Easy as One Two Three (Emma Frost)

  "Sascha," I said. "Sascha DuBois. Yes, that’s it. Now I remember where I’ve seen the doctor's face before. On the stairs when walking down after visiting Sascha DuBois the last time. She disappeared after that. She never made it to the police station. The coffee cups were still on the counter. The doctor must have come right when we left. Oh my God, I saw her there. She even said hello to us. Who the hell is this woman?"

  "I'm on it," Sune said and started tapping on the keyboard.

  I sunk my teeth into yet another piece of cake, feeling anxious and uncomfortable at the thought of this woman having my daughter in her care. It was truly scary.

  59

  April 2014

  IT DIDN'T TAKE SUNE long to find a lot of background on the dear doctor with the insane name R.V. Devulapallianbbhasskar. I had barely eaten the rest of my cake and washed it down with coffee before he started talking.

  "It took a little longer because she’s changed her name so many times it's ridiculous," he said. "But from what I could find on her, she became a psychiatrist in 2001 and worked several places until 2006 when she was made Chief of Naestved Institution of Mental Health. But that’s not the interesting part. It’s what happened to her many years ago. In 1989, when she was only seventeen, she was arrested and convicted of the murder of her own father."

  Rebekka looked at me, then at Sune again. "She was what?"

  "Her father was found stabbed in their home. Elsebeth Berg, which her name was back then, denied everything, even though they found her fingerprints on the knife. She was evaluated, but found to be mentally fit for a trial. Because of the gruesomeness to the murder and since she was one month from turning eighteen, it was decided to try her as an adult…to set an example, they said. The judge convicted her and sentenced her to twelve years in a secure prison for adults."

  "Wow, that was tough," I said. "At seventeen, you said?"

  Rebekka looked pensive. "Wasn't there a case once about a seventeen year old who was wrongly put in a prison with adults, then it turned out she was actually innocent?"

  "Exactly," Sune said. "Elsebeth spent three years in prison before the mother was arrested for stabbing her new husband. She admitted to having framed her daughter back then, because she thought she would get a lighter punishment, given her age."

  "Oh my God," Rebekka said. "I remember reading about this case. It was awful. This poor girl was abused so terribly in prison by the guards and was in an isolation cell for almost six months at one point. The prison warden was fired after it came out that the girl had been badly beaten and sexually assaulted by some of the guards. It was an awful case. It made them completely stop trying teenagers as adults again. She received a huge compensation, as I recall."

  "Two million kroner, yes." Sune said.

  "And now she's a doctor taking care of our mentally ill patients," I said. "Wow. I think I need to call Morten and tell him this."

  I reached for my phone and, as I did, it started to ring. It startled me.

  "Hello, Emma Frost? It's Dr. Faaborg here, darling. I’m calling with more great news for you and your daughter."

  "What is it?"

  "Mads Schou is awake. It’s the strangest thing. Apparently, his machines stopped working last night; we still don't know how they got turned off, but it woke him from his coma. This morning, when the nurse came to check on him, he was sitting up looking at her. Then he jumped out of bed and grabbed her and started dancing with her. Can you believe it?"

  I was stunned. I had seen the man just last night and he didn't look like anyone who was going to wake up ever. "No, doctor. I really can't. That is truly amazing news."

  "Apparently, he was able to hear everything while he was in the coma. He wants to see you. He’s tired and a little confused, but keeps asking for the woman whose daughter drove the car. Is it possible for you to come to the hospital?"

  I felt confused as well. I really didn't feel like I had the time right now, but the thought of having a reason to go to the hospital where Maya was being kept intrigued me strongly.

  60

  April 2014

  REBEKKA AND SUNE CAME with me in the car. Rebekka wanted to interview Mads and write about him waking up for the paper. Sune brought his camera. When leaving Karrebaeksminde and heading for the main road towards Naestved, I felt terrible. All those horrible things Sune had read about that doctor made me anxious. An experience like the one she had been through had to make her highly unstable and erratic. I had no idea what she might do to my daughter…and I feared the worst. I couldn't just let time pass and wait for Morten and the police to act, now could I? While that woman did God only knew what to my daughter? How could I? What mother could do that?

