“…and I know I’m probably overreacting, but Andrew’s just had one ailment after another this year.”
“Uh-huh,” Dr. Addams said as he adjusted his stethoscope across the boy’s back.
“I feel fine, mom,” the boy with the chipmunk cheeks said.
“Well, you say that, but that rash hasn’t gone away for a few days now,” she went on.
“He probably just had a reaction to something he came in contact with,” Dr. Addams said absently as he inspected the boy’s irritated skin.
“Oh my, do you think it’s serious? I just…I don’t know what caused it, if whatever he came in contact with has to be removed. Should…should it be something maybe you come to the house for? To determine if I need to toss it.”
She sensed his pause, and quickly threw in, “I know it’s more than you normally do for your patients. I could make it worth your while by cooking you dinner.”
Dr. Addams wore his best smile. “Looking at the disbursement of the rash all around the stomach, I’d say that he had an allergic reaction to something he ate in the past few days.” Her face sank at the diagnosis. “Andrew, have you had meals at any restaurants recently?” The boy shook his head, oblivious to his mother’s frown plummeting any further. “Have you eaten anything new in the past few days?”Another shake of the head.
“No, just the usual mac and cheese mom ma—”
“You must have been trading lunches with your friends,” his mother interjected. “This is why you need to eat the lunches I prepare for you.”
“I didn’t trade with—”
“So what should I do about Andrew’s reaction?” she asked, shifting her attention to Dr. Addams again.
“I’m going to write a prescription for some pills to take. He’ll take three a day for three days, then we’ll ween him down to two pills, then one. That should clear it up,” he said, writing up the scrip and heading for the door without another word.
“Oh, thank you, Dr. Addams,” she said graciously as he opened the door. She was still talking, but he missed the rest. Even if he had stayed in the room, he wouldn’t have heard a word she said. His mind was already back in the break room.
The story had broken last night. When they broadcasted that animal’s mugshot, he felt he had aged a decade in a heartbeat. He had secretly hoped they would finally catch that monster, but he had doubted the day would ever actually come. The Congressman had been too well connected to be caught.
His nausea grew as the news stations discovered and shared every grisly detail. When they mentioned a girl with him, he counted himself lucky that the couch had been right behind him to cushion his collapse. He hadn’t been as lucky with his aim when they’d revealed she was dead. When the news anchor stated what the Congressman had tried to do with the corpse, he found most of his vomit had sprayed everywhere but the toilet he’d rushed to.
Addams had thought forcing himself to work his shift would’ve helped. He had believed the patients would’ve served as a great distraction from the constant updates that were coming in. As soon as he closed the door to conduct his first examination of the day, he realized not keeping his eyes glued to the latest developments was even worse. Instead of being restricted to what had happened, Addams’ mind entertained everything that maniac could have done to her.
“Doctor,” Nurse Raskin called from the doorway of the breakroom.
He ignored her. The news anchor was still teasing releasing the identity of the deceased woman found in the hotel room with the disgraced Congressman.
“Dr. Addams, you have a patient,” she insisted.
He could feel his forehead moisten under a thin film of perspiration. They’d been teasing the reveal since the top of the hour. He’d been rushing in and out of exam rooms to get back here as quickly as possible.
“Dr. Addams!”
The screen finally cut away to a photo of the woman. In the split second the cutaway took, his mind raced into overdrive. It’d been weeks since he’d seen her. He had no idea what she’d done when she’d left. Did she call the number? Did she go back to Reginald?
“It’s her.”