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like to get to know a little more about you before
     our next meeting. You left rather suddenly after our last discussion.”
    “Yeah, I needed some fresh air.”
    “Do you remember the session?”
    “Sure. The thing I liked was the calm way I felt when it was over. I stayed like that
     for a few days and that’s cool. Everybody thinks I get off on my anger but I don’t.
     It’s just something that takes me over and once it starts, I can’t control it. At
     least, not until now. It’s been easier to stay mellow since I’ve been seeing you.”
    “So Carlos, do you remember what happened in your regression?” The waitress brought
     the cups. She filled them with steaming hot liquid.
    “Sort of. You took me down some stairs and through a door. I remember a forest or
     something like that. Then it gets kind of fuzzy. I think I was walking or riding through
     the woods, but I’m not sure. It was kind of freaky but okay. At least I think it was
     okay.”
    “You said you like the calm way it makes you feel. What didn’t you like about it?”
    “I felt kind of weird after I came back to, what’d you call it? Real time?” She nodded
     her head yes. “Well, I can’t really explain it.” He looked puzzled and was silent
     for a moment. “No, I can’t explain the feeling. Just weird.” His eyes met hers. Then
     a broad, cocky smile spread across his face, his eyes narrowed as he laughed out loud.
    Sarah had been staring at Carlos with an intent expression and when he laughed, she
     looked down at her coffee cup. Blushing, she hoped her admiration for his dark, bad
     boy good looks hadn’t shown on her face. She brushed her hair off her forehead as
     she sipped her coffee.
    “So what about you? You know all about me. I don’t know nothin’ about you.”
    “Well, I’ve been doing therapy for ten years. Amazing. It doesn’t seem that long.
     I graduated from . . . ”
    “No, I don’t mean the business stuff. What about you? What do you like to do for fun?
     Is there a real you or just the shrink?” He genuinely wanted to know and he wondered
     what possessed him to have any interest in a woman so different from him.
    Sarah glanced up to see him staring at her, his head to one side. The sincerity in
     his voice made her uncomfortable again.
    “Carlos, I think you’re reversing the roles here just a bit.”
    “Yeah, so what?”
    “Well,” she stammered as she felt her face color pink. “I don’t think it’s appropriate
     for the client to interrogate the therapist.” She smiled tentatively. “Do you?”
    “Sarah,” he leaned forward, locking his black eyes to hers, “have you ever noticed
     that if you separate the word ‘therapist’ into two words, they are ‘the rapist’?”
    She gasped and he laughed.
    #
    As she settled in her bed, she thought about her quiet afternoon at the movies. It
     certainly had taken an unexpected turn. Instead of figuring out if he had been messing
     with her mind, she had found herself even more immersed in his case.
    As she pulled the down comforter over her and turned out the light, she could see
     his intense dark eyes, hear his laughter in her mind.
    “What the hell is this?” was her last thought as she drifted off to sleep.

CHAPTER 5
    “C an’t you find out any more information about him?” Sarah spoke loudly so her friend
     could hear her over the sounds of traffic.
    “I sent you everything we have from here.” Colleen cursed at the driver ahead of her.
     “Listen, I’m late to a meeting. If I can find anything else on him, I’ll let you know.”
     Sarah heard the car horn blow several times. “Why don’t you just ask him?”
    “He’s evasive with me.” Sarah leaned back in her desk chair. “I can’t seem to get
     a straight answer from him other than he likes his sessions. And he’s due here in
     half an hour. Is there anywhere else I can go for information on him?”
    “Nope, you got it all. Listen, got to go. I’m at the court house