Part 27 (1/2)
Jimmy's lower lip curled downward, ”He got mad.”
”That's not fun,” Barrett said, modulating her tone to be the kindergarten teacher to his eight-year-old boy.
”No,” he shook his head. ”He tried to trick me.”
”That wasn't very nice of him, was it?”
”No.”
”How did he try to trick you?”
”He sent Kelly and Hector and they made me give them blood.”
”That wasn't nice at all. Especially since you hadn't been taking any pills, had you?”
”No. He wanted to trick me, because he was mad.”
”So what did you do?”
Jimmy blinked. His pink tongue flicked between his lips, and his pupils narrowed. ”Dr. Conyors, this isn't fun,” his voice s.h.i.+fted lowering in pitch. ”Just what is it we're trying to do here? Where's my wonderful feeling?” he said, aping her hypnotic suggestion.
The cat stirred, and looked warily at Jimmy.
”It's a light hypnosis,” she answered, feeling a chill, and worrying that he'd pulled himself from the trance.
”Just a light one? Like a small martini or a touch of fine-Moroccan hash?”
”Something like that,” she answered, leaving her school-marm voice behind while trying to gauge Jimmy's current persona.
”So you'd like Jimbo to tell you what happened to the good doctor, is that it?”
”Yes,” she answered.
”Aren't you supposed to tell me how wonderful and relaxed it will make me feel, to divulge all of his nasty secrets?”
”That's not what you want,” she replied. ”You want something else, don't you?”
”Of course,” he answered, ”I want what everyone wants, what you want, what Dr. Kravitz wants.”
”What's that?” she asked, noticing how on edge this other Jimmy made her feel.
”Love. Admiration. A good f.u.c.k now and then. There's nothing wrong with that.”
”No,” she agreed, as the cat squirmed out of the chair and bolted beneath a bookcase.
”Can you give me that? If you can give me that I'll tell you about Dr. Kravitz.”
”You can give that to yourself,” she said.
He laughed, ”That was lame. But I like watching you, so maybe I'll tell you anyway. It was simple. Morris was upset because the gravy train was leaving the station-without him.”
”So he ordered bloodwork. Why?”
”He wanted leverage. Even Jimbo could see that.”
”The bloodwork never made it to the lab.”
”No, there was an accident. Oops!”
”And Dr. Kravitz?”
Jimmy smiled, ”Oops, oops. Diabetics have to be so very careful.” He leaned forward in his chair, his movements sinuous, like a python sidling up to its prey. ”What is that perfume you have on?” he asked. ”Here, let me breathe it in deeply like a flower, and as I do, I may feel wonderfully relaxed.”
Barrett tensed.
”You do this so well, doctor,” he closed his eyes and sank back into his chair. ”And you didn't even use a shot. So talented, so filled with fun and games. It's no wonder he likes you so much.”
”Who?”
”Jimbo. I can't blame him. I think the boy may finally be growing some taste.” He closed his eyes and his tongue lewdly circled his lips.
”Is Jimbo there?” she asked.
”He's hiding. He's such a little fool, never could come out and ask for what he wanted. Perhaps we should enroll him in some a.s.sertiveness training? We did a lot of that in the hospital.”
”And who are you?”
”James Cyrus Martin, of course.”
”Which one?”
”Yes ... he did pick well. I can't tell if it was the velvet dress, your flawless skin, your lips, your exquisite eyes, or that hint of a Southern accent you try so hard to hide. Did he ever tell you about his first love?”
In spite of her fear, Barrett felt a surge of excitement. Was he about to tell her the truth of what happened to Nicole Foster? ”No.”
”It was his nanny, a dark-skinned woman from Georgia. So sad what happened,” he leered at Barrett.
”Tell me.”
Jimmy chortled, ”She was terminated.” A shudder pa.s.sed through him, he blinked and started to tremble.
Jimmy feels the red-hot heat from the furnace on his face. He hears the crackle and hiss of black coal. And there's Maylene, but why does she have that look in her eyes? So frightened, and Father's hands around her throat as she kicks and claws at his fingers. Father smiles and clamps down harder making her eyes grow big, like a plastic squeeze toy.
”Jimmy, what's happening?” Barrett asked, noting a look of wall-eyed terror in him.