A Little More Dead

by Jordaina Sydney Robinson

  “Must have. How did you find the tour of the asylum? Helpful?” Timothy asked, changing the topic.

  “Interesting. Until, y’know, the whole dead body thing happened,” I said with a shrug.

  “Rumour has it you’re quite au fait with those now,” he said and gave me a pleasant smile.

  “You’d think so, wouldn’t you?” Since he’d opened the subject by addressing my familiarity with murderers I saw no problem asking what I wanted to know. “Do you think Katie killed him to create a distraction to escape?”

  Timothy startled. “That’s a pretty direct question.”

  I shrugged. “You brought it up. And you were her GA leader so you’d have a pretty good idea if she was capable of it or not.”

  “As would your parole officer. I believe she was his ward,” Timothy deflected neatly.

  “But he didn’t visit her, you did.”

  Timothy sighed. “I’d say no. But then I didn’t think she’d have tried to strangle her housemate either, so …” Timothy let the sentence trail off as he turned to survey his group, his attention jumping around the gathering like a parent making sure all his children were behaving. “You’re a lot like her, I think. Same attitude, same directness, same unwillingness to adjust.”

  I didn’t know why but I suddenly felt annoyed at being compared to her. And I couldn’t even tell if it was a favourable comparison or not.

  “Yeah, but I bet she didn’t have dead people falling out at her every time she opened a door.”

  “We all have our skeletons, Bridget,” Timothy reproached me gently.

  “Maybe, but mine stay in my closet. They’re not jumping out at other people and bleeding all over their uniforms.”

  Timothy pressed his lips together and sighed heavily. “I’d have thought you’d have had more compassion for Katie. She struggled with many of the things I think you’re struggling with.”

  “Maybe. But I’m not putting my hands around my housemates’ necks when they’re trying to be nice to me or bludgeoning my friends to death.”

  Timothy regarded me as if weighing my worth. I very much got the feeling he found me wanting. “Enjoy the meeting, Bridget,” he said before walking away.

  “Did you ask him if Katie killed Lily?” Sabrina asked, coming up behind me and watching Timothy join a small group near the refreshments table.

  “He didn’t give me a definitive answer. But he said I was supposed to be in this GA group and Oz requested a change.”

  “Well, that’s interesting.” Sabrina said. “Funny how no one will definitely say that they think Katie killed those people. What we need is an inside source. Someone to question the patients, snoop through the patient files, generally gather useful information without raising suspicion.”

  “We’ve still got Gary,” I reminder her.

  She nodded. “That’s true but I don’t see him snooping through Katie’s patient file for us unless you really do have sex with him.”

  “That’s not happening.”

  “Are you sure?” Sabrina asked and I wasn’t entirely sure she was joking.

  “Yes. I’m sure.”

  “You’ve still got that visitor pass, right? So you could be our snooper.”

  I shook my head. “Oz took it off me and frankly I’d much rather not go back there if at all possible.”

  “But we need information,” Sabrina persisted.

  “Hi, Bridget,” Alex said and both Sabrina and I spun around to face him. Sabrina’s hand went straight to her pocket and whatever weapon she was keeping in there these days. Alex immediately stepped back, hands up in the air. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I thought you’d heard me. Hi, Sabrina.”

  “What are you doing here?” I asked more calmly than I felt. It was one thing seeing him in the asylum, but quite another seeing him free range and loose.

  “I’m … I told you. I’m being released,” Alex said. When he realised neither of us were going to speak he rushed on into an explanation. “I was originally assessed by Dr Watson but after that whole mess of trouble I was reassessed a few days ago. Apparently, they found me well adjusted enough to be released.” He almost sounded embarrassed and gave a small shrug that looked awkward on his big frame. Or maybe it was the emotion behind it that forced the awkwardness. “Part of the reintegration process is that I attend the GA meetings here.” Still neither of us spoke. Alex continued as if he needed to fill the silence. “Sabrina, I owe you an apology, too.”