  I took a turn and accelerated past the town sign.

  "Emma, you're not allowed to drive faster than fifty kilometers an hour here," Rebekka said.

  I didn't react. I sped past the small houses, zigzagged between the cars and finally arrived at the hospital where I parked in the parking lot in front of the main building. I stopped the engine and stared at the hospital in front of me. I couldn't believe all the times I had been in there to visit Mads Schou and she had been here all the time. Right in the building behind this one. So close and yet I had no idea. It killed me.

  "Okay, let's get inside," Rebekka said and got out of the car.

  I grabbed my purse. I could hear the blood rushing through my veins.

  "Emma, are you alright?" Rebekka asked when I slammed the door to the car. "I know this must be hard for you."

  I stopped and stared at the building in front of me. There was no way I could walk in there like I didn't know my daughter was being held captive so close to me.

  "There’s no way," I mumbled.

  "What was that?" Rebekka asked.

  "Nothing," I said. "I just…um I think I forgot my phone in the car. Just go on inside. I'll be right there."

  "We'll wait here for you," Rebekka said.

  "Okay," I said and turned around and walked back to the car. "There’s no way, there’s no way," I mumbled all the way back, opened the door and got in. I sat in the car seat and pretended to be looking for the phone that I knew was in my purse. I bent my head underneath the dashboard and put the key in the ignition, then turned it, shut the door and before Rebekka and Sune realized what was going on, I hit the gas pedal and accelerated out of the parking lot towards the building with the big Q on a sign outside of it.

  I saw Rebekka's face; she was screaming at me, but I heard no sound as I drove past them and accelerated towards the entrance of the building. Seconds later, I bent down as the car slammed through the glass doors and blasted right into the entrance, past the startled lady at the information desk, and directly through the secured double doors Olav had needed a card to get through.

  Then it stopped. The car was smashed, smoke was everywhere, but to my relief I saw the car had managed to drive through the doors and reveal the white hallway with the many doors in front of me. There was yelling and screaming behind me and guards trying to reach me, but they couldn't because my car blocked the way. I jumped out through the broken windshield and into the hallway where I fell onto some glass and cut my hand. But I didn't care. My head was hurting from the blow I had received when banging through the doors, but I didn't care about that either. The lady guard from earlier came out of a room and looked at me.

  "Vivian," I said, as I reached into my purse and pulled out some mace I always carried in case of an assault. After what had happened to me over the last couple of years, I was done taking chances.

  I held the mace up towards her. "Where is she? Vivian, tell me where my daughter is!"

  Vivian whimpered, then lifted her hand and pointed. "Right in there," she said.

  "Please unlock the door for me."

  "But…But I'm not allowed to…"

  I moved the mace threateningly towards her. Vivian whimpered again, then put the key in the door and turned it.

  "Thank you, Vivian. Now scram! Get
the hell out of here. I'm taking my daughter home!"

  61

  April 2014

  I STORMED INSIDE THE room with the number fifty-seven on the door, holding the mace up in front of me in case more security guards appeared. Then I lowered it again. The sight in front of me made me cry instantly. Days of frustration and worry suddenly rose inside of me and had to get out.

  Maya was sitting on the bed staring directly at me. Her eyes were empty and there was no reaction at all when she saw me. I approached her carefully, so I wouldn’t frighten her.

  "Maya?"

  She looked confused. Her eyes were flickering back and forth like she was trying to remember something, but couldn't. I walked to her and kneeled in front of her. I looked up into her eyes.

  "Maya? Sweetie?"

  Maya still didn't recognize me. I couldn't stop crying. Seeing her like this, all empty, all expressionless was so brutal.

  "What did they do to you? Sweetie?"

