Taking of Eden
Robin Alexander
Prologue
Slate blue eyes snapped open at exactly five thirty. After years of repeating the daily process, her body needed no prompting from an alarm to rise at the same hour each morning. She ran her fingers through her shoulder-length brown hair while walking into the bathroom to begin her daily regimen. She stared at her reflection in the mirror while brushing her teeth, frowning when she realized her eyes looked red and puffy. After applying some eye drops, she stepped into the shower, waking fully when lukewarm water hit her in the face.
With her wet hair wrapped in a towel, she walked naked into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. This morning, she felt self-conscious for the first time. Unable to shake the uneasy feeling that someone was watching her, she pulled the towel from her hair and wrapped it around her body. She glanced around the room as goose bumps rose on her skin from the stranger whose eyes she felt upon her.
She returned to the bathroom to finish getting ready, unable to shake the eerie feeling that someone was there. When she was dressed, she cautiously walked through her house, feeling that at any moment she could come face-to-face with someone. Grabbing her coffee, she hurried to be on her way and free of the creepy sensation that made her skin crawl.
Pausing in the foyer to pick up her purse and keys, she took one last glance in the mirror. Her tailored navy business suit fit her tall, slender form well. The azure blouse brought out the blue in her eyes. Hair, lipstick, and makeup were flawless; she was ready to face the world.
It was when she reached for the door and found that it would not open that the trouble began.
"How long has she been like this?" Jamie Spencer asked, feeling deep sorrow and compassion for the beautiful patient she watched through the observation window.
"Since the day they brought her in, a month and a half ago," Holly Patton sighed. "Each day is the same; she seems to be going through her daily routine of getting dressed for work. When she realizes that she can't open the door, she becomes agitated and sometimes has to be restrained."
"It's so sad," Jamie whispered against the glass. She could never separate her feelings of empathy and compassion for her patients. Facing death and illness that she was powerless to control, she resigned from her job as a neuro ICU nurse and took what she perceived to be a more sedate position at McManus Mental Health Center.
Holly stood just behind Jamie, studying the new nurse's face reflected in the glass. Fine lines around intelligent brown eyes told the truth of her age despite the blonde ponytail that sat high on her head, making her appear much younger. Baggy scrubs hid from view what Holly suspected to be a well-toned body from the muscle displayed in her arms. The senior nurse surmised that Jamie would have no problems handling herself with some of the more unruly patients.
"If you're wealthy or famous in the Carolinas, this is the place to come to get your mind back in the game or to wean yourself off whatever has you by the tail," Holly explained as they continued the tour. "Discretion and privacy is our creed. According to Carmen, our supervisor, that's why you were chosen for this job—aside from the fact that your previous employer sang your praises."
"I respect the privacy of all my patients, so that won't be a problem." Jamie smiled back at Holly, sensing a sudden underlying tension.
"The public as a whole doesn't even know we exist; that's of course why we're tucked away in the woods. There are no advertisements, nor are we listed in the phone book. That's why personnel contacted you; otherwise, you would've never heard of us."
"Then how do you generate business?" Jamie asked as she followed Holly through the maze-like hallways.
"Simply by word of mouth in the most elite circles." Holly stopped and looked around before turning her attention on Jamie. "And be careful what you discuss within these walls, Jamie. You'll find that this place is unlike any other you've ever worked for; covering your ass is a must."
Chapter One
Dr. Susan Lappin pushed away from her desk and rubbed her fatigued and weary eyes. Today was the day she had set aside to handle the paperwork she dreaded to contend with. She pushed herself hard through the mountain of forms and files because tonight she had a date with a goddess. Her pulse quickened in anticipation. Never in her life had she enjoyed the company of a woman so sexy and alluring; she loved seeing the desire in the eyes of others for what belonged to her now. Glancing down at her watch, she was pleased to note that she had plenty of time to make it home and shower before the goddess was due to arrive.
Susan was not a fool. She had no outstanding physical attributes that would catch the eye of someone like Laura McManus. She wasn't wealthy either—far from it. Her financial situation was the reason she agreed to Laura's little extortion scheme. The only thing the pudgy doctor had going for her was the ability to keep Laura's lover confined while they chipped away at her bank account. That alone would keep the voluptuous blonde in her bed for as long it took to extract the money, then leave everything behind. After that, it didn't matter to her whose bed Laura shared.
Brown eyes watched from a distance as Carmen Hollis led her special patient on a walk around the grounds. When they drew closer, Jamie smiled as Carmen quickly ushered her patient past her, making it painfully obvious that she had no desire to be drawn into a conversation. The patient's slate blue eyes caught hers for a moment as they passed, leaving Jamie to stare after them with a strange sense of foreboding.
The patient Jamie had come to know as Ellen looked back over her shoulder with such a sad expression in her eyes that Jamie felt compelled to run to her, but she fought the urge. She watched helplessly as Carmen tugged her forcefully toward the glass doors of the mental facility. The patient allowed herself to be led but did not release Jamie from her gaze until she disappeared behind the doors.
