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Dr McDevitt had decided to treat him on his own There were no other instructions, recommendations Apparently his benefactors were content if he'd just sit here, abandoned like some stray dropped off at a shelter Jamie had seemed to respond to Dr McDevitt well and from the first
Dr McDevitt still re of Jaone to his heart when the young man turned to him
"Dr McDevitt, the new patient's here James Sommers"
"Is Miss Kahne showing him to his room?"
"No, Miss Kahne's not with hiet out And the officer is getting threatening"
Dr McDevitt ran outside with Nurse Whiting Yes, it was a police car And an officer trying to talk sports with Lee The attendant looked grim No one without compassion was allowed to work at Terrace View
"Hey, you want to get this nutcase outtato the doctor "I can't get Nurse Nancy here to help haul him"
Dr McDevitt went to the car The back doors were open, no one visible He leaned in Jamie Sommers was seated on the floor, head down Dear God, they'd put him in a straitjacket There were shackles on his ankles There was no mention of violence on his hospital record
"Mr Sommers," he said
Ja, thin, unshaven, dirty And madness in his eyes
"If you'll let me help you out, I'll remove your restraints I'm sure they must be painful"
Thefrom soloss over that fact, but Jamie's medical records had preceded his arrival
"Captain Harvard?" Jamie said uncertainly He looked puzzled, hopeful
"May I help you?"
"Sure," Jamie said It was the last time he spoke for several days
He was i, now He slept on his bed, not under it He startled far too easily, but juht terrors He was terrified of most of the attendants (Eastern State could take credit for a lot of that, the doctor suspected) but let Nurse Whiting tris for a first session
Dr McDevitt looked over the report once more
Interesting case, a kind they rarely got at Terrace View A criminal, apparently (Dr McDevitt had a copy of Jamie's police record as well as his
Dr McDevitt winced as he read about the three bullets being surgically removed—God knehat kind of treat Hawkes Harbor Hospital for Eastern State The doctor had heard stories about the infirmary there
"Well, Jae?"
"Sounds right"
"Raised in St Catherine's Orphanage, Bronx, attended Billingsworth High, Bronx, three years in the navy "
Dr McDevitt paused—but Jaested Jaiven no indication of this other than knowing his name
He watched with interest as Jamie's eyes went to theDr McDevitt had chosen this time of day for the intervieith reason
Jaripped his hands together, wiped them on his pants
Twenty-five Dr McDevitt would have guessed hihtly older—sun had burned lines into his face, pain had stamped dark circles under his eyes
"Did you like the navy?"
"Liked getting my third mate's papers They're real handy"
"It gives no reason for your early discharge"
"I got sick of taking orders"
"There's no report of any discipline problem on your previous hospital record"
"Don't want no trouble" Jaain His eyes went back to theHe sed
"You knohat time it is?" he asked
"Sixish Your for report, and assured us he still believed you innocent of any wrongdoing"
Jamie looked confused
"I' to yourmishap with the Hawkes Harbor police"
"I didn't hurt anybody" Jamie's voice rose "I know he shotanybody"
"It's all right, Jaes have been dropped"
There had been no evidence hich to charge him
In fact, when the doctor looked at the report, his first thought was to wonder why the lawun down an unarmed man on a mere suspicion
Must have been a slow day in Hawkes Harbor
"You don't re? Or what led up to it?"
"I re up after" Jamie rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand
That was on the report—prone to severe s, cried easily, bouts of hysteria
"It really hurt," he explained He looked at the s "It's getting dark Usually, I get a pill about now "
"Of course In just a moment"
The medical report emphas
ized the patient's extreht—unless heavily sedated he would not sleep at all at night And even then, was subject to violent night these first feeeks at Terrace View
"That's an interesting scar you have there"
"W-hat?" Jamie hite He clamped his left hand over his throat "There ain't nothin' there"
"I mean the one that looks like a burn? From your shoulder down to your elbow"
Jamie pushed up the short sleeve of his white T-shirt to look, exposing a tattoo of a well-endowed mermaid on his bicep And to Dr McDevitt's total surprise, Jahed
"Hey, that? Shark got me Got another scar at the same time From my ass to the back of my knee"
"A shark bit you?"
"Hell no, er No, it just rubbed ot hide worse than sandpaper Took all the skin right off"
"And you find this shark attack humorous?"
"Well, the pirates thought it was funny, that's the iut laughing Said he'd never seen anyone swim so fast"
Dr McDevitt sighed There had been no mention in his records of these fantasies
"The pirates?" he inquired
"Yeah, ere in the Anda the doctor's puzzled look, Jaal—west of Bangkok? East of Sri Lanka?"
He appeared to be slightly shocked at the doctor's lack of geography Then he looked at theThe sunlight had disappeared
"I think et a pill—"
He jumped up and paced
"Sharks got real dead eyes," he said rapidly "You ever see one up close? Got dead eyes, you're kinda surprised they're breathin' I seen dead eyes, though, burnin' like fires of hell Oh God, it's getting darkdon't let it be dark"