He hadn't wasted a moment on debate, had never tried to change my opinion.
Choosing, instead, to shape the conversation.
Even the choice of meeting place had been calculated. The dining room he closed and now treated as his personal galley. Getting refreshments for himself, but not me.
Brandishing a ring of keys to let me know he could open any door in the hospital. Bragging about it, but letting me know he had too much integrity to grab office space.
Bringing my presumed hostility toward the despoiler of the Psychiatry department out in the open, then trying to neutralize me by appending a bribe just subtle enough to be taken as casual conversation: Hopefully, one dey we'll be able to establish a good, solid department.
Bring in some top people.. Would you ever consider returning?
When I'd demurred, he'd backed off immediately. Empathized with my good sense, then used it to support his point of view.
If he'd been a hog farmer, he'd have found a way to use the squeal.
So I had to believe that though ours had been a chance encounter, if we hadn't bumped into each other soon, he would have arranged a meeting.
I was too small a fry for him to care what I thought about him.
Except as it related to Cassie and Chip and Cindy.
Wanting to know what I'd learned about his family.
Meaning there was probably something to hide and he didn know if I'd discovered it.
I thought of Cindy's worry: Ieople must think I'm crazy.
Was there a breakdown in her past?
The entire family fearful of a psychological probe?
If so, what better place to avoid scrutiny than a hospital without a Psychiatry department?
Another reason not to transfer Cassie.
Then Stephanie had gone and ruined things by bringing in a free-lance.
I remembered Plumb's surprise when she told him what I was.
Now his boss had checked me out personally.
Shaping, molding. Painting a rosy picture of Chip and Cindy.
Mostly Chip-I realized he'd spent very little time on Cindy.
Paternal pride? Or directing me away from his daughter-in-law because the less said about her the better?
I stopped for a red light at Sunset and La Brea.
My hands were tight on the steering wheel. I'd cruised a couple of miles without knowing it.
When I got home I was in a bad mood and thankful that Robin wasn't there to share it.
The operator at my service said, 'Nothing, Dr. Delaware. Isn't that nice?'
'You bet.' We told each other to have a nice day.
Unable to get Ashmore and Dawn Herbert out of my head, I drove over to the university, hooking into the campus at the north end and continuing southward until I came to the Medical Center.
