Chapter 10

SUNDAY MORNING — SEPTEMBER 29

Jill stared grimly at the rear of the deputy's car as they negotiated the mountain road with its hairpin curves and drop-offs. When they turned into the driveway, the deputy stopped and walked back to Jill's car. As she rolled the window down, "You okay, Ma'am?" At her nod, "The next quarter mile is really steep, and, well, some people have trouble with the abyss," he said pointing to the side, farther up the drive where the switchbacks started. "If you want, you can ride with me, and someone will come get your car," he finished, worriedly.

"Just drive. I'll be behind you when we get there," Jill answered, speaking slowly and carefully. I've made it this far and can hold it together a while longer — long enough to see my baby.

"Okay," Jesse replied. "But if you have problems, just toot your horn." As he started to walk back to his patrol car, he turned back. "I've talked with Diana. She said to bring you on around to the back. It's a lot more convenient to enter the retreat there."

"Okay," Jill answered, wondering who Diana was. Suddenly, her stomach rebelled and she had to fight back bile. Just a little bit longer. This shaking is driving me crazy, and I'm so weak, she thought as they started out.

After the first turn when she got her initial view of the abyss, she kept her eyes glued to the back of the patrol car. Her vehicle shifted back to low gear when the incline steepened. They climbed the cliff with her mind locked on seeing her daughter.

Diana had answered the phone when Jesse called. After he had told her about Jill and how bad she looked, Diana hesitated for a second, then, "Bring her on if you can, or is that against policy?"

"It's slow this morning and I've told dispatch that I would be escorting her to her destination because she is sick. They'll hold my calls until I go back in service. No problem."

"Come on around to the back with her when you get here," Diana added.

"Will do."

Diana replaced the phone in its cradle and looked around at her family as they recovered in their bedroom, all eyes upon her.

Looking at her husband, who lay on the bed with a new wife snuggled under either arm, Diana told them what Jesse had said.

"Did Bill or Kathy say how long they would be gone to Winter Park?" Jeff asked, his tone serious.

"No. Just that they were going out for Sunday breakfast. We could try their cell. If they're in Winter Park, they'll have a signal."

Jeff thought for a moment, "No, let's wait. Jesse said she looked sick, right? I wonder what's behind that, and if there's any connection to that and her showing up today. Let's talk to her before she sees her husband — ex-husband," he corrected.

"Do you think that she's coming to try and get Bill back?" Arlene asked as she got off the bed looking for her clothes.

"Who knows?" Diana shrugged.

"What about Linda?" Melissa said, frowning.

"As soon as breakfast was over, Evie told me that they were going back to their apartment to make love. She said that Linda's and Kim's soreness was about gone. I told her that we were going to do the same thing. It hasn't been that long. I imagine that they're still busy," Diana replied.

"Well, we should still be," Jennie grumped. "I didn't get my turn."

Arlene turned and looked at her.

"Okay, okay. This is more important," Jennie quickly apologized.

"Baby, you'll be first next time," Diana assured her. Then looking around, "We all need to get dressed. We're going to talk to this woman first. We've heard a lot of bad things about her."

"But we need to hear her side, also," Helen said as she gathered up stray panties and put them in the hamper. "Let's not judge her before we talk to her. It took a lot of spunk to come here. Especially, if she really is sick as Jesse thinks."

"Yeah, you're right, Helen," Diana said as she found Jeff's shorts and threw them to him. "We'll have coffee and doughnuts in the living room when she gets here. We'll be civilized and treat her well. If things go downhill, it will be her that starts it. But I'm telling everyone now; she isn't going to bother Bill, Kathy or Linda. If she starts anything, I'll throw her out on her ass," she said with vehemence.

TWO VEHICLES HAVE ENTERED THE DRIVEWAY, the computer announced as the TV came on in the living room, the camera focusing on the lead vehicle.

DRIVER OF FIRST VEHICLE IDENTIFIED: DEPUTY JESSE GOODMAN.

DRIVER OF SECOND VEHICLE: UNIDENTIFIED, the computer said as the camera focused on Jill through the windshield, the picture almost instantly changing to a crystal clear picture of her.

"My gosh. She's beautiful," Ann said.

"But she looks ill," Caitlin said.

"Computer! Identify driver of second vehicle as Jill Madison," Jeff instructed.

