Chapter 38
Joe Giles walked in erratic circles, looking both at Rachel and Charlie as they discussed the session. “That’s the weirdest thing ever. I can’t believe it. You were floating?”
“Yes, Joe,” Charlie said. “I was floating. But it wasn’t real. It was simply another state of consciousness.”
“I know what hypnosis is, you jerk. I’m not stupid,” said Joe. “What’s getting me is that you actually went under!”
“What are you talking about?” Charlie said. “You’re the one who suggested hypnosis in the first place.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t think you’d actually go through with it. Let alone have an experience.”
“It wasn’t an experience, you jackass. It was a—”
“Different state of consciousness. I know. I know. But still. My brother was hypnotized.” Joe rubbed at his temples as though he were embedding the visual in his mind.
“Boys, are you done?” Rachel asked.
“What?” Joe said defensively. “Didn’t you grow up with brothers?”
“As a matter of fact, no,” she said. “But I did grow up with harried parents, both of whom worked and taught me that time was not to be wasted. And I believe we are dangerously close to breaking that cardinal rule.”
Charlie and Joe took their seats and looked at Rachel, who offered only a small conciliatory smile.
“Good,” she said. “Now that we’ve settled that, let’s get back to the task at hand. Before the session we agreed that Joe should be present for the analysis. He has the most history with you, and we thought he might be able to help explain some of your experiences while hypnotized.”
Rachel glanced over at Joe, who nodded. “Glad I can be of service,” he said.
“But it’s not necessary,” Charlie said. “Although I have no problem if Joe stays for this, I can tell you exactly why I was over the Golden Gate Bridge.”
Rachel leaned forward. “And the reason is?”
“I can answer that for him,” Joe said. “I never took Charlie for such an emotional person. I mean, to carry this around with him for all these years.”
“Carry what?” Rachel asked.
“I mean, is it really possible a bad experience can manifest as psychosis years after the incident?” said Joe.
“Anything is possible where the mind is concerned,” Rachel said. “But what happened in San Francisco?”
“Eddie Prescott killed himself,” Joe said before Charlie had a chance to answer.
“And who is Eddie Prescott?” asked Rachel.
“Eddie is … was … my business partner,” Charlie began. “We met at MIT. We had the same economics professor and the same dislike for economics. We started cutting class and talking. I learned more in those meetings with Eddie than I think I did all year. He was brilliant. An intellect beyond anyone I’d ever known. He was a mechanical wizard and an idea man. Best of all, for someone as genius as Eddie Prescott was, he had the follow-through. Eddie had more drive than anyone I’ve ever known. Even me.”
“Then what happened?” Rachel asked.
“There was a technology gold rush happening out West, and after MIT we moved and started our company. Eddie’s prototypes led to our first big breakthrough and patent. We didn’t know that we would end up in the consumer electronics business. But we did know that we were on to something big.”
“It got bigger than anyone thought,” Joe said. “I still have your Forbes interview in my room. Did you know that?”
Charlie blushed at his brother’s unfiltered admiration. As distant and unavailable as he had been, it still surprised him that his brother held no grudge.
“And you said Eddie killed himself. Why?” Rachel asked.
“Because I found out that he was stealing money from the company and using it to gamble. It was as simple as that,” Charlie explained. “Then he sold some company secrets to a competitor for cash. I fired him and blacklisted Eddie from any big-name tech player in the valley. The only job that Eddie could have gotten within a twenty-mile radius of where he lived was at the mall. Not to mention the stock options Eddie lost out on because he violated the terms of his contract.”
“But it was his company. How could you push him out?” Rachel said.
“Because Eddie might have been the brains behind our operation, but I had the smarts. My lawyer was better than his lawyer. And Eddie didn’t have a legal leg to stand on. The contract ensured that.”
“So what happened after you fired him?” Rachel asked.
Joe couldn’t stay quiet for long. “That’s the best part. Or the worst,” he said. “Depending on whose family you belong to.”
“Oh? And how’s that?” Rachel asked.
“SoluCent came a-knocking a few months after Eddie got fired,” Joe said.
“It was a major payout for the stakeholders. Without any stock in the company, the deal was worthless for Eddie,” Charlie added.
