The Secret Patient

by Vaughan W. Smith

  “Good. Now I have some questions. Why were you at the Police Station?”

  “I was following up on a story,” Elizabeth said. She was relieved that the questioning had started on a point she was strong on. She was prepared.

  “Which story?”

  “A Museum robbery. It wasn’t reported to the police, so I wanted to follow up and see if there was a history of that or if they had any leads I could follow.”

  “How did you come across the Museum robbery story?”

  “It was a newspaper tip from a reader.”

  “I see. And that was your only business there?”

  “Yes, I spoke to an old contact. He told me there’s been rumours of robberies happening there and never being reported. It was an interesting lead.”

  “Ok, well we will validate your statement, but it sounds alright. Next question,” Don said, before pausing. Elizabeth wondered what he would be asking. It couldn’t be this easy.

  “What is your interest in the hospital? You’ve been there a lot. Is it connected to your search for Nathan? You can’t tell me the hospital is connected to your robbery,” he said. Elizabeth tried to keep her face expressionless. She needed to give him something good, that would eliminate further questions. But she didn’t have much.

  “I was doing a story there before, about a nurse. I met a patient there during that story and I’ve been visiting him.”

  “Who is this patient?”

  “His name is Dean. Just a regular guy, he’s got it rough. Cancer.”

  “And what’s your interest in this man?”

  “Nothing, I just met him and felt bad.”

  “Really? That’s it?”

  “Yeah, he got me at a moment of weakness. He asked me to write down some of his stories so he would have a legacy.”

  “I didn’t realise you were such a philanthropist.”

  “It’s not a situation you find yourself in every day. Why do you care so much?” Elizabeth said, throwing it back at Don. She didn’t like his questioning.

  “Let me be crystal clear with you. I like you, and I like your story. It’s plausible, which gives me an out. But the thing is, I know what you are like. I’ve seen you operate, and I don’t trust you.”

  “Why not?”

  “Don’t interrupt. Imagine a line like this,” Don said, moving his arm horizontally in the air between them.

  “This is the line of believability. Your story of why you are doing things is right on the line. Plausible, but convenient. Any additional flag would send you over the line,” he said, and demonstrated by moving his arm up.

  “And for people like our friend Charles, I would accept such a situation. He doesn’t have it in him to lie, or hide things from me. He’s an open book. But you, you’re driven and you pry and you open every door,” Don said. He paused and watched Elizabeth. She looked him in the eye and waited, unsure if he was continuing.

  “So, I don’t buy your stories, they’re too convenient. They may even have some elements of truth, in fact I expect it. They wouldn’t be good stories otherwise,” Don said. He stood up and started pacing the room.

  “I know you’re up to something. Don’t say anything, I know you are. And I’m going to catch you. And I’m even going to tell you how. I’ll be watching every move you make, every action, every place you visit. Don’t bother looking for me, because it might not be me. But there will be someone watching, and they will come tell me everything. And when you slip up, when you make that fatal mistake I will bring you back here. And we will have another conversation, but it won’t be as friendly as this one,” Don said. His voice had turned to ice, and the look he gave Elizabeth gave her chills. He clearly had a stake in this, or someone had made sure he did, and he was serious.

  Elizabeth didn’t know what to say. He was right that there was no point trying to deny his claims, or lead him astray. He was set on his path, and had made it clear to her.

  “Are we done here?” Elizabeth said, trying to sound as nonchalant and confident as possible.

  “Do you understand me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then we’re done,” Don said, dismissing her with a wave of his hand. She stood up and walked to the door, feeling like she was back in school. She opened the door, and saw Nod waiting outside in the corridor. Once he noticed her, he started walking and she followed.

  Elizabeth’s heart was racing, and her adrenaline was pumping. She hadn’t expected that. She wasn’t sure how to react, so she didn’t and left it for later. She just focused on following instructions so she could get home. Once they reached the end of the corridor, Nod handed her the t-shirt and she wrapped her head again. He led her up the stairs, and she heard the familiar crunching of gravel as they walked to the van. He helped her up and then closed the doors.

  Elizabeth removed the t-shirt, and let the tears fall. Things were beginning to unravel, and this was the last thing she needed, at the end of an emotional day. She let the emotion continue, and left the planning and decision making until later. The van started up and she felt relief as it drove away.

  The trip home went fast, and she was in a holding pattern. So much had happened, that she didn’t let herself react any further. When the van came to a stop, she waited patiently until Nod came around to open the doors. She stepped out, handed him the t-shirt and kept walking without a word. She could hear the van doors slam behind her, Nod walking back to the driver’s seat and the van driving away. But she didn’t look back, she just focused on the walk home.

  She was around the corner from her apartment, so the walk was short. She didn’t notice any people at all, although that didn’t mean the streets were deserted. She was just focused on her goal, getting home. She fumbled her keys once before opening the door, and then staggered over to the couch and collapsed onto it. She thought briefly that her bed would be more comfortable, but that was the last thought she had.

