C.J. Urban - Julie Townsend 01 - Hidden Intent by C.J. Urban Page B

motive. This was a boy, a teen my cousin wrote about, and he was clearly obsessed with her. He could have killed her in some insane, jealous rage.”
    “You’re right,” Skye agreed, “You might be on to something here. But we’re going to need more evidence than that, to have the case reopened.”
    “And Chief Langley doesn’t like me,” Julie told him. “I don’t know why, but I can tell she doesn’t.”
    “That won’t help. She’s a tough one, that Langley.”
    The pair drove in silence for a while, each caught up in their own thoughts.
    Julie decided to change the subject. “So, why is your dad at McAndrew’s?”
    Skye didn’t answer right away. Then he took a deep breath and began his story. “A few years ago, we started noticing a strange change in my father. He would leave for days, sometimes even weeks at a time. When he returned, he wouldn’t have any explanation for his disappearance. He only knew that periodically he found himself in different places, with no idea how he got there.”
    “That’s horrible, Skye. I’m so sorry. It must have been scary, for all of you.” She put a hand on his shoulder.
    He nodded. “My mother and I were terrified for him, so we asked him to see a psychiatrist. He ended up being diagnosed with Dissociative Fugue Disorder.”
    Julie was stunned. “That’s really rare, isn’t it?”
    “Yeah,” Skye sighed, “it is. Anyway, the psychiatrist came to the conclusion that my dad should be hospitalized for a short while, for observation. Just to be on the safe side. But what was supposed to be a ten day stay has become five years. His memory is shot now, so destroyed that he barely recognizes me or my mom.”
    “Oh, Skye. I don’t know what to say.”
    “You don’t need to say anything. It is tough, and I don’t talk to many people about it, although, like I said, Dupont is a small town and everyone knows. I’ve kind of lost hope that he’ll get better, but I’m getting used to it.”
    Julie was touched that he’d confided something so private with her. “So you want to visit your dad as well today?”
    Skye shook his head. “We’ll probably have to say we are, but no, not today. I do visit him often, but let’s concentrate on Jacob Leigh.”
    They both fell silent. Julie felt as if there were a big, invisible weight holding them both down. She really didn’t know what to say to Skye. She watched the road as it began to incline, winding upwards toward a mountain range.
    “The hospital is in the mountains?” She asked.
    “Yeah. Weird, right?”
    “A little. It just seems out of the way.”
    “It’s supposed to create a more natural environment for the patients. The hospital has a huge recreation area, surrounded by fencing, obviously. But still, it’s better for them than never being outside at all.”
    Julie simply nodded.
    Twenty minutes later, they turned off the main road and onto a narrower one. They took this road for another few miles until they reached the hospital. Skye pulled into a small parking lot labeled, “Visitor Parking.”
    As they got out of the truck, Julie took in the enormous white building several hundred feet uphill from the lot. They began climbing the gray stone steps that led upwards to it. The grass on either side of the stones was lumpy, and had long, deep green blades. Beautiful pine trees surrounded them, giving off a fresh scent.
    She and Skye finally reached the front of the building. There was a large metal sign above the front entrance that read “McAndrew’s Psychiatric Hospital.”
     
     
     
    Chapter 13
     
     
    “Well, we know we’re at the right place, at least,” Julie said, her voice nervous.
    Skye opened one of the large glass double doors for her to enter. Julie glanced around the hallway. It seemed like a normal hospital. She heard none of the insane screaming she had always associated with mental hospitals, and considered it a good sign. There were banners every couple of feet along the walls,