Title: Psychic Shock
Author: Becca T
e-mail: Beksmfa2@aol.com
Rated: PG
Challenge: 51
Summary: After being mildly electrocuted, a young girl starts
having dreams that turn out to happen. The gang work to find the
killer before the girl's latest dream, an uncertain fate for
Jesse, comes true.
Psychic Shock
Jesse Travis considered that the afternoon was going smoothly and
quietly that day. There had only been two ER patients in so far,
one in a car accident and the other fallen down the stairs. He
thought about heading along to Amandas pathology lab to see
if it was anymore exciting there, but knew that it wouldnt
last as a team of paramedics rolled in another patient.
What have you got? Jesse demanded to know from the
paramedics bringing in the patient.
Girl, five or six, electrocuted at her house. Burns and
shock, one of the paramedics reeled off. Been
unconscious since her neighbour phoned 911.
Wheres the neighbour right now? Jesse asked.
Im here, a young boy said.
Okay, Im going to ask you to wait around for a while,
Jesse said. Were going to help her now, and Ill
talk to you in a minute. Theres a seat there, a vending
machine down the hall, and about a dollar in change here,
Jesse said, grabbing some loose change from his pocket and giving
it to the boy. He left him and tended to his patient.
After some time in the burns unit, Jesse gave the girl a room to
stay in, and then remembered about the boy in the hall. He
hurried down here, hoping the boy was still there. He sighed with
relief to see him sitting on a seat and fiddling with the wrapper
of a chocolate bar.
Hi, Im doctor Travis, Jesse said, sitting down
next to him. Thanks for waiting.
Hi, heres the rest of your money, the boy said.
And thanks for it.
No problem, Jesse said, stuffing the money back into
his pocket. Now, I need to ask you a few questions about
what happened. Could you tell me everything you know? Whats
your name, for a start, and what is the girls name?
Im Kevin, Kevin McDowery, the boy said. And
my neighbour is Melinda Cole.
Okay, Kevin, can you tell us what happened?
Well, I was just coming home from school when I heard a
scream from inside Mellies house. I looked in the front
window and I saw her in the living room by the TV. I jumped
through the window because it was open a bit, and grabbed the
phone and called 911. There was a really nice guy who told me
what to do and stuff, and then the ambulance came and took her
and me away.
It sounds like you were very calm about it, and thats
good, Jesse said. We might have a doctor in the
making, here.
I want to be a cop, Kevin said firmly.
They have to be calm as well, Jesse said. Were
Mellies parents not at home? Or your parents?
My mom and dad are at work, and I dont know about
Mellies dad. He should have been home, but he wasnt
back even when the ambulance came.
Mellies mother?
She is divorced from Mr Cole and lives in Australia, I
think.
Okay, Kevin. You know what? I think you may have saved
Mellies life today, so you can be very proud of yourself
for that. Well call your parents now and see if they can
pick you up, okay?
Sure, Kevin said. Jesse escorted him over to a
reception desk, where he left him to be picked up by his parents.
Jesse walked into the Doctors Lounge where he grabbed a cup of
coffee and the phone before he looked in on Mellie. He dialled
the familier number of his friend lieutenant Steve Sloan of the
LAPD.
Hey, Steve, Jesse said.
Hi Jess, Steve replied. You calling about that
girl who got electrocuted?
Yeah, Jesse said. What did the police report
say?
According to the guy on that investigation, the girl had
spilt juice on her hands. She turned on the TV, which had faulty
wiring, and she got a shock.
That fits in with the kid who found her, Jesse said.
Hes a wannabe cop, he added, chuckling.
Have you got a name for the girl? Steve asked.
Melinda Cole.
Thanks, Jesse. If there is anything else I want to know
Youll ask me later, Jesse finished for
him.
You got it, Steve laughed as he put down the phone.
Jesse then finished the last of his coffee and headed along to
the room where Melinda was resting after her treatment.
He opened the door and saw that both her hands and arms were
bandaged. She was awake.
Hi, Jesse said, glancing at her chart.
Hi, Im Mellie, the girl whispered in a hoarse
voice.
