Warning This Section Does Contain Spoilers

Found Letter

Dr. Samuel J. Hawkins

Vice President

Chief of Staff

27 September 1967

Dr. Hawkins:

I have never written to you before under such circumstances, and the weight in my heart hopes that I never will again. I am sure that you have heard the rumors of what has happened in my ward today. I dread to say that the rumors are indeed true. A murder has occurred. While it pains me to write you about this, I will attempt an approach that is objective and analytical, as befits men in our situations.

A patient, a beautiful young woman named Lilian, was found dead in the janitor's closet early this morning. The horror I faced when I verified her identity was overwhelming as I admit I had grown fond of the patient over the course of her stay here. She often put the other patients at ease and entertained the staff with amusing anecdotes and jokes. She was something of a tragic figure in this hospital, full of life yet suffered from anterograde amnesia. The loss of such a bright star is altogether a most unfortunate event.

The man we believe responsible for the murder is another patient, one Lloyd McGowan. He has previously been deemed a danger to himself and others. His violent outbursts seem completely random and follow no discernible pattern. Though he was placed in quarantine at the far end of the East Ancillary Hallway, it was discovered that his door had been unlocked. The closet where Lilian was found is very near to McGowan's new room.

It appears that McGowan was able to break free of his quarantine, find his poor victim, murder her, and hide her body in the closet. We are still waiting for the autopsy report, but it appears he may have raped his victim as well.

I understand the initial urge to all the authorities, host a police investigation, and have this criminal lose of himself what he has taken from this world. But I would caution against this, and I ask that you hear me out before making any rash decisions.

If word got out about this incident, there is no doubt in my mind we would go out of business. There is no other way about it. It is very unlikely that any of us would be allowed to continue to practice medicine in even an advisory capacity.

The victim's family has long ago forgotten her, or moved on without her. There are no records of any visits from them in the past five years. Who are we to open old wounds, to guilt a family whose only crime was that they simply could not understand nor handle our poor patient? If word gets out about her death, they will not only find guilt in their actions. They will likely pursue a lawsuit, again to put us out of business and put us in the poor house, or even jail. I say let sleeping dogs lie, there. The family will continue on, and Lilian will remain forgotten.

To keep things quiet, I suggest we pretend like the whole thing never happened. I will not be so dramatic as to destroy her records, but I will remove our file on Lilian and place it in my personal care.

This is a tragic day for all of us. I know it perhaps more than anyone here. But we must continue on. the work we do is too good to fail amid disgrace and controversy. Please take your time, but I do hope you respond favorably to my suggestions. In the meanwhile, I am

Sincerely Yours,

Dr. William Richter