Page 74 of The Lost Girls of Willowbrook

“Yes,” she managed. “I feel fine.”

“Are you positive? You’ve been through quite an ordeal. I’m sure Dr. Baldwin could ask one of his colleagues to examine you before you leave.”

She shook her head. “No, I’m perfectly healthy. I just need to get out of here.”

“Do you want your stepfather to pick you up, or would you rather have one of my officers take you home?”

“Please have someone take me home. I want to leave as soon as possible.”

“All right. Dr. Baldwin will call your stepfather to let him know you’re coming, and—”

Sage interrupted. “I don’t know if he’s home, and he won’t care anyway. I’m used to taking care of myself.”

Dr. Baldwin fixed weary eyes on her. “I want you to know I’m sorry about everything that happened here. I meant no harm to you or anyone else. I thought I was doing the right thing. And as soon as I get Rosemary’s death certificate from the coroner, I’ll send it to your stepfather and add a copy to her file.”

Maybe it was her imagination, but the remorse in his voice sounded phony. Considering he was a man who allowed so many to suffer under his watch, his deceit didn’t surprise her, but she could also tell he was scared. Scared of what would happen when word got out about the murders. Scared of what she might do to him for keeping her there against her will. Maybe she could sue him for everything he was worth. She wanted to ask if that was all he had to say to her, but she didn’t have the energy. She just wanted to go home. Knowing he was afraid would have to be enough—for now.

Changing the subject, Baldwin turned to Nolan and said, “You wanted to see Wayne’s employee record?”

“Yes, I need his address.”

Baldwin looked at Sergeant Clark to make sure he wouldn’t grab his gun again, then stood and went to the black filing cabinets behind him and pulled open one of the drawers.

While the doctor’s back was turned, Nolan dropped his cigarette butt into the cold cup of coffee on Baldwin’s desk.

After a quick search, Dr. Baldwin pulled out a folder, sat back down, and opened it. As he thumbed through the papers inside, he wrinkled his brow, his face getting redder by the second.

“Is there a problem, Doctor?” Detective Nolan said.

“I’m afraid so,” Baldwin said. “Wayne Myers’s employee record is missing.”

CHAPTER 20

By the time Sage was officially released, the pale sun had dropped lower in the sky, and the gray clouds from earlier had been replaced by the deep, cold blue of the coming winter dusk. Dr. Baldwin had called Alan earlier to tell him about Rosemary, but got no answer, which was no surprise. He was probably at work—unless he’d skipped town and left her without a place to live. Maybe he was shacked up with some floozy or still fishing with Larry, which seemed unlikely but would have been fine by her. She’d give anything to have a few days alone in the apartment before she had to deal with him.

Standing next to Detective Nolan inside the main foyer of the administration building, watching for the cop car that would finally take her home, she felt like a hundred years had passed since she had come through the same doors looking for Rosemary. When the black and white car finally pulled up to the curb, she choked back tears. She was actually leaving Willowbrook. She started to open the door, then hesitated and looked up at Detective Nolan.

“Thank you for listening to me,” she said, her voice catching.

“No problem, kiddo. I’d take you home myself, but I still need to talk to Dr. Hammond and Eddie King.”

“I know,” she said. “But I’ll be fine. Tell Eddie thanks for me, will you?”

He nodded. “Sure thing. Just stick around the island, okay? We’ll need to talk to you again in the next couple of days.” He dug in his jacket pocket and handed her a card with his name and phone number. “And give me a call if you need anything or remember anything that might help, okay?”

She nodded, pushed open the door, and walked out of Willowbrook. She stopped briefly on the top step and took a deep breath, never more grateful to be outside in the fresh air. Somehow, it seemed as though she could smelleverything—the cold wetness of the snow and the earthy aroma of bare tree limbs, even the pavement on the roads. A cool breeze caressed her face, bringing with it the noises of traffic in the distance, engines running, tires humming, horns honking. More tears sprang to her eyes as she went down the stone steps, hurried along the sidewalk, and climbed into the back of the cop car without looking back. The cop in the front briefly put his hand to his nose as if smelling something bad, then looked at her in the rearview mirror.

“I’m Officer Minor,” he said. “You doing all right?”

She nodded, wondering why he’d put his hand to his nose. Then she realized she probably smelled bad. Dr. Baldwin had called someone in laundry to bring her a clean outfit—a flowered dress and a pair of brown leather shoes that looked like they belonged to someone’s grandmother—and she had thrown out her filthy underwear and bra, but she was still wearing the coat from Eddie, which was stained with dirt and blood and shit, and her hair was matted and filthy.

“Detective Nolan said you’re going to Greenway Apartments over in Mariners Harbor,” the cop said. “Is that right?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. You got it.” He put the car in gear and drove away from the administration building.

She sat back in the seat and gazed out the window, praying the officer wouldn’t try to make conversation. She had nothing to say and no energy to say it. She just wanted to go home. Outside the car window, the row of bare willow trees along the frozen stream bent toward the earth as if hanging their heads in shame for being part of the beautiful campus that hid Willowbrook’s terrible secrets. Then came the brick houses with swing sets and monkey bars outside, and Sage looked away, unable to stop thinking about the young children living tortured lives behind those dark walls.

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