No amnesia, thought Jesse. Okay Mellie, you seem to be
doing fine now. Is there anything you want?
My daddy, Mellie said bluntly.
Do you know where he was when you were at home? Jesse
asked.
He went to get some groceries and said I could watch TV
whilst he was gone. He was only meant to be gone a few minutes.
By this point Mellie was close to crying.
Hey, dont cry, Jesse said, wiping her eyes for
her. Do you know your phone number?
No, the girl admitted.
Well, the paramedics know where you live, so Ill go
and find them, and then Ill go and find your dad, okay?
Thank you, Mellie said, sniffing once.
Jesse left the room, and saw Amanda walking down the hall towards
him. Hey, Amanda, Jesse called to her. Are you
busy?
What do you want, Jesse?
Well, I have an errand to do, and I was just wondering, if
you werent too busy with dead people and everything
Whats your point? Amanda asked, obviously
having had a long day.
Could you watch this six-year old girl in that room for
half an hour?
Sure, Amanda said, giving him a big smile. Whats
her name?
Melinda Cole, but Mellie to you and me.
Okay, see you later! Amanda knocked quietly on the
door, and walked in when she heard the little girls voice.
Hi, Mellie, Amanda greeted. Im Amanda,
and Im going to be sitting in with you for a few minutes.
Amanda was happy to see the little girl smile through her
injuries.
My daddy is coming soon, Mellie said in a spirited
voice.
I know, Amanda replied. My friend Dr Travis is
going to get him. That is very special treatment for a special
little girl.
Mellie smiled, and settled down to sleep whilst Amanda sat by her
and read through her notes. A few minutes later, Amanda jumped
when she heard a scream close to her.
Mellie? Amanda asked, putting her notes down. She
looked beside her and saw that Mellie seemed to be having a
nightmare.
Mellie, Amanda soothed, Mellie, its okay,
Im here. Dont worry, its okay.
Mellie woke up with tears streaming down her face. I had a
nightmare, she shrieked.
I know, but youve woken up now, Amanda calmed
her. Can you tell me what the nightmare was about?
Someone killed my daddy, Mellie whispered. Amanda
looked at her and gave her a big hug.
Meanwhile, Jesse shoved his doctors jacket in his locker and
found one of the paramedics who brought Mellie in. He got Mellies
address, and set off in his car to the destination.
He parked outside the house, and started walking down the front
path. Suddenly, he heard a yell and a crash from inside. He
looked in the living room window, and saw a dark figure. Before
he could get to them, they had run out of the back door and was
nowhere to be seen.
Jesse knelt down by the body of the man. He had been hit over the
head with something, probably the broken vase on the floor. Jesse
dialled 911 as fast as he could, and then started CPR, but to no
avail.
The ambulance drew up outside, and the same team of paramedics
who brought Mellie in jumped out of vehicle.
Weve been here before, one of them said,
leading the body away.
De-ja vu, another said.
Hey, Jesse, Steve called. Since it was definitely a
murder, Steve had been put on the case. Guess what? You are
the prime witness.
Hi Steve, Jesse said, looking sullen.
Whats wrong? Steve asked.
If I had have been there just a moment earlier, he might
still be alive, Jesse replied, gesturing to the lumpy
object in the black body bag.
Hey, dont be so hard on yourself, Steve assured
him. At least you got here fast enough to get a little look
of who the person was.
Not really, Jesse said.
Well, can you tell us anything? Steve asked, his
hopes of an easy investigation gone.
The person was wearing all black. They were slim, and about
my height.
Probably looking for a woman, Steve called to the
other officers.
I didnt see anymore, they ran too fast.
No problem, Jesse, Steve said.
Jesse got back to the hospital, and then realised that news that
he had to tell Mellie. He saw Amanda walking down the hall.
Dont disturb Mellie now, Amanda said. Its
taken her ages to get to sleep.
Okay, Jesse said, looking slightly relieved.
She had a nightmare, Amanda continued. Did you
find her father? Where is he?
We found him all right, Jesse muttered. Hes
heading down to the pathology lab as we speak.
