Chapter 32: Germanium
The women had moved through to a sitting room. There was a sofa on which Claire was advised to lie on. She was instructed to lie on her back and place her arms over her chest, not crossed but just resting underneath her breast. Her head was elevated and supported by a cushion as she lay back. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths as directed by the therapist.
Taylor sat on a white cotton cushioned bucket chair at one end of the sofa, angled to face Claire, and Dr. Freeman sat on a large armchair. A video camera was set up facing Claire, who had agreed that the process could be filmed. The therapist had talked through a prepared script that supported Claire into a trance-like state.
"Okay, Claire," Dr. Freeman says surely but calmly, "The next voice you will hear will be Special Agent Anderson; you know Taylor is here to help. She is safe. You are safe," She nodded to the FBI agent to indicate that she was to start speaking.
"Hello, Claire. It's Taylor. Can you tell me where you are?"
"I'm at a bar; it's college football night."
"Yeah? Who's playing?"
"The Spartans."
"Michigan State?"
"Yeah, they've just scored, and the bars are going mental—lots of noise. I'm cheering too. It was an amazing play. Geri is holding on to me; she's loaded."
"Who's Geri?"
"The only other girl in my college class. She's a bit of a bitch, but I kind of like her," Claire laughs, "She's just put one of the guys down in the most amazing way."
"Who was that?"
"Brad. He loves himself and keeps talking about all the pussy he gets. We're all out of the class; we finished our final assessment and just let loose. The place is full of folks doing the same. Most of the guys are trying their luck."
"On the pull?"
"Yeah. I'm not, though. I've got a boyfriend. Didn't stop Geri trying, though."
"Geri was trying it on with you?"
"No. Geri was trying to get me to cop off with this guy that has been hanging about all night."
"Yeah, what's he like?"
"He's gorgeous. He's like a total surfer, dude. Long blonde hair and amazing blue eyes. Chiseled jawline. He's like muscley and tall; he's wearing this daft Hawaiian shirt."
"How longs is his hair."
"It's that kind of floppy beach style, messy from the sea. It's just above his shoulders, like a shaggy dog."
"Does Geri know him?"
"Nah, she just met him tonight. She said he told her he wanted my cell,"
Taylor thought a moment about the next question. Debating if it was suggestive or not, she decided to ask, "What's his name?"
"JJ."
"How do you know that?"
"Geri told me, and he answered to it when called by the guy he was with."
"So he was there with someone?"
"Yeah, this other guy. You know, if they were so different coloring-wise, I'd have said they were twins or like brothers at least."
"How do you mean color-wise?"
"Well, the other guy was dark. Like almost black eyes and short dark hair."
"How long did you stay at the bar?"
"Until about 11ish."
"Then what did you do?"
"I got a taxi with JJ."
"So you left with the surfer, dude?"
"Yeah. He is an amazing kisser. I just couldn't stop thinking about how good sex might be. I'm drunk."
"So you got a taxi?"
"Yeah, JJ said his friend was converting this old barn, and we could party there for a bit. So that's where we got dropped off."
"What's the barn like?"
"Can't really make it out in the dark. I feel a bit sick. I've drunk too much. JJ is holding me up as we go in. It's just like a barn. It's not been converted at all. He's there."
"Who's there?"
"The other guy from the bar. The dark-haired one. He's smiling at me. I want to go home. I wish I had never come."
Taylor looks at Dr. Freeman as Claire's voice is raised and anxious. Her breathing has become shallower and more frequent.
"Claire. This is Dr. Freeman. You're safe. This is a memory. Right now, you're lying on a sofa all comfy in Bay Harbor, and both me and Agent Andersson are here to keep you safe."
"I still want to go home."
"Why's that?"
"I just know something bad is going to happen. I shouldn't have come. I'm a dirty slut. I've got a boyfriend and came out here for sex with some other guy. I'm a bad person... This is what happens to bad people."
"What. What happens?" Dr. Freeman shot Taylor a glance and shook her head.
