Deadly Institution

by Holly Copella

  “Goodbye, Jacey,” he said simply.

  Maxwell grabbed Jacey from behind on the ground with her and shielded her in his arms. Jameson’s finger tightened on the trigger.

  “Haven’t you forgotten something?” came the all too familiar voice from behind him.

  Jameson’s eyes widened. Maxwell and Jacey looked up from their huddled position on the ground. Jameson spun to face Asher while aiming his gun. Asher plunged the long dagger into Jameson’s throat and straight through the back of his neck. Jameson’s eyes widened as blood flowed from his mouth. The gun fired in his hand, shooting Asher at close range. Asher was thrown backward and forcibly struck the side of the building. His eyes rolled back, and he slid down the wall.

  “No!” Jacey screamed as she pulled out of Maxwell’s arms and sprang to her feet.

  Maxwell was now on his feet and staggered after her. Jacey ran to Asher’s side and pulled his jacket away from the shoulder wound. The bullet had gone straight through. She looked back at Maxwell, who held his own bleeding shoulder.

  “Stay with him. Keep pressure on the wound,” Maxwell called out. “I’ll get an ambulance.” He attempted to run to the front of the institution.

  Jacey applied pressure to Asher’s shoulder wound. He gasped loudly and jerked awake from his unconscious state. He looked at her with some disorientation. His eyes rolled shut.

  “Katie,” he gasped softly while smiling and touched her face. “I thought I’d lost you.”

  Jacey moved closer to him and clung to his neck. “Oh, Asher,” she gasped softly. “You’re going to be fine. An ambulance will be here soon.” She pulled away just far enough to look into his eyes and forced a smile. She knew that was a lie and that they’d never get to him in time. “It’s going to be fine,” she said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

  His eyes once more opened. His hand stroked her hair. “I won’t ever leave you, Katie.”

  His mouth covered hers, and he kissed her passionately. Jacey tensed with surprise then returned the kiss. Asher’s arm slipped from her shoulder, and he lie motionless. Jacey’s mouth opened with horror as the tears flowed.

  “Asher?” she gasped.

  Sirens could be heard in the distance. Jacey lifted her head with confusion. Maxwell couldn’t have gotten help already. The nearest ambulance was half an hour away. The fire trucks, police cars, a taxi, and ambulance pulled onto the institution grounds. They were responding to the fire alarm Asher pulled in the west wing! Jacey sprang to her feet and threw her bloodied hands in the air. A dark figure was seen fleeing from the workshop not far from her.

  “Over here,” she cried out and wildly waved her arms to the approaching ambulance. “Here!”

  There was a loud squeal from a horse. Jacey spun around and saw Mayor Norad climb on top of the paint horse. He spun the horse into a tight circle then sent the horse into a gallop across the back lawn. The ambulance crew rushed around the building. Monique, Coleen, Timon, and Sheriff Monroe came out through the workshop entrance. Timon and Sheriff Monroe pulled a barely standing Brian from the building. Timon released Brian and ran past the ambulance crew attending to Asher.

  “There’s a fire in the basement!” Timon cried out and pointed to the workshop.

  Monique ran across the lawn and stared after Mayor Norad riding her horse across the estate. The disgust was evident on her face. She placed her fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly. The big paint skidded to a halt and slung its large head while Howard fought it with the reins. Monique whistled again. The horse slung its head violently, kicked out its back legs, and bolted back toward the institution despite the taunt reins. Howard fought the horse. The horse ran directly for Monique. She firmly placed her hands in front of her.

  “Whoa!”

  The horse skidded to a halt. She raised her hand high in the air with a cluck of her tongue. The horse snorted and reared up, pawing the air with its hooves on command. Howard toppled off the back of the horse, landing on his backside. He sprang to his feet and ran across the grounds. Monroe yelled and ran after him. The sheriff stopped halfway across the grounds and fired a warning shot. Howard didn’t stop. He passed through the back gate and disappeared into the woods with Sheriff Monroe in hot pursuit. Jacey hurried alongside the stretcher, holding Asher’s hand as they approached the ambulance. Another paramedic escorted Maxwell to the ambulance as well. Professor limped toward them with a look of astonishment on his face.