What? Hes dead?
More than that, Jesse told her. Murdered.
Murdered? Amanda asked in disbelief. How could that
little girl have dreamt of the murder before it happened?
Hey, whats the matter? Jesse asked. You
look like youve seen a ghost or something.
When you were gone, Amanda explained, getting
straight to the point, Mellie had a dream about the murder
of her father. She woke up screaming and it took her a long time
for her to calm down.
She dreamt it? Jesse asked.
She said that he was hit over the head with something and
then the person ran away.
Thats what happened, Jesse told her. He paused.
You dont think that being electrocuted had anything
to do with this, do you?
Its possible, Amanda replied.
Well, there is a body in your lab waiting for you,
Jesse said.
And there is a little girl who needs some support waiting
for you, Amanda replied, giving Jesse a hopeful smile.
Jesse smiled back, but inside he didnt feel at all like
smiling. He was about to do something really tough, and he wasnt
about to like it.
He knocked on Mellies door. After a moment, he peered into
the room, and saw Mellie smile as he walked in.
Jesse sat down next to Mellies bed. He looked into her pale
blue eyes and grimaced at what he had to say.
Mellie, he began, there is something important
that I have to say. This is going to hurt for a while, but you
have to know. Your dream came true.
The little girls eyes grew wide. Daddy?
I am really sorry, but its true.
He died?
Im sorry, Jesse said. No one deserves
what has happened to you. Jesse gave Mellie a hug. Can
I get you anything?
No thank you, Mellie said, wiping a tear from her
face. Jesse shut the door behind him and wished that it could
have been so different. He walked to Amandas lab with a
heavy heart.
When he got there, he saw that Mark and Steve had joined them,
and Amanda was going through the cause of death with them.
Daniel Cole died from one blow to the back of the head,
with a blunt and heavy object, Amanda described to them.
The object was rounded, so my first guess would be
something like a baseball bat. I think that, judging from the
angle and the strength used to cause a blow like this, we are
looking at woman.
Or a short man? Steve asked.
Its possible, but I doubt it in this instant.
Jesse, Mark said, taking him aside from the other
two. Amanda told me about Mellies dream. How did she
take it?
I dont think she really understands right now,
Jesse said. All she really knows is her father isnt
coming back.
How are you holding up?
Been better, Jesse admitted. Im hacked
off that I didnt get there just a few seconds earlier. I
could have stopped all this.
Dont be so hard on yourself, Mark told him.
What do you think made her dream that? Jesse asked,
changing the subject.
It could be her accident, Mark said. The shock
of it, probably.
Which shock? Jesse asked. The one from the TV
or the one from the accident itself?
Both, I should think, Mark laughed. Keep an eye
on her for any more dreams. They could be important.
Jesse kept checking in on Mellie throughout the day to make sure
she was all right and responding well to treatment. The next day,
Mellie had another dream.
Hi Mellie, Jesse said, looking in on Mellie for the
third time that morning. How are you feeling?
I had another dream, Mellie said, looking scared.
Jesse was at her side in an instant. What happened?
It was about my granny, Mellie said. She fell
down the stairs. Then it all went dark.
Where does your granny live? Jesse asked her.
Mellie told him the address. I will be back in a couple of
minutes, Jesse promised.
Jesse ran to the nearest phone and dialled Steves number.
Steve, are you busy? Jesse asked him.
Not really, why? Steve asked.
Jesse explained about Mellie and her second dream, and told her
the address of the old woman.
Ill get right on it, Steve said.
Jesse put the phone down and went to tell Mark about the second
dream.
If this is right, Mark said, we are going to
run some tests on her to see what is happening.
If not, then well put it down to stress, Jesse
said.
Right, Mark agreed.
Twenty minutes later, Steve phoned back.
We went to the address, and found Mellies grandmother
at the bottom of the stairs. Shes unconscious but there is
no major damage. Broken hip, probably. Shell be arriving at
the hospital pretty soon.
Okay Steve, Mark replied. He put the phone down and
turned to Jesse. Mellie was right, but her grandmother is
still alive. We are going to have to treat this as serious.