“And what did Eddie do?” Rachel replied.
“He threatened me. A bunch. He even broke into my apartment with a gun,” Charlie said.
“To kill you?” Rachel asked.
Charlie nodded. “Presumably. But he just stood in the living room, pointing the gun at me and shaking. Then, just as I was about to dive for cover, he turned around and left. It was the last I heard or saw Eddie Prescott until they recovered his body.”
“He jumped off the bridge, I’m guessing,” Rachel said.
“Yes,” Charlie said.
“Verified?” Rachel asked.
“Dental records. But yes, verified by the medical examiner’s office. Eddie had no relatives to speak of. I guess he thought of our company as family. And me as a brother.” Charlie peered at Joe but turned away when he caught a flash of hurt in Joe’s eyes. “I went down to the ME’s office to identify the body. It was unrecognizable really, bloated from salt water and decay.”
“And do you blame yourself for Eddie’s death?” Rachel asked.
“A t first I didn’t,” Charlie said. “But as I got more successful and the company continued to grow, I couldn’t help but think that without him, none of that success would have happened.”
“How did that make you feel, Charlie?” Rachel asked. She looked over at Joe, her eyes suggesting that if Joe were to leave the room, now would be an appropriate time.
“It’s okay,” Charlie said. “He can hear this. He should hear this.”
Rachel nodded. “Okay, Charlie. But I’d like for you to share whatever you feel comfortable sharing.”
Charlie took in a deep breath before he spoke. “I felt a bit like a fraud, I suppose,” he said. “I mean, Eddie was brilliant. He had the most amazing mind for technology that I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. I took Eddie’s idea and ran with it. Without Eddie there would have been no business. The technology that InVision is based on would never have been brought to market, and who knows where that would have left me.”
Joe shook his head at that. “But it was you who made the company happen, Charlie. Not Eddie,” he said. Rachel shot Joe a disapproving look.
Joe threw his hands high above his head. “What? What? It’s true.”
“Thank you, Joe. I appreciate that,” Charlie said.
“Joe, if you can’t be a listener right now, you’re going to have to sit outside. It’s important that Charlie continue to share in an uninhibited way,” Rachel said.
“Okay. Okay. You’re the boss. I’m just saying Charlie might be shortchanging his significance here,” Joe said.
“Charlie, do you feel that way?”
“Well, I know my talents. But I also know my limitations. Without Eddie I might have been a vice president of a software company, but I can’t say for sure that I’d have orchestrated a multimillion-dollar acquisition. In the end, it was Eddie’s doing, even though he didn’t actually do it.”
“And have you felt guilty about your success ever since?” Rachel asked.
“I tried not to think about it. I wanted the sale. I wanted it more than anything. It meant … it meant …” Charlie’s voice trailed off.
“Meant what, Charlie?” Rachel said.
Charlie gritted his teeth. Saying the words was more uncomfortable than thinking the thoughts. “I grew up in a family that was less than perfect,” Charlie said. “My father left us when we were boys and needed him most. He had his issues. And I hate to admit it, but I was angry at Joe. At his sickness and what it did to me and to our mother.” Charlie looked at Joe, half-expecting to see his brother in tears.
“You think that’s news to me, Charlie?” Joe said. “You’ve been angry since the day I was diagnosed. And I’ve watched you run and run to try and distance yourself from us … from yourself. But in the end you came back home, and now you’re facing the same demons you thought you’d outrun. Being rich doesn’t mean you’ve beaten your past. It just means you have money. But the tree still comes from the same roots. Always has and always will.”
Charlie tried to keep stone-faced, but the words stung. “I thought that the success and money would prove that I had won,” he said. “Maybe Joe’s right. Nothing can ever change your past.”
“That’s true. But people can change. And so can you, Charlie. It sounds to me like Eddie’s death had a much more profound impact on you than you first thought,” Rachel said.
“Perhaps,” Charlie said.
“The good news is that you are in control of you. Admitting that you have vulnerabilities and seeking help is the first step in taking control and changing your life.”
“How do I do that?”
