Salomon stood up to leave. Smith said, “Hold it. Will I see you tomorrow? And will you phone in a report—tell Hedrick or the physician on watch; they won’t let me talk on the phone—phone a report each day? Till you find her?”
“Every day, Johann.”
“Thanks, Jake. You’ll make Eagle Scout yet. Tell nursy she can come out of the corner now. They’re probably waiting to slip me my Mickey Finn—this is the longest they’ve let me stay awake so far.”
Two rooms away Salomon stopped to speak to Dr. Hedrick. The physician looked at him. “Rough,” he stated.
“Quite. Doctor, how long do you expect to keep your patient from using a mirror?”
“Hard to say. Progress has been rapid lately . . . but Smith still has very imperfect control of the new body. Plus tingling and itching and numbness—all to be expected—and imaginary pains. Psychosomatic, rather; they are real to the patient. Counselor, if you expect me to have my patient ready for a competency hearing any time soon, emotional shocks must be delayed as long as possible. That’s my opinion, though of course I am strongly influenced by Dr. Rosenthal’s judgment. Besides imperfect body control, our patient is weak and emotionally extremely unstable.”
“So I am aware.”
“Mr. Sabomon, you look as if you needed another tranquilizer. May I?”
Salomon grudged a smile. “Only if it involves grain alcohol.”
Hedrick chuckled. “Will you settle for some bottled in Scotland?”
“Yes! No water. Well, just a touch.”
“I’ll dispense the drug, you add water to taste. I’ll prescribe for myself, too—I also find this case a bit trying. Even though we are making medical history.”
8
Dr. Garcia rubbed Jake Salomon’s arm where he had just injected him. “Now wait three minutes. With a tenth cc. of ‘Tranquille’ in you, you could attend your own hanging in a calm mood.”
“Thank you, Doctor. Dr. Hedrick, what’s bothering Johann now? Your message was not specific.”
Hedrick shook his head. “The patient won’t talk to us. Simply demands to see you.”
“Uh…he has found out? Or, rather, if he has, what then?”
Hedrick turned to his colleague. “Dr. Garcia?”
“You know my opinion, Doctor. Your patient has recovered, is simply weak from being too long in bed. There is no longer any excuse—any medical excuse—for restraints.”
“Dr. Rosenthal?”
The psychiatrist shrugged. “The human mind is a weird and wonderful thing—and the longer I study it the less I’m sure about anything concerning it. But I agree with Dr. Garcia on one point: You can’t keep a patient tied down forever.”
Hedrick said, “I’m afraid that’s it, Counselor.”
Salomon sighed. “And I’ve been appointed a volunteer.”
“Any of us will go in with you if you wish, sir. But the patient flatly refuses to talk to us. We’ll be standing by, ready to move fast if a crisis develops.”
“The dummy-switches dodge again?”
“Oh, certainly. And this time the nurse has been instructed to get out if you tell her to. You, not the patient. But don’t worry; I’ll be watching and listening by closed-circuit video; Dr. Garcia and Dr. Rosenthal will watch the monitor scopes.”
“I’m not worrying, that drug must have hit me. Okay, I’ll go in—and if I have to ride the tiger, I’ll hang onto its ears.”
Johann Smith said, “Jake! Where the hell have you been? You’ve come to see me just, once in the past three weeks. Once! Damn you.”
“I’ve been working. Which is more than you can say.”
“You think so, eh? Physiotherapy is damned hard work, harder than you ever do, you shyster—and I have to go through it seven days a week.”
“My heart bleeds, Johann—want a chit to’ see the Chaplain? I was laid up sick for ten days—which I’m sure Hedrick told you—and I still don’t feel chipper, so move over, you lazy bastard, and let me stretch out. Damn it, Johann, I’m not as young as I used to be; I can’t jump through hoops every time you snap your fingers.”
“Now, now, Jake, don’t take that line with me. I’m sorry you were in. I told ‘em to send you flowers. Did you get them?”
“Yes. Thank you.”