counter or desk inside but there was a plush waiting room and a gift shop off to the right. I sat down on one of the teal green leather sofas, wondering how they would know I was there. I looked around and saw another door and beside it a button that looked like it belonged to a door bell.
I pushed the button and waited around and when nothing happened I decided to see what was in the gift shop. I bought Sarah some flowers and a box of candy. As I was paying, Dr. Anna came in and hugged me.
“Sarah’s going to be thrilled to death. She’s been doing her hair and she keeps changing her clothes. I think she settled on jeans though.”
“I’m glad she got comfortable since I did too. Is she really all right, Dr. Anna? I’ve been worried about her.”
“She’s in good hands, Robert. I’ll take you back to see her. She should be getting out of group just about now. By the way, Judith told me to put you up in one of the cabins and I reserved a one bedroom for you.”
“I saw those when I was driving in. They’re about as cute as a bug’s ear.”
Dr. Anna took a key out of the pocket of her skirt and led me through the door I had seen earlier. I looked around and was surprised. I had expected to see something like in the movie, One Flew Over The Coo Coo’s Nest. This place looked more like a country club.
Dr. Anna looked over at me and smiled, “Surprised, huh? Most people are. When I had this built I didn’t want it to look like an institution. I tried to create a calm and comfortable atmosphere.”
“You actually own this place?”
“Yeah I do but I don’t usually tell anyone. I don’t think Judith even knows.”
She looked lost in thought and I asked her what was going on. “I’ll tell you what; let’s go into my office before I take you to her room. I’ve been debating on whether or not to tell you this, but I think I will since you are her temporary guardian.”
When we got to her office she picked up her phone and ordered coffee from someone. While we waited I looked around. Her office looked like a living room of a very nice home. There were paintings on the walls but none I recognized.
She saw me looking at the paintings, “Those were painted by some of the patients during art therapy and given to me when each one was discharged. I like them better than Monet or Picasso because I know the inner struggle they represent.”
I wanted to ask more about this art therapy but our coffe e was brought in by a pretty young girl about twenty years old. She set the cups and saucers, a pot of coffee, and cream and sugar on Dr. Anna’s desk. Dr. Anna thanked her and she left after turning a dazzling smile my way.
We sipped our coffee and Dr. Anna seemed to be in no hurry to talk.
Finally I could stand it no longer, “What were you going to tell me Dr. Anna?”
She gave me a wicked grin, “I’m sorry, I was putting you through a test. I shouldn’t have but I can’t stop what I love to do. I was trying to see how obsessive/compulsive you were. You’re a very patient man.
“I told you over the phone that Sarah has made a lot of progress and over all that’s true. There was one incident, however, when she became Beth and talked about her cousin, Bucky visiting her.
“It upset me at first because I am very strict about security. When I questioned the security guards they assured me no one could have gotten into her room or in the building at all.”
“Actually, Dr. Anna, she told me the same thing when she was still in my jail. At the time, I suspected one of the deputies, Freddy, the one you met, because they were the only ones who could have gotten in.
“When I went to Macon, I found out quite a bit about Sarah’s family. She did have a cousin named Bucky who lived with them and had been in reform school. He tortured animals and set fires and all the stuff you read about in connection to serial killers.
“About three years ago, there was a fire that ki lled both of Sarah’s parents.
I pushed the button and waited around and when nothing happened I decided to see what was in the gift shop. I bought Sarah some flowers and a box of candy. As I was paying, Dr. Anna came in and hugged me.
“Sarah’s going to be thrilled to death. She’s been doing her hair and she keeps changing her clothes. I think she settled on jeans though.”
“I’m glad she got comfortable since I did too. Is she really all right, Dr. Anna? I’ve been worried about her.”
“She’s in good hands, Robert. I’ll take you back to see her. She should be getting out of group just about now. By the way, Judith told me to put you up in one of the cabins and I reserved a one bedroom for you.”
“I saw those when I was driving in. They’re about as cute as a bug’s ear.”
Dr. Anna took a key out of the pocket of her skirt and led me through the door I had seen earlier. I looked around and was surprised. I had expected to see something like in the movie, One Flew Over The Coo Coo’s Nest. This place looked more like a country club.
Dr. Anna looked over at me and smiled, “Surprised, huh? Most people are. When I had this built I didn’t want it to look like an institution. I tried to create a calm and comfortable atmosphere.”
“You actually own this place?”
“Yeah I do but I don’t usually tell anyone. I don’t think Judith even knows.”
She looked lost in thought and I asked her what was going on. “I’ll tell you what; let’s go into my office before I take you to her room. I’ve been debating on whether or not to tell you this, but I think I will since you are her temporary guardian.”
When we got to her office she picked up her phone and ordered coffee from someone. While we waited I looked around. Her office looked like a living room of a very nice home. There were paintings on the walls but none I recognized.
She saw me looking at the paintings, “Those were painted by some of the patients during art therapy and given to me when each one was discharged. I like them better than Monet or Picasso because I know the inner struggle they represent.”
I wanted to ask more about this art therapy but our coffe e was brought in by a pretty young girl about twenty years old. She set the cups and saucers, a pot of coffee, and cream and sugar on Dr. Anna’s desk. Dr. Anna thanked her and she left after turning a dazzling smile my way.
We sipped our coffee and Dr. Anna seemed to be in no hurry to talk.
Finally I could stand it no longer, “What were you going to tell me Dr. Anna?”
She gave me a wicked grin, “I’m sorry, I was putting you through a test. I shouldn’t have but I can’t stop what I love to do. I was trying to see how obsessive/compulsive you were. You’re a very patient man.
“I told you over the phone that Sarah has made a lot of progress and over all that’s true. There was one incident, however, when she became Beth and talked about her cousin, Bucky visiting her.
“It upset me at first because I am very strict about security. When I questioned the security guards they assured me no one could have gotten into her room or in the building at all.”
“Actually, Dr. Anna, she told me the same thing when she was still in my jail. At the time, I suspected one of the deputies, Freddy, the one you met, because they were the only ones who could have gotten in.
“When I went to Macon, I found out quite a bit about Sarah’s family. She did have a cousin named Bucky who lived with them and had been in reform school. He tortured animals and set fires and all the stuff you read about in connection to serial killers.
“About three years ago, there was a fire that ki lled both of Sarah’s parents.
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