Arsenic for the Soul Page 9

  Vivian whirled on her in disbelief.

  “To a Magdalene asylum? Just how badly did your stalker hit you in the head?”

  Ignoring the quip, Camilla grabbed her satchel and rummaged through a cache of tapes, notepads, and police reports. In that moment it occurred to Vivian that Camilla never carried a purse. She carried her entire life in a satchel brimming with monstrous tales.

  “You mentioned a ‘she’ attacked you. Was it your mother?” Vivian asked.

  “I didn’t get a good look, but I’m certain it was her. There’s no one else it could possibly be.”

  Vivian tapped her fingers against her temple, wracking her brain for ideas. She watched Camilla spread a map of the Czech Republic on the bed. Soon, she was canvassing the floor in articles chronicling the downfall of various Magdalene asylums.

  “We need a map of all the asylums that I wrote about in Blaze,” Camilla explained. “Make a note of every laundry that was shut down.”

  “How is this going to help track down your mother?”

  “Just bear with me for a moment.”

  Soon Vivian was dotting locations on the map as Camilla rattled off one institution after another. She was amazed at the sheer number of laundries that once existed in the Liberec region. Each dot represented thousands of anonymous girls condemned to punishment. That punishment invariably bordered the atrocities of the Spanish Inquisition.

  “This was formerly a tuberculosis sanitarium,” Camilla said, stabbing a site on the map. “St. Ignatius Sanitarium lies south of Prague. It used to house the diseased, although you could argue its real function was to segregate them from the populace.”

  “This is quite a coincidence… We’re seeing an outbreak of tuberculosis on the heels of these threats you’re receiving. And your family just happened to run a tuberculosis sanitarium?”

  Camilla sounded ethereal as she lowered her voice.

  “Are you suggesting my mother is behind the outbreak? What reason would she have to…?”

  “Your mother was imprisoned in an asylum since your birth. Just imagine what two decades of torture could do to one’s sanity. Maybe she wants to share her misery and hate with as many people as possible.”

  “…It was just two cases of tuberculosis.”

  Vivian was stunned by the blunt statement, as if Crenshaw was speaking through her. It wasn’t spoken with the same caustic venom, but those six words seemed to refute her argument.

  “So you don’t believe me either?” Camilla was ominously silent. “In the very least, we should check out this sanitarium and see if there’s a connection. If I’m wrong, I’ll drop this theory and never speak of tuberculosis again.” Camilla folded up the map.

  “I have a hard time imagining this is an elaborate ploy for revenge. I can’t bear to think that innocent people are being killed because of me. I’m the one responsible for shutting down the Magdalene asylums. Anyone else is an innocent caught in the crossfire.”

  “What are you suggesting? That she should only kill you?”

  Camilla smiled and the weariness seemed to fade from her lips.

  “No one is going to die. With you at my side, I feel like I can take on anything. My stalker doesn’t stand a chance against us. Now let’s tackle the matter at hand. When should we go to the sanitarium?”

  “Don’t get too ahead of yourself. Take today off and rest in bed. I can tell you’re still a bit shaken up from last night. We’ll investigate it soon but tomorrow I’ll be indisposed. I have…um, a date.”

  “Wow, congrats! Is it that guy from the hospital? Milo?”

  “Of course. As a matter of fact, I was beginning to lose faith in him, but then he surprised me. He’s taking me on a scenic trip outside of Prague. How lucky is that? Maybe I’ll ask if he has a friend for you.”

  Camilla chuckled and rolled her eyes. She couldn’t even remember the last time she shared a lovely evening with a man, perhaps because she was always focused on more urgent priorities.

  For example, staying alive.

  TEN

  Vivian had never been more frightened in her life. Her stomach bobbed up and down as Milo’s car left the familiar comforts of Prague. The bumpy road was hardly to blame for the butterflies jostling in her stomach.

  Milo didn’t say where he was taking her, but that wasn’t the source of her anxiety either. She was debating whether or not to bring up her past as the car rumbled down the dirt road into the scented forest.