  “You owe me so much more than that,” Sabrina nodded. “You really do. I still can’t sleep. I had nightmares. Nightmares, Alex. I’m jumping at my own shadow. I’m having a really, really bad time.”

  I glanced over my shoulder at her. She was up to something.

  “I really am so sorry. I wasn’t thinking straight at the time.” Alex held out his hands entreatingly to Sabrina. “What can I do to make it right?”

  Sabrina rubbed her hands together, not even trying to conceal her glee at having found our snooper. “Well, Alex, I’m so glad you asked.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “Where have you been, hon?” Anna asked as I walked into reception. “You know you’re not allowed to go wandering off by yourself.”

  “I didn’t. I went with Sabrina,” I said as I leaned over the counter and peered through the open door to the back room to see if I could see Alexander.

  “Hon!” Anna slapped her hand on the counter, making me jump. “You can’t just do that. You should’ve gone home. Or found Burt, at least.”

  “Well, Officer Leonard took us so we didn’t just do anything.”

  Alexander rushed up to the counter from along the corridor. “Bridget, I’m so sorry. Have you been waiting long?”

  I waved off his apology. “It’s fine, Alexander, take your time.”

  “Why weren’t you behind your desk?” Anna snapped. “This post is supposed to be manned at all times.”

  Alexander’s eyes flicked to me and then back to Anna. I glanced back in the direction he’d come. Had he been on a bathroom break? Alexander preferred to use the ladies’ toilets because they were cleaner than the men’s toilets. Couldn’t really blame him.

  “He gets stiff from sitting here all day so sometimes he does lunges along the corridor. The desk is never out of his sight,” I said. I had no idea why I was lying for him. Or why I wanted to lie but it just came out.

  “That’s exactly right,” Alexander said, in the stiffest attempt at agreement I had ever seen.

  Anna shook her head. “Still, I think—”

  “Do you have my assignment sheet please, Alexander?” I asked, cutting Anna off.

  “Absolutely!” Alexander snapped to attention and grabbed a clipboard from behind the counter and the sign-out book. I signed in all the places I was supposed to sign and handed the book back to him. “Thank you, Bridget,” he said and I heard a thank you for lying for him in there too.

  “You’re welcome, Alexander.” I gave him a genuine smile and received his tooth-pinger in return.

  “Have a great day, Bridget,” he said as I turned and began walking up the corridor with Anna in tow. “And I hope you don’t find anymore dead bodies.”

  “Me too,” I said over my shoulder, resisting the urge to tell him that now he’d just jinxed me and I probably would find a dead body. He was trying to be nice. It didn’t seem fair to be rude in return. I turned back to Anna. “I’m assuming that since you’re free that Officer Leonard didn’t have enough proof to arrest you for the unauthorised haunting or for murdering Jason.”

  “Of course not. I didn’t do either of those things.”

  “What did he want to talk to you about then?” I asked. I wasn’t going to argue the toss of the haunting or the murder. Mainly because I knew she’d been the one who committed the unauthorised haunting and I was also mostly-fairly-almost certain she hadn’t committed the murder. Not completely certain, mind, just mostly-fairly-almost certain.

  “That’s confidentia
l, hon,” she said with a pitying smile at me as we walked into the tunnelling room.

  “So it had nothing to do with your illegal affair with the deceased?” I asked and had a certain sense of satisfaction as Anna gaped for something to say. “I’d have thought he’d want to talk to you about that.”

  “I don’t know what you think you know—”

  “I’ve just told you what I know,” I said, positioning myself on a tunnelling circle. “I’m pretty sure Officer Leonard knows too, so I’d have thought he would’ve mentioned it.”

  “Look, hon, I know it must be really frustrating for you to not know absolutely everything that’s going on, but some things are just too complicated for you to understand. So, how about you don’t worry about what information Officer Leonard needed from me and get on with your job, okay?”

  Before I could argue the point Anna placed her hand on my arm and tunnelled us to the first assignment.

  ∞

  “Anna!” Sabrina said when she saw us appear near the stone marker after work, ready for our GA meeting. “How lovely to see you free. I thought for sure you’d be locked up for eternity.”

