Page 96 of Alpha Ruined
Bree swallows and fidgets with her pencil. “How do you mean?”
He clears his throat. “This is all speculation, Miss Hanson. I could be completely wrong. He could have killed her, and I would look insanely foolish for having hope in such a tragic situation.” He shakes his head and peers at a notebook on his desk, sighing. “He’s a murderer. I try not to judge my patients, but even I know how ridiculous it sounds to think that a man like Erik deserves some type of happiness after everything he’s done.”
Bree swallows, doing her best not to think of Cole. “Do you think Ellie is with him willingly?” she asks, dreading his answer.
The doctor blinks and drums his fingers on his desk. “I think if she didn’t want to be there, Erik wouldn’t force her to stay with him,” he says slowly.
“Even after everything he’s done? There are some rumors that he wrecked her car,” she adds. “And that he was tracking her from inside the prison with a stolen phone and encrypted software.”
He makes a face. “I’ve seen people fall in love under stranger circumstances,” he mutters.
She blinks as her heart beats rapidly in her chest.
“Sorry…you think they’re inlove?”
The doctor shrugs. “Off the record?” he asks timidly. “May I be candid for a moment?”
She nods eagerly. “Yes, of course.”
“I think Erik cares for her deeply. I can’t speak for him,but when Ellie was working with him, it was the closest I’ve seen to him be happy during his stay at the facility. And when I read Ellie’s reports…I could tell that she saw more in him than just his past actions. I know I can’t speak for her, either…but I can tell there was a connection there. He was a different man when she was there. There was a softness to him that I’d never seen before. Again, this is all conjecture. But…I like to think that they’re somewhere together, happy.”
She’s shocked. “You don’t want to see him back in prison?”
He gives her a gentle smile. “The right answer is I do, so that’s what I’ll tell you.”
“That’s very generous of you, Doctor Porter.”
“I’m getting old, Miss Hanson, and I’ve seen a lot of things in my career. I either turn into a bitter old man about it, or I try to believe that most people have some inkling of good in them.”
“And that includes Erik Hart?”
He nods. “I’m not excusing murder, of course, but from what I know, Erik’s story is more complicated than just a few unprovoked deaths. I won’t elaborate, but I’ve learned people’s lives are nuanced.”
For a frightening moment, she has the urge to ask Doctor Porter for advice about Cole.
He’s a psychologist; he would probably have insight about what she should do.
The logical thing is to run from Green Woods screaming, get a new phone, and tell the police about him.
“If you could speak to Ellie, what would you tell her?” Bree blurts. “I mean, if she’s with him now, what would you say?”
The doctor tilts his head curiously. “I would tell her as long as she’s happy and safe to not overthink it,” he says slowly, his eyes narrowing. “Are you alright, Miss Hanson?”
She realizes her hand is shaking. “Of course. You just have such a different insight than I was expecting.”
Cole was under her bed. He stole her panties. He hacked her phone.
There’s no happiness to be had with Cole, only destruction and chaos.
“People connect in all different ways,” he continues. “And some relationships are different than others. I would tell Ellie that I don’t judge her for being with Erik, and it doesn’t stop me from thinking she’s a wonderful person.”
He says it pointedly, and she bites her lips and scribbles nonsense into her notebook.
“Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Of course,” she nods, and gives him a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “I have a few more questions though, if you don’t mind.”
“Ask away, Miss Hanson.”