Page 90 of The Lost Girls of Willowbrook

“It’s Detective Nolan,” he shouted. “You in there, Dr. Baldwin?” He pounded again.

After what felt like forever, the handle rattled and the door opened. When Dr. Baldwin saw Sage, he frowned. “What’s she doing here?” He had a breathless, anxious look about him.

“She was at the station when you called. I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news. Her stepfather has been murdered. Same injuries as Rosemary and Evie.”

“Jesus Christ.”

“There’s more,” Nolan said. “She says Eddie King was at her apartment last night.”

Dr. Baldwin furrowed his brow. “But that’s impossible. He’s—”

“I haven’t told her yet. I thought it’d be better coming from you.”

“Told me what?” Sage said, her chest tightening.

“Come inside and we’ll talk,” Dr. Baldwin said.

She shook her head. “I don’t want to talk. I want you to tell me what the hell is going on.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Dr. Baldwin said. “It’s freezing out there.” He stepped back and held the door open.

Nolan jerked his chin toward the door. “It’s all right. You’re with me.” He entered and waited beside Dr. Baldwin.

“Just tell me about Eddie,” she said. “Then I’ll come inside.”

“After I show Detective Nolan why I called him,” Dr. Baldwin said, “I’ll explain everything.”

She rolled her eyes, annoyed and frightened at the same time. They knew they had the upper hand. And if she was being honest with herself, she knew she had to go inside—she owed it to Rosemary to do whatever she could to get to the bottom of this mess. Not to mention, the sooner they caught Wayne, the sooner she could try to move on with her life. Clenching her jaw, she went through the delivery door into Willowbrook’s hospital.

A dim yellow glow filled the narrow corridor, reminding her of the dank tunnels below. The air felt as cold as the parking lot. Dr. Baldwin locked the door behind them, tested it, then put the keys in his pocket. He looked at her, his forehead lined with concern. To her surprise and dismay, he seemed almost worried, though whether it was about her or something else, she couldn’t tell.

“When did you say Eddie was at your place?” he said.

Something about the tone of his voice set off alarms inside her head. It seemed casual, as if he were talking to a friend at a dinner party. “Last night,” she said. “A little after one o’clock. But I already told Detective Nolan that.” She crossed her arms and looked from him to Nolan and back again. “Will one of you please tell me what we’re doing here? Did you find Wayne yet?”

“If you want answers, follow me.” Dr. Baldwin started down the corridor, Nolan following.

Sage stood rooted to the floor, her heart jumping around in her chest. Something wasn’t right. She could feel it in her bones.

Detective Nolan stopped and looked back at her. “You coming?”

She shook her head. “Not until you can guarantee I’ll be leaving again.”

He took off his hat and came back to where she stood. “He’s not going to lock you up again. We’re just trying to solve this case, that’s why we’re here.”

She studied his face, trying to decide whether or not to believe him. It seemed like he was on her side. And he was a cop—surely he wanted to find the killer, whether it was Wayne or someone else. Plus, what would he gain by letting her be locked up? Reluctantly, she started down the corridor toward Dr. Baldwin, who was waiting next to what looked like a service lift. When she and the detective reached him, he pushed the up arrow and the door shuddered open to reveal a large elevator with peeling walls and a black floor. Dr. Baldwin got in and kept the door from closing with one hand.

She swore under her breath and followed him inside the elevator, where the smell of hot rubber and a rank mixture of sour milk and stale blood filled the air. After Detective Nolan got on, the doors jerked closed and the elevator lurched once before starting up the shaft. A few seconds later, it stopped and the doors opened to a deserted hallway. Dr. Baldwin held the door while they got out, then moved around them and kept going. Detective Nolan and Sage followed, walking past closed doors with doctors’ nameplates or signs that read:LAB, ELECTRIC SHOCK THERAPY,andLOBOTOMY. She pulled her eyes away from the signs and looked straight ahead, trying not to think about what went on inside those rooms. Finally, Dr. Baldwin stopped outside a set of steel doors below a sign that read:MORGUE. She swallowed. How many morgues did Willowbrook need?

“Is Rosemary in there?” she said. “Did you find something on her body that will help catch her killer?”

“No,” Dr. Baldwin said, then opened one of the doors and went inside.

“Wait out here,” Detective Nolan said, following him.

Sage moved a few yards away and leaned against the wall, relieved at least that she didn’t have to look at another dead body. Then she became aware of the rank stench of formaldehyde seeping under the doors, remembered where she was, and moved away from the wall. Being inside Willowbrook’s hospital was bad enough; she didn’t want to touch anything in there, didn’t want any part of her exposed to the poison that had surely permeated its bricks and mortar. Not her coat or her skin or her hair. She shoved her hands in her coat pockets and started to pace. Obviously Dr. Baldwin was showing Detective Nolan a body. But whose was it? And what was taking so long? What if they were lying about Eddie? What if he was in there, dead?

At long last, Detective Nolan came back through the doors and, without a word, marched down the hall toward the elevator, Dr. Baldwin on his heels. She hurried to catch up.

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