  “What did I miss?” he asked in an airy breath.

  Jacey looked at Professor. “Watch the girls,” she instructed and climbed into the ambulance with Asher and Maxwell.

  The doors slammed shut and the ambulance sped off. Professor walked toward the small group as the paramedic tended to Brian, who was an off-white color.

  “What happened?” Professor asked with knitted brows. “What’s going on?”

  Monique and Coleen saw Professor. Both screamed and ran to him. They hugged him happily and talked at once. He calmed them, held onto both of them, and looked from Doc and Timon to Brian.

  “What happened to you?” Professor asked Brian.

  Brian looked up and shivered while clinging to the blanket around his shoulders. “I--I locked myself in a freezer.”

  Professor tilted his head with disbelief then looked at the bloodied body of Deputy Jameson. The firefighters pulled the hose in through the workshop and worked frantically. Professor looked back at his colleagues.

  “I don’t suppose anyone wants to hear about my evening, huh?” he remarked.

  Monique and Coleen tugged on Professor’s arms.

  “We have to go to the hospital,” Coleen begged.

  Monique nodded. “We made a terrible mistake about Asher. Now he might die.”

  “That’s the guy who took me to the hospital,” Professor said simply. “Was that him on the stretcher?”

  Both girls nodded.

  “Professor, why don’t you and Timon take the girls to the hospital and keep Jacey company? Angela and I will look after Brian and assist the fire department,” Doc announced and nodded them away.

  Professor nodded. Timon hurried after them.

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Jacey, looking worse for wear in her torn dress, walked along the hospital corridor with Monique and Coleen. It was a little after midnight. A nurse stormed out of the last room on the right. Jacey paused by the doorway. The nurse looked at her and frowned.

  “Are you going in there?” she asked firmly.

  Jacey slowly nodded.

  “Lord help you,” the nurse scoffed and walked away.

  The nurse was heard muttering the entire way down the hall. Jacey wondered what had happened and uncertainly entered the room first. She could hear two male voices arguing loudly. Asher and Maxwell lie in their respective beds while aiming their remotes at the sole television in the middle of the room. The channel switched back and forth. Jacey paused near the foot end of Asher’s bed and stared at both men disapprovingly. She cleared her throat and folded her arms across her chest. Both men looked at her. Asher tossed the remote aside and looked at Maxwell with a broad smile.

  “Television’s yours. I have visitors,” Asher said while reaching for the curtain and pulled it shut.

  Maxwell pulled it open with a frown. “They’re my visitors too,” he sulked.

  “Knock it off you two,” Jacey snapped. “You sound like a couple of children.”

  Both silenced, appeared scolded, and looked at her. Monique and Coleen entered the room while looking down at the floor with sorrowful expressions.

  “Monique and Coleen would like to talk to you, Asher,” Jacey said gently then nodded them toward him.

  Jacey walked between the two beds and pulled the curtain for privacy. Monique and Coleen approached Asher’s bed.

  “We’re so sorry about how we treated you the last couple of days,” Coleen said softly.

  Monique nodded. “We were scared, and we didn’t know what to do, especially after what we
’d seen--”

  Asher smiled warmly. “I understand that you were frightened. After all the things you’d been told about me by Deputy Jameson, you had every right not to trust me.” He inhaled deeply then cringed with some discomfort to his shoulder. His smile returned. “I hope I hadn’t upset you too much with what I had to do in the corridor.”

  They shrugged.

  “I think we’ll survive the trauma,” Monique teased.

  Jacey sat on the edge of Maxwell’s bed on the other side of the curtain and smiled reassuringly. “They’re keeping both of you overnight just for observation.”

