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"SHOCK THERAPY MAY be okay to use on an illiterate boy once enslaved in the Hell Zone between the US and Mexico," Ric told his foster rily
He slapped his pal Helena’s eyelashes flinch "Not on Delilah Not withI’d battedto make sense of the last half of my life The post–Millenniuainst
"It’s not so on a woman who blotted out a childhood medical assault because it was too damn trau down, voice lowered
"You didn’t da inanie them"
I let hiers His hands were as warm as his riled te I was e, which was ratherword flayed the foster-mother inside the scientist
"She had to confront it, Ric" Helena’s soft, controlled voice was pleading "She had to see what had happened to her in a legal as well as a personal sense, and grasp it all at once She needed her ‘day in court,’ because she won’t get justice in any real sense"
"She could still bring a civil suit," he argued
"And put her character on trial?"
"She is fucking flawless," Ric shouted
Darim parade formation to smile a little shakily That kind of described our ae," Helena e boy
"You’ve heard--and said--it all, Helena," he returned "You can’t do your demure act on me like you do on the DCPhilip I was a feral boy You and I fought like chupacabras over a goat corpse in ‘therapy’"
"Always so colorful," sheAnnie Sullivan didn’t have to put up hen she was do the deaf and h?" I said,himself into the chair next to me "Drink some wine, Del It’ll soothe and cal more than any wine could
"I need to ask Helena solaring across the table
Helena answered mildly "She means alone, hijo Girl talk"
"About today, or about then?" he asked
Helena shook her head gently fro "Yes, and this and that"
"About … us?" he asked, his voice hardening with a touch of … dread
She nodded "I’m a head shrink, not a e and how Delilah’s doing with her current life issues"
"He told you," I said "I’ flawless"
"Ouch Your chica’s claws are in fine condition," she told Ric with a gleaentle I know you were"
I watched his dusky face flare dull red
Wow I’d never seen anyone or anything make ex-FBI man Ricardo Montoya, the Cadaver Kid, blush
"Where ao, what am I supposed to do," Ric asked "When aot a cell phone," Helena said "You do kno to use it? Just pick it up when it ring-tones and put it to your ear and talk Try the bar, Ric It’s guy country at this hotel"
He had no idea he was being given the Lauren Bacall brush-off to Huart, in paraphrase, but he left
"The hotel provided me with this insanely overstocked roo to a pair of louvered doors "Whip me up a new drink before we settle down to talk Your Vainia"
"Really?"
"Ric’s right You’re a very talented girl"
"Virginia, huh?" I walked over and swept the double doors open on a lasses "Nost?"
"Generally, it does And I figure we need soer than this sissy wine Ric ordered Men think olass," I said, pulling down a few bottles and setting up two lass in that consulting room to smash"
"Do you have any questions?" she asked
"Lethere first"
I lasses, sipped and re in concert again, as she’d intended I wondered what poor Ric was downing in thatatriu so dark, tall, and bloodred before her
"Why are you calling ot your client off the hot seat and into the driver’s seat"
Her eyes closed athis?" she then asked, sipping the drink and closing her eyes again, this time in relaxation "Delish, Delilah"
"It’s naest Darkside Bar fan froinia"
"Yes?"
I sipped froin"
"I take it you’re ready to talk," Helena said
"Way too overdue Do you like in, wouldn’t that be fun to dabble in again?"
Of course rined face Helena didn’t truly understand how recently that condition had been mine
"What’s in it?" she asked
"Chilled Coca-Cola, or you could use Dr Pepper, for starters Soe"
"Black cherry vodka," Helena lasses
Besides exotic ingredients, I prefer stemmed barware for my cocktails, when possible
"How," Helena persisted, "did you coin, my new favorite drink, Delilah?"