Commissioner Jones had set aside some time the next morning to meet with Herb for an update. The pervious night’s storms had rocked the weary detective into the best sleep he’d had in months. After that session, he needed it.

The warden had decided to join them this time. “I meant to be here for the last one,” Lipscomb said, “but I had to handle a situation.”

Herb couldn’t read the big guy’s body language, but a situation in a prison in his mind equated to either a riot or a jailbreak.

Judy handed him a copy of a request for psychiatric evaluation on Dorothy Gale. Halbert thanked her, and took up the empty chair next to Lipscomb.

Judy opened a drawer and produced an ivory cigarette holder. She inserted a Lucky Strike. “We’re planning on getting a professional evaluation of Gale’s mental state.”

Herb drew a Chesterfield and lit both smokes. “Should be a pretty open and shut affair.”

Judy inhaled a thin drag. “Maybe.” She turned her head and released the plume. “Maybe not. Their tests are designed to sniff out charlatans.”

Lipscomb sniffed and wiped his bulbous nose. “We’ll figure out if she’s the real deal or not. Don’t you worry.”

Halbert choked on his drag. “She melted the face off another patient and tried to eat her. Are you kidding me?”

“People can surprise ya.” Lipscomb plucked a toothpick from an empty snuff tin in his hip pocket.

Herb gave him a stern look. “Ya don’t say.”

Judy dropped into her high-backed chair. “What have you uncovered in your examination, Detective Halbert.”

“In her words,” he set his hat on a knee, “a dream within a dream.”

The warden and commish exchanged a concerned look.

Herb leaned into the conversation. “She’s convinced that her trip to this magical land happened, and that it was somehow part of an elaborate layered dream.”

Judy propped her arms on her desk and laced her slender digits. “Have you been able to discern whether or not she’s pretending?”

Halbert rubbed his forehead. “There are times when she makes reference to people that other accounts have placed on scene. This Wizard, for instance.” His gaze bounced between them. “Then, there are other times when Dorothy is so far gone in her daydreams that I’m not certain she’s still with me.”

Lipscomb twisted on his side. “I’ve seen these types before, Mr. Halbert. They like to think that they’re playin’ some kind of elaborate hoax on everyone, but the fact is, they’re just runnin’ scared.”

Herb’s head wagged. “In her case, I dunno, John. She showed some signs of remorse when I reviewed the pictures of Mr. Huck with her. In my opinion, Gale still has some mental connection to our reality, but it’s hangin’ by a June bug’s noose.”

That got a hearty chuckle from his audience.

Lipscomb’s beady eyes searched Halbert’s intent. “She hasn’t gotten to ya, has she?”

“No.” Herb scooted to the edge of his chair. “My wife, Lorraine, and I have two of our own. Rick and Claire.” He met the warden’s stare. “It’s still hard for me to imagine one of them getting put in that chair at the end of the day.”

Jones rocked backward. “I understand your concerns, detective, but again, our teen in question has committed several brutal acts of violence.”

Herb massaged his eye sockets. Another migraine crept in behind them. “So, you’re willing to execute a kid based on a few shreds of evidence that she might have been sane enough?”

Lipscomb’s thick head bobbed. “If the circumstances call for it, yes.”

“What about this other person that was alleged to be on the scene with her?” Halbert emphasized his point. “An adult, folks.”

Judy crossed her arms over her ivory blouse. “We’ve only heard rumors of this other man, Mr. Halbert. Police have tried to locate anyone else associated with these egregious crimes, but have had no luck.”

Lipscomb grumbled and turned back over in his squeaky cushion. “Yup. If you say she’s got some sanity in her, and she’s the one left holdin’ the gun,” his husky shoulders elevated, “we gotta take her to trial.”

“Hold on.” Herb stood up. A wave of authoritative adrenaline surged. “Before you two get too far into that mess, let me finish the job that you hired me to do.”

The warden chortled. “Well, what’s left?”

Halbert set his hat on his head. “I’ve still got a few leads I wanna track down. Get the full story before I can make my recommendation to you on Ms. Gale.”