Free Malpractice in Maggody by Joan Hess Page A

reason to commiserate. “Did you happen to notice the name of the local motel?”
    “Some bird…flamingo, I think.” He picked up the diploma. “Is that all?”
    “We’re having a meeting at two o’clock in his office. It’ll be interesting to find out who our patients will be. Did Vince say anything about them to you?”
    “No names, just a general description of their problems. Maybe he thought my line was tapped.” He turned his attention to a hammer and nail.
    “It’s not as though we’re treating Saudi princes or heads of state,” Brenda murmured as she picked up objects on his desk and examined them. “Is this a photograph of your family?”
    “Yes, it is.”
    “How charming.” Brenda replaced the framed photo and picked up a crystal paperweight. “Is this a graduation present?”
    Randall looked over his shoulder at her. “No, it’s a paperweight. Look, Brenda, I’ve got a lot left to do, so if you don’t mind…”
    “We need to talk, Randall.” She came up behind him and put her hand on his arm. “You and I. It’s about Vincent.”
    “I don’t want to talk about him, okay? He’s my partner. I’ve invested every last dime I’ve got in this project. The only thing I’m going to focus on is making it successful. If you have a problem with Vincent, than take it up with him.”
    “Goodness, Randall, I don’t believe I’ve heard you get so fired up before. You really ought to consider taking up yoga as a way to reduce stress.” She left before he could respond, and continued toward Vincent’s office. Boxes were stacked by the door, but the work party had been disbanded. At least temporarily, she thought as she noticed the Mexican men standing near a marble bench, smoking and laughing.
    She hurried over to them. Waggling a finger, she said, “No smoking! No, no, no! And don’t even think about stubbing those out on the walk!”
    The men glanced at her, then pinched the ends of their cigarettes and put them in their pockets. “ Si, señora, ” said one of them.
    “And I don’t want to see this again,” she went on, aware that they couldn’t understand the words but confident they would get the message. “Now go back and wait with the others. Go, go, go! You are not allowed to loiter out here under any circumstances.” She fluttered her hand at them. “Why are you standing there? Go back to the day room!”
    Smirking, they turned and walked toward the pool. Brenda was certain they were talking about her. It was not her fault, she reminded herself. It was her nature to be assertive. If she’d been meek, she’d be a waitress in a diner on a highway, but she had done what was necessary to achieve her degree. She might have caused some damage along the way, but she’d never allowed anyone to hold her back.
    Vincent’s office door was closed. As she slowed down, she heard not only girlish giggles and a deep chuckle, but sounds that suggested that Vincent and Molly were doing more than reviewing her résumé. She lowered her hand, continued to her own office, and went inside.
    After locking the door, she slumped to the floor and began to sob.
     
    I was doing everything I could to preserve the peace within the confines of Maggody, which meant I was sitting in the cane-bottom chair at the PD, my feet propped on the corner of the desk, watching a spider progress across the ceiling. I’d considered running a speed trap out by the remains of the Esso station, but had decided it would not be cost-effective, in that there was no traffic to speak of. Across the road, Roy was dozing in a rocking chair in front of his shop. Raz had rattled by in his pickup earlier, with his pedigreed sow Marjorie hanging her head out the passenger’s side. I’d caught a flash of pink as Mrs. Jim Bob drove by, most likely heading for the rectory to harangue Brother Verber. Children screeched at each other as they rode their bicycles down the middle of the road. There was some activity at the pool hall,