Synopsis of Scooter

When the warden declares psychiatry bunk, the new prison psychiatrist, Dr. William Melon, decides to prove him wrong by taking on a hopeless case, the psychotic and homicidal Eddie Dooley. Eddie is dying of cancer and eligible for compassionate parole But only if he can be made safe! After many sessions, Dr. Melon thinks he’s pulled it off. Then, after the paperwork is in, he discovers Eddie really is a monster. Should he admit to the warden he’s failed, or murder Eddie before he is released? Eddie has his own plans—to teach the psychiatrist the true meaning of evil.

A top research psychiatrist, Melon has accepted the job at the prison just to spite his ex-wife. His cut in pay will reduce his alimony and leave her bankrupt. Eddie is his star patient. He’s a murderer but also a highly decorated Vietnam Veteran. Brutalized at home and at his parish school, then tossed from one reform school to another, it was all downhill until Eddie turned fourteen and linked up with Oscar Schlosser, a master safecracker who breaks into safes using math. It turns out Eddie is a math genius and soon excels his teacher. Schlosser is the first person to ever love Eddie. The second is Milton Rothstein, the warden at Riker’s Island. Rothstein shares his library with Eddie and teaches him some things can never be set right. While at Riker’s, Eddie is paroled into the military. After Vietnam he does a tour in Augsburg, Germany, where he steals tanks from the base and marries a local, Marta, who dies in a ghastly auto crash.

One thing we do not learn about Eddie is his time in Nam. He won’t talk about it. Even so, Melon decides Eddie’s violent side must be the result of his army training, not part of his nature. He also discounts Eddie’s fascination with evil, a topic Eddie brings up often. Melon won’t talk about the issue with the excuse he is not a priest. After the paperwork is in for his parole, Eddie forces Melon to confront evil by finally talking about Nam. What Melon learns horrifies him. He will be letting loose a monster. Eddie also tells Melon his future plans. Once set free, he will kill the people he believes are responsible for his wife’s death. What Melon does not know is that Eddie needs the psychiatrist to kill him, for he wants to be stopped. Eddie also intends to teach the psychiatrist that evil is real and infects us all—even Melon.