This Thing of Darkness by Barbara Fradkin Read Free Book Online Page B

quackery and fake science, trading on people’s fears and hopes. That was the biggest problem we saw with Rosenthal’s patients. They’d been treated at the hospital for schizophrenia or bipolar and stabilized on the latest drugs. Then after discharge they’d trot off to Rosenthal complaining of side effects, and he’d take them off. A few months later, bingo, they’re hearing voices again and they’re back inside. With each psychotic break, their life spirals down. Jobs are lost, marriages destroyed, dreams and plans shattered.”
    Green had seen enough schizophrenics to know they often stopped taking their meds of their own accord anyway. They’d cross his path when they ended up on the streets acting crazy enough to scare people. He’d heard their reasons often enough. They felt so good after awhile on the meds, they decided maybe they’d been cured and they didn’t need them any more. Or they hated the side effects, which gave them the shakes and made them feel they were living their life inside cobwebs. A doctor like Rosenthal, who told them they didn’t need the meds after all, would have been greeted like the Messiah.
    If they ever realized they’d been duped, however unintentionally, they would have felt betrayed.
    Betrayed enough to seek revenge? he wondered, then shook his head at his own crazy thoughts. Blame it on the midnight hour. Levesque had her own, much more sensible line of investigation.

    A shadow fell across his desk. “You’ve been a busy beaver.”
    Green looked up to see Brian Sullivan lounging in the doorway. To his relief, the head of Major Crimes had a crooked grin on his freckled face and a twinkle in his blue eyes. Green hadn’t known what the fallout might be from his foray into the trenches yesterday, but now he guessed Sergeant Levesque was too smart and ambitious to complain about the meddling inspector to her NCO directly, particularly when it was common knowledge in the ranks that Green and Sullivan were not only former partners but close friends.
    He returned the grin with a shrug. “What’s a little help between friends? It was my day off, and I just used my connections to speed things along.”
    â€œShe’s smart and she’s good, Green, even if she doesn’t know about your legendary investigative skills. Before her time.” He grinned. Nice payback, Green thought.“She looked into that B & E you mentioned, had read the whole file before roll call this morning. Doesn’t look like there’s much there. Might have been a random thing, or maybe they were looking for drugs or a prescription pad. They turned the place over, but Rosenthal didn’t have either.”
    â€œHe wasn’t a big fan of prescription drugs,” Green said.
    â€œWe’re concentrating on the gang thing, trying to ID the four punks on the security camera.”
    Sullivan’s six-foot-four footballer’s frame filled most of the doorway, but nonetheless Green could get a glimpse of the bustling squad room behind him. Tilting his head, he signalled Sullivan to come in and shut the door. Sullivan obliged, sinking into the plastic guest chair and propping his huge feet on the corner of Green’s desk. The grin had faded from his face, leaving a wary, questioning look.
    â€œThere probably is no connection between the break-in and the attack,” Green said. “But I think Levesque should send someone around to reexamine the apartment and reinterview neighbours. The guy made enemies, or at least pissed people off with his manner, and in today’s hopped-up, macho drug culture, that can be enough.”
    Sullivan’s expression turned smug.“Already done. She’s got Jones working on a search warrant for his place right now. We still need to confirm the ID , so she’ll be looking for the usual— dentist’s name, personal papers, date book, and next of