Sitting in the shade of an oak tree, Jamie nibbled at her lunch and wondered if she had given up too easily on her job at the hospital. This quiet facility in the middle of nowhere was a far cry from the place she came from. Her new job wasn't filled with the challenges that she faced at the busy hospital, but the work still invigorated her. She had developed a fondness for all her patients, and they responded well to her. Jamie's idea of care was to treat the whole patient, not just his or her condition. Her compassion and devotion to their comfort and needs was apparent in all she did. This made her an instant favorite of all in her care, with the exception of one.
Ellen Edmonds was a mystery to her. Often when she had a spare moment or two, she would find herself at the observation window of the mysterious woman's room, mesmerized at the way Ellen paced back and forth like something wild in confinement. Other times, she would appear as though she was diligently working on something, her brow furrowed in deep concentration working with objects that weren't there.
She learned early on that none of the staff had access to Ellen's chart and not to question it. Carmen, the nursing supervisor, was solely responsible for her care and made that fact implicitly clear when Jamie questioned the wisdom of keeping a patient's chart from other caregivers. She argued that if Carmen was off duty and Ellen needed emergency care, they could do more harm not knowing anything about her medical history. Carmen curtly dismissed her claims by stating that she could be reached anytime, day or night, and could be there within five minutes.
"Unorthodox, very unorthodox," Jamie murmured under her breath.
"What's unorthodox?" Holly startled Jamie as she sat across from her at the picnic table.
Jamie regarded Holly as she spread out her lunch. They'd only known each other for a month but clicked instantly. Their friendship had grown close almost overnight, and one often knew what the other was thinking and communicated with a nod or
glance.
Holly seemed to share her obsession with the mysterious patient. Jamie found her time and again at the observation window watching Ellen with a grim expression on her face. Jamie debated internally for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "I probably shouldn't say anything. I've only been here a month, and I'm sure it would be considered audacious of me to criticize policy already."
Holly glanced around as she bit into her sandwich. She looked back at Jamie and swallowed the bite before speaking. "You're wondering about Ellen and why all the secrecy. We all do, but everyone here knows not to push Carmen. The last person who did bounced out of here so fast she didn't have time to collect her personal belongings. The doctors don't question her authority, and the administrator thinks the sun rises and sets on her shoulders." Holly took another look over her shoulder, then lowered her voice.
"When Ellen arrived, Carmen called a staff meeting and explained that Dr. Lappin was administering some new medications and the dosing was complicated. Carmen is the only one the doctor trusts with this task. She told us in no uncertain terms that she was her patient and strictly hands-off. Even when the nursing assistants take her to bathe, Carmen oversees the whole thing. And don't even try to talk to her when Carmen isn't here in the evenings because she has little snitches everywhere who want to remain in her good graces."
"I've never worked in a place where patient information is withheld from the staff. Is this standard procedure around here?"
Holly took a sip of her drink and glanced around again, making sure no one was close enough to overhear. "I like you, Jamie, and I think you're an outstanding nurse..." Holly chewed her lip for a moment. "I'm about to tell you something that I don't want repeated. If you break my trust, it could be detrimental to Ellen, and I will straight up kick your ass. Give me your word that this will stay between us."
Jamie stared Holly in the eyes. "You have my word that whatever you say will never be shared with anyone unless we both agree on it."
Satisfied with the response, Holly continued cautiously. "A week before you started here, Carmen got into a car accident on her way to work. No one was injured, but she was significantly delayed getting here. You can set your watch by her; she's never late. This concerned me because I knew that Ellen was due for her meds, so I went to her room and sat with her until Carmen arrived." Holly paused and took a bite of her sandwich, fighting back the grin as she watched Jamie's eyes go round in frustration.
"She was awake when I walked into her room and sitting up in bed. I explained that Carmen would be delayed and asked if she needed anything. She inquired about having a phone put in her room and wanted to know why they were still keeping her here. She seemed to think she was in a hospital, and I thought it wise to allow her to continue to think so."
Holly took another sip of her drink. "Rumor has it that she had a complete breakdown and babbles like an idiot. Carmen describes her as totally incoherent, but the woman I talked to seems..." Holly paused again and looked over her shoulder. "I don't know. It's just strange. You'd have to talk to her yourself to understand."
Jamie rubbed her brow, confused by what Holly was trying to tell her. "I'm not sure what you mean by all of this. It is strange that they keep everyone away from her, and I can't deny that it concerns me, but I don't know what you're implying."
"I've watched her ever since that morning I spoke to her. She seems like a perfectly normal person until she gets her meds, then she whacks out."
"What about her family?" Jamie asked as she tucked her half-eaten sandwich back in its bag. "Surely they can tell us if she's acting normal or not."
"Not a soul has come to visit her since she's been here. Don't you find this strange?"
"Okay, let's cut to the chase here," Jamie huffed in exasperation. "Are you saying that she's being held here and experimented on like a lab rat? That just doesn't make sense, especially for a place that caters to upscale clientele."
"You're right, it doesn't, but I think you should talk to her, and afterward, if you don't agree that something is very suspicious about her, then I'll drop it."
Jamie looked at Holly incredulously. "After what you just told me, you want me to waltz into her room and have a chat? Why don't we just talk to one of the other doctors about this or even Dr. Lappin?"
