Chapter 23: The Missing Woman

Percy was working at his marina helping to maintain the boats when his cell phone rang. A quick glance at the display indicated the caller ID was blank. There was only one individual who would be on the other end.

"Hello, Percy here."

"We found the missing woman from the slave ring." The voice said.

"Is she still alive?" I asked.

"She was treated badly. Her mind is gone. We have her in a safe place getting care. We need to know if her husband wants her back."

I started to say,"of course," but was interrupted.

"Percy, do not mention this to anyone until we show her to you. Clear your schedule for a week starting next Monday. We'll pick you up."

"Where are you taking me?" I asked.

"Switzerland." Was the answer I received. "You'll be gone two weeks."

I told everyone that I was going to a police seminar in Oregon and I'd be gone a couple of weeks. It was funny how everyone accepted my trip with no questions asked. Later I found that they thought I was going to a Betty Ford type clinic and wanted nothing but the best for me. If they only knew.

My trip to Switzerland was uneventful, sort of. I was picked up by a limo at the Lodge and driven to a small local airport. There I was put on a plane destined for the west coast. The private plane stopped in Detroit for fuel. I was snuck off that plane and put on a larger private jet. That plane took me across the Atlantic to a small private airport at a clinic in Switzerland.

I was greeted by the director of the clinic. "Mr. Holmes, your luggage will be placed in your room. Please accompany me to my office. We'll discuss our patient there."

We walked to his office. While in route, he explained that his clinic was a very discreet operation specializing in women's mental health issues. Most of his clients were women with drug or alcohol problems. These clients were very wealthy and no hints of their problems were ever to become public.

"Then there are the special cases like yours. These poor soul's problems are not caused by an addiction but by physical miss treatment. I'm sorry to say that Mrs. Cooper Is one of those cases."

He continued, "Mrs. Cooper was brought to us by one of our Italian friends. We were told that she had been subjected to physical abuse and was in a comatose state. She was in good physical condition, but her mind has taken a 'time out'.

He then opened a folder on his desk. It contained pictures of Mrs. Cooper. They showed a woman who had been badly tortured. Her body was covered with whip scars, burn marks and many piercings. She was also covered with tattoos. Not pretty tats that a woman would choose but ugly, nasty things put on to degrade her.

"She was found in the household of an Arab oil sheik and removed to our care," he continued.

I asked if I could have any information about her captors.

"The Italians have already extracted their vengeance. They do not like white women being subjected to abuse by non-whites, "was his answer.

He walked Percy to a special locked ward at the opposite end of the clinic as all the other rooms. There they went into a room with TV monitors which allowed constant supervision of the patients. There was only one monitor in operation.

Percy stared at it in horror. There was a woman lying on the floor of a small cell. She was completely naked. Percy looked at her eyes. They were blank.

"I know it is a shock, but she will not wear anything. We tried dressing her but soon found that she tried to use the articles of clothing to commit suicide. She will not use the toilet in her room. Most of the time she just continues to lie there and go. It makes for a very messy situation. But we feel she doesn't understand. We feel that her mind is about the same development as a young child."

The doctor took Percy to her room. There were two attendants and a nurse awaiting them there. The attendants looked very strong and the nurse was carrying a hypodermic needle.

The doctor started talking to her through the door. His voice was soft and non-threatening. He really didn't seem to be saying anything, but trying to make soothing sounds. She did not move or acknowledge our presence.

Percy looked at her and almost cried. This beautiful woman reduced to this. He looked at the doctor and said, "I don't know what I'm going to tell her husband Bill."

The doctor signaled his staff. Her eyes had suddenly focused on Percy, she screamed, "Husband Bill?" Then she threw herself at Percy. The attendants caught her and the nurse injected her.

"Mr. Holmes, you got a reaction out of her! We have been trying to get a reaction from her for months. I hope you can stay with us a while. There are some things I'd like to try."

"Doctor I'll help anyway you wish."

Back in the doctor's office, they discussed all the ways Percy could help. It was decided that Percy would contact her husband Bill and get their wedding pictures. The doctor felt that her wedding was one of the happiest days of her life and that might break through her fugue state.

Percy called Bill Cooper, "Bill? Percy Holmes, I'll get right to the point. We might have found your wife. Don't get your hopes up because this poor woman is in a mental hospital and her mind is gone. But she does resemble your wife. Can I borrow your wedding pictures and if you still have it, he wedding gown?"

Bill went from a great height, to a new low when he first heard that she had been found. And then realized if it was her, her mind might never return.

"Percy, I have everything you want. Where would you like me to send it?"

"Bill, I'll have a courier service at your house tomorrow. I don't want to take a chance of your articles being lost." Replied Percy, while actually thinking, "I don't want you to know where she is yet."

Percy visited Kathy again the next day. This time the Doctor wanted to try something different. The two attendants and the nurse were still there only this time the doctor was in the monitoring room. As instructed, Percy entered the room this time standing before Kathy.

"Hi Kathy, I'm Percy Holmes a friend of your husband Bill." No reaction from her.

So he said it again. This time she focused her eyes on him.

"Bill sent me to see if you are well enough to come home." Percy stopped talking and waited for a response.

A very rusty voice squeaked, "Home?"

"Yes Kath, home. But you need to get better first."

"Ugly!" She screamed.

The nurse started toward Kathy, but Percy stopped her with a shake of his head.

"Bill loves you. He doesn't care what you look like, he still loves you." Percy responded.