�Ouch!� Diane yelped, holding the back of her neck tightly. �Oh, I could sure use a massage today.�

�Sorry, can�t help you there,� Darla laughed as she hurried by. �Can I get you some aspirin?�

Diane nodded and smiled, and secretly, she wondered if aspirin helped with hallucinations. She thought she had better lay off the caffeine for while if her muscles were spastic. She sipped her coffee slowly, staring resolutely at her newspaper. After the third time reading the same paragraph about something the mayor was doing, she finally relented, and allowed her eyes to study the yellow steel wall across the street. Again, carefully examining the sidewalk and its occupants with her astute cop�s eyes, she saw nothing. Nothing extraordinary. Diane sighed, then checked her watch. Her appointment was still an hour away. Plenty of time.

The psychiatrist�s office was no different from the squad room at the 1-5: old, scuffed, grayish-green paint on the walls, a dimpled metal desk in one corner, dirty beige linoleum tile floors. The two guest chairs facing the desk were covered with dull forest green vinyl that had worn through in matching spots to the brownish backing layer. Bookshelves full of psychological and counseling manuals, procedure binders, knick-knacks and photos from the good doctor�s annual vacations lined the walls. In the center of the room, away from the desk, was a comfortable-looking couch covered with a contemporary dark green fabric that had beige, blue and burgundy swishes in a swirling pattern. A recliner made of the same fabric was off to one side of the couch, not directly facing it.

Diane sat with her back straight and stiff in one of the green chairs facing the doctor�s desk. She took the opportunity to study Dr. Hubley while the doctor made a few phone calls and flipped through Diane�s service record. Diane was early, and the doctor had invited her in while she sewed up a few loose ends. Diane noticed the doctor was trim, healthy-looking, and attractive. She appeared to be in her mid-30�s. Her hair was chestnut-brown and curled in tight ringlets, similar to Diane�s own dark auburn hair. She wore very hip smallish, rectangular-shaped glasses low on her nose for reading. She had a nice, warm smile, and a friendly laugh as she spoke to her colleague. Diane felt herself relaxing in the presence of this gentle doctor, and sat back in the large armchair.

Dr. Hubley hung up the phone after her last call, took a deep breath, and leaned her elbows on her desk as she looked at Diane and smiled.

�Well, thank you so much for coming, Detective Russell.�

�Sure,� Diane smiled back, but she couldn�t stop herself from shifting in her seat.

�Why don�t we sit over here so we can get comfortable, away from the barriers, away from the clinical desk, okay?� Dr. Hubley sprang out of her seat and stretched her arm out in a maternal way toward Diane. �Oh, you look stiff! Did you hurt your neck?