  She still didn't say anything. I cried and pulled her close to me. I hugged her for a long time. She tried to hug me back.

  "I'm sorry," she finally whispered. "I'm so sorry. But I don't know who you are. I really don't."

  She might as well have punched me in the stomach. She knocked all the air out of me. I had to restrain myself from bursting into tears. Instead, I held her tightly in my arms.

  "I'm really sorry," she said again. "I don't know any Maya."

  I stroked her hair and tried to hide my sadness. "It's okay, sweetie," I said and held her even tighter.

  There were a lot of voices in the hallway now. People were yelling, steps were approaching. I looked at the window under the ceiling. It was barred. There was no way of escaping out of it. I held Maya closer to me as someone pulled the handle and tried to open the door.

  "A key someone yelled. We need a key down here."

  Maya had started crying and I held her close to me as I heard the key being inserted in the lock and turned. "I'm never letting go of you again, sweetie. Never. It doesn't matter that you don't know I'm your mother. I'll hold on to you. They'll have to take the both of us."

  Tears were running down my cheeks as the door was opened and voices entered the room.

  "There she is."

  I opened my eyes and turned my head. I knew that voice.

  "Morten?"

  Morten stormed towards us.

  "Emma! Maya!" he said.

  "Morten! You came!"

  Morten kneeled next to me. "I told you we would take care of it," he said. "But you smashing into the building with your car kind of made the process go faster. As soon as the alarm sounded and we were told that a car had driven through a building at the hospital, I knew it could only be you. But it gave us a legit reason for coming in here."

  "So for once it paid off to be irrational, huh?"

  "Well I don't like to admit it, but I guess it did. Now let's get Maya and you out of here."

  I wasn't happy to, but I finally let go of Maya and Morten took her in his arms. Seeing him walk with her like that made me love him more than ever.

  62

  April 2014

  I TOOK MAYA TO see doctor Faaborg at the main building and told him what had happened. I'm not sure he fully believed me, but he was still so smitten with me that I think he would have done anything for me at that point. He said he would take her in for observation. Meanwhile, Morten hurried back to the ward to help look for Dr. R.V. Devulapallianbbhasskar and arrest her.

  Maya fell asleep while I held her hand and then the doctor came in.

  "Mads Schou is here," he said. "Now that your daughter is sleeping, maybe you'll have a few minutes to talk to him?"

  "I…I can't leave Maya," I said.

  "It's okay. I'll come in here," a voice said. Mads Schou entered and smiled at me.

  It was strange. I had spent so many hours in his company, but never heard his voice or seen his eyes. I noticed he was very handsome as he came inside the room. You certainly couldn't tell that he had just been in a coma.

  "Emma Frost?" he said.

  "Yes," I said and wiped make-up away from underneath my eyes.

  He grabbed my hand between both of his and shook it, then pulled me close to give me a hug. "Thank you," he said choking. "Thank you so much."

  "You're welcome," I answered, quite taken by a surprise by his gratefulness. I hadn't really done anything had I?

  "You saw me when no one else did. I heard you tell the doctor that you had seen me move my finger. You have no idea what that meant to me."

  I blushed. "Well, no problem, I guess."

  "I heard you say you were sorry for what your daughter did, but I wanted to tell you that I knew all along that she didn't do anything."

  "I know," I said. "I know now that you were pushed by that woman, Dr. R.V. Devulapallianbbhasskar."

  "How did you know her?" Rebekka asked. "If you don't mind me asking."

  "I know your voice," Mads said.

  "I interviewed your mother and I visited you with Emma once," she said.

  "Lise Lindvig leather boots," he said and looked at her feet. "I remember the sound."

  "Wow," she said. "A connoisseur."

  "My wife used to have the same pair. Every time you entered I thought you might be her. You asked how I knew the doctor. Well, my mother sent me to see her. After I came home from my honeymoon…"

  "We know what happened, well most of it," Rebekka said. "Signe was arrested and falsely accused of murder in Monaco?"

