Ladies' Night

Racing through the stormy night, I couldn’t help but snip at myself for once again giving in. I’m such a sucker, I thought. I rounded the corner, splashed through the parking lot with my wind shield wipers swishing away on the highest mark, swerved into the only parking place in the middle of the lot and slammed on my brakes. Grabbing my brief case and umbrella, I made a mad dash for the building. Wilcox Hall was lit up – evening classes at Western Plains Community College were already in session and I was late, late, late – and I hate being late.

My name is Maggie O’Malley, PHD and I was on my way that night to step in for my old friend and colleague, Karen Higgins, in her Abnormal Psychology class. She had called about 30 minutes before and gasped out something that sounded like “Mag – Could you please take over my class tonight? I’ve come down with something – it just hit me like a load of coal and….. I heard the sound of the receiver hitting the floor and her footsteps running across her kitchen floor as she called out, “It’s in the basement of Wilcox Hall,” and then the sound of retching.

Oh Dear! I was just settling down on my cozy pillow top bed to watch a Masterpiece Mystery. But okay, okay…. The clock on the top of the dresser read 6:50 – 10 minutes to get there. Yowza! I stepped back into my clothes from the day’s work, checked myself out in the mirror – Oh good, I haven’t washed off my make up yet, locked my two little Bichons in the kitchen with their pillow beds and dog munchies and sped the 18 blocks through the streets of Windy Hollow around the corner on two wheels to the college campus and well…...

Wilcox Hall is the oldest building on this campus dating back to the 1920’s and it’s pretty much in the middle of the small Kansas town that I live in. I have been a psychology instructor here for the past 20 years. I am also a therapist with a small private practice Psychological and Family Therapy Center. I keep telling myself that I’ll stop when it’s no longer satisfying and fun and I haven’t hit that mark yet – after tonight I might reconsider. But, I don’t teach at night anymore – that’s out! Well, except when something like this happens.

The students were all sitting at long tables arranged in a horseshoe facing the door and all eyes looked me over with curious eyes as I came dashing through the door, shaking off the raindrops that had managed to get through my umbrella and soak me down. And the room was crowded – so many students – and so stuffy! “Well, well, well,” I said, “It looks like it is ‘Ladies’s night,” I said. All women – the class was made up totally of females. Everyone laughed breaking the silent moment.

“Dr. Higgins has taken ill,” I explained, “ and I will be stepping in for her tonight. But I’m sure she will be back next week. I am Dr. O’Malley but my students call me Dr. O. “Why don’t you all tell me who you are everybody?,” I asked. The dam of silence was broken and everybody started talking at once.

“We’re twins – I’m Rosemary and she’s Sage,” Two willowy blond girls on the right with pink faces started the introductions. They took charge like the MC’s of a variety show pointing out all of the special information about the other students much to the enjoyment of all present except a small girl named Lacy who was slumped down under her hoody glaring out at the room.

“Okay - That’s Lyndsey,” and they nodded toward a large robust girl in the back.

“That’s me,” she said, in a low voice. “I’m pretty much what you see is what you get. I speak my mind and don’t put up with any shil…..oot.” Laughter around the room.

“I’m Lillian,” said a slim girl in a white shirt, black horn rimmed glasses with her brown straight hair pulled back in a slender pony tail. “I’m a business major and I’m just taking this class to finish my credits. I’m going to graduate this year and go to state.”

The class seemed to pause to soak that in and then off they went.

“I’m the grandmother of the group, said a cheerful voice in the back. A plump smiling lady with curly white hair held up her knitting needles covered in blue yarn. “If it bothers you, nodding to her knitting, “I won’t do it but I can’t promise what mood I’ll be in, she said with a twinkle. Laughter all around.

“Looks like good therapy, ” I said with a nod of approval.

“She has a day care and I’m thinking about taking my Robert over there. He’s a handful,” Masie added.

“Agnes appointed herself the class mother last week,” said one of the twins.

“That’s right. I’ll look over you. I’ll never let you down – that’s for sure.” She said settling back with her needles clicking.

“Somebody better,” the words came from a girl sprawled in her chair with a baseball cap perched backwards on her head. “My mom says I’m nuthin’ but trouble. Hi ya doc, I’m Tess and I play soccer and wrangle horses so don’t mind me if I have an ‘aroma’ if ya know what I mean.” And she swung her hat and around and tipped it at me.

It was an interesting bunch of gals. There was Annabelle with blond hair and big blue eyes. She spoke in a small squeaky little girl voice. Evelyn was a 40ish woman with a short light brown bob and everything on her was beige. She described herself as a boring Midwestern housewife. One girl hung back. She introduced herself as McKenzie and that was all she said. Her hair hung almost to her waist with beautiful blondish red curls. It was pulled back with a light rose colored ribbon.

“So what is this? I said. “Your 2nd or 3rd week?” Somebody said ‘3rd’ and after asking where they were in the book, I sat down at the bottom of the horseshoe and began. How many times have I taught this course – a zillion? At least. I know it like the back of my hand. But it’s the kind of course that changes each time according to the students in the class because they always bring their own stories with them. I looked around the table – most could be said to be early to mid-twenties with a sprinkling of 19 or 20 year olds and a couple of older women in the back. Evening classes are usually like this with working adults and retired people coming back to school for a change - mixing in with those younger students who couldn’t get a place in a daytime class.

The first hour sped by. Tonight’s topic from Karen’ lesson plans were on the topic of the psychological disciplines and career opportunities. It wasn’t the most exciting topic but these women seemed ready to discuss. This was going to be a good evening – I like it when there is a lot of class interaction and boy was there ever tonight. The rain beat down on the basement windows and thunder rumbled overhead but the ladies in Ab Psych competed with each other to tell their stories and once in a while I got a word in edgewise. The subject veered off to the use of psychotropic meds and everybody got into the game - those who thought they were great and those who thought they were mind control.

` “I couldn’t have made it without Prozac, McKenzie said in a soft voice.

“What do you think about testosterone injections? Does it change your personality? My husband is …..a beast!” Evelyn said.

“I say the more testosterone, the better,” spoke up Annabelle with a giggle.

