Duskwood Mysteries

Part 19

I was back in Duskwood standing in front of the hospital entrance. Jake had gotten a rental car for me. In the morning when he had handed me the bag, I was surprised to see a blond wig, a fake tattoo, clothes that were definitely something I would never wear (lets just say it was highly uncomfortable) and the fake ID. Marina Sokolov. That was my name. I had to answer to Marina, believe I was Marina and act like Marina. Whoever she was. The ID was really baffling. It looked genuine. I had changed into the clothes and worn the wig.  As an additional touch I had also put a fake tattoo along my collarbone. An identifier that was fake. Weirdly it looked very realistic. I walked into the hospital. I went to the front desk and with a strong tone I said, "I am here to meet a patient. His name is Richy." The woman at the desk looked at me and then looked to her side. A cop walked up to the desk and looked at me. "She wants to meet the guy you found yesterday in the woods." She said to the cop in a monotone. Wow seems like she is absolutely emotionless. The cop asked, " Name?" "Marina Sokolov." I said without blinking.

"Relation to the patient?" he asked. I had thought hard about this. I knew this question was coming up and Jake had an answer for it. "Girlfriend," I said calmly. The cop took a quick look at me. "Girlfriend? Marina Sokolov?" I started feeling nervous. "I never thought that Richy had a girlfriend?" the cop said as a matter of fact. Damn. Did the cop know Richy personally? I was toast. But I had to give it a shot. "I don't live in Duskwood. I live a few towns over so we don't meet that frequently." I said as confident as possible. Good job Jade you are on your to becoming the newest pathological liar. The cop narrowed his eyes again and asked, "It is weird that he never mentioned you?" Ok I know it was a long shot but I put on some false bravado and said, "Oh I didn't know we had to get our relationship stamped by the cops to be official. The way we work together is none of your business. Look sir, I have been devastated ever since he has been missing and I have been driving all night just to be here to meet him. I really wish I could have been there when you guys got him here but I couldn't and I regret that. I have no idea what he has been through but I guess you guys are heartless enough to not let me see him. That's fine." Ok I kinda knew this would not work. I had to be confident and I was now borderline desperate. The cop looked on expressionless. "Ask him if you want." I pushed. It was a bluff. I was hoping that since I said I was ok with Richy himself confirming, it would inadvertently prove that I was who I said I was. The cop then said, "One moment, wait here."

That was it. I was going to be thrown out or worst put in jail. I had half a mind of running back out. A minute passed, then two. My nervousness was quickly starting to show. "Are you ok miss?" the woman behind the desk asked. "Yeah I am fine just exhausted." I said hoping that she would believe it. I saw the cop walking back to the desk. Here it goes. "ID please," he said. I gave him the ID. He glanced at the ID and then to me. "Miss Sokolov. You can go up to meet him. I spoke to him and he says he's been expecting you." I gulped as he handed my ID back. Another cop literally escorted me to the elevator and to the floor he was kept in. Millions of thoughts went through my mind. He was expecting me? But how? We stopped at a door which had Richy's name on it. The cop walked in with me. There I saw Richy propped up on the bed. He looked as he heard us walk in. He stared at me and then turned to the cop, "Thank you officer for getting my girlfriend here." He emphasized on the word girlfriend as if it was a joke. The cop nodded and walked out. I heaved a sigh of relief.

"I think I know who you are," Richy said, his eyes narrowing. "You do?" I asked. I was surprised. How did he know me? Unless he was keeping tabs on me or he knew me somehow. But he couldn't because I hadn't told him. Were we right? Was he guilty? I blinked rapidly as he said, "You are the reporter from the website right?" "Huh?" I exclaimed. "You know the website that captures the supernatural stories. You are here because you think I was attacked by the man without a face. But sorry to disappoint I am pretty sure I wasn't attacked by anyone supernatural." He said. "And coming in here claiming to be my girlfriend is a new low. You could have been thrown out or arrested you know that? You are lucky they called me and I confirmed who you were." He whispered. I stared at him, "I am not a reporter Richy. I'm Jade." He looked at me as if I was an alien specimen. He opened his mouth to say something but I interrupted, "Before you tell me to prove anything here you go." I handed him my phone. It had our chats. He looked through them and handed me back the phone. "No wonder you voice sounded familiar." He said. "Yup surprise." I said. "You are really here," he said grabbing my hand. "Yes I am," I said.

"I was hoping you would be here you know. You were the last person I was talking to you before what happened.." he said. "Yeah you did put me in a bad spot Richy." I said. "The cops said the others were searching for me in the woods right after I disappeared. You told them, didn't you?" he asked. "Of course I did. What were you expecting me to do? Wish upon a star for your safety?" I asked angrily. "Ok relax. I am just ..... grateful that you did that." He said. "How are you?" I asked. "Better since you are here." He said. I wondered why he was holding my hand. Was it a show for the cops since I had claimed to be his girlfriend? I lowered my voice and asked, "Richy what happened in the forest?" "Ok I remember going to the woods to my friends' cabin and then texting you. And then I heard a scream. I called you and ran towards the direction of the scream and then everything turned to black. I felt immense pain. I could see nothing but I did hear you scream on the phone. And the next thing I remember is waking up here." He said. He looked extremely distraught and broken. I really felt sorry for him. He shook his head, "I wish I could remember, Jade. But I don't know if I want to.." he said. "I'm sorry Richy. It looked really horrific. I cant even imagine what you had to go through. I wish I could have done something to help you." I said. "But you did. You did warn us not to go there and you did everything you could to find me. Even when it meant to come here. I am so touched. I think this is probably the best thing to come out of this," he said smiling at me.

That was Richy. He always looked at the silver lining. I smiled back. "So do you think anyone followed you to the cabin?" I asked. "I doubt it Jade. I hadn't sent anyone the address of the cabin yet so I don't think so." He said. Another dead end. That is if I believed him. Did I believe him? I did not know yet. "Do you think the scream was Hannah's?" I asked. He looked away, "I don't know that either Jade. I hope that it was not." "Why not?" I asked completely surprised. "Well if it was then it means that I couldn't help her." He said sadly. He felt helpless too. I understood how it felt. It was the same feeling I had when Richy went missing. "I'm glad you are okay Richy," I said. "And I am glad you are here. Although I expected you to come with the others." He said. "They did ask but I don't think it's the right time to meet them." I said. "But it is the right time to meet me?" he asked cocking his head to one side. "Ummm I needed to know what happened you know." I said. "That's it?" he asked. I looked away, "That's it." He giggled. "I need to ask you something... I mean tell you something" he said nervously.

"Sure what is it?" I asked looking back at him. "I don't think it is the right time but who cares right. You never know whats going to happen. I was meaning to ask you this I mean say this when I got to the cabin but..." the cop standing at the door interrupted saying, "Richy you have more visitors. Your friends are coming." I looked at Richy in horror as I could hear the multiple footsteps progressing down the hallway.