“You’ve been here for seventy-two hours now. You know as well as I do that we legally can’t keep you here any longer. You can walk out those doors right now, Charlie. But the rest is up to you.”
“Again, I can’t tell you what to do or give you any professional advice, but as a friend I can say that I think you should continue therapy. I want you to see a professional. To work through this guilt and to make decisions with a psychiatrist to come up with a diagnosis and figure out what medications might be available to help you confront some of the delusions you’ve been experiencing.”
“I know it feels like you’ve lost, Charlie,” Joe said. “But sometimes seeking help is the strongest and most brave thing a person can do. It says a lot more about you than the size of your bank account.”
“So that’s it? I just walk out the door and try to put my life back together?” Charlie asked.
Rachel nodded. “That’s it. The law says if we determine you’re not a threat to others, which I know your doctors have, there is no reason to hold you longer. But you need to trust the people who love you. There is help out there. You need to be willing and ready to embrace it.” Rachel looked down at her watch. “I have an appointment, Charlie. I need to go. Will you please call me and tell me what you’ve decided? I really do care, and I hope that you’ll continue seeking treatment.”
Charlie stood and shook Rachel’s hand. Her skin felt velvety against his. How long had it been since he’d felt such attraction to a woman? The barrier that would keep them apart was almost as disheartening as the journey that awaited him. Still, in her kind and inviting eyes he saw hope. Once this was past, he would find another woman like Rachel. It wouldn’t be easy, but it was something he knew he wanted.
“Thank you, Rachel. Thank you for everything.”
“Joe knows where you can collect your things,” Rachel said. “You’ll need to see the head nurse and doctor on duty for formal discharge. Please take care of yourself, Charlie. It’s all that matters right now.”
“I will,” Charlie said. Then he put an arm around his brother.
“Ready to go, bro?” Joe said.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Charlie said.
Before the brothers could leave, Dr. Alan Shapiro, who days earlier had attempted to bar Charlie’s entry into his sleeping quarters, burst into the therapy room. He was breathless and seemed agitated.
“Rachel, can I speak with you?” he said.
“Alan, I’m on my way to see a patient. Can it wait?” said Rachel.
“No, it can’t. It concerns him.” Dr. Shapiro pointed to Charlie.
“Charlie’s done with us, Alan. He’s leaving now,” Rachel replied.
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Shapiro said.
Rachel frowned. “Alan, what are you talking about?”
“The cleaning people found this in Charlie’s room. We matched it to the handwriting on his admittance forms. It’s definitely his penmanship,” Shapiro said.
Shapiro handed Rachel a folded piece of yellow, lined legal paper. She opened it carefully and read the note. Charlie watched as her skin whitened and her eyes widened.
“Charlie, I’m so sorry,” she said. “I wish I had seen this before I spoke about you leaving us.”
“What’s that note?” Charlie cried.
“Charlie, we can’t let you leave now,” Shapiro said. “This note represents a direct threat.”
“Give me that note!” Charlie shouted.
Rachel put it in her pocket. “I can’t do that. It’s evidence now, and I can’t risk you destroying it. Alan, why don’t you get security down here?”
“Already here,” Shapiro said.
Two men, one of whom Charlie recognized as the guard who had kept watch over him during his admittance interview, entered the room.
“Charlie, this note makes a direct threat to harm people you worked with,” Rachel announced.
“Which people?” Charlie asked. “What are you talking about?”
Rachel pulled out the piece of paper and read from it. “When I’m out of here, I’m going to finish the job. One down, three to go. Mac and Yardley die next. The last is still my surprise. I can’t wait for the killing to begin again.”
Charlie stared at Rachel. “I didn’t write that … I didn’t …”
“I’m sorry, Charlie. But we can’t just let you leave. Now, you have a right to demand a court appointment to seek an overturn of this decision,” Rachel explained. “Right now this note represents a direct threat to named individuals. To let you walk out of here would be irresponsible of us. Ethically and legally.”
“I didn’t write that!” Charlie’s face reddened as he turned to Joe. “Tell them! Tell them, Joe.”
Joe took a step backward. “I’m sorry, Charlie. I don’t know what to say. They’re the doctors. And doctors know best.”