Shall I tell her?
No, youve had enough grief for now. Ill talk to
her.
Okay. Thanks, Mark.
Anytime, Mark smiled.
Mark took his break and saw to Mellies grandmother before
going to see Mellie.
Hi, Mellie, Mark said on entering her room. Mellie
looked up and seemed to sigh with relief when she saw Mark.
Hi, Dr Sloan. How is my granny?
She is okay apart from a broken hip. That will get better,
though.
Goody.
Have you had anymore dreams? Mark asked, almost
fearing the answer.
Mellie looked away.
Mellie? Mark asked.
I had one other dream. It wasnt very good.
Can you tell me what it was about?
It was about Dr Travis.
What happened in it?
It was warning me.
What did it warn you?
He might get hurt.
Mark sat and thought about this for a while. What did it
show you in the dream?
I just saw him, he was hurt and he looked hurt,
Mellie told him.
Okay, Mark said. Mellie, if you have anymore
dreams, I want you to promise me that you will push this button
here. Mark showed her a pad with a button on it. Then,
you can tell me all about your dream, okay?
I promise, Mellie said. Mark left her to sleep.
Outside, the wise doctor wondered what to do about the problem.
He should go to Jesse first, and tell him that he may be in
danger. He ought to get Steve to put some police protection on
him, but Mark did not think that Jesse would appreciate it.
Whats up, Mark? Amanda asking, seeing him in
the hallway.
We have a problem, Mark said.
What do you mean, Im next? Jesse exclaimed.
Mellie had another dream, Mark explained for the
second time. This one had you in it.
And you need police protection, Steve added.
I do not, Jesse protested. So far, the two
people hurt have been Mr Cole and his mother. Family links them.
What links me into it?
The fact that you got into Mellies dream links you,
Amanda told him.
Its not going to be proper police protection,
Steve said. You just get me hanging around, unless I get
called elsewhere.
Well, Jesse said, thinking it over, thats
not that bad, I suppose.
Good, Mark said, glad that they finally came to a
compromise.
Police protection starts tomorrow, Steve said. We
order a pizza and watch the game.
Sounds good to me! Jesse said, beginning to see
positive sides of a police guard, especially when this particular
police guard was paying for lunch.
So the next day, Jesse and Steve were sitting at the dinner
table, waiting for their pizza. They were a bit unhappy that the
game was cancelled, but they had something to do, in the form of
looking through documents about the Cole murder case.
We dont really have a lot to go on, Steve said,
looking over the papers in the file.
Suspects? Jesse asked.
The people in his Will, which are Mellie, his sisters
family and a charity somewhere, Steve said. Obviously,
we rule out Mellie, and weve tried to locate his sister and
family, but they are in Europe aparantly, and have been for the
past week.
The charity? Jesse questioned.
Long shot, Steve replied.
Kevin mentioned that Cole was divorced, and his ex wife
lives in Australia. Could that be helpful?
It would have been more helpful if youd have told me
earlier, Steve sighed with exasperation. And who is
Kevin?
He brought Mellie in, Jesse explained. He lives
next door, and he is twelve years old or something like that.
How did you get that bit of information out of him?
Steve asked, working the fax machine for an identity on Ms Cole.
Candy bar, Jesse chuckled.
Steve waited for a fax from the LAPD. When he got it, he dialled
a number, which he hoped would lead to Ms Cole. She works
in pharmaceuticals, Steve said, skimming over the piece of
paper.
So if she murdered Mellies father, why hit him over
the head and not poison him?
After a short conversation, Steve put the phone down. That
was her fiancé, Steve said. It seems that shes
gone overseas to America, for a surprise visit to her daughter.
When did she leave? Jesse asked.
Four days ago, Steve said.
So why hasnt she seen her daughter yet? Jesse
asked.
Good question.
At that moment, the doorbell rang and the pizza had arrived.
Finally, Jesse said. I thought that pizza would
never arrive.
Steve went to get the pizza. She was cute, he said,
putting the pizza down on the table.
