Episode 3: Out of the Shadows

Previously:

Noelle Armand is seen in a  trauma room at University Hospital by student Ryan MacPherson and department head Dr. Maria Escalante.

Suzanne Carroll’s allergies flare up as she prepares guest rooms at The Vineyards.

Patrick MacPherson tries to rid himself of incriminating evidence.

*****

    Stephane Armand paced the floor of the waiting room.  His nervousness was apparent, even unsettling his usually calm wife Thérèse.

“Mon cher mari”, Thérèse said.  “Come over here and sit down.”

He continued to pace, wringing his hands as he walked along. “I just can’t.”

“Of course you can.”  She rose up to wrap a reassuring arm around him.  “Come on.  Pierre’s on his way from Toronto, and we should hear about Noelle any time now.”

“I can’t…” Stephane’s voice trailed off.

“What can’t you do, cher?”  Thérèse asked in her soothing, lilting accent. “Tell me.  Please?”

“I…can’t…imagine…what kind of animal would do such a thing to our daughter!


      Maria could imagine very well the sorts of inhuman, and inhumane, things that could happen to anyone.  She had had days where she would go home crying just because the cases she saw in the trauma ward touched her.  She wanted to help them all, but she couldn’t play God.  Sure, the old days at university taught her what she needed to know to treat patients, but here in the real world of the hospital,  Maria experienced things she couldn’t teach.  She brushed a wisp of stray hair aside as she tried to comfort Noelle.
     
      Noelle was certainly learning that painful lesson.  Her head started to pound as Maria went to the sink to wash her hands.  The sound of running water provided some comfort, but it wasn’t enough.  When Maria turned the faucets off and placed gloves on her hands, the loud snap of the latex was enough to jolt Noelle into a paralyzing fear.
     
      “I know this isn’t the most pleasant thing in the world,” Maria told Noelle, “but we have to do this so we can give evidence to the police.”
     

      “I’ll make sure it’ll be as painless as possible.  But first we have to get you to relax,”  Maria told her, and then motioned to Ryan.  “If you’d assist me, please, Mr. MacPherson.”
     
      Noelle started to cry.  She’d heard all those words before…even said them herself a time or two when she’d observed and assisted with assault cases.  It was so much different now.  The words began to take on a different meaning.
      
      Ryan took Noelle’s hand and guided her through a meditation as Maria prepared the exam materials.  “Close your eyes and think about a nice, quiet place…can you tell me where you are?”
     
      Noelle followed his directions. “I’m in church.  Notre Dame d’Orleans.”
     
      “Good,” Ryan whispered.

 *****
   
      Pierre Armand cursed under his breath as he drove into Ottawa.  The traffic along  Queensway was horrendous, even on a holiday.  It wasn’t bumper to bumper, but the constant stoppages were enough to aggravate him.
     
      His cell phone rang, but he couldn’t answer it.  He had to keep his eyes on the road. 
     
      The exit to the hospital was just ahead.  The phone wouldn’t stop ringing.  Finally, he snapped the phone open and snarled into it.
     
      “Hello?”
     
      A large black motorcycle darted just ahead of him. It swerved, as if to change lanes, but Pierre couldn’t get a close look at it. 
     
      What was this guy?  Drunk?
     
      The motorcycle sped faster, trying to change lanes and sneak behind Pierre.  Pierre glanced into his side view mirror and continued with his cell phone conversation. All he could hear at the other end was a faint squawk.
     
      “I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”
     
      With that, he slammed the phone shut, stuffed it into his pocket and saw the motorcycle gaining up on him in the rear view mirror.  He quickly changed lanes, and the cycle grazed the side of the car.  They pulled over onto the shoulder of the road to inspect the damage.
     
      The cycle suffered none.  Pierre’s BMW suffered a dented rear passenger door.  The motorcycle’s driver sped off,  throwing an obscene gesture at Pierre as he went.
     
      At least Pierre got the number of the guy’s licence plate.
     
      Merde,  he muttered to himself.  He’ll pay for this.
     
      He whipped the cell phone out of his pocket once again.
*****
     
      As soon as Maria finished examining Noelle, she instructed Ryan to seal the evidence kit and fill out the required paperwork. 
     
      “Same old, same old,” she said. “Do you want to go out to chairs to tell the family, or shall I?”
     
      “I know the Armands,” Ryan told Maria.  “I think they’ll feel better if I told them about Noelle.”
     
      Maria nodded.  “And I think she’ll feel better having me to talk to.”
     
      Stephane wanted to hug Ryan as soon as he walked through the double doors separating the waiting area from the treatment rooms, but hesitated.  What if?  What if something worse happened to Noelle?
     
      Pierre arrived and kissed Thérèse gently on the cheeks.  They sat down, each holding hands, as Ryan delivered the news.
     
      “Noelle is all right.” 
     
      Relaxed faces and the sighs of relief covered the entire Armand family. Now Stephane wanted to hug Ryan.
     
      “She has a few cuts and bruises, but nothing broken.  We took an exam and we’re sending evidence to the police.   They’ll probably want to ask you a few questions, but it’s best that all of you cooperate with them. We’ll be doing the same.”
     
      Thérèse asked, “When can she come home?”
     
      Ryan shrugged his shoulders. “That will depend on her.  She doesn’t know if she wants to stay here in Ottawa or go back to Claypool.  Dr. Escalante and I will ask her about that.”
     
      “What about tonight?”  Pierre asked. 
     
      Maria entered through the door to tell them.  “We’d like to keep her here overnight for observation.  As soon as we know there aren’t any complications, we can send her home in the morning.”
     
      “Complications?”  Pierre asked, worried.  “Just what the hell happened here?”