After lunch, Judge Metcalf reviewed the recommendations of the psychiatrists and committed Milligan to the Athens Mental Health Center in custody of Dr. David Caul.

Billy was taken down to the conference room again, where Jan Ryan of Channel 6, who had been working on a documentary about Billy’s life for the Child Abuse Foundation, asked him a few questions and shot some more footage for the TV special. Judy and Gary were called away, and before they got back, the officer knocked and said that Billy had to leave for Athens.

He felt bad, leaving without being able to say good-by to Judy and Gary, but the officer slapped the handcuffs on him, needlessly tight, and hustled him downstairs into the police van. A second officer shoved a container of hot coffee into his hand and slammed the door.

As the van turned the comer, some of the hot coffee spilled onto his new suit, and he threw the cup down behind the seat. He felt lousy, and the feeling was getting worse and worse.

He had no idea what the Athens Mental Health Center would be like. It might be a prison for all he knew. He had to remember that the torment was far from over, that a lot of people still wanted to put him behind bars. He knew the Adult Parole Authority had notified Gary that because of the guns, he was in violation of his parole and probation, and as soon as he was cured they would send him back to prison. Not Lebanon, he imagined. Because of his violent behavior, probably a hell called Lucasville. Where was Arthur? And Ragen? Would they ever join the fusion?

They drove along snow-covered Route 33, passing through Lancaster, where he’s been raised, gone to school and tried to kill himself. It was too much to bear. He was very tired and he had to let go. He closed his eyes and let it all slip away . . .

Seconds later, Danny looked around and wondered where he was being taken. He was cold and lonely, and afraid.

Chapter Five

(1)

It was nearly dark when they reached Athens and turned off the highway. The mental hospital was a complex of Victorian buildings on a snowy hill overlooking the campus of Ohio University. When they crossed the wide avenue and turned up the narrow, curving road, Danny began to tremble. The two officers led him out of the van and up the steps to the ancient red brick building with its thin white pillars.

They ushered him directly through the old entrance corridor into the elevator and up to the third floor. As the elevator door opened, the policeman said, “You got pretty damned lucky, mister.”

Danny started to hang back, but the officer pushed him through a heavy metal door marked admissions and intensive TREATMENT.

Instead of a prison or hospital, the ward resembled a long lobby of a small residential hotel, with carpeting, chandeliers, drapes and leather chairs. Both walls were lined with doors. The nurses’ station looked like a reception desk.