Undermind: Nine Stories by Edward M Wolfe

into an emergency
surgery room and he was gently turned away. Joy had argued that she
wanted to be there too, but Dave convinced her that it would be
best for Jake if she took him home – and locked all her doors and
windows.
    Now he wanted to talk to the police, and if they
weren’t willing to listen to him and take things seriously for a
change…he didn’t know what he would do, but he was going to do
something. He was ready to kill Ron with his bare hands.
    He had seen two police officers in the lobby as
paramedics wheeled Nikki into the hospital, so he went back to see
if they were still there. One of them was. He was talking to a
pretty girl in scrubs.
    “Excuse me. I need to talk to you.”
    The cop resented the interruption and was about
to say something but then he saw the look on Dave’s face.
    “Let’s step outside,” he replied.
    Dave walked toward the exit and could hear the
cop telling the young woman he’d be back in a few. He went through
the glass doors that slid open as he approached, then turned around
and waited for the cop.
    “Let’s step over here,” the officer said. “I
could use a smoke.”
    “Have you got another one?” Dave asked.
    The cop handed Dave a cigarette, then lit both
of them. When Dave finished coughing, he thanked the officer and
asked if he knew who he was. He didn’t. Dave asked if the cop was
aware of the recent crimes involving Ron Mackey and the fire at his
house a few days before.
    “I’m aware of the reports regarding Mackey, and
yes, I heard about the fire.”
    “Good. I won’t have to tell you everything then.
I just need to tell you that this bastard is the one who attacked
my wife and he needs to be arrested, right now.”
    “Did you witness the attack?”
    “No, but my sister did,” he lied.
    “And where is your sister?”
    “She’s at her house, in fear for her life. This
psycho has already attacked me, set my house on fire, and has now
attacked my wife. If he goes after my son and my sister, nothing
will stop me from killing him. I need to know you’re going to do
something right now – before I have to do your job for you.”
    “I understand you’re upset. I would be too. But
I need you to stay focused here and give me some information.
Okay?”
    “What do you need to know?” Dave asked,
struggling to maintain his composure.
    “What is your sister’s name and address?
    Dave gave him the information and the officer
said he would go talk with her, and then he would see if he had
enough to make an arrest. Dave knew that wasn’t going to happen.
The cop would find out that he had lied, and once again, there
would be no reason for them to arrest Ron Mackey.
    Dave thanked the officer and headed back into
the hospital. He went to the doors to the surgery room and paced
for a minute. He realized he couldn’t just stay there and do
nothing. As much as he wanted to be informed of Nikki’s condition
the instant someone could tell him anything, he knew that no one
was looking out for the rest of his family. Joy and Jake could be
in danger. But with a cop on the way over to talk to them, they’d
be safe for a short while. He had time to do something.
    He looked around for restrooms and spotted a
small sign high on the wall with an arrow pointing up. He walked up
the hall with his eyes focused on the floor to minimize the view of
his face.
    Inside the restroom, he walked to the far stall,
took out his phone. He found his brother’s phone number and
repeated it to himself several times before lowering the volume to silent/no vibration. He set the phone on top of the toilet
paper dispenser, then took off his shoes and placed them a foot
apart on the floor in front of the toilet. Then he sat on the
floor, hoping it had been cleaned recently as he slid under the
door and out of the stall.
    As he walked down the hall, he kept his head
down, only glancing up occasionally to follow the signs to the rear
exit. Once outside, he jogged across the parking lot,