time. He also did most of the talking and was rather loud. Another man was thin, tall, and lanky with light brown hair. He appeared fairly serious. He seemed to order something Tiffany couldn’t comprehend. The last man wore black rimmed glasses that screamed computer nerd while he read the menu. He had short, dark hair and the darkest eyes she’d ever seen. When Tiffany spoke to him, he appeared shy and barely made eye contact. He removed his glasses and spoke to the prissy woman beside him. Before Jacey could mind her own business, the handsome first man caught her gaze. She forced a tiny, embarrassed smile then looked back at Monique and Coleen.

  “So what would you like to do today since riding is out?” Jacey asked curiously.

  The table with the six scientists became slightly loud with laughter, mostly caused by the heavyset man. Most of the locals stared at them and talk quietly. The rumor mill would be working overtime tonight.

  “I want to tour the institution,” Monique chirped.

  “You what?” Jacey asked with some surprise.

  “Yeah, let’s check it out,” Coleen agreed. “It’s kind of like a historical site--rich with culture and scandal.”

  “They don’t give tours,” Jacey informed them firmly.

  “Oh, come on,” Monique whined. “Surely you know someone who could get us in. You said you were going to do a story for the paper.”

  “Yeah,” Coleen jumped in. “If those are the scientists, you could arrange to do an interview or something.”

  “Okay,” Jacey said with a sigh. “After we eat, I’ll go over there and introduce myself. I’ll see if they’re who I think they are and see about an interview, but you can’t possibly expect that to happen today.”

  Before their food arrived, the handsome man of the strangers, Brian Murdock, approached their table. He smiled charmingly at Jacey.

  “Excuse me, but I’m sure I know you from somewhere,” he said with conviction.

  Jacey stared at him with astonishment. How stupid did he think she was? She then forced a tiny smile and decided to play along for the sake of the girls and the article.

  “I don’t believe we’ve met before. I never forget a face,” Jacey announced.

  He laughed softly. “Perhaps it was in one of my fondest dreams,” Brian said warmly and perfectly timed his charming grin. “I’ve been searching for you my entire life.”

  Jacey couldn’t believe the old pickup lines he was using. She thought she at least
deserve some fresh lines. She held back her laughter, though her smile mocked him.

  “How interesting,” she replied and was unsure if she was more humored or insulted by the pickup line.

  “It’s destiny that brought us here together,” he continued with a warm smile.

  Monique and Coleen giggled softly. Obviously, they read him loud and clear also. If he couldn’t fool teenage girls with his bad pickup lines, how did he ever expect her to fall for them? Again, she continued to play along. She was actually starting to enjoy this game they were playing. It seemed inconceivable that he was a scientist. He didn’t sound very intelligent. Maybe he was so smart; he didn’t think some simple, country girl could comprehend his game.

  “Maybe it is,” Jacey announced simply, throwing it back at him. “You wouldn’t happen to be one of the scientists moving into the old institution, would you?” she asked.

  He appeared surprised, though he wouldn’t if he’d lived in their town. Everyone knew everyone else’s business. Almost everyone within the diner knew who they were the moment they walked through the door, even if they were a week early.

  “Yes,” he replied more naturally. “We just arrived in town last night.” His sincerity was immediately replaced with his failed attempt at charm. “Ironic that we should meet the very moment I enter town. You must see it too.”

  Jacey normally would’ve laughed and walked away by this point, but she had a mission in mind and two teenage girls to entertain on a rainy, dreary day.

  “Yes, I do,” she replied in all seriousness and added a slightly dreamy smile to lure him into her web. “Actually, I’ve been waiting for your arrival.”

  The man was again surprised then smiled with arrogance. “You have?”

  “Yes,” she replied in her best sexy tone then immediately turned professional on him. “I’m a journalist with our local paper. I’d like to come to the institution today, if it’s convenient for you and your colleagues, and conduct an interview on your current and future projects. It’s also been about ten years since anyone’s set foot inside the old building. I’d love to have a look around and see what changes have been made.”