Page 47 of The Lost Girls of Willowbrook

“What does that have to do with me?”

“It means my uncle can’t look into your case yet . . . I mean, your sister’s case, because he needs to keep a low profile for a while. The people in charge are already watching him because he and Dr. Wilkins tried to persuade Dr. Hammond, the director of Willowbrook, to demand more help from the state. Wilkins and my uncle were trying to make things better around here and now no one wants anything to do with them, not even the nurses or the attendants. After the parents picketed yesterday, Baldwin found out Dr. Wilkins was meeting with the parents’ association to talk about patient rights and the abuse happening here, so he fired Wilkins. And if anyone finds out my uncle was meeting with the parents too, he’ll get fired next.”

“I thought it was impossible to get someone fired here?”

“It is if you’re ratting staff out to administration. But Wilkins and my uncle have been ratting to the parents’ association about the administration. And the director of Willowbrook will do anything to protect those in charge. Now Dr. Baldwin’s trying to cover up the truth by spreading rumors that Dr. Wilkins molested one of the younger female residents. It’s a bald-faced lie, but my uncle doesn’t want the same thing to happen to him. If his career gets ruined, he won’t be able to help anyone.”

A throbbing lump filled her throat. “Well, if your uncle can’t help and you can’t find Alan or talk to one of my friends, what am I supposed to do? I don’t know how much longer I can take this.”

“I know,” he said. “But don’t worry. We’ll figure something out, I promise.”

* * *

Sage couldn’t tell if she was awake or dreaming or dead. All she knew for sure was that she was on her side on a floor or a hard mattress and someone was shaking her, a heavy hand gripping her shoulder. She blinked and opened her eyes, the deep murkiness of a desperate, exhausted sleep clouding her mind. A weak shaft of moonlight fell across rows of iron beds filled with twisted, lumpy forms. At first she thought she was looking at an abstract painting, a monochromatic study of gray and black. Then she heard the cries and murmurs, the shrieks and laughter, and she remembered. The twisted forms were people. And she was locked inside Willowbrook State School.

The hand shook her shoulder again. “Wake up,” a low voice whispered. A hot breath puffed over her ear, moving her hair and making her shiver.

She turned her head toward the voice, certain it was Norma, and got ready to tell her to go away. But the person was too close. Their facial features were a blur, a disembodied head floating in the dark, yet somehow she knew it was a man.Wayne.She bolted upright and yanked the blanket to her chin, terrified. Then she saw the dark hair and broad shoulders.

It was Eddie.

“What are you doing?” she said. “How did you get in here?”

“I have my ways,” he said.

She scanned the shadow-filled ward, terrified that someone would see him and sound the alarm. Then she remembered that Wayne—or someone else—had been sneaking in to hurt Rosemary and no one had done anything to stop him. As usual, Marla was asleep inside the cubicle, her head tilted back against the wall, her mouth open. “What’s going on? Did you talk to Alan?

“No, he’s still not back yet. But I have a plan. I’m going to get you out of here.”

She drew in a sharp breath. “Right now?”

“No, but soon. I wanted to tell you so you’d be prepared.”

Adrenaline raced through her body, making her tremble. “How soon?”

“Tomorrow or the next day.”

“What’s the plan?”

“I overheard my uncle talking to Dr. Wilkins a few hours ago. Apparently Wilkins is meeting with a reporter to tell to him everything about Willowbrook. He’s hoping the reporter will bring in a camera crew to show the world what’s happening here. If the reporter agrees, Wilkins is bringing him here, to House Six.”

“But how would a reporter get inside? They won’t even let parents in to see their kids.”

“Dr. Wilkins still has his keys. And when Nurse Vic and Wayne see the reporter and TV crew coming in, all hell’s going to break loose. That’s when I’ll sneak you into the tunnels. From there we’ll go to my car, over in the employee parking lot next to the medical treatment center.”

“The tunnels they brought me through when I first got here?”

He nodded. “They’re all connected, like a giant maze beneath the buildings. That’s how food and laundry, pretty much everything, gets moved around.”

She hated those damn tunnels, but she’d crawl through a cave full of rats and snakes if it meant escape. Maybe the tunnels weren’t as constricted as she remembered; maybe the drugs had given her a distorted view of things, like the cakes and bottles of liquid inAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

“Wait,” she said. “When the reporters come inside, why don’t I just tell them I’m being kept here against my will? I’ll tell them about Rosemary and—”

He shook his head.

“What?” she said. “They’re looking for a good story, aren’t they?”

“They’re breaking into an institution for the mentally retarded. Do you really think they’ll believe you?”

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