“I’m liking this Ted more and more,” Sally said.
“Don’t tell the shrink that. They’ll commit you. How are you?”
“Tired and a bit scared. They have me set up with a Dr. Myer.”
“You’re going to love her. Lazar told me he’s been trying to get into her group therapy sessions, but she told him he’d have to grow breasts first. Where are you now?”
“In room ten. It has heated floors and a view of a lake.”
“That’s Big Bear Lake. I live northwest of where you are. You may be able to see a hillside with big pines on it.”
Sally walked to the window. “I can see them.”
“I live two hundred yards from those very trees. Tell Carl, if he wants to spend the night at my house or the Martins’ guestroom, to give me a call.”
“I will. Cid, thank you for taking care of me.”
“It was a pleasure.”
“Please take care of yourself.”
“I promise.”
There was a knocking on the door.
“Someone’s here. I’ll call you later.”
“Bye, Sally, I love you.”
“I love you too,” Sally was surprised to hear herself say. “Bye.”
The door opened, and a short stout woman in a tweed pantsuit walked in. “Sally Wright?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’m Dr. Myer. Don’t let the dumpy pantsuit fool you, I can dance a mean rumba.”
Sally smiled shyly.
“Walk with me. I’ll show you how to get to my office.”
Sally followed her out into the hall.
“I hear you’re a friend of Mr. Garrett.”
“Yes. A new friend. My foster brother Carl has been working with Cid for a few years.”
“He reads a lot of psychology books. I keep trying to tell him that you can’t learn everything from books.”
“He learned how to tango from a book. I’d be surprised if he’s not working on the rumba.”
Dr. Myer laughed. “The day Cid asks me to rumba will be the day I retire. Are stairs a problem?”
“No.”
“Good, my Fitbit has been begging me to do a few flights of stairs.”
Sally followed Dr. Myer up the stairs, down the hall and into a large airy office.
“I think this used to be where ladies did their needlework. The light is excellent even on a dreary winter day. Please sit and get comfortable. We’ll talk first, and then I’ll take you to get your vitals recorded.”
Sally sat down on the couch. Instead of sitting behind her desk, Dr. Myer sat in a swivel rocking chair.
“I don’t have my records with me. I didn’t…”
Dr. Myer waved her hand. “Sally, it doesn’t matter. Anything that has been recorded on a computer is being sorted through by my assistant. I want you to tell me what happened immediately prior to your two attacks.”
“I fell in love.”
“Well, that needs explaining.”
“I didn’t simply want to exist anymore. I want to live.”
“Emotional upheavals can create an imbalance. But I think you’re on the wrong therapy. You could have adopted a puppy and had an attack.”
Sally giggled. “Excuse me. Your comment tickled my funny bone because the man I fell in love with does have extraordinary big brown eyes and big ears.”
Chapter Seventeen
Cid angled his head so he could see in the mirror into his ear. “How in the world did I get paint in my ear?”
Jesse, who was sitting at the banquette, answered him. “Gary likes to dab great amounts of paint when he’s painting plaster reliefs. He says it gives the plaster time to absorb some before he smooths it out.”
“He’s just out of practice,” Cid said. “He’s used to having a crew to do the painting for him. He’s amazing with plaster. I would put him up there with the top five in his craft.”
“He’s good. But I think he’s worn out like the rest of us. We’ve really been burning the candle at both ends. Wayne and Pete are walking through the house right now, assessing how much we have left to do. I believe he’s going to suggest we stop for the day and get some quality rest before we start fine-tuning the rest.”
“I’m going to preheat the oven and start to put the pizzas in. While I’m sitting there, I’m also going to try and finish the book. It’s really horrible what humans will do to each other for the sake of money and power.”
“Before you go, what happened to put Sally, basically, naked in my bed?”
“She had an episode and…”
“Enough said,” Jessie dismissed.
Cid looked at his friend and said, “The more I know you, the more I have to acknowledge what a decent dynamic person you are.”
“Not a cowboy?”
“Not a cowboy. Actually, I think cowboys are getting a bad rap. Back in the…”
“Save it,” Jesse said. “I’m going to take a shower.”
Gary jotted down some notes and took a picture of a problem Wayne wanted to point out to Pete. They were on the west side of the house where the light from the setting sun had warmed the rooms.
“I didn’t expect this heat wave,” Wayne said. “The snow has disappeared off the patio.”
Gary pulled open a window and leaned out. “You would expect there to be puddles or water running off into the lawn.”
“The whole patio structure should be angled to facilitate water runoff,” Wayne said, closing the window.
“But that would be if building codes were being paid attention to,” Gary said, walking swiftly out of the room.
Wayne watched the contractor descend the grand staircase at an alarming rate. “Holy Shit, slow down!” he called after the contractor.
Gary disappeared from the gallery before Wayne finished with the stairs. Wayne heard the basement door slam and Gary’s running footsteps. They almost collided in the doorway.
“Water in the basement!”
“How much?” Wayne asked.
“Enough to dissolve the salt,” Gary said, running for the front door.