  “Thanks, Sabrina, but I’m not a criminal,” Anna said with a glance in my direction. I was going to challenge it but really, all I wanted was to get to the Anna-free part of my day, the part when I wasn’t sleeping.

  “He didn’t ask you about the dead body that just happened to be your illegal boyfriend who died with a smudge of your lipstick on his collar at all?” Sabrina asked, putting on her best shocked face.

  Anna pressed her lips together. “He wasn’t my boyfriend, illegal or otherwise, and I have no idea what you mean about the lipstick.”

  Sabrina purposely cast a worried glance my way before turning back to Anna. “But if he didn’t ask you about it, how can they rule you out?” Sabrina gasped and covered her heart with both hands. “You don’t think they might truly suspect you, do you? And by pulling you in but not actually asking you anything they’re trying to lure you into a false sense of security so you’ll start to make mistakes. Or that you’ll feel the need to double-check your alibi or whatever and catch you that way?”

  “But I have nothing to hide,” Anna said in a tone that implied she definitely had something to hide.

  And in that moment I understood why Sabrina should always be in charge of suspect questioning. She was so much better at it than me it was embarrassing.

  “So, they didn’t ask you about it at all? Not even in a sneaky Columbo way?” Sabrina pressed.

  “In a what way?” Anna asked.

  “Y’know, when he finishes questioning a suspect and then goes to leave, only to turn back at the last moment with the killer question. No pun intended.”

  Anna shook her head, worry creasing her eyes. “No, he left me alone for a while and then when he came back he didn’t even really question me.”

  “Oh, Anna, not at all?” Sabrina covered her mouth with her hand in a huge show of concern.

  “No, no, he only asked me about Bridget’s adjustment.”

  “He started with your work ethic? Your work accomplishments?” Sabrina asked.

  “Yes. No. Sort of. All he was concerned with was how Bridget was adjusting.”

  “Think carefully, Anna. What type of questions?” Sabrina took hold of Anna’s upper arms so she could peer into her face. “This is important.”

  “Things like how she dealt with assignments. How she got along with her housemates, other GA group members, you. How she dealt with unexpected situations.”

  “Did he write any of it down?”

  Anna shook her head. Sabrina let go of Anna’s arms and stepped back, sucking some air through her teeth. “Did he at least ask you about the lipstick?”

  “It—we—we had to demonstrate how to physically restrain someone at the lunchtime meeting. Jason was the volunteer. It happened then. People saw. Officer Leonard had already asked me about that.”

  “So, he only asked about Bridget and didn’t write any of it down? Did he at least say he’d confirmed the lipstick story?” Sabrina asked again.

  Anna shook her head. “He only wanted to talk about Bridget.”

  Before anyone could say anything else Eleanor called to us from the doorway of the fort.

  “Ladies, if you will.” Eleanor made an ever so graceful gesture toward the door, inviting us inside.

  “Wait, Sabrina, what does that mean?” Anna asked, grabbing Sabrina’s arm to pull her to a stop.

  Sabrina patted Anna’s hand. “Nothing good, Anna. Nothing good.”

  We made our way to the fort with Anna in tow. Sabrina and I headed inside and Eleanor stepped into the doorway as Anna tried to follow. “Anna, how lovely to see you again. Please feel free to wait out here for Bridget again.”

  “Thanks, Eleanor,” I whispered as she passed by us on the way into the hall.

  “You’re more than welcome. I hope you feel up to participating again tonight,” she said and gave my hand a little squeeze as she scurried away. It was odd but I found it really reassuring.

  “So, Officer Leonard’s interested in your adjustment?” Sabrina shook her head. “That doesn’t bode well.”

  “I can’t believe he didn’t ask her about her boyfriend.”

  “He probably already checked out her alibi and I think we should be more concerned with his interest in you.” Sabrina checked over her shoulder. “After what Anna said I’m convinced he’s bringing her in for questioning to give you more freedom to snoop. I’m just not sure why.”