  Mads looked at her like he didn't understand. "Falsely? What do you mean by falsely?"

  "It wasn't her," I said. "The father admitted to having done it. He killed her, not Signe."

  Mads touched his forehead. "You mean to say she didn't do it? But I was certain…I was there…"

  "You mean to say you honestly thought she killed that woman?" Rebekka asked.

  "Well, yes," he said. "I couldn't remember seeing her do it, but I remember the head and the blood. There was so much blood. I ran into the street…you mean to say she didn't do it? I was tormented by it for months afterwards. That was why my mother sent me to see Dr. R.V. Devulapallianbbhasskar. Despite the strange name, she is known in medical circles as a very good doctor, the best really, and my mother knew her. My mother believed she could help me get rid of all the nightmares and the depression. When it was at its worst, I could hardly get out of bed. But the woman turned out to be a total wacko. I had consultations with her three times a week and, at first, she was really good for me. She really helped me. It took me more than a year, but I opened up and began to tell her things and she listened and never condemned me. She told me she couldn't go to the police because of her vow of confidentiality. So I told her everything. And little by little I started to remember some things and details. But I was still tormented by nightmares. I was constantly afraid that my past would catch up with me. Then she told me she had this program that she wanted me enrolled in…a rehabilitation program for people who had been in trouble with the law and didn't want to go to jail. She told me she had helped many like me. She could change my life. How did she put it again? Oh yes. It was easy as one, two, three. She used that phrase a lot, along with all her numerology. By that time, it had started to scare me a little. She had started to ramble on and I didn't trust her much; I was beginning to realize she wasn't sane and it seemed to be getting worse. She showed me around in the ward and told me she could help me if I wanted to. She could give me a new life. She could stop the nightmares and torment by making me forget everything that happened. She could give me a new life, a fresh start, but it meant I had to give up everything, give up everyone I loved. I wasn't ready to do that, so I kindly refused her offer. That was when she went completely mad. She came to my house at night and threatened me with a gun to my head and told me I had to enroll—that it was the only way for me to move on and not end up being abused in prison. I managed to overpower her and get the gun from her and chase her out of the house, but she kept yel
ling that she would get me sooner or later—she would get me. I didn't believe her until she showed up at the party and tried to inject me with something in the darkness. I ran from her, but she caught up with me."

  "And pushed you in front of the car," I said. "In front of Maya who saw Dr. R.V. Devulapallianbbhasskar once she got out of the car and then she attacked Maya instead and took her and put her in her so-called program. Wow."

  "But before that, she took Signe as well on her way to the theater to meet me," Mads said. "Dr. R.V. Devulapallianbbhasskar came to my bed last night and told me everything. Right before she shut off my monitors. I never told the doctor here because I was afraid he wouldn't believe me. Dr. R.V. Devulapallianbbhasskar told me last night that she was the one who invited all of us through Facebook. She believed it would make Signe show up…and me as well. Then it was her plan to take the both of us."

  "And she was right. You did both decide to go. Why did you decide to go to the party?" Rebekka asked.

  "Signe wrote to me and told me she had something important to tell me. To be honest, I wasn't happy about seeing her again not after…well, what I thought had happened in Monaco. I was scared of her, but she was very insistent and I thought I'd give her another shot. I wonder now if she might have remembered that she didn't do it…if that was what she wanted to tell me. My doctor told me the drugs had affected my memory and caused the amnesia, but that I would probably regain my memory slowly. Maybe she got her memory back and wanted to tell me. But I was afraid she would do something terrible again. I decided to take the chance. I wrote something on her wall on Facebook to let her know I was coming."

  "YNWA?" I asked.

  Mads looked at me startled. "Yes. How did you know? "

  "Long story."

  Mads looked sad. He shrugged. "How many times have I regretted going to that ridiculous party the last few days? But I guess I wanted to see her. I did, after all, love her once…I think I still do."