  Maxwell chuckled softly and raised his brows. “I think our nurse is in for a long night,” he announced. “Your friend is a terrible patient.”

  “I heard that,” came Asher’s voice from the other side of the curtain.

  “You were meant to!” Maxwell shouted back at the curtain. Maxwell then returned his attention to Jacey. “I can’t believe I was shot and stabbed in the same night.” He appeared to consider. “In the same shoulder too. What are the odds?”

  She smiled and shrugged. “I’d say pretty good,” she remarked. “Jameson was obviously a lousy shot.”

  “I’m grateful to that,” he replied. “Are the others coming?”

  Jacey nodded. “Brian wanted to come along, so Doc and Angela are going to bring him in an hour or so. Professor is with Timon in the emergency room. He needed stitches on his arm. They’ll be up just as soon as he’s been seen.”

  Maxwell looked at her torn evening dress and stockings then met her gaze. He smiled timidly and raised his brows. “So--did you enjoy the party?”

  Jacey hid her smile and shook her head while laughing softly. “No, not really, but it certainly wasn’t boring. I think we should spend a quiet evening at home on our next date.”

  Maxwell gently tilted his head and smiled timidly. “You really want to go out with me?”

  “Yes, I really do,” she replied warmly and stroked his hand. “I’m looking forward to spending time with you.” She leaned closer and kissed him on the lips. Jacey pulled away and gently bit her lower lip.

  His smile broadened. “I’m not doing anything for the next fifty years,” he said and gently stroked her lower arm without looking into her eyes.

  Jacey giggled softly, kissed his cheek, and whispered in his ear. “Neither am I.”

  The curtain bounced as something struck it. “It’s too quiet over there,” Asher snapped.

  Maxwell held Jacey in his arms and moaned softly. “And I thought Timon made a terrible roommate.”

  “Talking about me?” came Timon’s voice from the foot end of the bed. He stared at them and grinned. “Oh, Asher! He has her in his bed!” Timon laughed evilly.

  Professor, Monique, and Coleen peeked around the curtain as well. Jacey cleared her throat and stood while blushing. She pointed to the curtain.

  “I’ll be right next door.”

  Jacey walked toward the foot of the bed and playfully smacked Timon as she passed. She walked around the corner and saw Asher holding a stuffed teddy bear in a hospital gown. He looked up at her and smiled.

  “Look what your friends got for me,” Asher said with a boyish grin.

  Jacey approached his bed and sat on the edge facing him. “I think they’re your friends now too,” she said warmly.

  “I think you might be right. Our first official poker game is the day after tomorrow,” he said with a tiny laugh. “I like them. They’re a nice bunch.”

  Jacey placed her hand on his with tears in her eyes. “I was really afraid you were going to leave me,” she said softly.

  He squeezed her hand and mocked her with his smile. “You couldn’t get rid of me even if you tried. I’m beginning to think I’m immortal or something,” he teased warmly. “The doctor said the gunshot wasn’t bad. He was more worried about my concussion when I hit the wall.”

  Jacey laughed softly. She then looked down and touched the torn dress with her left hand. “I’m afraid the dress didn’t survive the evening,” she said gently.

  “It’s unimportant,” he replied. He tilted his head slightly. “I spoke with Sheriff Monroe in the emergency room. He told me Howard got away.”

  She nodded. “He tried to burn the evidence, not that it would’ve mattered.”

  “Not considering I received a full confession from Dr. Talbert on Howard’s involvement,” Asher informed her. “He gave the orders for the killings, and he intended to cover any evidence of it at all costs.”

  “I’d rather not discuss it anymore tonight,” she said softly. “I’m just starting to feel better after all that’s happened. At least you’re in the clear.”

  Asher was silent a moment. “There’s something I wanted to tell you for a long time, Jacey. It’s not really important, but it’s something you may want to know about me.”

  Jacey stared at him and held her breath. Her heart skipped a beat with nervous anticipation of something she may not want to know.