“I say, we change the subject, shall we?” this coming from Lillian. “The world would be better off if we just had sperm banks!”

“Okay, let’s get back on topic,” I interrupted. “Testosterone is not a psycho trop.”

Agnes stepped up with a nod to me, “Natural medicine is the only way. I think they give you meds just to shut you up. I don’t trust them. I believe in the old home remedies that my grandma used,” Agnes added.

Wow! We had gotten way off of the subject of careers in psychology – always happens in Ab Psych. “Break Everybody!” I said as I pushed back my chair and stood up. Everybody filed out and clustered together out in the hall. I could hear their voices chattering as I headed down to the restroom. Sitting there in the stall, I couldn’t help but hear two voices standing on the other side of the door discussing me.

“So, what do you think about Dr. O?”

“I like her better than Dr. H – She actually practices abnormal psych. She’s gotta know what she’s doin.” Another voice replied.

“Do you think she will figure us out?”

“What, that you’re crazy?” Loud laughter and before I could open the stall door, their voices were already down the hall. A masculine voice in the Ladies’ Room?

Everybody filtered back into the classroom. I was going to listen for those voices that I heard in the restroom– not that it made any difference just curious – “figure us out?” Isn’t that what she/he said?

BOOM! Lighting struck something close by and the lights went out – total darkness in this basement room. A moment of silence and then somebody screamed and there was yelling and more screaming and it got louder – now it was mixed with yelling. Just then the lights popped back on.

“There’s a snake in here! I felt it! It’s HUGE!” More screaming and yelling and then all of us were standing on the tables. Tess looked over at me and said sheepishly,

“I don’t do snakes, I do horses.” Somebody yelled, “It’s over there!” And then all screaming stopped and everybody’s eyes turned to look. A small voice could be heard from under the table. First her huge round blue eyes and mop of white blond curls and then her Kupe doll heart shaped lips and then Annabel’s head popped up – and then her shoulders but wrapped around them was a huge snake. More screaming. I got a grip and stopped screaming long enough to shush everyone else down.

“Sorry about that,” she said in a quiet voice. “She got out of her bag.”

I wanted to say “DON’T EVER BRING AN ANIMAL BACK INTO THIS SCHOOL, EVER! DO YOU HEAR ME?” But nothing came out of my mouth. Annabelle and her snake hurried out. I got my voice back, got down off of the table and called security.

Like a fire cracker going off, everybody started talking at once – louder than usual. Nervous laughter as women took their seats and I could hear some of them leaving behind me as some hurried out of the door. Fear was electrical, voices were a decibel above normal and spindles of nervous laughter sparked around the tables. I could feel my heart calming down whether from fear or anger, I couldn’t tell – probably both. I suggested that we call the class for the evening but everybody had calmed down and taken their seats.

“I have a babysitter tonight, Peggy said, a young woman in the back, “and I can’t go home yet – it’s my night out!”.

“ She and her snake are gone – we might as well stay.” Ellen said in a calm level voice. Everybody nodded their heads in agreement.

The rain continued to beat on the windows and we soldiered on. The conversation turned to fears - primarily snakes and spiders, heights, and close spaces – and the chatter took off again - while the lights continued to blink off and on and the minutes ticked by. Not the topic, (sorry about that Karen) but very therapeutic for these students and myself too. Rosemary said that she was afraid of the dark and Sage gave a shiver. “Me too.” Lillian was afraid of failure, Lyndsey had a fear of clowns and so the last hour sped by.

Thunder rolled and then it was time to go and so I brought the class to an end. The women started to gather their things and filter out into the quiet hallway as I too got ready to go. As they left, some of them murmured that they hoped to see me again and also that they hoped Dr. Higgins would get well. Some of them mentioned again how exciting the snake incident was. (Too exciting, I thought to myself). Then they were gone out the door and down the hall. Gathering up my notes, I dialed security again and left a message this time on their voice mail before going out into the empty hallway and making my way up the stairs to the outside door. On second thought, I turned and went the short distance down the hallway to my school office to make sure everything was ready for class in the morning. Minutes later, I was out the door – with visions of Masterpiece Theatre waiting for me in my cozy bedroom under my quilt.

By the time I got out to the parking lot, it was almost empty. It was still pouring outside and my car was barely visible way out in the back of the lot. As I splashed my way out towards my car, I heard a voice calling my name from one of the remaining cars. The window was cracked and a face peered out at me getting wet. “Dr. O!” This time with more urgency.

I turned and looked back towards the sound. “It’s McKenzie from your class,” the voice said. “Can I speak to you for a minute?” Her eyes blinked in the rain.

Are you kidding me? No way! I thought. “What is it McKenzie?” I said trying not to sound annoyed.

“Get in the car please,” she said in a whisper.

I hesitated and then made a decision and walked around and slid into the passenger side and closed the door.

“I am afraid, “she whispered. “I got scared in the class and I’m sorry but I had to go. I couldn’t be there!” And she began sobbing.

“ I don’t blame you.,” I reached over and patted her hand.. “That snake was shocking.. It may take a while for you – for all of us …….”, I began.

“No! I mean I’m afraid of … I think there’s someone evil in……”

At that moment, someone knocked on her window and a voice interrupted “Everything alright? I saw your car and thought I’d better check. Do you need help” Agnes pressed her sweet face against the window.

I looked at McKenzie and added: “Do you need help?”

“No, no!” she said in a shrill voice. “Nothing’s wrong! You don’t believe me! I don’t need help from anybody!” And she closed the window abruptly on Agnes and turned to me. “Go Good bye Dr. O!” and pointed at the door.

I had barely stepped out of her car when she peeled away even before the door slammed shut. I could hear her tires as they squealed out of the parking lot. A chill went over me. What was she about to say? Clearly she was frightened but was it of the snake? I shivered from head to toe and hurried to my car, threw my bag in the back seat and jumped int. Home!! Yippy. I started my car. A pickup pulled out ahead of me – must be Agnes, I thought. Nice of her to come back and check. Another car pulled out right in front of me, a champagne colored sedan.

