As soon as they were alone, McKenzie smacked a fist into the palm of his other hand. “This is the strangest hospital I’ve ever been in, Violet. Something’s not kosher. I’ve never trusted Main but this place… it’s more like Alcatraz than a hospital.”
Violet smiled at Jacobs, who was rubbing his wrists, trying to get the blood flowing in them once more. “You did a great job, Clint. You looked like you were going to tear his head off out there.”
“Why thank you, dear. I just tried to picture him as one of those louts from my school days who used to torment me so.” He cleared his throat. “I do hope I won’t have to actually undergo any… treatments… while I’m here?”
“Not if we can help it.” Violet knelt down in front of their baggage and unzipped the largest suitcase. She pulled out a long box and set it upright on the floor. Will moved up next to her, his eyes riveted on the plain brown case. Something about it made his fillings hurt and there arose a dull throbbing in his temples. “Will, did you manage to get those blueprints?”
“Yes… but they’re probably not completely accurate. They’re just the architectural drawings from when it was built. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out they’d made a lot of changes since then.”
“But the basement’s entrance is likely in the same place.”
“True.” Will looked at his watch. “We probably don’t need to try anything until after dark. Until then, I think we should continue to play our roles.” He cast a look over at Jacobs. “And if they come for you… just hang in there. Worst-case scenario, we’ll be out of here tomorrow. I left word back in Atlanta that someone’s to commandeer a boat and bring it out to the island tomorrow, storm or no storm.”
Jacobs nodded, his eyes on the box containing The Damned Thing. “I can’t believe neither of you have looked in that box. How could you resist the temptation?”
Violet looked at him with concern. “Is it talking to you?”
Jacobs blinked. “What? No. I just meant… if it’s so awful, what could it possibly look like? Aren’t you the least bit curious?”
Violet set the box back into her luggage case. “No. It’s bad enough just being around it. If I ever set eyes on it, there’s no telling what hold it would cast over me.”
“You should keep it in your room,” Will whispered in Violet’s ear and she nodded briefly.
“Clint, we’re going to get settled. Please remember what we’ve said… and be careful.” She hesitated and then stepped towards him, embracing him hard. “Thank you so much for this. This really goes beyond typical friend stuff.”
“Oh, hush,” he said with a chuckle. “If I ever need you to go undercover in a mental institution, I’m sure you’ll do the same for me.” With more seriousness, he added, “Besides, I love the chance to play dress up. And you’re a good girl, Violet. You let me be me.”
They separated and Violet picked up her bags. Will tried to take the heaviest of them — the one containing The Damned Thing — but she pulled it away from him. The hallway smelled of cleaning fluids and was so well polished that the lights were blindingly reflected in its surface. They found that Violet’s room was only slightly better than Clint’s. It did have its own bathing area separated from the rest of the room by a curtain and a window that allowed a view of the crashing surf down below. The bedspread had several odd stains and a slightly moldy scent but it wasn’t as bad as some of the hotels she’d stayed in.
McKenzie glanced around with a disapproving expression on his face. “I’m man enough to admit it: I’m scared, Violet. This place gives me the creeps. And that thing doesn’t help,” he gestured towards the bag containing The Damned Thing.
Violet wasn’t listening to him. She was looking out the window and trying — but failing — not to hear the words that The Damned Thing was saying to her. ‘Violet, let me help you,’ it said, in its voice that sounded so much like her own. ‘You don’t need McKenzie or Jacobs or any other man to get your job done. I can show you how to do it all for yourself, the way Walter would want you to. It’s not I who’s to blame for his death or for Miles’, it’s men like Aleister Crowley and Lazlo Bane and Johann Burkard… they’re the real monsters. They’re the ones who should suffer. And when they’re all dead… I can show you how to reach Walter. Death isn’t the end, Violet. You know that now. I can bring the two of you back together.’
Violet realized that Will was shaking her shoulders. “What?” she demanded. She gave his hands a shove, breaking the contact between them.
“You looked like you were in a trance.”
“I was just thinking.”
“About what?”
Violet reached into her purse and brought out a cigarette. She lit it with shaking fingers and took a deep drag on it, calming herself. “I’m just ready to get this over with.”
“Same here.” Will picked up a small duffel bag that belonged to him. “I’ll be next door if you need me.”
“Okay. I’d be surprised if Main didn’t invite us to dine with him tonight.”
“I think you’re being overly optimistic.”
“What do you mean?”
Will looked at her, a deadly combination of vulnerability and strength, shrouded by smoke. It was strange seeing her in Abby’s clothing. It was so bright and cheerful, which rather emphasized how little those words normally described Violet. She could be terrific fun but it was generally fun tinged with high amounts of cynicism. “I mean that Main is likely to invite you to dinner, not me. You’re gorgeous… and, according to our cover story, rich. Those are both qualities he’d find irresistible.”
Violet turned away with a shake of the head. “Jesus. I hope you’re not right about that.”
WILL GRINNED AND stepped out. He nearly bumped into Jasper Williams, who was standing right outside the door. Will recognized him from the dock and gave him a brief nod of the head. “Sorry about that, pal.”
Jasper shrugged, speaking in hushed tones. “Was wondering if I might speak to you, sir.” He looked meaningfully up and down the hallway. “In private, I mean.”
“Sure. Just follow me. I think my room’s next door.”
Jasper trailed after McKenzie, making sure that no one saw him them enter the room together. The quarters were identical to Violet’s, though the view differed slightly. His window was further down the ridge, meaning he saw nothing but muddy grasslands slowly giving way to beach sand.
Tossing his duffel bag onto the bed, Will spread out his arms. “What can I do for you, buddy?”
“My name’s Jasper Williams, sir. And I’ve been an orderly here for only a few months… but there’s bad stuff here. And…” Jasper’s eyes ventured to the wall that separated Will’s room from Violet’s. “…I think there’s a patient here who might have some interest in what your friend there is carrying.”
Will tried to keep the surprise off his face but wasn’t entirely successful. “I don’t know what you mean,” he lied.
“Well, I don’t rightly know either, sir. But I do know there’s a girl here named Eloise Green. Pretty thing, about thirty years old. She’s an emotional wreck and she says it’s all ’cause of some thing that she and her professor dug out of the sand about five or six years ago. When her professor went crazy, she stole the statue from him and tried to sell it, thinking that if she got it away from him, he’d get better. Instead, they both ended up here. But not too long ago, the professor… he was bailed out. That’s what I call it anyway. A fella named Bane came and paid off Doctor Main and they released him into that guy’s custody.”