DRIVER OF SECOND VEHICLE: JILL MADISON, the computer acknowledged.

"I don't know if she took her maiden name back or not," Jeff said.

"Whatever name she's going by now doesn't matter. She is going to have problems if she thinks she is going to come in here..." Diana said winding down as Jeff, who was standing beside her, put his arm around her and squeezed.

"This is not really our business..." Jeff started.

"The hell it isn't," Diana instantly replied. "Bill, Kathy and Linda are living here. They're family," she said, Diana's Queen Bitch side coming to the fore to protect what she perceived as her brood.

The computer tracked the two vehicles as they ascended the drive, the Matthews watching as both came to a stop. As Jesse got out to walk back, Jeff said, "Computer..."

But the computer had anticipated and turned the sound up. Jeff frowned wondering when the software had become so sophisticated, but suspected that he knew the two who were responsible. Laura and Helen exchanged a grin behind his back.

When the short conversation between Jesse and Jill was over, Laura spoke up, "Jesse is worried about her."

"I tell you that woman is ill," Caitlin, ever the nurse, insisted. "She's gaunt, her color is wrong and in that last closeup, she looked like she was trembling. That can't be the way she normally speaks."

I've heard that speaking style before, Jeff thought. She's being so slow and deliberate because she's about to fall over.

"Jesse didn't say what was wrong with her; just that she was sick," Diana said as they watched the vehicles on the big screen. Then a moment later, "I'll meet her out back," Diana surprised no one by saying.

"I'll go with you," Jeff and Caitlin said almost simultaneously and in voices that brooked no objections. Caitlin told Joyce to get her emergency bag, as Jeff looked at his new wife in surprise.

A few minutes later, Jeff, Caitlin and Diana stood on the back steps as Jill and Jesse parked. "Let's go," Jeff said.

Jesse got out as they approached. "I've got a call holding..."

"Go, we'll take care of this," Jeff said, as Deputy Goodman noted the implication of Caitlin holding her bag. "And Jesse..."

Jesse turned back for a second.

"Thanks," Jeff added, with meaning. "And stop by and eat with us tonight."

"Glad to. And thank you," Jesse said. A moment later, he was headed down the drive.

"I'm Diana Matthews. This is my husband, Jeff, and this is Caitlin Hughes," Diana said as Jill opened her door.

"I'm Jill Madison," Jill said coming unsteadily to her feet.

Jeff took one look at her, walked over and scooped her into his arms. "Big house — long walk," was all he said as he started toward the back door with her.

Diana got Jill's keys and purse out of the car and closed the door. Now smiling, she followed her husband with his burden.

"I can walk," Jill tried to indignantly say when she found her voice.

"Hush," Jeff softly chided. "You look like you can barely stand, let alone walk. Valet services," he said, making light and grinning down at her as Diana hurried past to open the back door for them.

A moment later, as they walked down the hall, "Do you need to stop by the bathroom?" Caitlin asked.

"No, I'm fine," Jill answered her, then to Jeff, "I really can walk. Please put me down."

"We're almost there," Jeff replied, feeling the woman trembling in his arms. "Just be calm; you're among friends now."

Caitlin is right, Diana thought. Jill's color is off, her pallor is noticeable and her jeans and top don't really fit. I doubt if she would buy clothes for herself that fit so poorly. This is the ex-wife of Captain Bill Madison. I don't know what he earns as Frank's pilot, but I would be amazed if it wasn't an excellent salary. Bill said that he took care of her in the divorce. He's an honorable man; I'm sure he did. So why would she be wearing ill-fitting clothes? Those clothes look like they don't even belong to her.

"Have you eaten breakfast?" Diana asked as they passed the kitchen.

Jeff stopped to wait for the answer.

"No," Jill said. "I slept in a parking lot last night. I stopped in a convenience store to ask directions, but I don't..."

"I'll get you something," Diana started.

"I ... can't eat much," Jill hesitantly responded. "But you don't have to..."

"Nonsense," Diana quickly said. "No one comes into our home and stays hungry. We'll make it something light and see what happens," she finished as Laura walked up.

"Fruit juice first," Caitlin instructed. "The fructose will help and she needs the fluid."

"Go on in the living room with her," Laura said. "I'll take care of the food and send one of the girls over with the juice while I fix the rest."

