“Good afternoon, Doctor,” Dink replied.

The doctor pulled up the chair and sat down. “Now, let’s have a little orientation,” he said. “Oh, are you feeling the medication yet?”

“I’m feeling relaxed,” Dink replied.

“Good. Now first of all, you are no longer a patient in the facility where you’ve been living and were treated. It was deemed by the people who were working with you that you were pretending to cooperate, just so that you could get out.”

Dink nodded. “I’m afraid that’s true,” he said. “But I want you to know that I understand that I’m not a well person, and I want to do everything I can to get well.”

“That’s a good attitude, if you’re not lying,” the doctor said. “The first thing that you’re going to have to learn is to be scrupulously honest with the people who treat you. They all have a great deal of experience with being lied to, so do yourself a favor and don’t lie to them.”

“Do you mind if I lie down, Doctor?” Dink asked.

“Yes, I mind, I’m not through yet. When I’m through, you can lie down if you want to.”

“All right.” Dink decided to be polite but not to try to sell this guy anything, just appear to go along. Only going along could get him the things he needed to get out of there, and he had no intention of spending one more day there than necessary.

36

STONE SAT on his kitchen sofa and waited for Marla to appear from across the garden. It was to be their first evening together since her show had opened, and she seemed to prefer dining at his house to going out.

She rapped on the garden door and let herself in. He rose to greet her and got a kiss on the corner of his mouth for his effort.

“What can I get you to drink?” he asked.

“I think I’ll try some of your bourbon.”

Stone poured two Knob Creeks, and they sat down on the sofa. “So, is the show finally wrinkle-free?”

“There will always be ironing to do, but I had to make myself stop going to performances. I think we’re in for a good run. The advance ticket sales were light, but that’s picked up a lot since the reviews came in.”

“You look more relaxed,” Stone said.

“Relieved is more like it. Also, there’s always a letdown after a show opens and there’s nothing else for me to do.” She took a sip of her bourbon. “This is good,” she said.

“Were you going to say something else?”

“Well …”

This is where she’s going to tell me there’s another man, he thought.

“I have something of a problem.”

“Can I help?”

“I need some advice, that’s all.”

“Advice is what I do, mostly.”

“There’s this man.”

“Uh-oh. I was afraid of that.”

“No, I’m not dumping you.”

“Now I’m relieved.”

“I had a few dates with this guy a while back. It was nothing serious—at least, not to me.”