~ Day 6 ~
I'm not sure why I have not thought about keeping tabs on Tapestry and Honey's medical records, although I haven't even been near the hospital to actually do that. I'm just glad that Forrest has been.
When someone is abducted you don't really think that they are going to be taken care of, so I never would have expected them to get the medication that Tapestry needs ..... and so blatantly. Was that stupidity on this River guys behalf or some kind of clue ... does he even realize he's left a trail for us to follow.
Just who the hell is he?
Mulberry had gone off leaving us to it, so me and Sunny had sat quietly listening to what the police officers had to say, which was not much more than Forrest from work had already told me over the phone, neither of us really knowing what to think. He left shortly after to fill Ruby in on the latest development, but for Lilly's sake who is really not handling things too well at the moment, we agreed to keep it between the three of us until the police came back with some more information, I didn't want Lilly worrying unnecessarily over this third unknown person being thrown into the mix.
I still have some hope because of the medication, but at the same time I am a little dishearten by the fact that this River Lane, is not actually, as far as the police can see, a legitimate person - not in this town anyway, he wasn't born here or registered as being here, there is no trace of anyone have a driving licence in that name or anything else for that matter ... Mr River Lane basically doesn't exist.
The only place he does exist is at the hospital. Which makes me wander what the hospital are playing at, when he is employed and down on their records as Mr River Lane and has been for the past two years. I thought they were supposed to vet everyone carefully that they employ ... so how did he manage to sneak through the system? Who the hell is he? I just have to pray that he has something to do with Maize, why else would he be using her surname, when he is so obviously with or knows where Tapestry is, exactly where she is right now.
So I decided to start doing some investigating of my own and my first stop is the hospital.
I notice quite a few police officers wandering around the place, one of them is standing by my office door like a century guard. I tried to walk into my office and he told me I couldn't go in there because it is a crime scene. Yeah, don't I know it!! He finally let me in after quite an argument and once he is satisfied that I am who I say I am. Then he turns round and says that forensics were finished in there now anyway. This really made me laugh ... so why is he still guarding the door ... do they think this River guy is stupid enough to come back?!
I walk into my office locking the door behind me so that I don't get disturbed by anyone, the last thing I want is everyone asking me 101 questions when I probably know as much as they do. I just stand there looking slowly around my office, the place has been tipped upside down. Why the hell would this River guy use my office, there are thousands of computers in this place ... why specifically mine? What was he looking for? More to the point, what did he take? I get a little irritated about someone messing through my stuff, books, journals and paper scattered all over the place, and fingerprint dust everywhere ... it makes me feel violated ... this is my space!!
I start tidying up some of the scattered paper while I'm waiting for the computer to start up ... I had hoped it might still be switched on and still signed into his log in, so I could poke about in HIS space, there might have been clues to his identity in his emails. However, someone has already logged out and shut the computer down.
I Log in and access the staff records. The first thing I notice about him is his address, the same address as Maizie had the last time I knew anything about her. I jot down his telephone number on a piece of paper on my desk. I ring the number and the phone is switched off, which is what I expected anyway, when it clicked onto voice mail I really felt like giving him a mouthful, but I didn't I just switched off my phone without saying anything.
I look at his age and am really surprised by how young he is ... he is just a kid!!! I don't know why but I've been picturing someone a lot older in my head. The year he was born jumped straight out at me ... it's one of those years that will always be etched in my memory for the rest of my life. This River guy was born the year Cosmic faded and Cosmic and Lily's baby faded, the year me and Maizie broke up, the year that Alpine was hit and brain damaged, the year I nearly gave up on Lilly and left this town for good, and the year I became Head of Neurology which stopped me from leaving ... His age surprises me for another reason, since I learnt he's using Maizie's surname I don't know why I imagined he must be her boyfriend or husband, but I doubt that's the case now ... unless ... no, surely she wouldn't have married someone half her age?!
