Chapter Five

Two weeks after Trapper’s indoctrination to computers, he decided to make peace with Ms. Haverty. Taking the elevator to the basement, he was surprised when he stepped out into a relatively dim space, carpeted and quiet with a square of twelve cubicals, six on each side of one aisle and a large cube at the end of the aisle. The cubes reminded him of islands, each having its own light source shining down on just the area inside the cube. Trapper slowly walked down the aisle, listening and looking into the cubes. The area was almost silent except for the sound of the keys of keyboards clicking. The occupants of each cube sat with his back to the cube opening, oblivious of his presence. By the time Trapper got to the end of the aisle, he realized that all the cubes were occupied by men.

The end cube was empty, but the tag on the outside bore the name of Leah Haverty. Trapper stepped in and looked around. The first thing he noticed because of their bright pink color was a pair of fuzzy slippers underneath the work table at the far end of the cube. He smiled, thinking that someone as hard as Ms Haverty appeared to be couldn’t really be that cold if they owned a pair of…he bent and looked closely at the slippers…fuzzy pink pig slippers. Other than the slippers, there didn’t seem to be anything in the cube of a personal nature; various awards, charts, her computer, books…all kinds of technical manuals. All the desk accessories were black and white just like the clothes she wore. The only thing that looked remotely out of place was a pill bottle. Picking it up, his mouth opened slightly when he recognized the name of the medication. He made a mental note of the prescribing physician, and then carefully replaced the bottle where it had been just before Ms. Haverty stepped into her cube, carrying her high-heeled shoes in her hand.

“Wha…what are you doing here?” she stuttered. She bristled at his amused grin, and quickly slipped her shoes on. “Dr. McIntyre, I prefer appointments.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. But as long as I’m here, may I speak to you?”

She assumed her straight, rigid posture, and then cocked her head so severely Trapper heard her neck pop. “Go ahead.”

Smiling and quickly glancing away for a moment to hide a chuckle, Trapper explained, “I came down here to offer you an olive branch. There’s really no reason for us to be at each other’s throat.”

“I don’t recall going for your jugular, but that could change. Look around you Dr. McIntyre. Do you see anywhere at all in this office where an olive branch might survive?”

“As a matter of fact, I do.”

“Where?” she asked quite emphatically, looking around her cube.

Giving her a wide grin, he walked by her out of her cube, and on the way to the elevator, he spoke a little louder than normal so she would hear him. “Have a nice day, Leah!”

She stood motionless. What did he mean by finding a place where an olive branch might survive? And of all the nerve, coming down here into her domain! How would he feel if she suddenly intruded on his operating room? She stomped to her desk, kicked her shoes off and pushed her feet into her slippers.

When Trapper stepped off the elevator on his own floor, he spotted Ernie at the nurse’s desk. “Ernie, would you do me a favor?”

“Sure, Trapper.”

“Would you let me know when Ms. Haverty leaves for the day?”

“And how am I supposed to know that? We’re not on the first floor near the door,” said Ernie, clasping her hands on top of the counter.

Leaning on one arm and laying his hand over hers, he smiled sweetly. “Yes, but you do have friends in admitting, do you not?”

Ernie looked sideways at him. “What are you up to?”

“I’m going to attempt to turn the Ice Queen in the dungeon into a living, breathing human being.”

“Oh, Trapper. You don’t want to take that on,” Ernie warned.

“Oh? And why not? Wouldn’t you prefer a warm work area to the freezer this place turns in to when she’s here?”

“Mark Hansen from the basement said there’s a very good reason she’s that way. He didn’t say why, but in my experience, it has something to do with her heart.”

Thinking of the pills he found on her desk, he asked, “Why do you think something’s wrong with her heart?”

“Because I’m a woman, and I know a broken heart when I see one. Leave her alone, Trapper. I don’t think she wants to be rescued.”

“Hmf,” he replied, straightening. “Then would you mind calling Dr. Avery at Cedars? Ask him to give me a call when it’s convenient.”

“What shall I say it’s about?”

“One of his patients.” He squeezed her arm with a smile, and walked down the hall.