Chapter 4: Wednesday Morning

Editor’s Note:
The next documents contain further transcripts of meetings and patient interviews written by Dr Koehler Snr (Psychiatrist).

Notes of Meeting, Wednesday, 12/1; 9:07am, Nurse Cassandra

((Discussion about other patients deleted))

Dr K: So what about Bec Freeman in 6?

N.C: According to Night Shift, she had a troubled night. In the evening they discovered she’d made a mess in the room, smearing ketchup all over the wall.

Dr K: What did it look like?

N.C: Huh?

Dr K: The ketchup on the wall – what did it look like? Was it a picture? Was it a pattern of some type? What happened to it? Did they take a photo of it?

N.C: They didn’t report what it looked like, only that there was a mess on the wall that they had to clean up.

Dr K: Dammit! I thought I’d made it clear. This girl communicates with pictures. If she draws anything, anywhere, with any type of material, I want to see it. If it’s something that can’t be preserved until I can see it, then I want photos of it – multiple photos, good quality photos.

N.C: Sorry, Doctor. I’ll clarify that instruction in the notes. Jasmine is probably still on the bus on the way home. I could call her and ask her to describe it to you.

Dr K: Please do that.

Phone call, Nurse Jasmine, ((pleasantries deleted))

N.J: I’m sorry, doctor. I didn’t take much notice of what it looked like. I didn’t turn the main light on so it was mostly in shadows. I guess it was a bit in the shape of a face. I was mostly concerned with getting the room clean.

Dr K: Can you tell me anything about the face?

N.J: Not really. It was just a smear on the wall. I didn’t even realize it was a picture until you asked me and I thought about it.

Dr K: Next time take photos.

N.J: I hope there won’t be a next time. She shouldn’t have had ketchup in her room. She must have hidden it away after her dinner. It’s a secure room. Things like that should have been counted in and out.

Dr K: Indeed. Was there anything else about Bec’s night?

N.J: It’s all in the report. I have to go now. This is my stop.

End call.

Dr K: What else is in the report about Bec?

N.C: Apparently she woke up screaming at 4:12am. Some sort of nightmare. She didn’t say anything, just screaming. Then she was banging on the door, trying to get out. Then she went back to screaming incoherently and throwing herself against the door. The night duty doctor was called. Bec was restrained and a sedative was administered. Once the sedative took effect, the restraints were removed. The details are here.

Dr K: Hmm!

N.C: I checked her before you arrived and she’s still under. It will probably be another hour before the sedative wears off.

Dr K: Given her situation, we can’t keep her sedated. I have a 9:30. I’ll come back in after that. Call me if there is a problem when she wakes up.

Meeting concluded 9:27am

Notes of phone call Detective Mahler, Wednesday 12/1, 10:14am

Mahler: Well? Am I going to be able to speak to the Freeman girl today?

Dr K: It seems unlikely. Certainly not this morning.

Mahler: Please tell me you’re making progress.

Dr K: I wouldn’t want to mislead you. She had a rough night.

Mahler: How did George Davidson get involved in this case? Why is he all over it? I’m getting all sorts of heat from my boss because of him.

Dr K: I thought you knew. He’s a close personal friend of the family. Very close. His daughter is best friends with Bec Freeman. It was his daughter that put the 911 call through.

Mahler: (sounds of pages flipping) “Davidson, Elizabeth,” She’s George Davidson’s daughter?

Dr K: That’s correct.

Mahler: Shit!

Dr K: I would have thought you’d realize that when you interviewed her. Mr Davidson would have been sitting right next to her.

Mahler: I didn’t do that interview, one of my detectives did it. He didn’t get much.

Dr K: Oh! Did you not wonder why Mr Davidson turned up at the scene? You do know he was there, right?

Mahler: Yes, yes, of course I know he was there. I just assumed that he was passing and stopped to check out what was happening.

Dr K: Ah!

Mahler: I guess I better go and talk to Elizabeth Davidson myself. If she’s a best friend, she might be able to give me some useful background.

Dr K: Okay.

Mahler: So, er, I’m told I have to, er ... What I mean is that ... Who all should I be adding to the girl’s list of visitors – family I mean?

Dr K: You should have my recommendations in her file, which I imagine is probably sitting in front of you. Her brother, Dan, is essential. Her sisters, Tara and Angela. Her grandmother, Bridget Baxter, her two aunts, Penny Freeman and Allison Drapier and her cousin, Sam Drapier. I would also strongly advise adding Elizabeth Davidson and her father, George Davidson – whom you now know about. I won’t let them in all at once, of course. That would be too much of a crowd. But she will need to see all of those.

Mahler: Oh, yes. Right. Of course. I’ll fax a new list to the hospital for the duty officer.

Phone call concluded at 9:27am

Editor’s Note:
The next document is a printout of an email

to: Padmont, Margaret
fm: Davidson, George
dt: 10:04 12/01

Margaret Padmont
District Attorney
City of XXXXXXX

Hi Maggie, I just wanted to find a time this afternoon when you can meet with me. I’m available from 1300 hours through into the evening. If nothing else works, perhaps we could have dinner.

I have an issue I want to discuss with you. It relates to the Freeman case, I don’t know if you are familiar with it. I am concerned that some charges have been laid that will never go to trial but could cost the city some bad publicity if the media should hear about them. I’ll brief you on the situation and let you make up your own mind. You can tell me to stop meddling if you want. Ultimately it’s your call but I suspect once you’ve heard the details you’ll see it my way.

George.

Editor’s Note:
More notes from Dr Koehler’s files.

Notes of Meeting, Wednesday, 12/1; 10:37am. Nurse Cassandra.

Dr K: So, is Bec awake? How is she reacting?

N.C: Yep. She’s up. She’s spent the last 15 minutes watching us through her door. She hasn’t said anything. No banging or shouting or anything. But she looks a little agitated. I haven’t been in to her yet because I was looking after ((name deleted)). She might need the bathroom. She hasn’t pressed the buzzer though.

Dr K: Maybe you could check on her while I visit ((name deleted))

Meeting Concluded 10:38am

Notes of Meeting, Wednesday 12/1; 10:56am. Nurse Cassandra

Dr K: What happened? I heard the yelling.

N.C: I went to take Bec to the bathroom and she made a run for it. She got as far as the security door before we caught her. She’s back in her room now. She was yelling for us to let her go. Quite coherent – articulate, even.

Dr K: I know. I could hear her.

N.C: I’d like to know how she got the code for the door to the unit. She had it open and would have gotten out if it weren’t for Damien coming in the other direction.

Dr K: It looks like she can see the door keypad from her window. If she saw someone punch the buttons then that would be enough. Dammit! I should’ve thought of that. We’ll have to change the code and remind everyone that they must cover the pad with their spare hand when they enter the code.