My house is on a busy street and sits back away from the curb with big trees in the front yard. I couldn’t wait to get home, take a hot bath and have a glass of wine and turn on…. As I got closer to me end of the block, I saw that cars were swerving around something in the street. There in front of my driveway was a little white pile of fur lying in the street with rain pounding on it it.. I slammed on the brakes and leaped out. Oh My God! Poppy was on her side on pavement - lying there so still. I squatted down and touched her and she turned her head and then collapsed back down. She wasn’t dead! But she was so bloody – she had been hit by a car! What’s she doing OUT HERE? My dogs are never outside. They have no idea about traffic. So how did this happen? I grabbed my raincoat and bundled her up in it and started hurrying tor the house bent over to protect her from the driving rain. But when I got to the back storm door - it was swinging in the wind and the door itself was wide open.. My mind went blank. I couldn’t seem to wrap my mind around it. .Who…..? How…..? I always lock up everything before leaving the house. I remembered locking my phone in the house that morning and then finding it in my purse – but the door was locked! I had to go back to the car and get my keys… I live alone – I even have timers on lamps all over the house upstairs and down so that it will be lit up when I get home at night. I put Poppy carefully down on her pillow and ran around the house – the gate was open and so was the kitchen door and now I started screaming for Sophie – nothing but the sound of the rain. Poppy turned her sad eyes towards me as I did a quick bone check. It didn’t feel like anything was broken – but there was lots of blood. “How did you get out of the house, little one,” I whispered to her.

My car! It was still sitting out in the street! My mind was fried. I pulled it into the garage and called “Sophie! Sophie! Into the rain and wind before heading back into the back kitchen door – and that’s when I heard yipping coming from the small closet on the basement stairway.. As soon as I opened the door Sophie came bouncing out. I started to look around. Pots of flowers were turned over on the wooden floor in my living room beside the French doors to the back yard and that door was standing open too. That made three doors and a gate were standing open – Like an idiot I began to look around at all of the obvious things - but nothing seemed to be missing. Not the laptop, not the flat screen TV’s, not the money lying on the dining room table – nothing. And then I suddenly stopped in my tracks! What am I doing? Somebody’s been here and what if they are still here? My brain caught up. I called 911 and waited for them on the back porch..

As I climbed into my bed later that night and turned off the light, all I could think of was that the young policeman, Officer Stanton, who came to my door to make a report seemed to think that it had been me rushing out of the house, leaving the doors and gates open and just a case of me overlooking things. Really? Then doubt started creeping in. Would I do something like that and not even remember? I started to wonder. But what about Poppy getting out of the kitchen, the back door with the hook was open, and the gate on the dog patio with the latch that’s hard to open was open and what about Sophie being locked in the broom closet? I turned the light back on. And then I fell asleep. Weird dreams taunted me all night – I kept hearing the ladies screaming and that huge snake and a siren going off then I then woke up and the phone was ringing off its hook.

Fumbling for the phone, I knocked over a few things before I finally got it to my ear. Janice Taylor, the Dean’s secretary seemed to be screaming in my ear. “Did you hear me Maggie??? She sounded upset. “I said, Karen- was-POISONED and they don’t know whether or not she’s going to live!” I looked at the clock -6:00 am.

“How?” It seemed to be the only coherent thing I could push forth through the clouds that were just now parting out of my brain.

But Janice was galloping on. From what I could gather, emergency dispatch had received a call with nobody on the other end. They traced it to Karen’s house and found her on the floor in her bathroom.

“Who?” Another one of my amazing contributions.

“Who – what?,“ Janice demanded.

“Who was the mystery caller?”

“They are checking now trying to find out. The police called me instead of the Dean since it was so late and since you are her best friend, I knew you would like to know.” Click. Silence. Then a loud blast from the phone again.

“Hello.”

“You better plan on teaching her Ab classes Maggie.” Click. I waited. Silence.

I dialed the hospital but they could not give out any information. I was too shook up to go back to sleep so I went down to the kitchen and checked on the fluff balls as Poppy and Sophie are lovingly called. – Poppy’s side was still seeping and she was lying on her side crying her dog cry very softly. The vet clinic opened at 8:00. I settled Sophie in the kitchen with her food and opened the door with pet door into the back yard, closed the door on the side of the garage and carried Poppy out to the car. Sophie was not used to be left alone without Poppy and she started crying the minute that I closed her in without her buddy. I could hear her yelping as I placed Poppy in the car and closed the door.

Maybe I DID leave the doors open accidentally. Maybe the door just closed on Sophie somehow in the broom closet. With these thoughts in my head, and a big mocha latte and Poppy on a pillow in the passenger seat, I made a flying dash the 20 miles to the vet in the town north of us, McCormick. The sun was shining out on this beautiful October day in Kansas. All thoughts of storms, and snakes, and intruders began to fade. I left her in the able hands of Dr. Bob Foster and his staff and took off for school and my first class.

At break, I called the hospital again to check on Karen. “Are you a relative dear:”

“No, I said, “but I am her best friend.”

“Just a moment and I will let you talk to her nurse.”

Karen wasn’t doing so well. They were having trouble identifying the poison that was in her body. I assured them that she would never try to kill herself. For some reason they didn’t question me on this point. I left my number so that they could keep me posted. They said they would. I checked with security about the snake but they didn’t seem too concerned about it and had not received any complaints yet. Serious?

A call from the vet confirmed that Poppy had been hit by a car and also that she escaped without any broken bones. But she was very bruised and cut and also that she could go home. I had just enough time to drive the round trip to the vet and get back in time for my first client.

“Dr. Foster would like to talk to you Maggie,” Ginger looked up to greet me as I walked into the clinic. She had been there as long as I had been coming and always had a friendly face for everyone who came by. She showed me back to one of the clinic rooms and it wasn’t long before Dr. Bob walked in carrying Poppy.

“She took a pretty good beating under the car that hit her and she’s going to be pretty sore. But when we cleaned her cuts and scrapes we found something odd on her belly. It looks like a”……..pulling back the fur…..”she’s either gotten bit by a spider or gotten scraped with something pretty fierce – it’s already swelling up. Good thing it wasn’t a deep puncture or it could have been deadly.” There on her pink belly skin were three little holes.

