Page 24 of Fever Dream

Chapter Fifteen

Dr.Jay Branson

Journal Entry

At approximately 0900 hours, Mrs.Grace Solomon arrived for her semiweekly session.She appeared more keen to talk than she had been in previous sessions.

Her body language still suggested that she remained closed off.“Why don’t you tell me about the events in the days prior to Charles disappearing?”

“You mean before he went missing?”

There’s a certain defiance in her response.“Is there a difference?”

“Charles did not disappear.He’s not some sort of rabbit that a magician pulls out of a hat.”

“And yet you haven’t seen himoryour children in three weeks.”

“Almostthree weeks.”

Mrs.Solomon doesn’t look at the calendar, as I suspect she might.She doesn’t want to give herself away.What she fails to realize is that she trusts me enough not to question whether I might have manipulated the calendar to my liking.That this might be a test.“At any rate, you’re here because you’re suspected in the disappearance of your family, Grace.”

“The key word beingsuspected.”

She shifted in her seat.“Thank you for the cafeteria privileges.”

“That’s all you.”

“Is it?”She shook her head, as though trying to shake away a passing memory.“I sat next to a lady yesterday, and you know what she said to me?”

“What’s that?”

“She said, ‘We cannot focus on a good-looking surface to avoid being fooled.’”

“And this means what to you?”

“I don’t know.What do you think?”

“You want to know what I think?”

She shrugged.“You’re the expert.”

“Okay, I’ll tell you.I think you are concealing the truth, Grace.I think I cannot help you unless you are willing to let me.I think you have to help yourself before you can help anyone.”

“I want to see Phillip.”

“You know that’s not possible.”

“My husband and two of my children are missing.You cannot keep me from the one who isn’t.”

“It’s not my decision.”

“Maybe not.But you can fix it.You can tell them I’m not crazy.”

“The judge deemed you a danger to yourself and others.That’s why you’re here.”

“Is that what you think, Dr.Branson?That I’m a danger to my child?”

“We haven’t made enough progress to determine that one way or another.I can only go by what the police reports say.”