Asylum

Chapter 1-3

David was glad he had come, he decided, as he stared out of the window at the boy on the ledge. This boy Andrew looked nothing like David’s son. Andrew’s casual mop of brown hair blew wildly in the wind. He was tall and gangly and wore jeans with a T-shirt emblazoned with The Beatles. Well, at least the kid had taste.

Steve walked toward where David stood by the door. Twelve other officers filled the room and the kid’s doctor, Dr. Hamurob, sat in the corner. If this was a cry for attention, it had worked.

“Thanks for coming, Dave,” the lieutenant said.

“You knew I would.” David meant it not as an accusation, but it came out sounding like one.

“Yes, I suppose I did, but I really needed you.” Steve took David’s arm gently and pulled him toward the far wall, away from the other officers. “It’s bad enough to have a kid out there on the ledge, but his father’s also a lawyer and knows lots of people at city hall. If the boy jumps, he’ll cause quite a s**t storm. Nobody needs that right now.”

“Jesus, Steve. When did politics and career become more important than a kid’s life?”

Steve had always been the moral rock, one of the few in charge who gave a damn. To hear him talk like this was a letdown.

“Come on, Dave, it’s not like that. I don’t want the kid to jump any more than you do, but I sure as hell don’t want to get screwed by the mess afterward,” Steve said.

“I’m going to try and help the kid because he needs help, not because you need a boost to your career.” David pushed past the lieutenant and walked over to the window, ignoring any protests. When had Steve become so jaded?

Dr. Hamurob appeared next to David at the window. Dressed in a tweed jacket, with small, round glasses perched on his nose, the doctor had the air of a researcher—a pompous one at that. No wonder the boy was out on a ledge, with this guy for a doctor. David knew it was unfair to judge the man on such a limited first impression, but he couldn’t help it. He himself had been the same way. Besides, he was almost always right. It was his gift.

“Dr. Styles, I’m Dr. Hamurob, Andrew’s doctor.” Hamurob did not offer to shake David’s hand. He merely turned and gestured toward the window. “Andrew’s schizophrenic, and I have been treating him for over two years now. I’ve tried to talk to him, but he won’t even acknowledge me. The lieutenant said you might be able to get through to him.”

From the doctor’s tone it was obvious he didn’t think David would have much luck.

“How severe is the schizophrenia?” David asked.

Schizophrenia usually began to manifest itself during adolescence, so David figured Andrew was probably in the early stages of the disease.

“That’s the confusion in his case. Usually it’s very mild, unnoticeable by most people, but then he’ll have a severe episode where he will be lost in the hallucinations for hours, sometimes days.” The doctor reached over to a nearby table and grabbed a file. “His symptoms are inconsistent and run the whole gamut.”

“Medications?”

Hamurob shook his head. “Most medications seem to have no effect; some cause him to be even more confused and depressed.”

Dr. Hamurob held out the file to David, but he ignored the offer. There was no time to review the file. He had to talk to the boy.

“Where are his parents?” David asked.

“His father is down on the ground helping the police, and his mother is in my office.” Dr. Hamurob paused briefly, and then added, “Having a nervous breakdown.”

David stepped closer to the window. “Bring her out. I might need her help.” He glanced out the window and, for a brief moment, could see the boy’s eyes and their hard, distant expression. David knew, the same way he had known Dr. Hamurob was a pompous ass, that this was not just a cry for attention. This boy was going to jump. He would die if David couldn’t stop him.

Still, David hesitated. He hadn’t stopped his own son. He hadn’t been able to keep him from slitting his wrists in a warm bath. He hadn’t seen it coming, distracted as he was by his other cases. He hadn’t even seen what his son had become or guessed what he would do. What made him think he could stop it now? David’s years of training had failed those he held most dear, so how could it help now? He had no idea.

But then he saw Andrew crouch to jump. Pushing all doubts aside, David stepped out onto the ledge.