River Lane joined the hospital about two years ago and started at the bottom, within two years he progressed rapidly, almost too rapidly up the ranks. Everything on his records is exemplary, not one bad mark against his name up until his disappearance 6 days ago now. He's passed all his exams and tests with flying colours, his record is even better than mine, nobody has a bad thing to say about him. He's been settled in pathology now for over six months, then I notice he's actually been offered quite a few promotions, all of them he's turned down. That is strange, why would anyone be content to get stuck in pathology when he's been given the chances he's had to progress to a much higher level, one of them in my own department, which I really need to check out with Griffin.
"Can I have a quiet word Marigold if you are not too busy!"
"Yes, of course Dr Muffin, I guess this will be about River?" she says smiling sympathetically at me, I frown at her "It's all around the hospital, they think he's got something to do with your son's disappearance don't they, we've had the police in here quite a few times asking loads of questions about him."
"Yes, it looks that way .... anything you can tell me about him, I'd really appreciate it!!"
"Well, there is not that much I can tell you, I really can't believe what they are saying about him because he's a lovely boy ... he's too kind natured to be capable of doing such a thing!!" she genuinely looks upset for a moment "He's quiet, maybe a little too quiet, he always keeps himself to himself, I've never really heard him talk about any friends, he did have a girlfriend a while back but he didn't talk about her for very long, besides bowling I'm not sure I know anything else he does out of work ... he's been here for quite a while now and nobody really knows anything about him. He works hard, he's never a bother ... actually he's sometimes reminds me a little of you at his age, he's ALWAYS got his head stuck in a book or one medical journal or the other, the only difference you couldn't wait to get out of here if I remember rightly!" we both laugh for a moment, she's right I hated working in this department ".... you know he's way too bright to be in this department, I'm not sure why he seems happy to settle in here."
"I can't say I've ever seen his face and I don't recognize his name ... I don't suppose there is a picture of him around this place, you know staff parties etc ....."
"Yeah, the police have taken some, but there are quite a few still .... talking of parties, he'd give you a run for your money on the piano, musically he's very talented, he plays the guitar too!!" she laughs as she wanders over to the large noticeboard that is covered in staff photographs. She starts looking through them and pulls one off the wall. "That's him." she says pointing at the bloke in the left of the picture, "I really can't believe he would be involved in this!!" she says again as I pick up the photograph and look at it, I can't really see his face clearly because his hair is covering his face, and I still can't say if I've seen him or not, I don't think I recognize him at all.
"What's his passion Marigold do you know?" she carries on looking through the photographs as she is talking.
"Definitely Forensic's .... histology, toxicology, molecular biology - he's always the first one to volunteer to assist an autopsy's - I think he enjoys surgery and his surgical skills are wasted on the faded, Dudley is always trying to push him to apply for surgical posts that come up and he's always being head hunted ... but he want's none of it, he seems quite content to stay where he is." I look down at the photograph again, autopsy, I don't feel comfortable knowing he has my son and faded bodies obviously must not faze him ... they really upset me because that person's life is over, I'd much rather save them, not cut them up once they are gone ....
"Autopsy doesn't bother him at all?"
"Sometimes, I've seen him get upset a few times ... especially with the young ones, there was a stab victim, a teenage boy not long back, River was down there working on a body, they brought this kid down who had just come off the table and River just broke down and walked out ...." she looked up at me suddenly "Oh Berry!!! Mango ... I'm sorry ...." at first it didn't click as I stand there wandering why she is looking so uncomfortable by what she has just said. A teenage stab victim ... she's talking about Storm.
"My nephew!" she nodded and stands there looking embarrassed "It's okay Marigold ... you've actually made me feel a little better knowing he does actually have a heart after all ... he's got my son remember!!" she smiles at me but still looked uncomfortable
"Oh he has a very big heart ... that's why I don't believe he would do what they are saying!!"
"Can I keep this photo for a while?" she smiles as she passes me another one which is a little clearer than the first one, but still I don't know him. "I'll bring these back when I've finished with them, just out of interest, what colour is he?"