  “When I met Katie, I was working for the CIA,” he said gently. “All my records were kept classified when I left to protect me and those I loved. It’s because of this lack of information that everyone thought I was some sort of criminal. I can’t divulge this to anyone else, no matter what the town may think of me. Maxwell promised he’d never tell.”

  Jacey smiled with a tiny, relieved laugh. “That’s the big secret?” she asked. “I knew that years ago.”

  Asher appeared puzzled and tilted his head. “You did?”

  She nodded with some embarrassment. “I found some old papers in that box of pictures we went through. I assumed you’d tell me when you were ready.”

  Asher rolled his eyes and chuckled softly. “I don’t suppose I have any secrets from you, do I?”

  “Maybe one or two,” she replied warmly. Jacey placed her free hand on top of his and played with his wedding band. “Asher?”

  “Yes, darling,” he said warmly.

  Jacey hesitated without looking up. “Did you know you called me Katie earlier?”

  She looked up and met his gaze. He stared at her a long moment. A tiny smile crossed his face.

  “I was a little delirious,” he said softly and stared at her hands while gently caressing them. “I should probably apologize for my behavior.”

  Jacey forced him to meet her gaze and shook her head. “Don’t apologize,” she said gently while smiling warmly. “I didn’t mind. You’re my best friend, Asher. Although I’ve never said it, you know I love you.”

  Asher squeezed her hand then pulled her against him and held her. Jacey clung to him and closed her eyes.

  “I know,” he whispered and gently rubbed her back.

  †

  Asher entered his cabin in the dim light of the table lamp he’d left on earlier that evening. Two days had passed since the incident at the institution, and he seemed to be recovering nicely. He closed the door behind him and tossed his keys on the nearby hall table. He walked across the sitting room and collapsed in a plush chair. Asher looked at his watch then picked up the phone and dialed a number. He waited a minute then smiled.

  “Good evening, Jacey,” he announced cheerfully. “It’s midnight. Send Dr. Alvord home now.” He laughed softly. “The poker game went fine. I let them win this time.” He listened then laughed again. “Yes, we had a great time starting rumors about you and Maxwell. Just behave, and give Maxwell a message from me. Tell him I have a wedding band and a shotgun, so he’d better behave.” Asher laughed again. “Good night, darling.”

  Asher hung up the phone and sighed. He stood slowly, rubbed his shoulder, and headed for the kitchen. He filled a water container and entered the dark sunroom. He turned on the light. Howard Norad sat in the wicker chair with his feet propped on the coffee table. Asher studied the gun in the mayor’s hand then turned and proceeded toward the hanging plants.

  “Would you mind removing your feet from the coffee table? It makes smudges.”

  Howard place
d his feet on the floor and stood abruptly. “Sarcastic to the very end,” he snapped coldly. “Honestly, I’m not going to miss you.”

  Asher set the water container down and nodded knowingly with a tiny smile. “I should warn you, killing me isn’t as easy as you might think.”

  “I’ll take it under advisement,” Howard replied and snorted a laugh.

  †

  8:00 A.M.

  Jacey rode her horse to Asher’s house the following morning and dismounted near the fence surrounding the garden. She tied her horse and hurried through the back gate. She had some exciting news and wanted him to be the first person she told.

  “Asher,” she announced excitedly. “Wait until I tell you about last night!”

  Jacey looked around the garden but didn’t see him anywhere. She turned and hurried toward the sunroom entrance. Jacey opened the door and saw all the wicker furniture was gone. She wondered what happened.

  “Asher?” she called and looked around.

  She was about to enter the sunroom, when she heard a sharp yell from behind her.

  “No!”

  Jacey spun around and saw Asher approach from the garage. He wiped his soiled hands on an old rag and smiled broadly. He had startled her, but she suspected he enjoyed those moments.

  “The floor’s still wet. I just shampooed the carpet this morning,” he said simply. “So how did your date go with Dr. Alvord?”

  Jacey sighed happily. “Oh, he’s wonderful.”