  Quite frankly, she was terrified to tell him and face his judgment. At the same time, she wanted to reveal herself entirely and feel liberated from the past. She wanted to know if he would truly accept her, flaws and all. In some ways she felt she was undeserving of a relationship given her past, but she knew those thoughts were irrational.

  Still, it weighed heavy on her like a breath caught in her lungs.

  “Where are we?” Vivian asked, watching the sun creep behind the firs.

  “You’ve never been to Brdy Ridge before, I take it? It’s fantastic, especially the wild trails near Třemšín Hill. You own the view all to yourself and the wilds just embrace you. I spent just a few hours in the hills and walked out a different man, as silly as it sounds. It’s just something you have to experience for yourself. It’s as though you’re the only one alive in the world, but you don’t feel alone.”

  “That perfectly describes how I feel when I listen to music. Like nothing else matters except me and the song. A place never made me feel that way but now you’ve got me curious.”

  “What about a person? Has a person ever made you feel alone? Like you two are the only ones left in the world? Time seems to hold its breath in that moment.”

  “No, I haven’t felt that way either, but I’m looking forward to it one day. I’ve got a lot of living and experiencing left to do. You sound like you’ve done a hell of a lot more living than I have.”

  “That’s the beauty of it. You’re still growing and trying to find yourself. Not knowing what happens next or what you’re up against is scary and exhilarating, but it’s also absurdly fantastic. There’s a child-like sense of wonder about life when you’re coming out of your shell. You should do more traveling, meet more people, and explore new cultures and music. Who am I to talk, though—I only have a few years on you!”

  “Yeah, you’re pretty old compared to me. That age gap of two years could be a problem.”

  Now was the moment to bring up her history. She would reveal to Milo her past as the Red Widow, a subject she rarely broached, least of all with a man she was falling for.

  He slung his arm around her and she immediately tensed. Milo withdrew.

  “Are you afraid to be alone with me?”

  Vivian laughed into the freezing night.

  “No, it’s not you. I wanted to tell you something before we…” She hated how her words flowed as smoothly as a stormy sea. That is to say, she was a stuttering mess. “…before we go any further.”

  The look in his eyes comforted her. He reserved every drop of attention for her.

  Only her.

  “I come from a troubled past that sometimes refuses to let me go. That past has put a lot of people around me in danger, especially those I love. My father is the latest example of someone who was dragged into my circle of darkness. He was shot trying to protect me. He’s still recovering in the hospital.”

  “You mean that kind gentleman in the rehab unit? I think he threatened to rip my head off.”

  Vivian laughed. She could imagine all too well the gruffness the nurses were subjected to when they treated her father, Keung. He was finishing up his rehabilitation after his latest rendezvous with the surgeons. Fortunately, he would be discharged from the hospital soon.

  “I guess I should start at the beginning.” She gazed out the car window as the night zephyrs whispered through her hair. “My parents do well for themselves. They put a roof over my head and keep dinner on the table. God knows they deserve an award for putting up with me during my re
bellious stage.”

  “Well, that comes as no surprise. I heard you took on Crenshaw during your first day in the hospital. Didn’t I tell you to not get on his bad side?”

  “You simply told me to avoid him, which is impossible. Plus, he doesn’t have a good side, just the hideously bad.”

  She smiled.

  “Anyway, I didn’t want to burden my parents with the cost of college. I decided to carry the cost myself. I could have found a whole host of ways to pay for school so I don’t know why I ended up…” She sucked in a breath. “I was a dancer at a club.”

  Yes, that sounded better labeling herself a “stripper.”

  “Maybe I was stupid for dancing instead of working as a cashier or something that all the obedient church girls do.”

  “But it paid better, didn’t it?”

  “Yes, it did. I guess it also made me feel powerful and attractive on some twisted level.”

  It certainly wasn’t the kind of attention from men she craved, but for someone as self-conscious as Vivian, it was strangely empowering.

