Chapter 2 - The Doctor Who Disappeared
Dr. Samuel Reeves arrived at the mansion after midnight.
Massimo had ordered everyone except Carla and Nina out of the east wing.
Even Dean had been told to leave.
That had not gone well.
“You’re locking me out?” Dean asked.
“For tonight.”
“After twelve years?”
“Especially after twelve years.”
Dean stared at him.
“I took bullets for you.”
“I remember.”
“Apparently not.”
Massimo leaned forward in his wheelchair.
“That is exactly why I need to know I’m wrong.”
Dean’s jaw tightened.
“You are.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about.”
Dean left without another word.
Reeves entered twenty minutes later.
He was sixty-two, gray-haired, tired-looking, and visibly nervous.
He stared at Massimo.
“I was told never to come back here.”
“I’m telling you otherwise.”
Reeves noticed Carla near the doorway.
Then Nina asleep on the sofa.
“What happened?”
Massimo opened his hand.
The blue-crescent tablet rested on his palm.
Reeves went still.
“Where did you get that?”
“You recognize it.”
Reeves did not answer.
Massimo’s voice lowered.
“Doctor.”
Reeves pulled a chair closer.
“Who has been giving you these?”
“Hale.”
“For how long?”
“Months.”
Reeves removed his glasses.
“Massimo, I need one of your prescription bottles.”
Carla brought it from the bedroom.
Reeves examined the pills.
“These aren’t what the label says they are.”
Massimo’s face hardened.
“Explain.”
“I can’t without testing them.”
“Guess.”
Reeves hesitated.
“They may be suppressing nerve response.”
Carla covered her mouth.
Massimo stared at the doctor.
“My spine was damaged.”
“Yes.”
“The specialists said permanently.”
“Your original injury was serious. But I never agreed that your paralysis was necessarily permanent.”
Massimo said nothing.
Reeves continued.
“That’s why Dean removed me from your case.”
The room became very quiet.
“What exactly did you tell him?”
“That you showed signs of incomplete spinal injury. Your chances were poor, but rehabilitation might restore partial function.”
Massimo’s fingers tightened around the armrest.
“And Hale?”
“Hale replaced me.”
“Why didn’t you contact me?”
“I tried.”
“When?”
“Three times.”
Massimo looked toward Marco.
The guard immediately pulled out his phone.
“Check every incoming call and visitor record from Dr. Reeves.”
“Yes, sir.”
Reeves looked at the bottle again.
“If these pills contain what I suspect, they could weaken muscle activation and interfere with rehabilitation.”
Carla whispered, “Someone wanted him to stay paralyzed.”
Massimo looked toward Nina.
The child was still sleeping.
Then his gaze returned to Reeves.
“Test them.”
“I need a laboratory.”
“You’ll have one.”
“And until then, stop taking them.”
Massimo nodded.
Reeves crouched beside the wheelchair.
“Can you move anything?”
Massimo looked at Carla.
“Close the door.”
She did.
He removed the blanket from his legs.
Then he concentrated.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
His forehead tightened.
His breathing slowed.
Then his right big toe moved.
Reeves stared.
“Again.”
Massimo tried.
The toe twitched.
Reeves sat back.
“Dear God.”
Carla began crying.
Massimo looked at her.
“Don’t.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Not because of that.”
His voice became cold.
“Because nobody knows.”
Carla understood immediately.
“You want them to believe you’re still completely paralyzed.”
“Yes.”
Reeves looked troubled.
“That could be dangerous.”
Massimo gave him a faint smile.
“Doctor, whoever did this has been poisoning me inside my own home.”
He glanced toward the closed door.
“Danger arrived months ago.”
A sleepy voice came from the sofa.
“I told you.”
Everyone turned.
Nina sat upright, rubbing her eyes.
“Told us what?” Carla asked.
The little girl pointed at Massimo’s feet.
“They’re waking up.”
Massimo looked at her for several seconds.
Then he laughed.
Not loudly.
Not for long.
But Carla realized it was the first genuine laugh she had heard from him since the shooting.
Massimo held out his hand.
Nina ran to him.
He lifted her onto his lap.
“Listen to me, Nina.”
She nodded seriously.
“This is our secret.”
“About your feet?”
“Exactly.”
“Can Mommy know?”
“Mommy already knows.”
“Can Dean know?”
Massimo’s expression changed.
“No.”
Nina frowned.
“Why?”
May you like
Massimo looked toward the dark hallway.
“Because I need to find out whether Dean is still my friend.”
