The coffee kiosk in South Central Park, where they agreed to meet, was crowded. Martha saw Lance waiting in line and joined him.
“Martha, thank you for meeting with me. I appreciate it. Something about Gabriella we need to discuss.”
“Sure thing, Lance, you sounded a little mysterious on the phone. Evidently, there’s something I’m missing as a psychologist.”
“It might be. I don’t know if it’s an issue or not, but Ralph has been telling me a few things about Gabriella have me concerned.”
“What’ll you have?” the barista asked Lance.
“I’ll have a large black, and… what can I get you, Martha?”
“Thanks. I’ll have a small mocha-cappuccino with an extra squirt.”
Lance’s nose and brow wrinkled in disgust. “Hell, it’s a candy bar, but if you like it like that…” He turned to the barista. “And whatever she said.”
“Excellent, sir. It’ll be nine seventy-five.”
Lance tossed him a ten and told him to put the quarter change into the extra change cup.
Martha faced Lance. “I know you well enough by now to know we’re not meeting here because you have just a small concern. What’s going on?”
“Well, the thing is this,” Lance said with convincing hesitation. “It’s about the two attacks.”
“Yes, what about them? We have them pretty well documented.”
“It’s just that we both noticed there was a lack of sympathy. Gabriella seems to have no problem with hurting her attackers and feeling no remorse. Does any of this strike you as unusual, Martha?”
The barista interrupted and handed them their drinks.
Lance took a sip. “This is good coffee. It damn well better be for the price.”
“Yeah, it does,” said Martha, “but it still falls well within normal boundaries. It’s okay to have a lack of sympathy for people who’ve tried to hurt you, without having deep-seated emotional problems. It’s not like she killed them.”
“That could be true. Ralph and I thought we would bring the topic up with you to get your feedback. Perhaps we’re grasping at straws and seeing ghosts were none exist. Gabriella is probably not dangerous.”
“Dangerous? What do you mean by that?” Martha said, gesturing with her free hand. “Are you saying she is a danger to people who attacked her, or are you implying she would be harmful to people around her including me?”
“No, no. I didn’t mean to take it that far, but it’s something worth noting.”
Martha stepped within Lance’s personal space and threw her arms up and to the side. Sticky drops of cappuccino shone in the sun as they squirted out of the cup cap. “The hell you didn’t. If you saw something in her, then I need to know about it. Otherwise, you’re manipulating me, and I don’t like it.”
“Back off, Martha, you’re getting a little excited,” said Lance in a cold and calm voice.
Martha stared at his eyes. For a frozen moment, she saw the snake.
“All I’m saying is we think there may be something going on below the surface with Gabriella.”
“You’re implying she could become dangerous? Is this what you’re saying?”
“No, it’s not what we’re saying at all. At least I’m not saying that. We are not the experts in human nature, you are, so we don’t even suggest we can render an expert opinion, but we have eyes, and we have concerns.”
“And if there is, what would you want to do about it? You can dismiss her from the class with no repercussions. Or did you have something else in mind?”
Lance took a breath. “I’m feeling like I’m on trial, and it’s not great. I wanted to talk to you, and I didn’t mean for this to get out of hand and explode into something bigger than it should be. We’re only asking the questions. If you never ask questions, you never get answers.”
“Well, you’re right. I am an expert, and I don’t see any personality or behavioral issues. If you would like, I can keep an extra eye on her, but it in no way affects my opinion.”
“Great! That’s all I was asking you, and I apologize again for coming off as too abrupt. We want to ensure everybody is okay. So you’re saying nothing at all has you concerned, Martha?”
“No. She’s shown very little remorse in hurting the attackers, but it’s normal. She gets a bit of pleasure out of it too, like a boxer or martial arts combatant who wins a match. All normal.”
“It’s possibly nothing, Martha. Forget I said anything.” Lance turned away from her, smiled, and walked away.
“Seed planted,” he whispered as he left the park.