Jack In The Box

“Jack has been caught and they are bringing him back to the asylum.” The male Nurse Marvin told me on the phone.

“Jack? You mean Jackson Wolfe?” I asked.

“Yes. Him. There’s no other Jack in the same wing, remember?”

Oh god.

“When are they bringing him?”

“Tonight. The officials are not taking any chances this time. They are flying him through a chopper. Did you know our hospital has a Helipad? How cool is that?”

I couldn’t be bothered about a Helipad at the moment when I had more pressing matters to think about, starting with how the hell had they managed to find Jack? Unless, they found him because he wanted to be found. There was no way that Jack could ever surrender on his own accord, not when he believed that he was innocent.

Being caught only meant that he would be prosecuted, and most likely get hanged for his crimes.

Jack had to have a motive to come back. Or, I was thinking too much into this, and Jack could have let his guard down and walked into a trap which seemed as likely as me winning a lottery. My gut feeling was that Jack had got himself caught on purpose.

“Marvin, please call me when they bring him in.”

In the meantime, I arranged for an attorney, his name was James McIntyre. He wasn’t the best in the country, but I trusted him and he was Maddy’s recommendation. He had won many cases and there was no doubt in my mind that if push came to shove, I knew James wouldn’t rest until he had fought dirty by my side.

During afternoon, James met me in a cafe where we discussed about the case. I told him the truth, what had happened while I was with Jackson and when the truth spilled out I couldn’t omit the sex part. James didn’t seem happy about it, he said sleeping with Jack had complicated my side and proving me innocent would be more difficult in court.

“So whose side are you on?” He asked taking a large bite of his powdered donut, smearing all the white powder above his upper lip, making it seem like a white mustache.

I couldn’t hold it in and laughed.

“Remember something funny?” He asked, skeptical.

I waved a hand, I wasn’t going to tell him about the powdered mustache. “It’s nothing.”

“Honestly, I’m not sure whose side I’m really on. I lived with Jack for a few days, and he didn’t seem like the person that people make him to be. He is dangerous, I have no doubt about that but I don’t think he killed anyone. He was quite vulnerable when he told me about his mother’s death and I believe him, James. He cried in my arms that night and I’ve never seen Jack like that. If he really is a psychopath, he wouldn’t have any feelings.”

James continued to look at me, he was measuring his words. I knew it. The powdered mustache was kind of distracting. He said. “I’ve seen people like him all my life in this line of work, Riley. They tend to analyze people and strike when they see a weakness. From what I hear, Jack sounds manipulative. He could have faked those tears to have your attention. Psychopaths think we are foolish. They also think they are superior.”

“I’ve worked with patients that had anti-social personality disorder and Jack to me, doesn’t seem like any of those.” I pointed out.

“And that’s why he’s higher on the spectrum. High functioning psychopaths, the intelligent and educated ones. They can become who they want, Riley. CEO, doctors, lawyers and that’s why they deceive people easily.”

I sighed. What he said actually made sense, but I didn’t want to admit it.

“I have to go to the station and I’m already dreading it. Agent Flint won’t leave a stone upturned and he is hell-bent on putting me behind bars. He thinks I helped Jack escape last time, which is true but he also thinks the kidnapping is staged which is not true.”

“We have some alibi, Riley. You are in safe hands.” He said smiling. I took pity on him and wiped the powdered sugar off his lips.

He cleared his throat. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

five seconds after the first question.He’d specifically told me that they would do their best to rile me up and make me furious, to see if I fumbled with words and

their precious energy. Agent Flint was literally breathing fire. If he thought he could scare me with his dirty tactics,

to ask me that, Agent Knight, my answers are not going

leaned in and whispered. “He’s doing it on purpose to make you angry. Let me

could depict what was going on in his mind. “Miss Frazer, I hope you don’t blame me for grilling you for the information but this is all part of my job. You are the

throat. “Agent Knight, you and your team has been harassing my client here under the pretense of an interrogation. It’s been two hours

she’s playing by his rules.” Flint

has said nothing but the truth until now. She went to the cabin that night under duress and what transpired after that wasn’t part of

Tell me, Riley, did you

now.

going to get any new information from me. I’ve been honest with you

threw me

back at me. “Yes, Miss

prove it.” I

understand

If you think I killed the nurse and helped Jack, please prove it. Try and find the

“Riley.” James warned me.

“I promise you, Miss. Frazer, if you are

hold back.”

contact you again, Miss. Frazer. And if you remember something, I’m just a call

a good person now,

“Thanks for the warning.”

breakfast. Just the thought of Jack playing mind games

he was talking to me?” I

“I’m pretty sure he talks like that to

just about that, James. They don’t trust me. It’s clear as day. He thinks I’m in it because I’m obsessed with Jack because he’s

“Are you?”

at him. “You’ve got to

Jack in tonight.” James

I nodded.

you really think he didn’t kill all those people?”

anymore. I want to believe Jack isn’t lying to me.” I said. “I want to talk to him. I’m

agreed that was the best

Jack escaped again before they brought him back to the asylum because I knew what

psychically by the officials in hopes of finding out

I received a text from

Jackson’s here.

a week

him the next day. The call

natural waves because I knew he

body as I made my way inside the asylum. The receptionist eyed

and couches. The coffee machine sat idle for people to help themselves. I was sure once you tasted the hospital coffee here,

The panda stuffed toy was beside him. If you looked closely, Cody didn’t seem older much older than I was. He could be anywhere in his mid twenties to early thirties. I’d heard that Cody had a very severe accident when he was younger and since then he suffered from post-traumatic disorder and

smiled and

My heart squeezed.