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Jake spoke for a couple minutes.
Tanner replied, “There will be law enforcement present, and we have a court order signed by the DA and Judge Watkins. We’re as legal as we can be for now… By ambulance? I hadn’t thought about that. Yes, it’s probably a good idea.”
Tanner disconnected the call. We’d climbed into the truck and were heading toward the office now. “Jake says he’ll have the psychiatrist who’s not on call head over to Pine Hill with us in an ambulance. It will cover our bases legally in case Marie isn’t herself.”
“What do you mean, ‘not herself’?” Lisa asked.
“We don’t know what the situation might be when we arrive. If she’s there against her will, the facility might have her drugged to keep her compliant.”
Lisa didn’t reply, only stared out the window. I couldn’t imagine what she must be feeling right now. This search of hers must be taxing emotionally, especially since she had no real support from the people who were supposed to be her main source of it—her family. So far, she’d shown few cracks in her façade of strength.
“I know if somebody put me in a mental health facility against my will, I’d require drugs to keep calm. I’d probably be trying to escape every day of my life.” I said this because it was likely that Marie wouldn’t be in the best condition. It had been a couple years since her husband, Jay, had passed away. And I was concerned about her having been locked up with no hope, even though she wasn’t in the throes of dementia.
“I guess I’d best be prepared then.” Lisa’s voice was sad. Not the same excited tone she’d used when we’d found out Marie was alive andwell.
I hoped and prayed Marie hadn’t been abused in that place.
We made a quick stop by the office before heading to Pine Hill. Imogene’s car was now parked in the lot. “Sorry I was late this morning. I stopped by Walmart to pick up some coffee. Where’ve y’all been?” Imogene met us as we got halfway down the hall. “I was worried when nobody was here. What’s going on?”
“We’re headed to Pine Hill to hopefully pick up Marie Trichel. She’s been committed to the facility under false pretenses. We’ve gotten a court order for her release.” Tanner filled her in.
“Wow. How did you find out all this?” Imogene’s eyes were wide.
“It doesn’t matter. We’ve got to get on the road now so we can meet Jake and the doctor there with the ambulance.”
“Ambulance?”
“Just a precaution.”
“Oh, dear.” Imogene had gone pale.
“What is it, Imogene?” I put my hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right?”
“Yes. This is just so shocking.”
Tanner’s phone buzzed with a text. He read it and then looked up. “Dr. Miller is on his way out of town. We’re not being told where for his safety.”
I nodded, feeling relieved on that front at least. “That’s probably a good idea.”
“Are y’all ready to spring Marie?” Tanner asked us.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
We made thedrive in silence. The three of us were obviously tense and concerned about how this would go. When we pulled up in front of the somewhat Gothic Greek Revival building that looked more like a timeworn mansion, a throwback to asylums of old, the ambulance pulled in right behind us. There were several law enforcement vehicles as well. Two sheriff’s cars and two state troopers.
All were still sitting in their cars. Waiting for us, I supposed. Tanner grabbed his leather portfolio case that contained all the appropriate legal paperwork. “Give me a minute.”
I noticed as soon as he got out that the others did too. Jake approached from his personal vehicle not far away. It was nice of him to come for support. The two brothers spoke for a few seconds before the law officers joined them, along with the paramedics and the psychiatrist. They were clearly planning. Tanner was pointing and speaking.
He opened the door and said, “Okay. Lisa, you, Jake, and I are going to go inside and ask to see Marie. We’ll see how it goes from there. The officers and Carly will hang at the entrance and will advance if needed. We’ll do this with as little commotion as necessary.”
I hung back with the law officers as they entered the front door. The lobby had a chandelier and a round entry table with a large floral centerpiece in keeping with the old Southern mansion look of the exterior. I wondered why they bothered, because just beyond the entryway, the place became all institution with buzzing doors and lots of cameras. Jake spoke to a woman in a pair of scrubs at the first window. She picked up a telephone to call someone. Jake, Lisa, and Tanner backed away from the window and waited.
Tanner walked over to me. “They’ve called the director, so we’re waiting.” He touched my hand lightly, sending a thrill through me, and I wanted to lean toward him. I could feel his breath brush my cheek as he spoke near my ear. I shook my head to clear it when he stepped away.
A good ten minutes later, through some awkward pacing and shuffling, the woman called through the plexiglass to Jake. “Dr. Carmichael, you can come through the door when it buzzes. No one else.”
“I have a court order signed from a district judge.” Tanner held up the document as if to argue with her about their only bringing in Jake.
