Rule #1: Trust No One

Chapter 3-1

Chapter 3

“I told you I wasn’t going to put up with that nonsense!” The words rang out from behind the closed door. “What do you take me for? Do you really think I’m that much of an i***t?!” To anyone in the office, Cameron had just returned from her Boston vacation.

“Just because you’ve paid my bills for two years doesn’t mean you own me!” came the snarling answer.

“You’d better think twice about that! I’m the one that kept that parole officer off your back! And don’t you forget that! Not that…that…woman you’ve been seeing behind my back in Boston! Did you think I wouldn’t know why you went up there last weekend?

Allison tried not to listen as the argument became louder and more heated. They’d been at each other’s throats ever since Cameron had returned from her trip and it made the office an uncomfortable place to work at times. Thank God there were no patients waiting this time. She looked up at Don, the young guy who worked in the mail service downstairs, and gave him a weak smile as she saw him glancing toward the door.

“Sounds like trouble in Paradise,” he muttered, as Allison handed him the signed clipboard and started to open the overnight mail packages he’d just handed her.

“It’ll blow over,” she offered, in a feeble attempt to cover her own discomfort.

The yelling continued through the door. “Well, if you think you don’t need me, you can just walk right out that door. But don’t think you can slink back in whenever it gets too tough out there for you.”

“Slink back in!? Are you serious? You’re the one who’s going to be on my doorstep begging me to come back!”

“Delusions again, my dear.”

“I already have a place to go!” The anger sounded loudly. “I don’t need your handouts and I do not need you controlling my life!”

“Fine. Then open that door and get out.”

There was a pause. Then the door flew open and Allison watched the athletic-looking brunette stalk angrily through the outer office and out the door, slamming it loudly as she stomped out into the corridor.

Allison sighed and looked up at Don, who stood there staring at the slammed door.

“Yeah, it blew all right. Up, not over.” He took the clipboard and turned to go. “See ya later.” He smiled as he went out into the corridor.

Allison didn’t know whether to be upset or relieved. She liked Cameron a lot but the changes that had come over Doctor Thomason in the past few weeks were disturbing. As the outer office door closed gently, Allison turned back to the insurance papers she’d been working on.

Finally, as she completed the last form, Allison looked at her watch. It was 5:20. She rose from her desk and walked over to the closed inner office door. Tapping gently, she slowly opened it and looked inside.

“Dr. Maggie…” she started, as she peeked into the room, “are you all right?” Allison asked.

Dr. Maggie looked up at her as she sat back and pushed the wisp of salt-and-pepper hair back from her face. A small smile warmed her eyes. “Yes, Allison, thank you. Maybe I’ll get a good night’s sleep tonight. I know I haven’t been very good company these last few days.”

“I know it’s been hard for you. These…things are never easy.”

“Well,” said Maggie, laying her pen down on top of the client files she’d been working on, “at least it’s settled.”

Allison nodded her agreement. “Is there anything you need before I leave?” Allison asked.

“No, hurry home to your family. I’ll be fine.” Maggie smiled. It was the first smile Allison had seen in days.

“Your first client isn’t until eleven tomorrow. I’ll open up at nine as usual. If you want to sleep late, I’ll be here.”

“Thank you, Allison. I just might do that.” Maggie picked up her pen as Allison closed the door behind her.

Why was she still worried, Maggie wondered? They’d already discussed everything and Cam’s preparation had gone exceedingly well. Everyone agreed it was the right way to go. Why couldn’t she stop worrying? Cameron would be fine. It wasn’t like she was out there totally on her own. And at least it wasn’t like it had been when she’d been in prison and there had been no way that Maggie could protect her.

“Protect her?” Maggie thought. “Get real, Thomason, you couldn’t protect her if both your lives depended on it.”

Maggie twirled the pen absentmindedly as she sat back and sighed. Was this the “Mother Hen Syndrome?” Why didn’t she feel this way with the other agents she now oversaw? Why did her stomach still twist nervously when she thought about Cameron? Wasn’t this exactly what her profession termed “unethical”? Had she lost her perspective and gotten close to Cam, the person, so that she couldn’t evaluate Cam, the agent? Was she too close?

Maggie sat forward and grabbed a file she’d been working on. Now they’d just have to see what would happen at that banquet on Friday.