What’s going on?”
The others rushed over and stared. Peake had returned to the full Jesus pose, head cocked to the right. But no tears.
I said, “He got up a few minutes ago, positioned himself that way.”
Aldrich said, “My, my… Has he done this before, Heidi?”
“No. Never. He never gets off the bed.” She sounded scared. “Dr. Delaware, you’re saying he actually moved on his own?”
“Yes.”
Steenburg and Swenson looked at each other. Aldrich said, “Interesting.” The gravity of his tone bordered on comical. Trying to assume authority on a case he knew nothing about.
Frank Dollard said, “What’d you say to him to get him that way?”
“Nothing,” I said.
“You didn’t talk to him?”
Milo said, “What’s the big deal? He used to think he was a vegetable, now he’s evolved into Jesus.”
Dollard and doctors glared at him.
“Psychosis is a disease,” said Aldrich. “It’s unseemly to ridicule.”
“Sorry,” said Milo.
Swenson said, “Has he ever talked about religious themes, Heidi?”
“No. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. He doesn’t talk much, period.”
Swenson turned contemplative, laced his hands over his belt buckle. “I see…. So it’s something altogether new.”
Dollard jutted his head in my direction. “You’d better tell us what you were talking to him about. We need to know, in case he starts acting out.”
Aldrich said, “Is there some problem, Frank?”
“These people are a problem, Dr. Aldrich. They keep coming in here, disrupting, going at Peake. Mr. Swig authorized only fifteen minutes with the SDL group, no time with Peake.” He pointed through the door. “Look at that. Guy like that, who knows what could happen? And for what? He couldn’ta had anything to do with Dr. Argent. I told ’em that, you told ’em that, Mr. Swig told ’em that-”
Aldrich turned to Milo. “What is your purpose here, Officer?”
“Investigating Dr. Argent’s murder.”
Aldrich shook his head. “That’s not an answer. Why are you questioning PeakeT’
“He said something that might have predicted Dr. Argent’s murder, Doctor.”
“Predicted? What in the world are you talking about?”
Milo told him.
” ‘In a box,’ ” said Aldrich. He faced Heidi. Steenburg and Swenson did the same.
“When did he say this to you?”
“The day before it happened.”
“An oracle?” said Steenburg. “Oh, please. And now he’s Jesus-am I the only one who sees a trend toward irrelevance?”
Swenson said, “At least it’s original. Relatively, that is. We don’t get a lot of
Jesuses anymore.” He smiled. “Plenty of Elvises but not that many Jesuses. Maybe it’s the godless state of our culture.”
No one else seemed amused.
Swenson wouldn’t give up. “We can always do what Milton Erickson did with his
Jesuses-give him carpenter’s tools and have him fix something.”
Aldrich scowled and Swenson looked the other way.
“Officer,” said Aldrich, “let me get this clear: on the basis of this supposed… utterance, you’re back here?”
“It’s an unsolved homicide, Dr. Aldrich.”
“Even so…” Aldrich moved closer to the doorway and peered inside. Peake hadn’t budged. He closed the door.
Dollard said, “They caused a ruckus in SDL, too. Herman Randall’s all worked up, shouting Nazi stuff in his room. We might think of upping his meds.”
“Might we?” said Aldrich. He turned to Heidi. “How about you and I meeting after lunch to review Mr. Peake’s file. Make sure what we’re seeing in there isn’t some kind of regression.”
“I’d think just the opposite,” I said. “He’s showing more mobility and affective response.”
“Affective response?”
“He was crying, Dr. Aldrich.”
Aldrich took another look inside. “Well, he’s not crying now. Just hanging there looking pretty regressed. Looks like catalepsy to me.”
I said, “Is there any chance of reducing his meds?”
Aldrich’s eyes bugged. “Why in the world would we do that!”
“It might loosen him up verbally.”
“Loosen him up,” said Swenson. “Just what we need, a loose Jesus.”
A couple of figures in khaki had drifted out of the TV room. The inmates stared at us, began heading our way. Swenson and Steenburg stepped forward. The men turned, reversed direction, collected near the door to the TV room, returned inside.
Aldrich said, “Thank you for your opinion, Doctor. However, you and Officer Sturgis must leave immediately. No further contact with Mr. Peake or any other patients until cleared by myself or Mr. Swig.” To Steenburg and Swenson: “We’d better get moving. The reservation’s at one.”