Who? Jesse asked, lifting the lid of the box.
The delivery girl.
He was about to take a bite out of one of the slices, but he
heard the phone ring.
Hi Steve, Mark said when Steve answered the phone.
Hi Dad, whats up? Steve asked, grinning as out
of the corner of his eye he saw Jesse wolf down his second slice
of pizza.
Two things. For one, we did some checking up on Coles
ex wife, he said.
Us too. Shes out of the country, and her future
husband says that she went to America to visit Mellie.
We are a step ahead of you, Mark said. We have
a picture of her, and she has been spotted here in LA. Ill
fax you the picture.
What is the second thing? Steve asked.
Mellie had another dream about Jesse, Mark said.
Lets have the details, Steve sighed.
She said that Jesse was tied up in a dark place, and that
there was a crash and darkness.
That doesnt sound good, Steve replied. He
picked the paper up that had just rolled out of the fax machine.
Hmm, Maria Cole. She looks familiar.
Steve, I gotta go. If you here anything else, phone me.
Okay, see you, Dad. Steve put the phone down and took
the picture of Maria Cole into the dining room.
You ate all that pizza? Steve asked in disbelief,
staring at a third of the pizza gone.
I was hungry, Jesse said.
Jesse, Steve began, picking up a slice of pizza,
Mellie had another dream about you.
What happened? Jesse asked.
Seems that you were tied up somewhere, in the dark, and
there was a crash and nothing more. Steve took a big bite
out of the second slice of pizza.
That doesnt sound good, Jesse said. Did
she see who it was?
I dont think so, Steve said.
I think that the two cases, Mr Coles death and Mellies
grandmother falling down the stairs, are connected, and I think
that Maria Cole is prime suspect. Think about it. Mellies
grandmother fell down the stairs. If she were pushed, she would
have been pushed from behind, meaning that she probably let
someone in the house and went upstairs with them. Well be
able to find that out when she, when she wakes up
Hey, Jess, are you okay? Steve asked, getting up from
his seat.
Feel a bit dizzy, Jesse said, his speech a low
whisper now.
Probably ate your food too fast, Steve said, grinning
slightly. Come on, well sit you on the couch.
Jesse stood up, and then his knees buckled under him. Steve just
caught him, and he carried him and laid him on the nearest couch.
Muttering curse words, he grabbed the phone from the kitchen.
Dad, Steve almost yelled down the receiver. Jesse
has blacked out. And I remember where I saw Maria Cole from. She
delivered our pizza.
She must have drugged it, Mark said. How much
pizza did you have?
Almost three pieces, Steve admitted.
Keep awake for as long as you can, Mark said. Well
follow an ambulance over where you are.
Steve walked back into the room with Jesse. He hoped that because
he did not have as much pizza as Jesse, he would not pass out. He
looked at the figure on the couch, whos breathing was
shallow now. Why Jesse? Then he realised. Jesse had seen the
murder of Daniel Cole. He had seen the murderer commit the crime,
and the murderer wanted to make sure that Jesse did not live to
remember anything of it.
Those were Steves last thoughts before the drug kicked in
and he was out cold on the floor.
When Steve woke up again, he found himself on the couch with Mark
at his side.
Son, are you all right? Mark asked.
Fine, Steve said, getting up. He suddenly realised,
wheres Jesse?
We dont know, Amanda admitted, joining the
conversation.
You dont know? Steve asked. How could
that be? He was right here where I am now. On the couch!
When we got here, all we found was you laying on the floor.
There was no sign of Jesse at all.
We think that whoever drugged you and Jesse must have taken
Jesse. We think that person is the murderer.
And I think that person is Maria Cole. You see, Steve
explained, I recognised that the delivery girl was Maria
Cole. She probably followed Jesse here, and knew that we were
going to have pizza. So, she intercepted the pizza and drugged
it. She waited long enough for us to pass out, and then she
dragged Jesses body away.
And what happens now? Amanda asked.
