“My boy doesn’t lie.He’s already chosen you.He’s just waiting for you to be willing.”
Considering all the weeks she’d avoided his purposeful attempts at an introduction, Nora could well believe Mrs.Beaumont’s claim.He was a patient man who knew what he wanted, but there was something else he wanted.Perhaps even more.“He also has chosen and chooses daily to loveyou.He desperately wants you better so you can come home.”
“I want to get better too.But these thoughts ...”Mrs.Beaumont shuddered.
Nora tucked the book between her hip and the chair and took Mrs.Beaumont’s hand in both of hers.“What about those thoughts?”
“I’m too ashamed to say.”
She well knew the power of hidden thoughts.The shame they induced.The relationships they hindered.The self-destruction they caused.Her fear of ending up here had kept her silent and gained power over her, tricking her into believing that so long as no one knew, she’d be okay.And yet, when she’d voiced her fears to Ezekiel and the Guardians ...
Nora leaned in, hoping that what had worked for her would help Mrs.Beaumont.“Speaking the thoughts you’re ashamed of robs them of their power over you, especially when you share them with someone you trust.It’s scary, embarrassing, and uncomfortable to expose them to others, but once they’re out, they’re no longer your burden to carry alone.Your trusted person can help you to see them for what they are.”
“Speaking them doesn’t make them go away.”
“I didn’t say they went away.I only said they lose their power.What you are walking through is hard, but that doesn’t make you broken.This place, this struggle ...They’re not the end of your story.I’m not Ezekiel, but it appears I might be here for a while.You can tell me any of your thoughts, no matter what they are, and I will not judge you for them.Your son likened this sharing of burdens to Jesus’s yoke, and I’m happy to share this yoke with you.”
“I can see why my son loves you.”
“We’ve only known each other two weeks.Love needs more time to grow, but I do like him.Very much.”
The hall door opened, and Mrs.Reed strode into the room dressed as one of the nurses.
Nora gripped the arms of her chair, uncertain if the wave of dizziness was from the medicine Nurse Ingram gave her or the horror at knowing she’d been found.
“Who are you?This isn’t your ward.”Nurse Ingram bristled like a territorial dog.
“It is now.Nurse Rhodes sent me to fetch you and the orderly.She’s having problems with Mrs.Davis in isolation.I’m to watch the dayroom until you return.”
“That woman is a perpetual thorn in my side.The ones in here are quiet and calm for now, but watch that one.”Nurse Ingram nodded toward Nora.“She’s Mrs.Davis’s daughter and bound to be as dangerous and unpredictable.”
“Good to know.Oh, and I was told to give you this to administer to Mrs.Davis.”Mrs.Reed passed Nurse Ingram a small, long box.“The medicine is already inside the syringe.Once given, she won’t be a problem anymore.”A devilish grin stretched across Mrs.Reed’s face.
The blood in Nora’s veins turned to ice.“No!You can’t.It will kill her!”
Nurse Ingram ignored Nora and swished out the door with the poison in hand and the orderly following her.
“Almost thirty years I’ve been waiting for this.”Mrs.Reed turned a key in the lock, then snapped it off.
Nora shot to her feet, and the room wavered.She spread her stance to keep her balance.Blast that medicine!She was already at a disadvantage without its effects.
“Too bad Katherine couldn’t be here to watch her daughter die, but I console myself that the fear of me drove her to a madhouse.”
“You can’t get away with this.There are witnesses.”
“You mean the other insane patients whose words can’t be trusted and are inadmissible in court?No, Eleonora.I’ve planned everything too well.”Mrs.Reed retrieved another syringe from a box in her pocket.“You will be blamed for what is about to happen, and I will walk free.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
THE RIDE TOLONGVIEW WASinsufferably long.With the lack of knowledge about Nora’s location or Mrs.Reed’s scheme, all they could do was toss around ideas as likely to succeed as a fish climbing a tree.Ezekiel’s teeth were near cracking from the tension in his jaw.
“I still say our best bet is to break her out.”Miss Plane cradled a suspiciously large reticule on her lap.When questioned about its contents, she’d claimed it contained necessities.
“We must stay within the confines of the law.”Detective Hall scowled at her from around Miss Pelton’s place on his lap.He’d begrudgingly allowed the breach in propriety, given the cramped space and urgency of their departure.“Turning Nora into a fugitive isn’t the answer.”
“It is if it will save her life.”
“We don’t know if Mrs.Reed’s plan is to kill her.”