As I was about to go, I said, “It’s not a snake bite, is it?” Then I told them about the student and her snake. Ginger and Dr. Bob stopped short. Four sets of eyes shot glances at each other. “What does she look like? Blond hair/blue eyes? Long black hair/brown eyes? Red braids/freckles?”

“Funny question guys. I said with a laugh. “This student is a blond with blue eyes,”

“Don’t be too sure of that, You may be looking at the ‘Snake Lady.’ She changes her look like a snake changes its skin. And she always drags that boa constrictor around everywhere she goes in a big carpet bag. Everybody is always on the lookout around here for her. Her dad pretty much owns the county or she would have been locked up years ago. A real whack job! I hope it’s not her. She’s trouble! Hey but the holes in Poppy’s belly are too small for a snake that big if that’s what’s worrying you. It looks like a brown recluse may have taken a small bit out of her.”

I was still thinking this over when I pulled into my driveway 20 minutes later. I carried Poppy and hurried in the back door. But I stopped short. Sophie was no longer in the kitchen where I had penned her up. She was waiting for me on the other side of the door –in the family room. And she was definitely penned up. The door was shut into the dining room. I went back outside and walked slowly around the fence and sure enough - the back gate was open again. And another weird thing - The little TV in the kitchen was playing loudly and the water was running hard from the faucet in the sink. What was going on?? “Is this my fault too Mr. Cop?” I said under my breath. My cell phone started ringing.

“Dr. O’Malley?”

“Yes.”

“This is Norah Nelson calling. Teddy, our son has tried to hang himself and he won’t go to a hospital. We are on our way to your office. We should be there in the next 10 minutes.”

“Wait – please take him straight to the ER!” Too late. Click. I put the dogs back in the kitchen and turned off the TV and the faucet and then closed and locked the back door. I looked at the dogs and knew that I had to go and meet with this family. I would rush to the office to meet with this family and then, if I had a break this afternoon, I would think of what to do next. Visions of a waiting room full and a boy in crisis all waiting for me made my decision for me. I would work on this problem tonight when I got home. A million things were going through my mind that day as I hurried down Main Street the 20 blocks to the office. When I got there, the clients were waiting at the door. It was a full house. Teddy and his parents never came that afternoon which was good on many levels. I was certain that he needed to be hospitalized and get medical care and I already had a full load of clients to see and it would have put me behind. At one short break between clients, I had time to turn on my answering machine. A few requests for appointments went by and the last message was the voice of a small child. “Please please save me,” she cried. “I’m all alone and my mommy and daddy are gone. It’s dark in here. Help me! Help me! They are hurting me!” Then a horrifying scream. The phone went dead. I looked on the monitor: “Private caller.” I tried to redial but “….this number has been disconnected or changed…..” Was this a prank? I played it again. I stared at the phone. Clients were waiting.

As I was finishing my notes after my last appointment, I tried redialing the number from the call I had received from the Nelsons about their son Teddy. I didn’t know them but wanted to check and make sure they had gotten to the hospital safely. A woman’s voice answered the call and answered.

“Teddy what are you talking about? Nothing’s wrong here,” to my question. Then she said in a low tone of voice full of suspicion, “Who are you and why do you ask?”

“I am the therapist that you called this afternoon after your son attempted suicide and I was….”

“You’ve got us mixed up with somebody lady. Teddy has never ever done anything like that. We didn’t call you this afternoon. Who do you think you are anyway? The nerve! And with that, she slammed down the receiver.” I checked my phone. I had redialed the same number. Hmmm?? What was that about?

Whoever it was, they sure got my attention today at home in the kitchen when I took their call. And then I got a chill and a possibility hit me. Grabbing my gear, I ran out to the parking lot behind my office, threw my stuff into the back seat and pulled out down the alley toward Main Street. I drove home as steady and as fast as I could - staying just the speed limit and the thought that went through my head over and over was: “Please, please, please be all right.” Why did I leave the dogs at home? Why did I leave the dogs at home? Why did I leave the dogs at home? But to my relief, there on the porch under the porch light sat two little white dogs waiting for me. Back door – open. Back gate – open with the chain on the ground. No matter. They were safe. They were here. I sat on the step between the two fluff balls and called the cops. Officer Stanton spoke gently to me as though I had lost my marbles. “So, Dr. O, nothing seems to be missing. No locks are broken. That lock over there, pointing to the padlock on the ground, “looks like it’s been unlocked. Sure you didn’t push it shut tight enough? Are you the only one who has a key?” I nodded. “I can’t find any evidence that anybody’s in there right now but I’ll make a report. That’s all I can do. Okay, are you going to be alright?” I mumbled yes but he wasn’t listening. He was already heading to his next call. I watched him pull out and thought, “Somebody is tormenting me. Should I tell my kids about this? About then, lights swung into the driveway as a champagne colored sedan pulled in and the window rolled down.

“Are you okay? I saw the police pull out and decided to come back.” It was Evelyn from the Abnormal Psych class.

“It’s been a very busy day,” I said.

“How about I go down to the coffee shop and bring something back and we’ll sit, drink coffee and chat. I mean it. I would love to do it.”

“Thanks! I said. That would be awesome. Make mine de-caf please.” I went into the house picking stuff up along the way to the dining room. It was a spur of the moment decision but this might be just what I needed. I had only just met her less than a week ago. I reached in the frig and pulled out the small coffee cake that I had purchased a couple of days ago at the farmer’s market thinking at the time that maybe one of my kids would stop by. Perfect. And here she came carrying two big coffees and leading the way for two more people who also were carrying coffees.

“Look who I bumped into - Lyndsey at the coffee shop and Agnes was out for a walk,” she said. “They wanted to come too. Hope you don’t mind.” Lyndsey and Agnes brought up the rear. I lit a couple of candles and everybody joined in around the old oak table. I put cream, sugar and honey and small dishes for the cake on a tray with forks and spoons and everybody dug in and started a pot of coffee. Only one mishap occurred when Lyndsey’s large body squeezed under the table and shook everything. Everybody grabbed their coffees – everybody but me that is. Mine spilled all over the table but no matter, I ran and got a towel and Evelyn started mopping up. Agnes started to scold her about spilling but stopped when she saw how okay I was with it. Spilling is no big deal around here.