  * * *

  Nod drove back to the complex with care, not rushing. If he returned too quickly, Don would chew him out for speeding and potentially drawing attention. He didn’t really feel like another lecture. He parked the van in the usual spot, and went down the stairs. He found Don reading a book, in the small room that doubled as a kitchen and dining area.

  “Job’s done. Not a peep out of her,” Nod said.

  “Good, now we wait.”

  “You think that worked?”

  “Yes, definitely. She got the message, we just need to be vigilant just in case.”

  “If she’s as crafty as you said, then I don’t see how you can be so confident that she will play along.”

  “She’s resourceful and talented, but I’ve seen her kind many times before. She’s a solo operator. The way you close them down is to make them feel like they can’t do it themselves. Then, they give up.”

  “Alright then, I hope you’re right.”

  “I’m right, you’ll see. She’s right where I want her, and I’ve got insurance in place should she cause more trouble.”

  “Alright then,” Nod said, and walked off. He thought Don was making a mistake, but it wasn’t his problem. He was just the muscle, not the brains. He half wanted her to stitch Don up, just to see the look on his face. He chuckled at the thought.

  23

  The Story

  Elizabeth woke up on the couch, feeling incredibly disoriented. It took her a few moments to work out why she was there.

  “Yes, that happened,” she thought, recalling the previous day’s events. It had been pretty eventful, and she’d had confrontations with George and Don. And had to break the news to Dean.

  “Best not to think it over too much,” she thought and stretched out into a seated position. She did have something to think about though: what do to next.

  Don had made himself clear, that she would be watched and hauled back there. She didn’t want to see him again, she had a pretty good idea of how it would go down. She couldn’t afford to bring anyone in to help her though. She ne
eded a way to move forward by herself.

  It would take Frank days to get the results of the blood test, that wouldn’t help her. There was a possible link to the museum, with Frank’s mention of the rumours of unreported robberies. But it was a weak link, and she couldn’t afford to waste time. There was another option, but it didn’t feel right.

  She could go to George, and bring him in. Tell him enough to get his backing to run the story as it was, or find out what he needed. If she could get the story out, public pressure would release Nathan and get Don off her back. There would be no secret to Nathan’s whereabouts at all.

  It was a compromise. She could bring in someone who was already connected, and still own the investigation. With George’s backing she could get the story up so fast, that Don would not be able to do anything about it. It wouldn’t be the slam dunk she was hoping for, but it was enough to blow it wide open. Then she could continue her work in safety, to ferret out the final few details.

  “He’ll go for it, he’s dying for a big story,” Elizabeth said to herself. And if she was right, she should have enough bargaining power to get what she wanted. It was all coming together. Pleased that she had a firm plan in place, Elizabeth stood up from the couch and paced the apartment, working through the details in her mind. There was a spring back in her step, after the deflation she had felt over the past day.

  She headed into the office early, and started working on the notes for her story. Nothing sensitive, just the framework in broad strokes. Once she had a skeleton, she printed it off and went to find George. He was sitting at his desk, doing three things at once as usual.

  “Yes, Elizabeth. What updates have you got for me?”

  “Good ones. On the other story.”

  “I thought you weren’t working on that.”

  “That’s what I want to discuss.”

  “I’ve been quite clear, I’m not sure what there is to discuss.”

  “I need your help.”

  “Why do you need my help on a story you shouldn’t be working on?”

  “Because I’m willing to tell you the details.”

  “Ah, my weakness. You want to spill your secrets. Ok fine, let’s go have a chat. But I doubt I will change my mind.”

  “It’s a risk I’m willing to take,” Elizabeth said. They both walked off to one of the printing rooms and George closed the door.

  “Start talking and make it good.”

  “Let me sum this up: I found the missing person.”

  “Oh, that’s interesting. What else?”

  “What do you mean what else? I cracked the case.”

  “Depends on where he is.”

  “Royal Monterey Hospital.”

  “Hardly a news story. What did he have an accident or something?”

  “No, I think he’s being held against his will.”

  “Why would you think that? Have you actually met the guy?” George said. It was a valid question, but Elizabeth felt uncomfortable answering it. Her gut told her to lie.

  “Nah, just a hunch. Why hasn’t he called his mother if he’s in hospital?”

  “We don’t know. It’s a pretty serious thing, messing with hospital patients. I think you should leave it alone.”

  “Really? That’s not the reaction I expected from you.”

  “Well do we even know if there’s a story here? Could blow up in our faces. We can’t afford that.”

  “A man is missing and might be being held in a hospital and you don’t want to look into it?” Elizabeth said, her voice full of amazement.

  “I’m just saying that we need some hard evidence. If you don’t have any, then it’s too risky. What were you handing that police officer?”

  “Oh, that was just a personal thing. Unrelated, sorry to burst your bubble.”

  “Still not happy, but let’s park that particular argument for a second. What about the HR manager you mentioned? Charles was his name?” George said. Elizabeth started to reply, but stopped. Something was off about that last statement.

  “Charles, you called him Charles.”

  “Yes, did I get it wrong?”

