Asylum (Asylum, #1)(50)

Teague looked at Dan and slowly shook his head. “Okay, kid, let’s go along with you for now. Let’s say there’s this mystery man who climbs out of a window on the fifth floor after attacking your best friend. Have you ever seen this man before?”

“Never,” Dan replied, locking eyes firmly with Teague.

The cop hesitated, looking Dan over and chewing the inside of his cheek. “You know, the weird thing is I almost believe you. You’re either in the middle of one hell of a frame-up job or you’re a damn good liar.

“Anyway, I suggest you keep your nose clean until we can sit you down and go over this again. I’m not going to take you to the station now, but I will if I have to. Until then, you’ll have an officer with you at all times.”

“Wait—”

“At all times.” Teague touched his forefinger to his nose and then pointed it at Dan. “You understand me?”

“Yes, sir,” Dan murmured.

Adjusting his cap, Teague nodded, satisfied. Dan hardly felt the grip of the officer assigned to him. Felix would spend the night at the hospital, with an officer waiting patiently to question him, while Dan was manhandled back to his room. A feeling of numb dread settled in his bones. “I’ll be right outside,” said his jailer. “So don’t try anything funny.” The irony of his room being used as a cell did not escape him.

The whole night, the whole day, now seemed like a dream. Particulars melted away, details disappeared. What had the man with the crowbar looked like? He couldn’t really remember now. Would Felix be able to corroborate Dan’s story? He didn’t know. He’d have to wait and see.

He climbed into bed without feeling the mattress or blankets. It was strange to think that he was a suspect—that the police thought he had attacked Felix. Did they think he was responsible for Yi’s attack, too—and, oh God no, Joe’s murder? If they discovered he’d been blacked out in the basement, what would they say? All the evidence was against him.

Outside the door, he heard his guard pacing slowly back and forth.

I have to fight back, Dan thought, squeezing his eyes shut.

His mind churned. Why would the Sculptor have a crowbar? That was a blunt weapon, a clumsy one. The Sculptor was smarter—crueler—than that. It frightened Dan that he could come to that conclusion so easily. He didn’t know the man, but he was beginning to understand, or at least recognize, his evil. And what did that say about him?

Insanity is relative. It depends on who has who locked in what cage.

Dan rolled onto his side, staring at the clock. If this was a fight against madness, he felt like he was losing. Maybe he already had.





“I take it she’s your police escort?” Abby asked, eyes wide with fascination.

“Yeah.” Dan didn’t need to look over his shoulder to know Officer Coates—that was her name—was standing three feet behind him.

“So what happened last night?” Jordan asked. Morning light streamed in through the cafeteria windows over his shoulder. The line for pancakes was usually out the door, but it was significantly shorter today. Almost a third of the program’s students were gone. “I mean, after you texted me.”

“I didn’t text you,” Dan replied automatically. Thinking hurt. He’d hardly slept. His head was stuffed with sleepy wool. He choked down a second cup of coffee and waved to Officer Coates. She rolled her eyes.

“I’m lost,” Abby admitted, holding up a hand. “Did he text you or not?”

“Jordan got a message from me, it was in my phone, but I can’t remember sending it . . . because I didn’t.” It sounded ridiculous enough that he didn’t blame Abby for her skepticism.

“Nope,” she said. “Still lost.”

“Me, too.” Dan forked his pancake apart into three pieces and scooted them around in the lake of syrup on his plate. He wanted food to taste good again. He wanted life to make sense again. “Anyway, the same thing happened but with Felix. I don’t want to go into it. . . . The whole thing’s a gigantic mess.”

“You don’t want to go into it? But there’s a cop following you around. You don’t think that might warrant a bit of explanation?” Abby watched him intently from across the table.

Dan knew that he hadn’t been fully forthright with them about things. He was no longer entirely sure why. As much as he liked the idea of having best friends with whom he could share anything, it was like all he knew how to be was alone, apart.

“Maybe your phone is haunted,” Jordan said bitingly. “Maybe we should perform an exorcism.”

“Don’t worry,” Abby cut in. “This is all just a misunderstanding, I’m sure of it.”

I wish I was so sure.

“Ha! Dan, not worry?” Jordan cackled. “You’re better off telling a duck not to quack.”

“Thanks, you two. You always know how to make me feel better.”

After breakfast, Dan walked to class with his friends, with Officer Coates following ten feet back.

“What do they think I’ll do?” Dan wondered aloud. “Run? Where would I go?”

“It does feel a little excessive,” Abby agreed, glancing back at their tail. “At least she’s giving you space. I’m sure it could be worse.”