Chapter 5 - The Meeting, Part 4

 

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Chapter 5
The Meeting
Part 4

                             
“Please let me begin by introducing my colleague...” Dr. Peter Hodgkins began.
“You never mentioned bringing anyone with you in your letters.” Higgins interrupted abruptly.

“No, I know, but together...” & he turned to Stark before he commenced his eye contact with the prisoner through the badly scratched screen. “..We believe that we can help.”

“Help? In what capacity do you think you can help; considering there have been others, with more experience than the pair of you put together-may I add-, that have come & gone, promised & failed,...lied & cheated, before you?” Higgins ridiculed with a steely glare.
Hodgkins bit his lip, but said nothing.

“-However I’ve read your first book -you know. Not bad.., but it wasn’t exactly Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -was it?” Higgins sneered.

“Look, let’s not get off on the wrong foot now. - Shall we? Dr.Hodgkins calmly pleaded.

Whilst Higgins & Hodgkins were drawn into a match of attack & defence, both Stark & Jenkins remained silent. In contrast, to be exact, Stark was the interested bystander, whilst Jenkins was apparently lost in his own world; so much so that it was as if he were not there.

“Your letters were much like the book. They began with promise, but ultimately they lacked anything of real value. I do hope you have something of worth to say today” Higgins scorned.

“There must have been something in their content that interested you, for why else would we be here?” -Stark cut in with reference to Hodgkins’correspondence.

“Who rattled your fuckin’ cage, then?!” Higgins snorted aggressively, as he scowled at the Detective from behind the protective screen.

“Ok! That’s it!! Hodgkins shouted angrily, as he jump from his seat. “I’ve heard quite enough for one day. Come on, let’s go.”
He continued assertively & he glanced at his friend as he spoke.
“I think we have better things to do with our time. Don’t you agree? -This was obviously all a mistake.” The doctor untidily grasped his things in one motion with both hands & forced his wooden chair under the table. It clattered into place as he did so.

Stark looked up in astonishment. This wasn’t at all normal for Hodgkins. The normally placid doctor had lost it like never before. -What the hell was happening? They couldn’t just walk out now. Not after all the work they’d done & what about the diaries? And what about.... Stark’s panicked thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

“No!!”... “Stop!!” came the unexpected command from Jenkins, as he sprang to life.

Hodgkins, as if stood to attention, remained rooted to the spot, as he stared back in the direction of Jenkins; as together the pair shared real, meaningful eye contact for the first time.

“...Please?” came the whispered plea to the warring pair, from the convicted mass murderer’s lips. His eyes looked deep & sad, tormented by his past.

Hesitantly, without a word of reply, Hodgkins placed his books back on the desk top & slowly pulled the chair out & sat.
“Let’s start over again –shall we?” he said.
A relieved Stark breathed again.

Written by T.R.Vinnicombe (aka Dr. Peter Hodgkins) ©2009 all rights reserved & none of the contents of this site can be copied or used in any way without the written consent of the author. Published online by MicroHotStar 2009.