The Institute
Chapter 3
Laurie wondered if she should have left in Dr. Garner’s absence. When she had started at the Institute, she was enthusiastic about helping other women with their mental health. Her training had been in psychology and Dr. Garner made it clear that he was devoted to helping his patients get better. That had been five years ago. With each year that passed, Laurie became more and more disillusioned about the work of the Institute. Dr. Garner was a brilliant man and she admired the research he had done into brain function and electrical stimulation. She had seen him take women who were severely depressed and give them a new life. But, he also had a dark side and, lately, he had moved away from accepting voluntary patients to essentially taking women against their will. By helping Madison escape, she had committed to a course of action that could not be reversed. As she drifted off to sleep, she prayed that Madison had made it out.
The Bronco sped down the highway. Every mile that Madison put between herself and the Institute made her feel better, although she was still heartsick about leaving Katie and Suzanne behind. She felt like a coward. She also thought about Laurie’s parting advice. Do not come back. That meant leaving her friends in the hands of that monster. She finally pulled into the parking lot and made her way to the apartment. She was exhausted and stressed out. She looked at her phone. There were several missed calls from a number that she did not recognize. There was also a voicemail. Reluctantly, she clicked on it.
“Madison, this is Caroline Weston, Katie’s sister. I have been trying to reach Katie, but she does not answer her phone. She left me your number as a backup. Please give me a call. Bye.” Madison hung her head. She knew that Katie had a sister, but they had never met. What could she possible tell Caroline. That her sister was imprisoned in a mental institution and was not getting out? Who would believe that. She looked at her watch. It was after midnight. She had never bothered to change her clothing and was still wearing the nightgown and socks from the Institute. She pulled them off and tossed them in the trash. She climbed into the shower to wash any of the residue of that place off her body. As she washed tears welled in her eyes and she began to sob. She was living in a nightmare. She eventually managed to collapse on her bed and fell asleep. When she awoke, the sun was shining in the windows, her watch said 7:30am. She needed to call Caroline. She dialed the number.”
“Yes……who is this?”
“Caroline, this is Madison.”
“Oh, Madison. Thank you for calling me back. I can’t seem to reach Katie. Maybe her phone is broken?” Madison swallowed hard.
“Caroline, can you come over to the apartment? We need to talk about Katie.”
“Is she okay?” Caroline demanded.
“Yes and no.” Madison said.
“What the hell does that mean?”
“Please come over as soon as you can, it’s important.”
“I’ll be there in 30 minutes.” The line went dead. Madison got dressed and made some coffee. She needed to clear her head. Every time she thought about the Institute, she got chills. If Laurie had not helped her, she would likely be another one of Dr. Garner’s zombie patients. Poor Katie and Suzanne. There had to be something she could do. Someone she could talk to. There was a knock at the door. She opened it.
“I’m Caroline. Caroline Weston.” Madison hugged her. She looked very much like Katie.
“Please come in.”
Laurie woke and dressed for work. She was on the floor by 8:30am when the night staff went off duty. “Quiet evening?”
“Yes, Ma’am. I was just going to check on Madison.” A few minutes later, the nurse came rushing back. “She’s gone. We need to find her.”
“Have the building and the grounds searched. She can’t have gone far.” Laurie held her breath hoping that Madison was safely away. The nurse returned 15 minutes later.
“No sign of her Miss Vincent.” Laurie feigned anger. Inside she was happy. She had been afraid that Madison would attempt to help her friends and not make it off the campus.
“Dr. Garner is going to be very upset. He is due back in less than an hour.” The nurse looked worried. She too remembered that Dr. Garner was not beyond punishing staff by converting them into patients. About 30 minutes later, Dr. Garner’s BMW pulled up to the gates. They opened and he pulled into his parking space. He had been in his office for about 20 minutes when he paged Laurie. She knew the next 30 minutes would be difficult, but she took solace in the fact that Madison had gotten out of the Institute. She knocked on his office door.
“Come in.” She entered and took a seat opposite his desk. He was reading something and did not make eye contact with her. “How very disappointing that I leave you in charge for one night and you allow a prospective patient to leave without authorization or permission. What do you have to say for yourself?” Before Laurie could speak, he cut her off. “What is even more disappointing is that I think you had something to do with her leaving the Institute. Over the last five years, I have done nothing but encourage you give you opportunities and this is how you pay me back?”
“But I didn’t do anything wrong.” Laurie protested.