“Hey, what were the cops doing here? I saw them too like she did – pointing to Evelyn, “but hey if I had known it was you Dr. O, I would have stopped. As it was, I was heading to get a video at the coffee shop so I just kept going. Lucky I ran into her. Lyndsey, in her young way, jumped right to the chase. “How long have you lived here? I think I know your daughter Nikki. This is sweet.” And she got up and wondered into the next room checking things out. For the next hour, we all sat chatting. Evelyn said that she was in an unhappy marriage and always drove around town until she thought her husband had passed out before she went home. She just happened by my house and saw the police car pull out. Agnes described the children that she took care of in her daycare. She knitted them hats and mittens and always had her knitting handy. Lyndsey was getting over a bad break-up and was lonely. As for me, I only told them that the dogs got out and the sheriff just brought them home. A white lie but really, what else is there to tell that makes sense?

Agnes was the first one to leave – “It’s way past my bedtime!” she said with a smile.

“I’ve got a movie to watch!” And Lyndsey was out the door.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay and help clean up?” Evelyn offered but I turned her down with a wave. “No thanks – I’ve got this. And thanks a million for everything. It was awesome.” The dishes placed in the dishwasher, the doors were checked and I headed up the stairs. Sitting on my bed, I dialed the hospital to get an update on Karen. No change.

The next morning, the newspaper reported that a college instructor had been poisoned and police were considering that it may have been an attempted murder. Murder? I couldn’t believe it. Poison – who would have wanted to hurt somebody as nice and funny as Karen?

The next day, new locks were installed all over the house and new padlocks were put on the gates. Okay whoever you are – try to get in – I dare you!! I checked back midafternoon on my trip from my school office to my practice office. The locks were still locked and Poppy and Sophie were still in the kitchen. They could still go out of their pet doors and were enjoying the autumn sunshine and the shower of maple trees falling all around. I felt good that afternoon. Karen was finally awake and showing some improvement the report was just an hour ago. I was going to run over to the hospital when I closed the office tonight and see if they would let me visit her. I felt safe that afternoon, I remember and for the first time in a week, I wasn’t worried about going home. I opened my office door and saw the blinking light on my phone. I am a one-woman office making all of my own appointments. I have an accountant to take care of business, Jackie, who has an office a couple of blocks away but other than that – it’s just me. I walked across the room and pressed the button on my desk phone. But my heart jumped a beat - there she was again - the little girl calling for help. Only this time she had terror in her voice. Her voice was shrill and choking on a sob, she pleaded:

“HELP ME! WHY won’t you come, Dr. O? They are hurting me! “ A blood curdling scream – almost too loud for a child’s and then the phone went dead. PRIVATE CALLER showed on the display. She had called me by name…I called the police. Naturally it was Officer Stanton who showed up.

“Dr. O – you are having trouble at work too?” He rolled his eyes and chuckled. I tried not to sound angry and pushed the button on the machine and let him listen to the two calls. “Okay, I’ll see what I can do. It sounds like a prank to me. You must have someone who has it in for you. Any ideas?”

I shook my head. “Can’t think of anyone. But if this is NOT a prank, then I am very concerned for this child. Can’t you trace this call? I don’t want to take a chance.”

He assured me that he would let me know what he found out and then I heard the bell jangle on my front door. First client had arrived. And my afternoon and evening had begun. The time went by sitting in the lamplight in my cozy session room as troubled people came and went. My own worries always fade away while I work whether with my students all morning or with my clients all afternoon and evening. I am one of those lucky people who get to do what I love to do and my career choices are perfect for an older woman – very unique circumstance to be sure!

A call to the hospital told me that Karen could not have visitors but they would tell her that I had called. They were hoping to move her out of intensive care tomorrow. My house looked secure as I drove into my gravel drive. The carriage lights on the garage always were a welcoming sight to see. The light on the porch came on as I stepped up the steps and walked across to the door. There was a package by the door that had brownies from Evelyn. Perfect! Then as I opened the storm door, a note fell out and fluttered down as I made jerky attempts to capture it.

It read: “I almost died thanks to you! You will be sorry. Teddy PS Thanks for the cider.”

The door was locked - good! I ran around to the gate – still shut tight. So how…? Cider!! It hit me. The fridge In the garage! I ran back inside the garage and worked my way beside the car back to the old refrigerator. Inside the door sat an empty gallon of cider with a note that read, “I win. You lose.” The inside of the fridge was sticky with cider.

I could hear Officer Stanton tell me (in my head) – “This is Halloween season. It’s just a prank – kinda funny really.” I didn’t call. One dose a day of Officer Stanton was more than enough. Inside Poppy and Sophie danced around my feet waiting for their treat. I patted their fuzzy heads. Poppy’s little holes in her belly were scabbed over. Dr. Bob’s office had called to say that it appeared that she had gotten a some kind of a bite, just like he thought– just enough to give her a big sore. “Keep it medicated and it should take about a week to heal. Notice if she becomes dehydrated. If so, bring her back in. Have a good day,” Ginger’s friendly voice on the answering machine. Okay, a call tomorrow to the exterminator. No spiders allowed - I have grandchildren!

Sitting on the stool, I took another look at the note. And by the way, who is Teddy? The only Teddy I could think of was the kid that was supposed to have tried to hang himself the other day. If this is a joke, it’s not funny, I thought. I am being stalked and nobody seems to believe me. Guiltily I thought about the fact that I had not called my kids before this because I hate to worry them but maybe I will in the morning. Maybe…. Maybe not… The phone rang interrupting my thoughts. “Hello,” I said warily looking at the clock – after 10:00. Just the sound of breathing on the line.