"Thanks," Diana said to her sister-wife, best friend and self-proclaimed handmaiden.

Laura smiled at her and hurried through the kitchen door as Jeff walked on down the hall toward the living room, Jill still in his arms with Diana and Caitlin following.

Jeff sat Jill in a comfortable chair even as Arlene came rushing up with a small glass of orange juice, and carrying a pitcher with more.

"Wait a second on the juice. I want to see what her blood sugar is," Caitlin said. Then to Jill, "I'm a nurse. Have you been eating regularly lately?" knowing from her appearance that she had not.

"Un uh," Jill mumbled. "For the last few days, food won't stay down most of the time."

Caitlin quickly slid a test strip into the reader, pricked Jill's finger with a lance made for the purpose and applied the small droplet of blood to the test strip. The machine beeped once, then five seconds later flashed 52.

Caitlin sighed. "Very low. I'm amazed she's conscious. That's the reason her speech is so slow." Taking the glass of orange juice, she handed it to Jill, who had to grasp it with both hands because of the shaking. "Here, I'll help you with that," Caitlin said as she steadied Jill's hands. "Drink up. It will help. Then we'll get some protein in you that will help keep your blood sugar levels up where they're supposed to be. If we don't follow up with something else, the orange juice will raise your levels, then they will quickly drop again.

"Are you a diabetic?" Caitlin asked a moment later when Jill had finished the juice and shakily handed the glass to Arlene.

"No," Jill finally said, "Not that I know of. The trembling and nausea have been getting worse in the last couple of days, though."

Caitlin, now kneeling beside the woman, expertly grasped Jill's wrist and focused on her (Caitlin's) watch. After a moment, she turned back to her bag for her stethoscope. Listening to Jill's chest and back for a few moments, she looked pointedly at Jeff and mouthed, "Little One."

"Where are my daughter and my husband?" Jill slowly enunciated, speaking to Diana.

Diana glanced at Jeff, who sighed. "Tell her."

Diana took Jill's hand, "Bill and Kathy have gone into Winter Park for breakfast," Diana responded. Then quietly, "Jill, they're married."

Jill looked as if she had been slapped, but after a moment, she sighed and said, "Kathy is a good person," her response now a little quicker as the orange juice began to take effect. After another pause, she frowned, "But how could they be married? Our divorce isn't final, yet. At least, I don't think it is. It's only been a few weeks, hasn't it? I'm all mixed up."

Jill tried to focus. She had forced herself through the trip, the night in the car, and the terrifying drive up the mountain. Those things, in addition to the damage that the drugs had done to her body, accompanied with the sudden withdrawal from those same drugs, had left her weakened body with far less energy than she would have liked.

In addition, Ingles, unknown to her, was now ready to sell her, and had frequently forgotten to tell her to eat or provide food for her.

"What about my daughter, then? Can I please talk to her? I have so much to apologize for ... So many things that he made me do." Her quavering voice steadied for a moment; she was very determined.

"'He? Made' you?" Diana said. "You left your husband... Who made you?"

"Ingles. Doctor Ingles," she said, as if the name itself had a vile taste.

Diana and Jeff passed a look.

"I know. I know," Jill continued. "I'm not trying to defend what I did. I mostly knew what I was doing, it just seemed like it was a dream. I didn't have a will of my own, it's like I wasn't really in control of my body." Big tears rolled down her cheeks as she fought back the sobs.

"How were you not in control of your body?" Jeff asked, already suspecting, as he leaned forward to be closer to Jill, studying her face. Diana knelt beside Jill, on the opposite side from Caitlin and handed Jill a tissue.

Jill took a long shuddering breath. "He ... Ingles bragged that he drugged and hypnotized me. I don't know. It all seems like a dream. Mostly, he kept me in the house without any clothes on. Every now and then, he would let me dress and walk to the grocery store for a few things. He gave me specific instructions. He took me to men ... He did that even when we were in Saint Louis. I stole the leftover grocery money out of the drawer after I managed to palm the drugs for the last couple of days. A preacher and his wife took me in and had my car repaired. I had already stolen forty dollars from a truck driver for gas. I've done despicable things, the stealing probably the least of them. Ingles says I have AIDS. He told me I wouldn't live long. Please let me see my baby," Jill sobbed, her sentences disjointed, her hands now shaking badly.