“That remains to be seen. In the meantime, I will take your access card and you are restricted to the grounds of the Institute. You are not to be involved in any treatment of patients. You may go to your office for now.” Laurie started to speak, but thought better of it. She stood up and began to exit when she felt a sharp stick in her neck. Her body practically collapsed and Dr. Garner guided her down into the chair. “Laurie, I know that you helped Madison leave the Institute and I simply cannot tolerate that type of disobedience and then your lying about it. I cannot image a situation that is more deserving of correction and adjustment. Laurie could not speak. She was at the edge of consciousness. Dr. Garner picked up his desk phone.
“Nurse Adams, please bring a wheelchair to my office. Miss Vincent has experienced some sort of nervous breakdown. She is going to need treatment.”
“Yes, Doctor. I will be there momentarily.” A few minutes later, the nurse entered with a wheelchair and they helped Laurie into it.
“Poor dear, she was just too stressed out about Madison leaving without permission. I want to take very good care of her. I know we have a busy schedule today with correction sessions. Please take her to one of the empty bedrooms and help her get changed into a uniform. She will be much more comfortable. Also, go ahead and start her on a session of VR therapy. I have added a new module that increases the strength by a factor of ten. Make sure that the headset is properly plugged into the system. I will be by in 15 minutes to start her session.”
“Yes, Doctor.” The nurse exited pushing the wheelchair. Dr. Garner got on his computer and revoked all of Laurie’s access. He then transferred her status from Assistant Director to Patient. He printed out her Request for Treatment Form and signed it for her. Very soon, she would be just another patient at the Institute. It seemed only fair that she should replace the missing Madison.
“What’s going on with my sister,” Caroline demanded. Madison guided her over to the couch.
“Please let me explain. I know that this is going to be hard for you to accept, but I promise you, it is the absolute truth. Your sister and I had planned a camping and hiking trip this weekend to the White Mountains. Your sister’s friend, Suzanne asked to come along and the three of us left late on Thursday afternoon. Before we made it to the White Mountains, Katie got one of her migraine headaches. This was a bad one and we could not find her medicine. We were desperate because there was no hospital or doctor’s office nearby, so we stopped at a place called the Institute for Female Corrections and Adjustment to see if they had a doctor that could help us. They took Katie to examine her while Suzanne and I waited. The doctor decided he wanted to keep Katie overnight for observation. They provided a room for Suzanne and I to stay in, but they must have drugged us. When I woke up, Suzanne was gone and both she and Katie had been admitted as patients. Katie had been subjected to a treatment that they called “correction” and Suzanne was getting that as well. I saw Suzanne briefly, but it was like she was brainwashed. They threatened to do the same thing to me, but I managed to escape with the help of one of the staff members. If I had not gotten out, I would have been brainwashed too.”
“Why didn’t you go to the police?” Caroline asked.
“I wanted to, but the doctor at the Institute bragged that the police were on his payroll. If I had gone to them, I would have probably been dragged back there. I didn’t stop driving until I got back here. I am sick about Katie and Suzanne, but not sure what to do.”
“We can’t just leave them there. We could call the state police and see if they can help.” The idea seemed like a possibility. Perhaps the state police were not on the take.
“It certainly can’t hurt.” Madison dialed the number for the state police and was eventually put through to Lt. James Watkins, an investigator. He asked that Madison and Caroline come to his office as soon as possible. The girls jumped into Caroline’s car and rushed to the state police headquarters. Lt. Watkins was waiting. Madison recounted the entire story again.
“What can we do?” Caroline pleaded, “my sister and Suzanne need to be rescued.”
“Your story certainly raises some serious questions, but it is not a good idea to do anything rash. I have known the Sheriff in Dumont County for years and it’s hard to believe he is on the take. Why don’t you two go grab something to eat while I make a few calls and then we can discuss options?” The girls nodded. “There is a diner two blocks down that has good food and it looks like Madison might need a good meal.” The girls departed. Lt. Watkins picked up the phone to call Sheriff Harold Martin.
“Harry, this is Jamie Watkins. Hope you are doing well.”
“Jamie, great to hear from you. How is police work in the big city?”
“Not a whole lot different from Dumont County, just more criminals.” Sheriff Martin chuckled.
“What can I do for you Jamie?”
“This is going to sound pretty weird, but I have two women who claim that their sister and a friend are being held involuntarily at the Female Correction Institute….?”
“I think you mean to Institute for Female Correction and Adjustment. It’s run by Dr. Pat Garner. First rate guy who has done lots of work with women with serious mental problems. I’ve know Pat for many years and he is one of our most upstanding citizens. He has won countless awards for community service.”
