The eyes were certainly the same eyes of the subject of the other pictures, but they seemed different in this one picture. They seemed aware that they were being watched. To Derek, the eyes looked angry about an interruption. A presence that, though seemingly unnoticed by the nurse holding him, was clearly known by the baby.
“Michelle Pettingall, I assume?” Derek thought and began to wonder what kind of man Straus was to have taken these secret pictures and to have kept them in a file for over twenty years. The thought of what Straus may have been doing while looking at the pictures caused Derek to drop them and then to rub his hands clean on his jeans.
“Sick bastard,” he thought of Straus.
Next to review were the hundred or so medical notes, Some were printed and many were handwritten in a journalized format. As his eyes were growing weary, Derek flipped through the notes and only paused to read a few. Those he read continued to affirm his client’s story and to affirm Derek’s initial impression of Doctor William Straus.
Patient arrived today. Initial examination confirmed diagnosis of Dr. Adams et al – No heart. No breathing. Skin color=gray. Reflexes very sharp. Dr. Lucietta to run lab tests on pooled blood, skin cells, and muscle tissue. Results in two days. 7/4 1992 DWS
Patient slept 14 hours. Lung activates upon sleep. Cell regeneration tests inconclusive. Cell transfer ability noted 7/8/92 DWS
Patient displaying unusual levels of awareness for age. Eye tracking and environment awareness remarkable 7/10/12 DWS
Derek thumbed through the stack of notes and reached one that explained the dark patches above the eyes of Alexander. He assumed that the initials after the notes were to indicate which doctor was doing the note taking.
Patient did not respond as expected to shock. Small voltage caused extreme reaction. Highly sensitive to electricity. 2/5/2002 DBL
Derek continued reading notes that seemed to stand out from the rest.
Patient displaying unusual strength. Electricity continues to be the best method to subdue. Highly effective, but need to send low dosage only! 5/17/2003 DBL
Patient move complete. Suite secured. Memory tests to resume in two weeks. 9/3/2005 DTC
Encountered stranger during outdoor activity. Patient behaved well due to threat of “dog collar” shock. Limit future outdoor activities to evenings and rainy days. 7/9/2013 DWS
Test results positive!!! A breakthrough at last. Dr Curtis running third round of test against HIV virus to verify results. 7/1/2014 DWS
Derek placed the final note back into the folder, realizing that there were no more notes dated after the last one. And there would be no more.
He leaned back into the soft, leather, executive chair, rested his head back and let his mind mull over the pictures and the notes. His mind, however had enough of thinking, and soon Derek was sound asleep.
When he opened his eyes, Derek saw that Ralph was sitting across the desk from him and seemed to have been waiting for Derek to wake up.
“How much reading did you get done before you fell into la la land?” Ralph asked.
“Enough to know that Alexander probably would want to stay out of public as much as possible and that the doctors, Straus, Curtis, and Lucietta, used Alexander as a lab rat.”
“Ya happento read that last note? The one about the big breakthrough?”
“I did. Kind of suggests they were on to something with the HIV virus.”
“Yup. And I went through every other file in the file cabinet over there,” Ralph said as he nodded to Derek’s left, “and didn’t find a single mention of anything related to HIV or any other virus.”
“Any idea where Straus is?” Derek asked after a short pause.
“Now that is an interesting question right there, Derek. And one that I truly wish I had an answer to.”
“I take that as a ‘no.’”
“Some town’s folk reported that they saw the doctor’s car tooling down Route 8 and moving at a pretty good clip about the same time we figured the murders took place. State police put out an APB on Straus and his car but ain’t nothing come of it yet.
“I’d really like to talk to that Straus doctor. Specially since your recent investigative find of the trap door under Alexander’s bed. Sure would like to find out why he wasn’t among the victims we found in this lodge.”
“You liking Straus for an accomplice?” Derek asked.
“I sure do find it peculiar. The timing of everything, that is. The last note says something about a breakthrough. Two of Straus’s fellow doctors found all dead in that room. Straus’s car seen tooling out of the area. And your discovery. Lots of reasons to be interested in Straus, I’ll admit.”
Derek paused and began thinking about the note left for him. He wondered if the Hertz clerk had discovered where the note came from. As what became his habit, Derek slowly traced the scar on his left cheek absently as his thoughts drifted to planning his next step.
“I noticed that scar while you was sleeping. I’ve seen plenty of scars in my day. Spent two years in the Army as a medic. Yup, I sure have seen plenty of scars. But that little beauty you’re sporting, I find to be interesting.”
Derek dropped his hand to his lap and asked, “Why do you find it interesting?”
“Funny thing about scars,” Ralph said looking down, “see enough of them and you can tell what caused them. It ain’t much of my concern, but I have to say that you’re little reminder there is an exit wound. Something went through that there cheek from the inside of your mouth.”
“You do know all about scars, Ralph.”
Ralph, knowing that his curiosity about Derek’s scar was satisfied, and not wanting to find out what drove his guest to create the scar, stood up abruptly.
“I do not know about your digestive system, but mine is telling me that it needs something to do. Now, this town may be small, but it has one of the best diners this side of Texas not four miles from our exact location.”
“Sounds good. Any place to get cleaned up first? I have an overnight bag in my car that’s parked up the road a bit.”