  “I never mentioned his name to you. Oh my god. George,” Elizabeth said, stepping back. There was only one way he could have gained that information. And she didn’t like it one bit.

  “What do you mean? Of course you told me you just forgot.”

  “Oh no, I can’t believe it. They got to you didn’t they?”

  “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

  “You slime ball. What did they promise you?”

  “Elizabeth, you are being delusional. Just calm down.”

  “You should be the gold standard. You should be the one that doesn’t take crap from anyone. Otherwise this newspaper may as well be made out of toilet paper.”

  “I don’t appreciate you making those kinds of statements.”

  “Even if they’re true? You used to care about the truth George. You can drop the game, I know they got to you. Just tell me why.”

  “I don’t know what you’re referring to. But I will say that I will do anything to keep this paper afloat.”

  “There’s no point doing that, if you’ve failed the people reading it. What’s the purpose of this newspaper? It’s to inform the people. As soon as you stop doing that you’re worthless.”

  “Look Elizabeth, let’s just agree to disagree. But you have to drop the story, there’s no two ways about it. Because I won’t print it.”

  “And there we go. You think you’re doing the right thing, but you’re making a big mistake. I quit George. I can’t work here another moment.”

  “Don’t be rash Elizabeth, just take some time off. We’ll work this out. “

  “Nothing you can say can convince me to stay. Be happy that you served your masters and I’m off the story. I just hope you can sleep at night!” Elizabeth said, before storming out of the room in a fury.

  As she walked away, her anger was joined by horror as she thought about what that encounter meant. Setting aside her career and identity, it meant that George was working with Don, and who knows how long they had been in touch.

  “I could have spilled the beans completely,” she thought. Only her instincts had stopped her from sharing key details with George. Had she done so, Nathan would have vanished in an instant never to be found again. She had come so close to losing it all.

  However as she thought more about it, she had pretty much lost it all. Her job was gone, and even if she went back hat in hand and begged for it, things would never be the same. She would never trust George again, and wouldn’t be able to do a proper job of investigating anything. So her job was done.

  Her whole identity was wrapped up in it. As she packed her things, she realised that she had nothing else. Her whole life had been angled towards being a reporter, and her entire focus since had been going after that big breaking story. Now, that was all over. She didn’t say anything to her colleagues, she just couldn’t handle the questions. So she just took a few things of importance, and went on her way. Nobody stopped her or said a thing. Maybe they didn’t realise, or didn’t care.

  “Don’t know who I can trust anyway,” Elizabeth thought. She put her box of things into the back seat, and then went behind the wheel. As she pulled out she looked back at the building, wondering what her future would be like without it.

  The drive home was over in a flash, her brain was otherwise preoccupied. She still had trouble processing what had happened. Everything was going so well. And then bang she had just run into a wall. Once she stepped inside the apartment, she opened a bottle of red wine and poured a glass. She sat down on the couch and swished the wine around, thinking about what to do next.

  Don was following her every move, and he had gotten to George. Don had wanted to make an impression on her, and it had worked. Every idea she came up with had to be dropped immediately. If she went straight back to Nathan she would get stopped in her tracks. She had no-one to run the story, so pu
blicity was out of the question. If she wasn’t careful she would lose the blood test results as well.

  “Even if those results come back, what can I do with them?” she wondered. Her whole plan had been built around using the story as leverage, and it had been compromised. And with all the surveillance she was hamstrung from any action. There was nothing she could do.

  There was only one person left that she could help.

  “Dean, he needs a friend. I should spend time with him. That would be meaningful, and would give this whole episode some value,” Elizabeth thought. It sounded right, spending some quality time with a man who had almost run out. Maybe she could even write more of his story. That would be a nice tribute, and a story that could be told.

  Elizabeth felt a bit better about herself and the situation, so cleaned herself up, left her wine unfinished and prepared to go to the hospital. She wasn’t worried about being followed, if they were that diligent they would only see her visiting Dean. Maybe then they would get the hint and leave her alone.

  Elizabeth left the apartment and walked back down to the car. She felt a bit lighter, although there was still a cloud hanging over her. She was still not happy about how things had transpired with George. The betrayal was something else, something she had never expected. But the whole thing just felt wrong, as her investigation had suddenly had the rug pulled out from underneath. However she tried to dismiss those thoughts, and focused on Dean instead. She had helped him a little, but there was a lot more she could do.

  The drive over to the hospital was like being wrapped up in a blanket. She was safe and warm and felt like she was doing the right thing. The angst of her struggles to find and free Nathan were somewhere else, not haunting her right now. She could feel them still there, in a corner of her mind. But she just chose not to look there. She focused on the good that she could do.

  She had left Dean on such a poor note before, she was glad to be going back. Hopefully she could make a meaningful difference for him, and make sure his story was not forgotten.

  Elizabeth walked through the hospital in no rush, but not looking out for anything. She was completely focused on getting to Dean’s room. She almost missed her phone ringing and managed to take it out and see who was calling. It was Frank, no doubt he had some information for her.