The next few days brought more messages from the little girl that were progressively less terrified but now she was angry – screaming accusations at me that I was ignoring her. Officer Stanton called to tell me that the calls appeared to be coming from stolen phones. And also that they were “working on it.” The week-end came and brought with it the task of transporting my beautiful plants from back yard to greenhouse. Clark (Rogers) dropped by, my colleague from school, to help me with my promise of dinner and hot tub afterwards as always. He brought the wine. Sitting there in the hot tub under an October moon with Clark sipping wine while the leaves continued to fall made me forget for a moment the snake, Teddy, little scared girl, the intruder, and the cider. The next day, on Sunday afternoon, I took a trip to the pumpkin patch with all of grandchildren. Yippee!!! Big and little munchkins running around the patch, their laughter squealing from behind giant pumpkins and from within the corn maze. Then hamburgers on the grill at Gaga’s house (me). Heaven on earth for sure.

Sitting around the chimanea later watching the fire, I mentioned some of the stuff that was going on to my kids, trying to sound pretty casual. They all jumped on it. Here’s a summary of what they said with me trying to get a word in edgewise while leaving a few pertinent details out. After all, I thought, maybe Office Stanton was right and I’m making a mountain out of a molehill. No sense worrying them too much. I was to regret this.

“Somebody is watching you. Somebody who has been in your house! Oh My God!” Nicole

“You DID change the locks didn’t you like I told you to?” George

“She never changes the locks!! Remember? You have called the police, right? So what did they take? Have you checked your jewelry?” Katy

“I think it’s somebody just messing with her. But that’s not okay with me. If you find out who’s doing this mom, I mean it….” Hunter

“You better let the police decide. This is serious.” Mattie

“When are you going to break down and get a security system like Sullivan and I have been telling you for years now?” Michelle.

“Why don’t we just check the house before we go? Are you okay Ma?” Ward

“It’s probably nothing. I think the cop is right.” Paul

“Come on I am going to make sure that everything is locked now. Did you check after we got here?” Margo

“Are Poppy and Sophie okay now?” Vanessa

I knew this would happen – they looked doubtful even though I tried to assure them that I had it covered. They all gave each other knowing glances. And then the evening was over and everybody gathered their belongings, gave the house another look, gave me a hug, bundled up the kids and off they went with a “Call if something happens mom.” And then I started picking things up and getting ready for the week. I lined up my wardrobe for the coming week in the laundry room in the basement and pressed each piece before taking my shower. Then I lined them up in the order I would need them. I am too busy to not be organized. As I stepped out and dried myself, I could hear the phone ringing upstairs. “Somebody must have left something behind, “ I thought.

I missed the call but listened to my message.

“Mag, I hope you are planning on teaching Karen’s class – probably for the semester, it doesn’t look like she will be able to come back. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” It was Janice’s voice on the machine. Then another call came in. Kind of late wasn’t it? I thought.

“So…find your cider?” A rough voice said with a sneer.

That voice! “Who is this and why are you doing this?” I was instantly enraged, my heart kicked up a notch and I could hear my voice boom into the receiver.

“Who do you think it is? Are you stupid? It’s me Teddy - your worst enemy. You and your and psycho –therapist friends are going to pay for all of the damage you’ve done to all the kids out there you’ve ruined. How many are you going to mess up before someone like me stops you?” He said with a sneer. I started to speak and found that I was shocked into silence.

“Didn’t think I knew did you? “ What was he talking about? “I know all about you, you know. I even know what you’re going to wear tomorrow – the green blouse – the one with the orange flowers, am I right?” His laughter was wicked – almost a screech. “Get ready you old hag.” More laughter.

Terror chilled me. The basement window. He could have watched me through the window when I was pressing my clothes for the week. But how did he get past all of the locks?

“So you’re wondering. How did I get in? Ha! Wouldn’t you like to know? Be careful when you hit the sheets tonight Dr. O.” I jumped off of the bed and ripped back the sheets. Nothing was there and I relaxed. Officer Stanton was right - now I knew – this guy, Teddy, or whatever his name was was just a prankster but how to get rid of him? But just to make sure, I dragged the bedding to the basement and put it in the machine on the hot cycle.

A new week was about to begin. Monday morning and I was off and running. Classes went well for a Monday – lots of enthusiasm. In between classes, I stopped in to check in with Janice in her office in Wilcox Hall. “I wish you would check around and see if anybody else would like to take this class on a permanent basis. I am already way over my limit,” hour-wise I said.

But she gave me her most surprised look and said, “Are you serious? Karen wants YOU to fill in for her – only you. Are you seriously going to let her down when she is barely out of the woods?”

“Hey, Dr. O.” A voice from the student worker in the next room spoke out. “Somebody came in last week and asked if you were going to continue with that class. They said they sure hoped you were.”

“Who was it? Can you remember?”

“No. I didn’t even look up from what I was doing.”

“Man or woman?”

“Couldn’t tell you. Think it was a woman.”

“That was nice. Thanks for telling me.” It always felt good to hear complements to keep you going but still…okay…maybe. No notes on the door at home that afternoon, when I got home to check the dogs. Thank God. Tuesday came. A week had gone by and it was Abnormal Psych class again. But first, Karen was seeing visitors and I and so I dropped in to see her with a sunflower bouquet. She gave me a weak smile and a weaker pat on my hand. “I was poisoned Maggie,” she said in a soft voice. “They found some evidence in my house that proves it. But please don’t say anything to anybody,” and she beckoned me to lean closer. “The police aren’t telling everything until they catch whoever did this to me. But I want to tell you – I know you won’t say anything.”

“Are you sure you should tell me then?” I asked.

“Maggie, I need to tell somebody and you are the closest friend I have in the world.”

I patted her hand. “I’m here for you. Tell me – you know I won’t say a word to anyone.”

“Whoever did this to me was still in my house when I got home and must have been watching me.” She trembled. “They saw me pass out and then they stabbed me in the back twice with something dipped in brown spider venom! How could somebody hate me that much Maggie? Tell me! I can’t stand it!” Big sobs escaped from her throat. And she seemed to sink deeper into her pillows. I sat down in shock. This was more than I could ever have imaged. My heart was racing but I tried to be strong. But I was shaken as I left her room -shocked and terrified.