I think I know, Mark said. Maria Cole must have
been so annoyed that she lost out to Daniel in the divorce, and
he got Mellie and not her. She thought about the two people that
would have access to Mellie the most, that being Daniel and his
mother. So, get rid of them, and she gets Mellie.
Only she didnt do the job properly when it came to
Mellies grandmother, Amanda added.
And Maria never planned on having a spectator when she
killed Daniel.
That was Jesse, Amanda said.
So, Mark continued. Maria kidnaps Jesse. I
think that she will use him to get Mellie out of the hospital,
and then dispose of him.
So what are we waiting for? Steve urged. We
have to get to the hospital, fast!
Theres an ambulance outside, Mark said. We
can get there in double time if we use that.
Jesse woke up and saw that they were moving fast. He looked to
see who was driving the car. It was Maria Cole.
Glad you woke up, she said. We are almost
there.
Almost where? What are you going to do with me? Jesse
asked.
I have a plan, see, and you are going to follow it just as
I say.
Whats the plan?
You are going to go into the hospital as a doctor. You are
going to check Mellie out and take her to me in this car.
What if I dont? Jesse asked.
Your life will be over.
What happens when I get back here?
Ill cross that bridge when I get to it.
Maria parked the car. I want you back in 15 minutes.
Jesse hurried into the hospital, and found Mellies room.
Hi Mellie, Jesse said. You get to go home now.
Who with? she asked as Jesse got her into her
clothes.
Its a surprise, Jesse explained. He finalised
the documents on her chart saying that she was well enough to go
home.
Ill take you to this surprise person, Jesse
said.
No one thought it was suspicious for the doctor to be walking out
of the hospital with Mellie. They just assumed something like he
was taking her for a walk. He got her in the car.
Mommy! Mellie squealed with delight.
Hi, Mellie! Maria greeted her with a hug. Hows
mommys precious little girl?
I hurt my hands, Mellie said.
I know, I heard about that, Maria told her.
Jesse then realised that Maria had set the whole thing up so that
she would have time to work her plan whilst Mellie was in
hospital. She was rewired the TV so that Mellie spent enough to
time in hospital for her to eliminate Daniel and his mother.
By the way, Dr Travis, I have decided what happens now.
She pulled a gun out of her bag. Do exactly what I say.
Maria instructed Jesse to lay down on the back seats of the car.
She tied him up and dragged him to the trunk. There, she put him
in and slammed the trunk shut.
Mommy, what are you going to do with Dr Travis?
Mellie asked. Dont hurt him.
I wont, Maria said. Now, we are going for
a short drive to the airport.
Maria started the car, and sped off out of the parking lot. Steve
was waiting for her. He took the siren out and put it on the roof
of his car, and proceeded to follow Maria. She saw the police
following her, and after checking that Mellie had a seatbelt on,
put her foot down hard.
She turned into a busy road with traffic lights in it. She tried
to dodge the cars, but lost control of her vehicle and careered
into an empty bus shelter. The car wheezed as Steve pulled up
beside it.
He saw that Maria was unconscious, and Mellie appeared to be in a
state of shock. He looked in the back but saw no Jesse.
Mellie, do you know where Jesse is? Steve asked the
terrified girl.
The trunk, Mellie stammered.
Steve popped the trunk open and sure enough, found Jesse. Better
yet, he found Jesse conscious. He untied him and Jesse stepped
out of the trunk.
Are you okay? Steve asked him.
Bruised and shaken, Jesse said. What about
Mellie?
The same, I think. Maria came out of it worst.
Jesse drove Mellie to the hospital, as Maria rode in the
ambulance.
Jesse, Mellie said. Thank you.
For what? Jesse asked. He noted that that was the
first time that Mellie had called him by his first name.
You are a really good friend, Mellie said.
Jesse thought that Mellie sounded very grown up at that moment,
for a six-year-old. Just as long as you didnt have
anymore dreams, then everything is fine.
I did dream something more, Mellie said.
Jesse gulped. What did you dream?
I dreamt you bought me ice-cream, Mellie said with a
grin.
Jesse sighed with relief, and carried Mellie into the hospital,
glad to see that at least her sense of humour was still there.
The End