Too Far Gone

28

“This is where the hospital property starts,” Manseur said, pointing out through the windshield.

The corner of the perimeter fence started a quarter of a mile before the driveway into River Run. The buildings were set back from River Road on a field of green grass that looked like a fairway. The manicured grounds were dotted with stately oaks. A green tractor towed a mowing platform, doing a job that probably never had an ending place. The hospital’s main structure was a two-story brick monster with massive columns spaced its entire width to support the extended roof. The building might have passed for a monastery or a junior college, except for the steel wire grates covering some of the windows.

“Tara,” Alexa said.

“Place was built during Governor Huey P. Long’s administration,” Manseur explained. “In order to steal big, old Huey had to spend big. He built roads and bridges and hospitals and got millions back from the contractors. The Long administration designed the snatch-and-grab model for the political structure of the State of Louisiana that lives on today.”

“Stephen King would love this place,” Alexa said dryly.

“If Sibby isn’t here,” Manseur said, “she was let out. She might have been moved to another hospital, or released to a halfway-house situation or something. She sure didn’t escape, I can tell you that for fact. They even have their own graveyard out back.”

The sign on the grounds read RIVER RUN PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL. The fence was topped with razor wire and the concrete guard shack added what the sign failed to spell out -For the criminally insane.

Manseur pulled up to the gate and showed his badge to the guard seated in a kiosk, peering out at him through a sheet of extremely thick glass. Alexa imagined the designers of the kiosk had an image of the guardhouse being attacked by an armed gang of the insane who desired to break out one of their members, or gain entrance without going through the appropriate steps-like using meat cleavers to chop up people in their kitchens.

“I’m Detective Manseur, NOPD,” Manseur called out through his open window, holding out his badge case.

“What’s the nature of your business, Detective?” an electronic voice asked through a speaker. Clearly opening the kiosk’s bulletproof window was done only as a last resort.

“We’re here to see the director, on official business.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“I do not.”

“I’ll announce you,” the guard said. He lifted the phone and made a call before hanging up and pressing the push-to-talk switch so Manseur and Alexa could hear him. “Administration is in the center of the main building. Follow the signs and park in the visitors’ area. You are required to leave any weapons secured in your vehicle.” The heavy steel gate behind the car closed loudly before the one in front of the car rolled slowly aside to allow them to enter the facility. “Have a nice day,” the guard said.

“So far it’s been a peach,” Alexa said in a low voice.