Schism

Chapter 7 part 1

Chapter 7

Bryan twisted in his chair, one of the older and least ergonomic in the whole squad room, as he scribbled in the notebook.  His Find Nutjob to-do list included RESEARCH, HOMELESS SHELTERS, FIANCEE. 

Next to his book was a small stack of phone message sheets.  Each one was from Dr. Susan Westen.  He was glad that he hadn't given her his cell number.  He thought a moment, remembered that he had given that number to Jessica, the ex-fiancé.  That had been automatic, something he'd done without realizing it, as if another part of him had taken over and talked to her without his conscious mind being in the room.  It had felt good.  He hadn't really figured out why, but it felt good to speak with her.  It was more than her looks; there was something in her personality or presence that made him feel more like himself than he had in a long time.

He leaned back, tried to shake some of the stiffness out of his neck.  It was nearly ten p.m.  He'd put off dinner about as long as he could.  But that meant eating alone, trying to settle into bed alone and having the same dreams before he woke alone.  He could shove the hunger back for a bit longer.  He had done it for two years.

He picked up the stack of messages.  What was it about the doctor?  Aside from the red hair, which was too much like Claire's, there was something else about her that put him on edge.  And, she had tensed when he told her that Adams had escaped.  Was she frightened?  That would be understandable, but Adams would have to go back to the hospital to have the opportunity to attack her again, and she'd be surrounded by people there, easily protected.

And why would she worry that he would come after her again?  More importantly, why had he attacked her in the first place?  Adams had no history of violence, and then he suddenly picked her as a target.  Attacking her simply to escape didn't make sense.  It was a minimum security facility, he probably could have broken out without her badge and keys.  There had to be something else.

Knowing why Adams attacked her might tell Bryan why the man escaped, which is what he really needed to understand.  Knowing the motives always made the perp easier to find.  He understood that every criminal had a worldview, a set of explanations for what they did.  They were sometimes stupid and ill-reasoned, but they were valid to the criminal, formed by his experience.  What Bryan needed to do was find out more about William Adams so he could see this worldview.  Then he'd have a much better idea how to find him.

He added another line to the list.  REVISIT DOCTOR.

Bryan nearly jumped at a shout from the next cube over.  "God!  Just listen!"  It was a woman's voice.  He put his pen down and eavesdropped.

One of the other detectives, also working late, replied.  "You said the suspect broke one of the other perp's arms?"  It sounded like Cray.

The woman's voice again.  "Will you just listen?  Jesus."

"The guy who attacked you did it."

"He wasn't the one who attacked me."  Her retort was cut off by a telephone.

"Rios.  Yeah?  All right.  Yeah, yeah, fine."  Rios's voice sounded tired and annoyed.  "We'll be there.  Just wait."  The phone clicked back into its cradle.  "Slinger with a broken arm and a limp just checked himself into the ER at Mercy."

"Thank god," Cray said.

"Might not be an all-nighter."  Rios prairie-dogged up and peered around the room, his eyes resting only briefly on Bryan.  He lowered his voice, but it still carried right to Bryan.  "Mickelson's here."