I felt a cold shiver travel up my spine as I made my way out of the hospital and to the classroom for the evening. The class prep took my mind off of Karen for a while and I was ready with my lecture and demonstrations when the students began coming in carrying all of their books. We all got settled in and I introduced the topic for this evening – mental illness. My lecture had begun when I heard the door behind me open and close and a beautiful Black girl came gliding into the room behind me.

“Hi”, she said in a southern drawl. “My name is Nelly. I’m new.” And she sauntered around the horseshoe looking for a seat. A bell went off in my head when I saw the bag slung over her shoulder.

“Nelly, before you sit down, would you mind telling me and the rest of the class, what you’ve got in your bag?”

“Huh,” startled her head jerked around and then everybody leaped out of the chairs.

“Oh it’s nothing to be scared of,” she said and a strong purring could be heard and a little fuzzy tiger head popped out. Everybody closed in around her wanting to know if they could pet it until I cleared my throat and asked “Nellie” to please meet me out in the hall with her….eh..tiger cub.

“Annabella, you are not welcome back to class or even on school property with a wild animal. I will call security now so do what you have to do. She turned and ran down the hall holding the bag close to her chest.

“I didn’t even recognize her” was the basic starting theme of the class. And “Is she a multiple personality?”

“No, Annabelle knows perfectly well that she is changing her appearance and does it on purpose. A Dissociative Identity Disorder core personality is not aware that they are changing personalities and therefore cannot “change” on purpose. However the other personalities usually are aware that they all exist outside the core personality and sometimes they are mean to the core personality. Annabelle does not fit this profile.

“Okay, I might as well admit it,” Lacy cut in with a laugh, “I’m not Lacy. I’m Lucy. We’re twins and sometimes we fill in for each other. But we are NOT different people” Another round of “you look exactly alike” and we finally got down to the topic for the class which appropriately enough was: mental illness. I noticed that McKenzie was not present this evening and Tess came in late – “soccer practice,” she said as an excuse.

Evelyn had turned in to the stereotypical older lady in the class that asks all of the questions. At break, I told her thanks for the brownies. I had put them in the freezer to keep for my grandchildren. “What brownies?” she asked. “Honestly you wouldn’t want to eat anything that I would bake – I’m terrible!” The brown wrapper had Evelyn written in blue ink, I thought to myself. Who left them if it wasn’t Evelyn, I wondered. It was a hot October night with a breeze and the students were clearly interested in the class. I had to admit that I really liked teaching it even with all of the craziness that had gone on, maybe I would stick.

After class, I stopped to check tomorrow’s class prep in my office for a few minutes before heading for home. Fifteen minutes later, I was out the door. A note was fluttering on my windshield read: “Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home, your house is on fire and your children are…….”

I frantically took out for home, my heart beating in my mouth. I juggled my cell phone in my right hand, dropping it on the floor and almost having a wreck. Pulling over, I got it in my hand and couldn’t seem to stop shaking long enough to punch in 911 and then it went dead. I screamed and pushed on the gas. I had to get there, get there, get there. Just before I got home, I got the phone plugged in but then I turned off the car keys in order to open the back door. All of this would soon play through my brain on a feedback loop. Unlocking the back door I started calling the dogs. There was no smell of fire and I could hear them barking at their gate anxiously waiting for me. I slowed down. Just another prank, God I am so tired of this, I thought wearily as I pushed open their gate and slowly walked bent over petting them into my little kitchen.

“Well, hello Ladybug.”

Startled I jerked up to see Agnes leaning against my sink clicking her knitting needles. I screamed but too late. She grabbed my head and fought me trying to stick a piece of duct tape over my mouth.

“What took you so long?” she said but not in her voice – one that I recognized but….

“Agnes!” I said backing up and falling over the dogs,

“Please DON”T get us mixed up with that old bitty. Don’t EVER.” And then her head fell to her chest and when she looked up, she pinched up her face and out of her mouth came the voice of the scared little child.

“You wouldn’t save me! I hate you, I hate you!” Her head bobbed again and now it was Teddy coming at me and pinning me against the doorframe.

“Teddy?” I whispered.

“Like you didn’t know, you freakin shrink. You told everybody in class tonight all about me and you’re going to pay for it. You’re going to suffer just like all of the children you’ve hurt. Everybody thinks it was Nora but I know better. It was you!” (Nora?) Agnes’ hands held a small bottle. “Good old Aggie, she’s good for something old babe. Why she almost died once when she got bit by one of her ‘babies’ but we couldn’t let that happen, now could we?” Teddy’s voice. I twisted out of his grasp but he pushed me hard from the back and I fell over the dog gate. She/he was on me in a flash and she was heavy and strong. I fought hard but the air was crushed out of me and I could feel the darkness coming. Off in the distance I could her Teddy’s voice…“Tell Doc Higgins hello when you get to the gates of hell. Hey Doc – you listening to me? A hard slap across my face.and he dipped the knitting needles into the bottle. Here’s a little spider juice from the Spider Killer himself.” He/her hands came back over her head and stopped short for just an instant when the crashing sound of the back door being kicked open and footsteps came running across the wooden floor, “Doctor O! Doc! It’s me, Billie Stanton.

I rolled and kept rolling while she thrashed around the air with her needles flashing.

And then it was all over. Policeman filled my house. I sat on my stairway and cried and shook. Agnes, Teddy, child and whoever else was taken out in handcuffs and I could hear Agnes begging the police to stop hurting her. Officer Stanton squatted down in front of me offering me his hankie. “We found fingerprints in Dr. Higgins home and knew that we were looking for Teddy Thompson, the Spider Killer. What we didn’t know and it seems that nobody else knew, was that he was connected to Agnes Williams – in fact he was one of her personalities. He is one of the most vicious killers in the US today. He has killed single women psychologists from the East coast to here. He kills his victims with puncture wounds done with knitting needles that he dips in Brown Recluse venom. That is his signature. Her house is filled with boxes of spiders that she calls her children – right – Brown Recluse. We were finally able to trace the call that you got from the Nelsons (the people with the son Teddy?) an hour ago and it lead back to Agnes – well, they ARE Agnes. Thirty minutes ago, we got a search warrant and we found pictures of you all over the basement room in her house and here we are. You kept telling me that nothing was missing. So I thought it was just a student playing you. Why would anybody break into a house over and over and NOT take anything? Teddy wasn’t stealing anything but he must have been planting cameras because there are pictures taken of you in almost every room in your house on that wall. (Later it turned out that he was right.). Agnes/Teddy must have copped your keys when she was having coffee with you that night. Yes, I was watching who was going in and out of your house” he said to my surprised look. She had them in her pocket just now. By the way, I checked on your outside doors a couple of times a day and once in the evening while you were at your office (he did?) and there was a package on your porch. (Eveyln’s). Still have it?” I went in the kitchen and took it out of the freezer and handed it him. “Mind if I take it back to the lab?” I nodded. I seemed to have lost my voice.