"He's orange with blue hair and eyes." she says then frowns at me "Actually, you know, I forgot, I am surprised you don't know him already, you used to date Nurse Lane didn't you .... she's supposed to be his Aunt apparently, well that's what he told me when he first started, I completely forgot about that!"
"Really?!" I'm shocked for a moment "Is he the same colouring as Maizie ... Nurse Lane?"
"Yes, now you come to mention it, if I remember rightly he does have the same colour eyes and hair that she does." she looks troubled for a moment so I ask her what is wrong, she looks around nervously then pulls me to one side a little "I've never told anyone this, because I'm not really sure if I imagined it or not, the one day something happened and a test tube blew up in his face ... I tried to help him clean his face and he got really touchy over me trying to move his hair off his face so I could help him .. he went over to the sink ... he took out one of his contacts to wash it ... I was watching him because I thought he was acting oddly and I caught a glimpse of his eye for a second in the mirror when he was putting back his contact .... and I could have sworn his eye was orange."
I thanked her and left ......one very big thing playing on my mind - Maizie is an only child. So how could she be his Aunt? That doesn't make sense.
Something else just hit me ... he's a mixed berry ... he's only been here for two years ... so where did he come from? and who was he before that? adult mixed berries don't just appear from nowhere in this town, they are always born here or brought into this town when they are babies from colour coded towns when someone has broken the colour code. Then there is Marigold thinking his eyes might be orange ... coloured contacts?! This is all getting a little too fishy!!
I don't really know anything about Maizies life after Preludes twins were born, all I know is she worked for social services, I didn't know if she still does or if she's married or had any children. I've only seen her in passing a few times and come to think about it not for a very long time, I'd basically forgotten she even existed. When we first broke up we tried to avoid each other, we didn't even speak just passed each other by like we were strangers, her last month at the hospital was very awkward when we crossed paths at work which was unfortunately a little too often. The only conversations I've had with her since we broke up was when she visited my office to try talking me into taking Preludes twins, and the day that I collected them from the prison. I'm not sure I've actually even seen her since that day, which in itself is a little strange as this is not a very big town, it's not like you can get lost here.
I'm wandering who this River is, it could be her husband or boyfriend for all I know, but his age troubles me - and why would he tell Marigold that he was Maizies nephew? and why would he be the same colour as Maizie ... he has to be family ... so who could he be? a cousin? ... but she told me she had not living family. There might not be any connection between them at all for all I know, he might just be a friend using her last name as a false name ... but then that wouldn't be very clever would it!! The mixed berry thing is seriously beginning to annoy me ... something is just not right ... where the hell did he come from?
I only have Maizie to work on so I ran back to my office to check her medical records, I'm not even sure I'll find anything other than maybe a different address a telephone number, a change in her marital status ... I don't know. I'm abusing my position, but this is important, I don't care if I get into trouble for it if it helps find Tapestry and Honey.
The first thing I noticed, she hasn't seen a doctor in this town for over 10 years, that's really strange, not one visit to the doctor in 10 years!! There is no alteration in her marital status, but that doesn't mean anything if she hasn't been to the doctors, she could have done anything in the last 10 years, I suppose it shows she's never had any children. I was just about to turn off the page in temper when I spotted something - where she was born. It threw me for a minute, she told me she was born here but according to this she was born in Apple Hill.
That has to be a mistake, Apple Hill is a colour coded town.
I flicked through my work address book and picked up the phone and waited impatiently for someone to pick up the phone. This is probably going to be a waste of time, but somethings not right here. "Hello Dr Strong's secretary can I help you" finally I heard a friendly voice that I recognize.
"Hiya it's Lilac isn't it, Is Perry about?" I asked the woman "It's Dr Muffin from Sugar Valley."
"Oh hiya, No I'm sorry Dr Muffin he's in surgery, can I leave a message for him or get him to call you back."
"No, we are in the middle of an emergency situation, I need some patient notes for a woman who was born in Apple Hill sending over immediately, could you do it for me please Lilac?"
"Yes certainly Dr Muffin if you give me the patient details, I'll get onto it straight away for you." I gave her Maizie's details and my personal fax machine number.