  “Maybe he has a quota of how many community service years he has to give out and he’s banking on me filling it. But then—” We were making our way to the refreshments at the back of the hall on autopilot when I realised there were no refreshments. I pointed to the space where they should’ve been. “Where are my biscuits?”

  Sabrina scanned the room and turned back, shaking her head. “I don’t know.”

  “Well, they can’t have just gotten up and walked away,” I said. Even with my newfound tolerance I could not get through this meeting without tea and biscuits. I just couldn’t.

  Warren tutted as he walked up behind me. “What have you been up to?”

  “Nothing,” I said. “Do you know where my biscuits are?”

  “Why did you ask her that?” Sabrina asked.

  Warren gestured to me. “Death shroud.”

  “Oh, seriously?” My shoulders dropped. “Where are my biscuits? I need my biscuits.”

  “So that means there’ll be more bodies,” Sabrina mused, tapping her chin. “I wonder who’ll be next.”

  “Why would you think that?” Warren asked.

  “Excuse me?” I yanked Warren’s T-shirt and pointed to the empty table. “Biscuits?”

  “Why do you think there’ll be more?” he asked Sabrina while removing my hand from his top and ignoring my question.

  “Aren’t there always more?” Sabrina asked.

  “Also—” I gestured around myself. “Death shroud.”

  He nodded at me. “Guess that makes sense.”

  “Great. Now can we talk about the missing tea and biscuits?” I asked.

  “Field trip tonight,” Warren said and gestured to Eleanor, who was ushering everyone back outside in semi-frantic motions. “Talking to newly dead folks about how awesome it is to be dead.”

  “She didn’t mention this yesterday, did she?” I asked, watching Eleanor consult a piece of paper in her hand and then look back up and around the group.

  Warren shook his head. “Nope.”

  “Hey, do I have a death shroud?” Sabrina asked Warren, who shook his head. Sabrina threw her hands up at me in what I assumed was disappointment.

  I moved quickly in front of Warren to block his escape and pointed at Sabrina. “Check again.”

  “It’s not a test you can take a resit on,” Warren hissed at me. “If she had one I’d see it and I don’t see it.”

  “You don’t see it or it’s not ther
e?” I asked.

  “Well, if I don’t see it how would I know if it was there or not?” he asked, which I supposed was a valid point. “All I know is that I don’t see it.” He darted past me before I could question him further.

  “How come I always get them?” I said, aware it sounded somewhat sulky.

  “Same reason you always find the bodies,” Sabrina said and it sounded equally sulky. “You’re just lucky.”

  “Out, out, out!” Eleanor called from the front of the hall, wafting her arms toward the doors.

  “What about our group makes us good candidates for this?” I whispered to Sabrina as we followed everyone back outside.

  “Nothing. Every group has to do it. Remember when that group came and spoke to us?”

  “No,” I said. Admittedly, I didn’t pay as much attention to Eleanor as I should have but I was pretty sure I’d have remembered that.

  “Oh, yeah, you were being assessed.”

  I snapped my fingers and pointed to her, “The locusts that were eating my biscuits.”

  “Everyone?” Eleanor clapped several times to capture the attention of the group, most of whom were chatting excitedly amongst themselves at the thought of a field trip. “Tonight we’re going on a little excursion. We’re going to visit another GA group who have only just transitioned a week or so ago so you can tell them how fun it is to be dead.”

  “I don’t mean to be a naysayer, Eleanor, but we’ve not been dead a whole lot longer than that,” the shorter and blonde half of the Alison and Debbie duo, which I could never individually identify, spoke up.

  “Then you’ll have some relatable experiences to share,” Eleanor said in a tone that closed the matter.

  “She seem a little on edge to you tonight?” Sabrina asked. “Unprepared?”

  I stared at Sabrina. “What’s your point?”

  Her lips turned down at the corners as she shook her head. “Just observing.”

  “The group we’re visiting with have their meetings in the grounds of a stately home.” Eleanor spoke loudly over the murmuring of chatter. “They have extensive and beautiful gardens. There’s a maze and several ponds. When we’re done with the meeting you’ll have a chance to explore a little.”