"Claire. It's Dr. Freeman. We have spoken about this. You're not a bad person. No one deserves what happened to you. This man manipulated you for his own reasons. I want you to focus on what you see. Tell me about the barn."
"It's mostly dark apart from a lantern. There are people. I can sense them watching before I see them."
"Who's there?" Taylor asked.
"JJ and Jack."
"Who's Jack?"
"The guy from the bar. JJ's friend."
"What about the others? Can you see them?" Taylor asked, excited about finding out.
Again the Doctor looked at her, "Take your time Claire."
"There is a man. He is older, not old, though; he looks like Jack. But now JJ looks like Jack."
"What do you mean?"
"He's got dark hair and dark eyes too."
"I thought he was blonde?"
"He was until he took it off—a wig and colored contacts. I don't fancy him anymore. He is scary. He's like got a buzz cut but really close. And he looks at me with those dark eyes like he wants to hurt me."
"Tell me about the older man."
"He doesn't say much. They call him Dad. He watches everything. But they mainly talk to Mother."
"Who's the Mother?"
"She looks like a witch, all wild, and she's got long, long grey hair. And black eyes. She directs them."
"Directs them how?"
"She tells them what to do. She calls them her sons. She told Jack to have me. JJ is annoyed."
"Have you?"
"Fuck me. Rape me. I'm screaming, but he doesn't stop. He's so violent he slaps me and tells me to be quiet, that this isn't the worst part,"
Claire's breathing was becoming erratic again.
"Do you think we should stop?" Taylor whispers to the Doctor.
"Claire. I am going to bring you back now, back from the barn. You have the arms of safety around you. The love from friends provides comfort. Back from that taxi with me and Agent Andersson. Back to the bar and your college friends, back to that touchdown. Go, Spartans."
Taylor watched as Claire opened her eyes. Claire was crying. She looked confused; Taylor offered a smile.
"Did it work?" She asked.
Taylor nodded, "You okay?"
"I think so; I just feel really sad."
"That's normal," Dr. Freeman said, "Your brain opened up something you had repressed for so long. You're grieving."
"Can I say something which you might think is weird?"
"Go on," The therapist encouraged.
"The man who raped me last year. It was the same person."
"What, Jack?" Taylor offered.
"Is that his name?" Claire asked.
"That's what you said, yeah," Taylor nodded.
"Jack. Bastard," Claire had a fight in her tone.
Taylor smiled. Somehow the process seemed to have made Claire a little stronger. A little more self-assured. She hoped this was the case. She didn't want to rush away but knew she should check in with Sarah before it got too much later. And then there was the number in her pocket. She really should let Abby know she made it to Maine okay. Just in case she was worried.
"You want a cup of tea or anything before you head?" Claire asked.
"Yeah, that would be nice," Taylor agreed. Tea would provide the perfect timing, for leaving without being rude.
"Good. It's weird seeing you again, but also, you were always nice to me, so it was kind of good to see you."
"You too; I hope this has been helpful for you too. Gives you the chance to move on a bit."
Claire smiled, "I feel a little bit lighter already."
Dr. Freeman smiled, "Where are you staying, Agent Andersson?"
"I've booked a room at the Holiday Inn across in Trenton. Can't resist anywhere that comes with a free all-you-can-eat breakfast," She smiled.
"Oh, hotel breakfast, eh?" The therapist grinned.
"You know I spend a lot of time in hotels. Still, don't get fed up with breakfasts. Of course, some are better than others. The one I am staying in, down in Danvers at the moment, does the most amazing Eggs Benedict, and they bake their own sourdough."
"Yeah, where's that?" The Doctor enquired.
"The Mayflower, not quite as touristy as it sounds."
"Yeah, I've stayed there," Claire added to the conversation, "At college, we were competing in an interstate computing coding challenge held at the Peabody Institute. Stayed in the Mayflower for the weekend."
Something irked Taylor. I wonder how many others had stayed on the Mayflower? It could just be a coincidence, but she knew Suzanne had a connection. She made a mental note to ask Sarah to get the team to check it out. She was starting to put together victimology for the perpetrator, or, as she was now convinced, perpetrators.