The Scripted Stalker - Chapters 25 & 26
A Psychological Thriller
Chapter 25
It was 5 p.m. Barney had moved up his therapy appointment. He needed to talk to Dr. Greer today. He was so engrossed in his phone that he barely noticed the woman walking out the door. He was searching his phone for the latest photo of his angel. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of blonde hair. It registered in his mind that his angel also had hair of gold.
He was thankful Amanda decided to see him after her usual office hours today. He couldn’t bear to think of another night being tormented by nightmares. They were getting worse. Much worse. She had to help him.
The door creaked open, and Dr. Amanda Greer stood in a baggy brown sweater. She motioned him into the room as she punched up the glasses on her nose.
Barney took a seat on the chair opposite her. He kept ringing his hands in obvious distress.
“I can’t do this anymore” Barney said.
“Do what?” Amanda asked.
“Sleep! Having nightmares,” he got up and started to pace around the room.
“Barney,” Amanda said softly, “sit down and tell me about them.”
His hands went to his head. “I want them to stop!” He shouted at her.
She clicked her long fingers 3 times. “Barney. Breathe,” she said almost in a whisper. “Ten, nine, eight…”
She pointed to the chair. He reluctantly sat down.
“Barney, I’m here to help,” Amanda said dimming the lamp. “I want you to watch the light.” She flashed the light in front of his eyes. “Follow the light with your eyes. Slowly.”
Barney’s eyelids grew heavy as he followed the ball of light from side to side.
“Close your eyes, Barney. Ten, nine, eight, seven...,” Amanda droned.
Barney could hear her voice echoing on a spring evening. Rain clung to the grass. It was getting dark. Natalia was walking ahead of him in the distance.
“What do you see, Barney?” He heard Amanda’s voice from somewhere above.
“I see her. It’s getting dark. She’s walking too fast. I.” His voice rose; he was getting distressed.
“Breathe Barney. It’s OK,” Amanda told him.
Barney got quiet, his face slackened, then his thick eyebrows drew together.
“What do you see now?” Amanda asked.
He saw a boat. Natalia's face. Her eyes opening. Drifting under the water. “No!” he cried. “Natalia. I’m sorry.” Sobs wracked his large frame.
Amanda had to bring him out of it, or he could get dangerous. She wanted to find out what else was in his memories, but she feared for her life at the same time.
“Barney, I’m going to count back again. When you wake up you will not remember anything. Do you understand? It was a dream. You will never have that dream again,” Amanda said softly while leaning in closer to him
His face seemed to relax again. “On the count of 10 you will be awake again.” Amanda said.
Amanda started counting up to 10 and then snapped her fingers.
Barney looked at her as if the last 20 minutes in therapy didn’t happen.
“How do you feel?” Amanda asked.
“Like I’ve been asleep. I can’t remember where I was. I saw water, and a boat. That’s it,” he said.
“Well, it could be memories from anything, including a dream. The mind works in mysterious ways,” Amanda said quickly.
Barney shrugged and then nodded.
“We have to stop now, Barney. Back to your regular time next week?”
He nodded in agreement.
Amanda breathed a sigh of relief when he left.
She hoped these memories he had were gone and that he would keep his mouth shut. He was recalling that night. More than she thought he would. He was also coming out of a delusion of Natalia. She would need to adjust his medication once again.
Looking out of the window into the darkening sky, Amanda told herself that no one would listen to a crazy person. Still, she was worried. With Tad's wife nosing around, she couldn’t be too safe. There were precautions she needed to take.
Chapter 26
Detective Douglass Reed was shocked that Barney had been released.
“What do you mean, he was released?” Detective Reed asked the nurse at the psychiatric hospital.
“That’s right sir,” the nurse answered, and he could plainly see that she was becoming increasingly annoyed by him.
He asked to see the discharge notes. At the top of the form, it read: Released by Dr. Amanda Greer, Psychiatrist. “Barney Blevens is of sound mind, and it is imperative to his mental health that he continue his recovery in his home. He will remain under my continued supervised care.”
