Page 19 of The Doctor's Wolf: Part Two
“We are going to see Dr.Melissa Seine, the psychiatrist who’s been interviewing Pearson since she was incarcerated.I’d like you to hear what Melissa has to say from Melissa herself.”Maxim parked the car, but not in front of the entrance closest to Gordon’s labs.“Come on.”
Adler didn’t visit the Forum often, other than to pick up Gordon.He himself was the Forum’s responsibility much like any supernatural was, but Adler’s employer was the city, his job to solve cases for the NAPD and liaise with the Forum if and when necessary.
Usually when he came here, Adler had to sign in and tell the security person or reception person—depending on where in the Forum he was going—what he wanted.
Not so with Maxim.The fae and vampire receptionist team simply nodded at Maxim, who barely spared them a glance as he walked straight into the bowels of this building.
He’s better than an all-access pass,Adler thought, hurrying to meet the hunter’s long strides without outpacing him.
“Where are we?”Adler asked.“The Forum’s psych unit?”So far, there had been no signage at all.
Maxim turned as he took a left down a very nondescript, windowless hallway that looked decidedly less cheery than the hallway outside of Gordon’s morgue, quite a feat seeing as how Gordon’s morgue was in the basement.And full of dead people.Also one sexy pathologist who has long conversations with them.
“Wouldn’t that be nice.No, this is the interdisciplinary division.It would be more accurate to call them a think tank, a secret society, or better yet a cabal, but they frown upon those monickers.They don’t like to be associated with any group, because heavens, where would we be if the independence of our brightest minds were ever cast in doubt?Where would we be if they decided to take a position and stand by it?”
“You sound like you have feelings about this division.”
Maxim gave him some side-eye.“You could tell?And here I was, trying for subtlety.”
The hallway brightened with a line of windows on the right, and Maxim walked past the first office door and knocked on the second.The sign outside read only “Melissa Seine.”There was no title there, nothing, just the doctor’s name.
“Come in,” said a cheery voice, and Maxim pushed the door inward.
Adler wasn’t sure what he had expected, but it was not this.
The first thing he noticed were the smells.Willa was the pack’s best tracker, but Adler considered himself decent when it came to picking up a scent and following it.
This office was full of scents: lavender, orange, smoke, sage, peppermint, something chalky, followed by cinnamon, recently struck matches, and sun-warmed skin.
The colors and textures flooded Adler’s brain like an action movie with too many explosions.Beanbags lined the floor next to meditation pillows and yoga mats, all in bright colors and patterns that made focusing on any one thing hard.There were also a few chairs, but they looked outlandish, what with the sloping designs of their backs and legs.
The doctor herself did not match her office at all.She was tall with short black hair, and her skin was several shades darker than Adler’s.She also had the pointed ears of the fae sans glamour and the beautiful, aristocratic features of one.
Presumably she even smelled like fae, except with all the other scents in this room, Adler had no way of telling.What really made her clash with the place though was her black business suit with a white shirt and black tie.Dr.Melissa Seine, in this room that looked like colorful pixie vomit, was an immaculate beacon of sleek professionalism.
“Melissa.”Maxim approached the doctor to greet her with a kiss to either cheek.“This is a friend, Detective Adler with the New Amsterdam Police Department.I hope we aren’t interrupting anything.”
Adler approached the fae, who gave him a practiced, professional smile and shook his hand.
“Maxim.You love interrupting things, yet don’t enjoy being interrupted yourself.”
Adler bristled.This was not the kind of thing one said to an alpha.If the fae noticed how her words rubbed him the wrong way, she didn’t show it.
Maxim beamed, more gracious than most other alphas.“Ah, Melissa, your insights are still worthy of being made into fortune cookie filling.I was hoping you could tell Adler about your suspicions about Philippa Pearson.”
At this, the fae’s beautiful face wrinkled, and she gave Adler a piercing look.“He’s a werewolf.”
“And as I said, Melissa, a friend.”Maxim turned to Adler.“Melissa likes cultivating mild paranoia.”
The fae snorted.“If it isn’t the vampire calling the leech bloodthirsty.You vouch for him?”
“Of course I vouch for him.”Maxim gracefully sat in one of the oddly shaped chairs and crossed his legs.“And do trust me, I had Heath look into him when he joined the police and started moving up in Willa’s pack.”Maxim looked at Adler.“He found that one parking ticket you got when you were nineteen, Adler.I was shocked.”
Adler flinched.“You what?”
Maxim shrugged.“Bold background checks prevent distressing disappointments.”
Melissa just nodded.“Fine.Take a seat.”
