Ashes

Brian jumped into his car and made his way the St. Augustine Research Hospital where he would meet with one of Clarice’s doctors. He parked as close as he could to the entrance then walked up to the lady at the desk.

“Afternoon officer, how can I help you?” the young nurse asked after he flashed his credentials.

“Yes, I’m looking for Dr. Berry?” he told her smiling.

“He’s in theatre right now but if you just take a seat right there I’ll call you once he’s out,” she informed him.

Brian sat where she directed him and waited. He sat there for about half an hour reading almost every leaflet that was on the table to pass the time.

“Brian? Is that you?” a familiar voice asked.

Brian turned in the direction of the voice and there stood his brother-in-law holding his three year old niece’s hand.

“Hey Matt!” he said standing to give him a manly hug then turned to face his niece Hannah.

“Hannah banana!” he shouted then lifted her and placed a sloppy kiss on her cheek. It was then he noticed the bright pink cast on her right wrist.

“What happened here?” he asked pointing at her arm.

“She tripped on a pair of skates and fell down the stairs,” Matt informed him. “Now she’s got a broken wrist.”

“They came out of no where, I swear!” Hannah exclaimed cutely.

“Aw my poor Hannah banana,” Brian replied kissing the pink cast. “Other than that how have you guys been?”

“We’re holding up as best as we can,” Matt replied suddenly baring a sullen expression.

“We’ll that’s good to hear. You know you guys can come over on Sunday if you’d like. I’m free then,” Brian told them.

“Umm I don’t think we can make it,” Matt said with the same expression. “We’re moving on Saturday.”

“Um wow. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I was going to call you but I’ve just been really tied up trying to make this move worthwhile,” he told Brian.

“Where are you guys headed?” Brian asked.

“We’re moving to Huntington Beach. I’m thinking of starting up a band there with some guy from school,” he informed Brian. “All we’re missing now are people to play some of the other instruments. It shouldn’t be hard to find someone in California though. Then we’re going to start demoing some of our stuff.”

“That’s great to hear. You’re going to have to give me your contact number in case I want to talk to my Hannah Banana,” Brian smiled as he and Matt exchanged numbers.

They said their goodbyes and soon after Brian was ushered into the doctor’s office.

“How can I help you Detective?” Dr. Berry asked as he swivelled in his chair to face Brian.

“Yes, I’m Detective Brian Haner. I need to ask you a few questions about a patient of yours,” he replied.

“You and I both know that I can’t give out patient information,” Dr. Berry state matter-of-factly.

“Ah! That’s why I’ve come prepared,” Brian announced as he pulled out the warrant and placed it on the desk. Dr. Berry frowned then sighed.

“What do you want to know?” he then asked Brian.

“I need all the information you have on Clarice Newton,” Brian told him.

Dr. Berry stood up and went to his filing cabinet searching among the ‘N’s’ until he found Clarice’s folder. He took it out then walked back to his desk and sat down. He opened the folder and quickly glanced through calling out the important data to Brian.

“Clarice Newton, aged twenty eight, five feet three inches, one hundred and seventeen pounds. She lived on 323 Lansbury Street. She was admitted to this hospital on July 23rd of this year at two fifteen in the morning. She suffered second degree burns from her abdomen down to her ankles and third degree burns on her left thigh. The burns had left her thigh completely disfigured and the tissue damage was so severe that we needed to do skin grafts using tissue from her right thigh. I completed the procedure on August 7th and she was released from the hospital on August 26th,” Dr. Berry informed Brian.

“Do you know how she got those burns in the first place?” Brian asked him.

“That I’m afraid is personal information that Ms. Newton herself will be quite capable of answering herself,” Dr. Berry stated coldly.

“I’m afraid that Ms. Newton is unable to give out that information right now seeing as she is dead,” Brian said steadily.

Dr. Berry stared at him as if trying to figure out if he was lying or not. After a few minutes of a staring contest he finally spoke up.

“On the night of July 22nd Ms. Newton was cornered and raped in an alley two blocks from her home. She was found a short while later by a resident taking out the trash. Apparently the perpetrator tried to burn Ms. Newton to death and thankfully he did a lousy job at it. The guy who found her put out the fire then called the ambulance. Only her left leg got burnt badly,” Dr. Berry stated not once breaking eye contact with Brian.

They were silent, still glaring at each other.

“Have we met before?” Brian asked breaking the silence.

“No,” Dr. Berry stated clearly shocked at the change in conversation.

“I could have sworn that I’ve met you before,” Brian muttered. “Can I get a copy of this file?”

“Sure,” Dr. Berry replied then went to get the file copied. He gave Brian the copy and ushered him out the door.

“Have you ever been to Pennsylvania?” Brian asked as he turned back around in the doorway. There was something oddly familiar about the doctor.

“No,” he replied again feeling a bit uneasy about the change in conversation. He couldn’t think that he had something to do with Clarice’s murder, could he?

Brian shook the feeling of déjà vu off him then walked out the door.

“But my twin brother Jason lives there,” Dr. Berry shouted after him.