Jack In The Box novel Chapter 10

Jackson had tried to commit suicide, but thankfully we’d reached on time to save his life. He lay in the hospital bed breathing through an oxygen mask, an IV connected to him. As his nurse, I felt responsible for what happened to him. If I hadn’t let him out of my sight, maybe this wouldn’t have happened at all.

I watched Jackson as he slept peacefully, despite how chaotic his life had become. His chest moved in a constant slow rise and fall. Any normal person would easily peg him as Hollywood worthy. He should have been at one of the movie sets; sitting in his private room, reading the lines he was supposed to recite and sipping on fresh juice that the errand boy brought him, instead, he was. Bat-shit insane and convicted of murders. Besides that, he was so damn unpredictable and that’s what made him even more mysterious.

I doodled in my diary; Mysterious, Unpredictable and Drop-dead gorgeous.

Instinctively, I brushed the dark locks of hair away from his face. It was almost past lunch time when Jackson opened his eyes. His breathing was normal so the ventilator was removed. He stared straight ahead; any signs of amusement were non-existent.

I checked his vitals and told him about the extra medication doses that he was supposed to start from the next day. He just nodded once, his face masking nonchalance. He was then transferred from the ER to a normal hospital room on a stretcher where he was going to be under observation. This room in particular had a flat screen mounted against the wall.

The silence in the room was getting awkward so I decided to break it. “Would you like to rest some more? I think it’s best if you slept through the night. You will feel better by tomorrow.” I suggested.

Jackson regarded me with his dark stare. “All I’ve been doing for the past six months is fucking rest. What I really wanna do is get outta this goddamn institution.”

I didn’t say anything to that, instead I asked him. “Did you really kill Dave?”

“Nurse Riley, not you too!” He said. “Someone’s obviously framing me.”

“But all the evidence is against you, Jackson.” I said. “The murder. It is similar to your previous ones.”

“I. Did. Not. Kill. Mad- Dave.” He said with a raised voice. “If there’s anyone I’d like to kill, it would be Paul-Fucking- Bennet.”

“Shhh.” I said. “Lower down your voice.”

“If I told you something Riley, would you believe me?” He asked, his voice mellowed just a tad bit.

He’d called me straight as Riley instead of mocking me with his usual ‘Nurse Riley’ which spoke volumes that whatever that he had in store, wasn’t joking business.

“What is it?”

He sat up straight, and looked me in the eye. “The murders before. I...I didn’t kill any of them.”

I think it took a long while for his words to sink in and the shock to actually register on my face. “I don’t believe you.”

“And I can’t blame you, no one did until now but you can’t change the truth.” He said with so much sincerity that even the Pope would believe him but I knew better than to trust Jackson.

He was known to play his cards well, toss down all the barriers and leave a person unguarded enough to make them think he was being serious until the joke was on them.

“I don’t care if it’s the truth. I believe what I see.” I said. “I saw the murders and the Polygraph also proved that you were lying.”

He smiled ruefully, like a switch had gone off. “A Polygraph is known to be only about Seventy percent accurate while the examiner would disagree. Those morons had nothing better to do, but I thought you were smarter, Riley.”

“Don’t try to mock me.” I said.

“I’ve been framed.” He confessed

I sighed. “And what do you want from me?”

“A favor.” He said simply.

I raised my eyebrows as he began reciting the favor he wanted from me. When he was done, I took a step back instantly. To say I was furious would be an understatement. “I will not do it and that’s final!” I said.

“You won’t?”

“Do you think I am as insane as you? I could lose my job!” I was trying to keep my voice down.

“Kenneth Frazer. Sweet and helpful. Future veterinary surgeon.”

“Don’t you dare lay a finger on my brother or I’ll..”

“I don’t want to, Riley. I swear to you. You’re good to me as compared to all the other nurses I’ve managed to chase away, and that’s why I like you. If the circumstances were different, who knows we’d have something different than a mere Nurse and Patient relationship.” He said, and I had no doubt he meant every word he’d said. “I seriously do not want to hurt you or someone you love. All I ask is for your co-operation.”