“Are you okay?” Oh yes, I am way okay now, I thought. It better be – it’s Halloween and its been the scariest night of my life!

Epilogue

Records tracing back to the 1950’s in the Bridgewater Asylum in Bridgewater, Rhode Island, say that a small five-year old child named Agnes Stafford was admitted after being reported by her parents as being “odd” and unmanageable. She remained there in the asylum until her disappearance at age 16. Notes in her file described her as being a precocious “troublemaker” who caused trouble by acting out and being rude to the staff. “She calls them names, even attacking them and acts like she knows more than they do.” In fact, Agnes was only ‘odd’ because she was a brilliant little girl born into a family of average or below IQ’s. In her trial, her expert witness, Dr. Horace Stein testified that in his opinion, Agnes was tortured throughout her childhood, first by her parents, and later by staff in the asylum. At moments of absolute unbearable terror, her mind literally checked out and a new personality was frozen in time – a frightened little girl, an adolescent boy who called himself Teddy who liked spiders, and somewhere in early adulthood, Nora Nelson, the woman on the phone who called about her son Teddy who had attempted suicide. Agnes was unaware of her other personalities but had experienced lapses in memory sometimes lasting as long 2 – 3 years when she suddenly become aware that she was in a new place, was older and people were calling her by a different name. Once when this happened, she found herself in the 5th grade and she thought she was in the 1st grade. She struggled in her adult years, and the only record of her existence were jail records and hospital admittance when she was accused of bizarre behavior and of attacking those that she thought had provoked her. She loved children but was unable to keep a job because of her “erratic” behavior as she traveled back and forth within her multiple personalities. And somewhere within the recent years, Teddy and Nora took control. These two personalities sought revenge for all of the atrocities that had been used on them back in Bridgewater. Their targets were single woman who lived alone and were in the field of psychology and mental health. Teddy became the Spider Killer and had left a trail of murder from Charlotte, North Carolina westward through Tennessee and Missouri until they reached what they must have thought was a good hiding place, here in Windy Hollow.

The Teddy personality would pick his victims out and then stalk them until he had them cornered much like a spider does its prey. He liked to torture them first before killing them by breaking into their residence and hurting their pets, leaving evidence that he had been there and placing cameras throughout in order to watch his victims without notice. Trunks of lost cell phones were recovered from the house where Agnes lived and these were apparently used to make anonymous calls as a method of terrorizing his victims but also to manipulate them out of their homes so that he could place his cameras and spiders inside. He always left behind his signature spider bite. The killing process usually began with a food product laced with a small to medium amount of brown recluse venom according to what stage of killing he was in and then finally, once the victim had passed out, he stabbed them with sharpened knitting needles that had been dipped in concentrated venom.

Lakeview Community College in Columbia, Missouri was the first time the killer had killed a college professor instead of a mental health worker. It was thought to be a mistake because the victim was a psychology teacher and did not work in the field. Karen was assaulted; it was reasoned, to bring me on since I was the only other teacher who taught this course. Agnes herself said that she took the course because she was unable to get an appointment with me because she did not have insurance and thought this would help herself. She admitted that she had been feeling that something was “not right.”

Agnes was committed to Bridgewater State Hospital for the criminally insane after pleading not guilty by reason of insanity and winning her case. Karen and I both testified at the trial as did McKenzie Adair, the quiet little student in my Ab Psych class who was waiting for me in her car that night. She had recognized Agnes as the babysitter, Norah Nelson, her parents hired for her long ago once when she a child while they were out for the evening. The child overhead them to say before the sitter arrived, that if she ‘worked out’ she would be hired as their nanny. That evening Teddy took over the core personality and terrorized McKenzie throughout the night transitioning into Norah when her parents returned home. The child immediately began having night terrors and reverted back to bedwetting and speaking in baby talk and luckily was seen by a child psychologist at this point, who was able to coax the problem out in the open. When the authorities tried to find the sitter, she had vanished as Nora Nelson. McKenzie dropped out that semester but came back the spring semester and was in my abnormal class again.

The brownies were not from Evelyn but from Nora and yes, they were filled with venom. Remnants of poison-laced brownies were found in Karen’s stool. She remembered finding the brownies on her porch in a brown-wrapper with MY NAME on them. The killer must have been hiding somewhere inside her house watching to make sure that she ate some and when she collapsed, stabbed her with the knitting needles. Lucky for Karen, she had her phone set to call 911 at the press of the star key and as she fell, it accidentally hit that button. Then ‘Teddy’ simply took the brownies and left her there. It’s a good thing that I am always on a diet and decided to save them for later. Traces of poison were later found on my dining table from the coffee that was spilled.. One of Agnes’ personalities must have poisoned my coffee either when they were coming in to the house or sometime while the rest of us were carrying the coffee cake to the table. We will never know. She had been watching from out in my yard in the trees when she was seen in the headlights by Evelyn that evening when she returned with the coffee. All of the multiples recessed deep into Agnes sick brain and now only glimpses of them are seen by those who reside in the hospital. However, it has been said that late at night, a child’s cry and voices can sometimes be heard in heated arguments from her cell. Agnes, Teddy, Nora, and baby Agnes will spend the rest of their live(s) residing back within the cold, hard, walls of the old state hospital where it all began - at Bridgewater. Let’s hope they find some spiders……heh heh.