I paced around the room waiting, it only took five minutes for the phone to ring on the fax machine but it felt like much longer. While I am waiting I start putting all my books and medical journals back into their rightful places. I stop for a moment, looking around the room ... some of my journals are missing. I search around but can not find any more laying around ... there are definitely six missing, five medical journals and one hardback book .... alarm bells start ringing in my head when i see a hole where three specific journals usually sit together, the medical journals about ADHD that I specifically brought in because of Tapestry. I scratch my head looking at the three other spaces trying to work out what other books are missing ... the journals about dsylexia and albinoism are also missing ..... the hardback book alludes me for a moment and I can't think what book it might be. The fax phone starts ringing.
I grab the papers coming out of the machine. Maizie was definitely born in Apple Hill, her parents names were correct as far as I could remember, I don't understand, how when she is a mixed berry and there is nothing showing on her records about her not being pure. It actually states she is a pure orange berry. This seriously doesn't make sense!! Like here she hasn't attended the doctors for the last 10 years in Apple Hill either.
I dived back onto my computer to check Maizies employment records, I know she left the hospital a month after we broke up, the day she walked out of my house she handed in her months notice at work. I looked at the date and start to feel very sick. I checked the child's date of birth again, he was born nearly six months later my brain started to do somersaults, that child was born 7 months after we broke up ... I double checked through the maternity notes, he was full term ... fudge!! 7 months after we broke up .......
am I imagining this??
I searched back through Maizie's medical notes ... clinic appointments ... yes she was having the injection until ... Fudge!! her last appointment was a no show ... the last clinic appointment made for her she didn't turn up to, she didn't have the injection and there is no record of her having any since .... did she do this on purpose?! I look at the date of the appointment ... oh Fudge!!! I sit working out dates ... four months before that baby would have been conceived ... six months ... six months we were unprotected ... why the hell wouldn't she tell me that?!
I have a really nasty feeling about this - I start racking my brains wandering how I can do this. How do I get that babies birth and medical records when I don't even know his name? I sit drumming my fingers on the desk for ages before picking up my phone again, press redial, the same woman answers the phone.
"Hiya Lilac, it's Dr Muffin again, I'm wandering if I can ask you for a very huge favour." she said of course "The woman's medical records you faxed to me a while ago, we are trying to track down her next of kin, according to your records it says her Mother, who is now deceased, our records show her next of kin as being her Son, but unfortunately nobody can read the name that's written on the forms here and we've tried the number but it's unobtainable. I'm wandering if you could just check through the records you have there and find me a name for her son, we can't access the system from here and we really need to track him down as soon as possible!! I have his date of birth if that helps." I gave her the date of birth and asked her if she could track down his birth and any medical records they have for him and fax them to me, they might help speed up our search. I hate lying and if I get caught doing this I'm going to be in so much trouble!!
Something else just hit me ... Maizie's next of kin is actually still down as her mother, I wasn't lying about that, but Maizie told me her mother had faded years ago, when she was a child ... so why is she still down as her next of kin, I would have expected her to have changed that a long time ago. She's medically trained she should know more than most how important the next of kin information can be sometimes!!
Waiting for the faxes to come through is driving me crazy, I needed to get out and talk to someone because I feel like I'm going crazy right now ... especially because of that baby. I didn't have to go very far before I find the person I was looking for. I bump into Forrest in the corridor outside, luckily he is just going on a break so we have time to stand and chat. He wasn't really surprised to see me here, he was expecting me to appear at some point.
I showed him the photo of River, he stares down at it for a moment, "Oh yeah, i recognize him now I see a picture of him, it's Deepwater, Dudley loves that guy, maybe you should go and speak to him" I frown at him and repeat Deepwater. "Deepwater is his nickname ... that's what they call him mostly, I presume its a play on his name River, because he's so quiet and deep ... no one knows what's lurking underneath because he keeps it to himself." he laughs "I've spoken to him a few times, just didn't remember his name - I'm sure Griffin was after him at one point, I think that's why his name rang a bell with me."