  “I was young,” Vivian said defensively. “Young and looking for attention in all the wrong places. Probably not the most legitimate excuse, but it’s all I’ve got. But what happens next makes everything pale in comparison.”

  Milo shifted next to her.

  “As you can imagine, it wasn’t easy explaining to my parents why I kept coming home late. My dad suspected I was hiding a boyfriend. Being the lovable, overprotective guy he is, he decided to go through my phone to find answers. Instead, he found a wad of cash in my jacket. Somehow he put two and two together and figured out I was dancing. How else could I have made so much cash? Either that or he thought I was selling drugs. He practically had a heart attack at the thought of it.”

  Vivian shook her head helplessly. Looking back at the situation, she could bear to laugh a little. Keung may be harsh but it was just his overzealous way of showing he cared.

  “Unfortunately, he thought I needed to go to a rehab program called the Magdalene Midnight Mission. Can you imagine going to a sex victims program like that? Being monitored and given a schedule that details every minute of your life? It sounds like a mental asylum.”

  Milo was silent.

  Oh God, I’m losing him.

  He was looking out the window with a vacant expression.

  Well, I have nothing to lose. There’s no point in avoiding all the gory details now. Screw it, maybe I’ll get some satisfaction out of the look on his face when it’s over.

  “I ran away before I could be taken to this institution.”

  “Where did you run?”

  “I didn’t leave Prague. I lived off the streets and scavenged for food and shelter. But one can only live off meager scraps for so long before you become hungry, cold, and desperate. I began to sell myself, but not in the traditional sense. I bargained in pain and pleasure. I had no idea there were so many tormented people in this world that just want their pain brought to the surface, as if that will save them from the agony inside. It’s only a temporary relief but it’s a glimpse of freedom for some. I could give them what they were too scared to do to themselves. I’m ashamed to admit I enjoyed it for a while. Leaving scars on them was an outlet for my rage.”

  She glanced at Milo every now and then just to make sure he wasn’t ready to bolt from the car and run screaming into the forest. She recounted her tale of being extorted by Nikolai, joining forces with him to track down a serial killer, and the frightening moment when she came face-to-face with Viktor Rezník in the basement. The tale finally came full circle with her short-lived stint in therapy.

  “Does this change how you think of me?” She shivered when she felt Milo’s hand press into hers.

  “Yes, it does. It means a lot to me that you’re willing to share your story. I’m touched by your trust in me.”

  Vivian blushed.

  “Well…you took the news a lot better than my parents did, I’ll say that much.”

  “True, but if you were my daughter, I’d probably be the one carted off to a mental asylum.”

  No sooner had he said those words, the car rumbled and began to crawl over the dirt. With a shudder, the engine died. Vivian looked on in disbelief.

  “Well, isn’t that timely? Stranded in the dark of a secluded forest at dusk. Is this part of your roguish charm where you put on a brave face and suggest we camp for the night until dawn breaks?”

  Milo twisted the key and the engine stuttered.

  “No, this is definitely not part of the plan. I was going to have you home by ten. I have work in the morning and I don’t even have my phone on me. Damn! Can you call one of your friends?”

  The sounds of the forest swirled around Vivian’s head, invaded by the incense of fir and dew. Mist began to settle upon the quiet glen as the universe shifted above her head. Vivian felt cut off from civilization as every tree and sprig darkened under night’s canopy. The curtain of darkness ushered in a sense of freedom that was denied to the city. Stars were sprinkled through the gnarled boughs overhead.

  “What about your friend Camilla?”

  “Camilla?”

  “Yes, you’re close to her, right? Would she be willing to help?”

  “Yeah, I suppose.” She felt guilty about calling Camilla this late, especially because she should be resting after the attack. Vivian fished through her jacket for her phone.

  “Even if she can help, how will she find us out here? We’re in the middle of a forest.”

  “There has to be a landmark somewhere around here,” Milo said, hopping out of the car. He glided along the forest floor while Vivian’s phone chimed against her ear.