Unbelievable! Douglass thought angrily. He quickly thanked the nurse and headed back to the police station.
“You’re not going to believe this,” he told the sheriff’s deputy when he returned. “They released Barney from Cedars Psychiatric Hospital. Yes! The delusional man that shot up his own apartment. He’s dangerous to himself and everybody else!” Douglass rubbed his temples. He could feel another headache coming on.
“Is he the one that had the photo of the singer?” The deputy asked.
Douglass nodded. “He was due for further questioning today and now I’ll have to put that off until tomorrow.”
“That’s some crazy shit,” the deputy said.
Douglass walked back to his office. There was something about Barney that was just off, but there was something even stranger about Dr. Greer. She knew he was under investigation. How could she prove that he would be safe to himself and the community when she only saw him one hour a week for therapy?
He needed to speak with her as well and find out more about Dr. Amanda Greer.
At 10 a.m. the next morning there was pounding on Barney’s door. He was pissed! Who the hell was there? He was getting ready go online.
He peaked through the peep hole and his heart jumped when he saw the detective and a cop.
“Detective, Reed. Please open up Barney Blevins. We need to talk,” he said.
Barney reluctantly let them in.
The detective was about 45 and appeared to be in good shape. He had a youthful appearance despite his gray hair. Barney had gray hair too, what was left of it.
Barney resented authority, especially from a detective that was younger than him and attractive.
“Why are you here?” Barney questioned him. He was able to purchase another gun recently, and it was hidden under the bed. It was there if he needed it.
“I have a few more questions to ask,” Douglass explained. “We can discuss it here or at the station.”
Barney shrugged and sat down on the couch. He motioned for them to sit down. The last time he left with the cops, he ended up in that horrible mental hospital. No fucking way!
Douglass sat down with his iPad.
He flashed the photo of Natalia Novita. “Can you tell me more about her?”
Tears welled up in Barney’s eyes. “She was the love of my life,” Barney said.
“What makes you say that. Barney?” Douglass asked.
“I saw her singing. I knew she was singing for me. Then I heard she was straying from the path and heading down the wrong road.” Barney explained.
Douglass drew in his breath. “What do you mean the wrong road.”
Barney looked straight him. “She needed to be saved. She was heading down the sinner path. I prayed every night for her.”
“Saved? As in God?” Douglass asked.
“Yes, sir. I could tell she wasn’t pure anymore, she was hanging out with different men,” he explained.
Douglass was familiar with this type of mental disorder. He knew it was a dangerous combination.
“Do you know any of the men?” Douglass asked.
“Amanda does. My therapist,” Barney told him.
Douglass looked confused and typed in some information.
“Amanda knew her?”
“She was a singer. Amanda told me she was a slut. Those men. So many filthy men.” Barney’s face became distorted in anger.
It was an unusual thing for client and patient to be talking about. Detective Reed thought. There was a lot of gossip in the public eye about Natalia and the case. Was that it?
“Do you know any of the men?” Douglass asked.
“I can’t remember names. I think Amanda knew one,” Barney said.
“How long have you been going to Amanda for therapy?” Douglass asked
Barney looked off to the side. “Oh, I dunno, a few years.”
Douglass took note he needed to talk to Doctor Amanda Greer next.
“Anything else,” Barney asked impatiently. It was almost time for his program and then he would check online for his angel Rissa.
Douglass looked at the Deputy and nodded.
“We’re good for now Barney. If there’s anything else, you remember please let us know.” Douglass stood up and handed Barney his card.
Barney took the card and stared at it. “You are a real detective!”
Douglass opened his mouth to make a snide comment but decided it was best to keep his mouth shut. He knew Barney wasn’t the brightest bulb in the pack.
Barney closed the door behind them. Finally, they were out. “Stupid questions, stupid cops,” he muttered to himself.
Now it was time to go online to see what his angel was up to. Natalia was in the past.
Douglass walked out to his car and reviewed his conversation with Barney. Something was definitely off with Barney, obviously he was delusional, and clearly, he was sharing these delusions with his therapist. He needed to question her next.
This is getting so good!