"Yeah quite a few departments have been after him, he's turned all offers and promotions down, he's been quite happy to sit in pathology by the looks of it." I start to rub my neck nervously "Forrest, - hypothetically - say you have a girlfriend and you break up, then find out she had a full term baby 7 months after you broke up what would you think?" he laughed then frowned
"I'd probably think it was my kid ... why?" he said still frowning at me
"Yeah that's what I thought. I've been poking about in River's employment records and Maizie's medical records to see if I could find any clues, but I've found something that's floored me, she had a full term baby which was born 6 months after she left here, 7 months after we broke up."
"Shit Mango!!"
"You haven't heard the best part!! This River guy, he's not a legit person, there is no such person as River Lane according to the police, he's using a false name. He's told Marigold he's Maizies nephew, and I know for a fact Maizie is an only child, he is the same colour as Maizie according to Marigold so he must be family if they share the same colours, but this River guy lives at her address and also shares exactly the same date of birth as the baby Maizie had." his mouth dropped open "I'm not going crazy am I thinking this River guy is actually Maizies son using a false name and could actually be my son?!"
"Fudge!! I wouldn't say you're going crazy especially with them both having the same date of birth that's a little too much of a coincidence ... !!" he scratched his head and frowns "But I don't understand, if Maizie had a baby how would we not have known about it .. this hospital is not a very big place and you know what its like ... no secrets safe ..."
"Yeah ... this is the thing that's stumping me the most ... Maizie and the baby were both born in Apple Hill, a colour coded town, not here ... there is something really fishy going on with the colour ... according to her birth records Maizie is a pure orange berry and that baby must be too ... but you know as well as I do everyone knows her as being mixed blue and orange ... and so is this River guy too according to Marigold ... so how can they be in Apple Hill ... I am starting to get the feeling that damn women was one big lie and there might be a lot of hair dye and coloured contacts mixed up in all this!!
We chatted for a while before his pager went off and he was called away on an emergency. As I watched Forrest rush away it suddenly hit me ... that missing book ... it was a book about colourblindness that Forrest had brought me once as a joke. All of those books apply to Tapestry and his problems .... except for the albinoism book, which applies to Lilly ... but Tapestry does have colourless eyes. This River guy, is he on sort of mission? Oh fudge ... it's only just registered ... if River is who I think he is ... he's Tapestry's brother ... half brother!
When I got back to my office the fax machine is empty which irritates me. I start pacing around waiting, I need something to do while I'm waiting to take my mind off it ... I hate waiting. I decided to take Forrest's advice ... Dudley, the mortician - twice today I've been told he sings this River guys praises. I pick up my phone and ask to be put through to the mortuary. Dudley is off work until tomorrow, so that blows that.
I went to the coffee shop and grabbed a coffee, I needed to get out and get some air, pacing around my room waiting for the faxes is just drive me crazy. I'm not sure what is working me up more, finding out this River guys real identity or his birth records. Berry ... that boy could be mine!! If I'm right with what I'm thinking, I am so going to fade Maizie. I swear if I am right they are going to be locking me up!! I can't help but keep thinking back to the last times I saw her in my office and at the prison ... she had already had that child and she stood there ... twice she could have told me but chose not too!! Why?! He probably isn't mine, that would be one reason. But if he is mine ... then why didn't she tell me?
The hot coffee dropped out of my hand and crashed to the floor splashing all up my trouser legs as I just stand there staring down at the boys name. I can feel the hot coffee burning my legs but I'm too shocked to even let it bother me.
"Mango Muffin Lane"
Why the hell would she give him that name ... my name!?
There is only one reason I can think!
That boy has to be my son!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Finally it's out in air! Nothing like a determined doctor putting the pieces together illegally...lol
ReplyDeleteyeah - lol - not really mango's style is it ... but
DeleteMango figured it out, finally. XD Good for him.
ReplyDelete:D
DeleteMango on a mission - I knew he'd figure it out. But what an awful way to learn about having another son you didn't even know about.
ReplyDelete