  “Hello? Camilla?”

  “Hey, aren’t you supposed to be on your lovely date with Milo? Oh God, you didn’t call for an excuse to get away, did you? Is he a horrible kisser?”

  “No, nothing scandalous to report. Our car broke down in the forest and we need a lift. Sorry to drag you away from your late night soap operas.”

  “Not a problem. A little break could help me tackle this story I’m working on later. So whereabouts are you?”

  “Brdy Ridge.”

  “Oh wow, talk about isolated.”

  “Isolated but pretty for a date. Maybe you’ll see it sometime when you start taking guys seriously.”

  “I think I’ll take in the view when I pick you lovebirds up. Don’t wander off too far.”

  Vivian hung up and looked out the window. Milo was nowhere to be found. Her hairs stood on end as unseen animals crunched through the grass.

  “Vivian!” She immediately sprang out of the car at Milo’s call. She sprinted past clusters of gnarled trees until they thinned to a meadow. At last, Milo faded into view, as did a glorious and terrifying structure entrenched in the bowels of the woods. The young man stood at the edge of a stone courtyard pitted with snow and ice. The gateway was flanked by a pair of granite maidens before unfurling to a desiccated manor. Spires stretched from the chateau like white thorns basking in the moonlight.

  Perhaps if the brick façade didn’t resemble rotting teeth, she might have appreciated the Baroque Gothic charm. Instead, it echoed sentiments of a world where the sun didn’t rise.

  “Shall we?” Milo said and the gates floated open at his touch. Steeling her nerves, Vivian followed her lover to the strange building.

  The stone mullioned windows were caked in frost, all but concealing the interior. Vivian stopped short of the entrance as soon as she realized her mistake. This isn’t a manor at all. This is the sanitarium Camilla warned me about. The engraving above the door confirmed her worst fears: St. Ignatius Sanitarium.

  “Maybe I can scavenge some parts inside for the car. I know a thing or two about fixing spark plugs, if that’s the issue. They must have some spare tools, right?”

  “I don’t think you should go in there.” Milo chuckled and leaned elegantly against the doors.

  “Maybe it’s haunted. You strike me as the ki
nd of girl who would fancy a first date in a Gothic mansion, am I wrong?”

  “Any other Gothic place besides here.” Milo looked at her quizzically. “I have a really bad feeling about this, just trust me. We shouldn’t separate out here.”

  Ever the adventurer, Milo didn’t heed her and wandered ahead.

  “It’s okay if you don’t want to come inside. Wait in the car for your friend. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  “I don’t want you to go in there either. It’s an abandoned asylum.”

  “I won’t be gone long.”

  “Milo, please don’t. You have no idea what could happen to you—”

  His next move caught her by surprise. Suddenly her mouth was pressed hotly against his and his hands touched the curves of her waist. It ignited passions in her that she struggled to pin down. Part of her wanted him to throw her on the courtyard and make love in the rain and thunder. She hungered for his touch more desperately than anything in life.

  Their lips finally parted.

  “I promise I’ll come back in one piece.”

  Vivian was speechless. Thus, she couldn’t protest when he set foot inside the tuberculosis asylum. It was surreal as she watched him fade into the shadows like an apparition. When at last he was gone, Vivian studied the daunting asylum rearing before her. The forest sang a melancholy song as the wind scraped across the courtyard.

  Panic chanted in her head as the minutes passed. She expected Milo to emerge from the sanitarium intact any moment now, but no such solace greeted her.

  It felt like an eternity passed before she heard footsteps whispering against the stones behind her. She spun around to see Camilla walking through the curtain of rain.

  She chuckled nervously as the wind showered her with scorn. The sanitarium loomed against the blistering sky like a mansion that crawled out of the forest. Despite the fact that it was condemned, it still existed as a woeful reminder of her family’s sins.

  “Of all the lovely spots in the forest to meet,” Camilla said.

  “How did you find me?” Vivian asked.