“Doesn’t sound like the type of guy who would kidnap two women.” Sheriff Martin laughed.
“My niece had some issues and my sister took her to Dr. Garner and he had her straightened out in no time. I’ve never heard a single complaint about the place.”
“I guess I should ride out there and talk to Dr. Martin. I suspect that you are right, but I cannot very well blow off these two women. Thanks for giving me the background on Dr. Garner and the Institute.”
“You are most welcome Jamie. I’m sure you will find that their complaints are unfounded. Call me back if you need any more information.”
“Will do, Harry.” Lt. Watkins hung up. The two stories could not have been more at odds. This definitely called for a visit and soon.
“Dr. Garner, this is Sheriff Martin. I hope I did not catch you at an inopportune time.”
“Not at all, Harry. What can I do for you?”
“I got a call from a buddy down at the state police. He is investigating a complaint by two women that you are holding their sister and a friend at the Institute against their will. He call me for some background, but I suspect he will be paying you a visit soon.” Dr. Garner sighed audibly.
“Harry, I’m so sorry that this has landed on your doorstep. Last night, we had one of our patients leave the Institute without permission. Her name is Madison Wright. She is in her early 20’s, about 5′7″ and about 120 pounds. She was referred to us because of a diagnosis of paranoia and severe schizophrenia. She is fine when she is medicated, but once that medication wears of, her behavior can be unpredictable. She needs to be returned to the Institute to continue her treatment.”
“What about the other girl. I think her name is Caroline Weston?”
Dr. Garner thought quickly. Clearly she must be related to Katie Weston.
“She sounds like another patient who may have left with Madison. I would not take any chances. They both should be returned to the Institute immediately.”
“Thanks Pat. I felt certain that there was a plausible explanation. By the way, any update on my niece, Tiffany?”
“Yes, she completed her correction and adjustment and will be doing sex work soon. I am hoping that your sister will bring in your other niece soon. We have some empty bed space and the sooner we begin her treatment, the sooner she will feel better.”
“Thanks. I will have a word with my sister.”
“You are most welcome. Thanks for letting me know about the state police investigation.” Dr. Garner hung up. Sheriff Martin had been a great source of information and patients over the past six years. He had been worth every penny that Dr. Garner had paid him. He’d even referred his own nieces for correction and adjustment. Sheriff Martin redialed Jamie Watkins.
“Jamie, by way of update, the two women you are dealing with are likely escaped patients from the Institute. Dr. Garner warns that both may be severely mentally ill. I would strongly suggest taking them with you to the Institute so that they can be readmitted. He warned that if they are off their medicine too long, their behavior can become unpredictable.”
“Thanks Harry.” Lt. Watkins hung up. This changed everything. He was now dealing with two escaped mental patients. His job was to return them to the Institute as quickly and safely as possible. Caroline and Madison returned from breakfast and waited for Lt. Watkins. “Ladies, I have done a bit of investigating and I think we need to pay a visit to the Institute to check into your allegations.” Madison looked at Caroline. About the last place that Madison wanted to go was back to the Institute. She remembered Laurie’s warning never to return.
“I think I would rather not,” Madison said. “That place gives me the creeps and I managed to get out of there once. Going back scares me.”
“I have no problem going with you,” Caroline said, “I just want me sister out of that place.”
“Let me be frank,” Lt. Watkins said, “Madison is the only witness to what allegedly went on with Katie and Suzanne. Unless she is willing to go back and confront Dr. Garner, I will have to close my investigation.” Caroline looked at Madison with pleading eyes. If Madison did not agree to go, she would go on her own and get her sister released.
“I need a little more time. I cannot go back right now. I want to help Katie and Suzanne, but the thought of stepping back onto that campus makes me sick to my stomach. Maybe by Monday, I will have my wits together.”
“Very well,” Lt. Watkins said, “let’s plan on heading there first thing Monday morning. Please meet here at the precinct and we can carpool up to the Institute.” Madison could tell that Caroline was angry and frustrated, but she did not know what Madison had been through. The ride back to the apartment was silent.
“Caroline, I am sorry that I cannot go back today, but I went through hell to get out. I just need some time.” There was no response from Caroline. When they got back to Madison’s apartment, Caroline exited the car without a word. If no one else would help Katie, she would. She returned to her apartment and collected a few things and then headed out toward the Institute. With any luck, she could have Katie out and back home by evening.