"I don't think that would be a very good idea. I've never met Dr. Lappin, but I've seen her come in from time to time. Carmen is with her the minute she walks in the door and she doesn't so much as acknowledge the rest of the staff. Whatever is going on, you can bet Dr. Lappin is involved, and if we ask another doctor on staff, she may get wind of it."
Holly watched as Jamie nervously played with her hair. "Listen to my plan before you get all freaked out. Carmen arrives at six on the dot. If you get here around five thirty, you'll have a few minutes to talk to Ellen undisturbed. Everyone is busy with paperwork before shift change and I'll stand lookout. You can get in and out before anyone notices you're even here."
Jamie shook her head nervously. "I just took this job, Holly, I can't afford to get my ass in a sling already."
"Think about it, Jamie. They could be doing something very wrong here, and we can't just turn a blind eye to it," Holly pleaded as she packed up the remainder of her food.
"I don't like sticking my nose where it doesn't belong," Jamie mumbled as the internal debate raged inside of her. "What if we're way off base here?"
"There's only one way to know for sure. You have to admit that things simply don't add up."
Jamie exhaled. "Okay, I'll do it, but you have to promise me that you'll be on the lookout. I have no desire to return to the hospital with my tail tucked between my legs after being fired for meddling in someone's private affairs."
Holly genuinely smiled for the first time during their conversation. "I've got your back. Now remember, we don't discuss anything unless it's out here or away from the center altogether. Let's get back in there before Carmen the Terrible hunts us down."
Jamie found it hard to concentrate on her work as the conversation with Holly played over and over in her head. She tapped her pen nervously on the nurse's station desk as her mind wandered. She was brought back to the present when an angry voice called her attention.
"Did you sleep with him, too?" Jamie looked up to find Mrs. Hammond standing in front of her with a look of contempt on her face.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Hammond?"
"You heard what I asked you. Don't play coy with me, you little tramp!"
Jamie glanced at Holly for help. Her friend turned her back to hide her laughter, leaving Jamie to fend for herself.
"What are you talking about, Mrs. Hammond?" she asked with a smile.
"My husband, of course! He's played hide the salami with half the women in this state and is partial to pretty blondes!" The patient spat angrily.
"Mrs. Hammond, I can assure you it has never crossed my mind to be intimate with your husband. I'm a lesbian."
The older woman's face fell slack. "Oh" was the only reply she could muster before one of the aides came to the rescue and led the woman back to the commons area where she could watch her favorite television program.
Holly still had her back turned to Jamie, but her body shook with silent laughter. "Bitch," Jamie said, as she threw an unopened pack of peanuts, hitting Holly square in the back. Holly spun around in her chair and chuckled out loud when she realized that the patient could no longer hear them.
"That was priceless!" she said with tears streaming down her face. "I've gotta tell Kelly about this, Mrs. Hammond rips her up daily. Maybe she can claim to be a lesbian, too. That was good, by the way. I've never heard anyone silence that woman so quickly," Holly said as she wiped her eyes.
Jamie crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. "The only problem with that is that Kelly is straight."
The grin dropped from Holly's face. "And you're not?"
It was Jamie's turn to laugh. "Nope."
"Wow...well, I mean it's your...um...thing, I
guess," Holly stammered as her face colored.
"Does this offend you?"
"No, not at all. To each her own, ya know? Really, Jamie, it makes no difference to me. I like you for who you are. You just shocked the hell out of me," Holly said as she stood. "It's time to give Mr. Allen his meds, but we'll continue this conversation later. I wanna know all about how two women do it," Holly said with an evil grin as she walked away chuckling.
"Holly?" She paused as Jamie called after her. "You have a great ass."
"Bitch," Holly mouthed at her before disappearing into her patient's room.
Jamie heard a ruckus coming from the south hall. Knowing that was where Ellen's room was located, she ran to see if she could be of assistance. She rounded the corner just in time to see two nursing assistants and Carmen dodge a chair.
"Miss Edmonds, please calm down," one of the assistants pleaded while she ducked as a plate narrowly missed her head.
"How many times do I have to tell you that I am not Miss Edmonds?" The angry patient screamed at the top of her lungs.
Jamie watched from the safety of the observation glass. She had only heard of this patient's antics but never had the opportunity to witness it. Normally, she would have stepped in to help, but since Carmen made such a fuss about no one handling Ellen Edmonds but her, Jamie leaned against the wall and watched in fiendish delight.
One of the assistants took a cautious step forward and tried to reason with the patient who was already choosing another weapon from her arsenal. She waved a bowl of something that Jamie could not distinguish at the woman who timidly approached. "Are you hungry?" Ellen asked as she taunted Carmen and her staff. "I'll stuff this down the throat of the first person who gets anywhere near me!"
The assistant stopped dead in her tracks. Carmen stood frozen to the spot, as well, obviously trying to formulate a plan.
"I want a phone, and I want it now!" Ellen seethed as she kept a steady eye on the three women kept at bay with a plastic bowl.
"Miss Edmonds, you need to calm down, we're only trying to help," the other assistant said, trying to draw attention away from Carmen and the other assistant.
The Taking of Eden Page 1
