Breakdown

Chapter 2

Psychologists and psychiatrists often rely on voicemail for receiving messages. I use an answering service because if anyone should be offering a live human voice to someone in need, it’s a therapist.

On a cloudy morning at ten a.m., I got a call from one of the service operators, a new one named Bradley.

“Dr. Delaware, I’ve got Doyle Maslow on the line.”

“Don’t know him.”

“Her, sir, and sounds as if she knows you. She said it’s a mental health crisis type of thing.”

“Is she the one in crisis?”

“She didn’t say, Doctor.”

“Put her on.”

“Good, sir.”

A husky young female voice said, “Dr. Alexander Delaware? This is Kristin Doyle-Maslow, mental health specialist with the Los Angeles County Behavioral and Affective Re-Integration and Services Project.”

New one on me but the county sprouts programs like a hydra grows heads.

I said, “I’m not familiar—”

“You wouldn’t be. We’re funded by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health, learn about us on our website. LACBAR-I-SP.net. I’m calling about a patient of yours. Zelda Chase.”

“She’s not my patient.”

“Five years ago she was, according to the records, Dr. Delaware.”

“Five years ago I evaluated her son—”

“Ovid Chase. There is no record of official termination.”

“I consulted at the request of Ms. Chase’s psychiatrist, Dr. Louis Sherman—”

“Who is deceased.”

“I’m aware of that—”

“Sherman released the file to Ravenswood University Hospital twenty-seven months ago. You are named in that document as therapist of record.”

“She was treated at Ravenswood?”

“Not at that time, but all this is irrelevant, Doctor. The important fact is Sherman did terminate and you didn’t.”

Two years and some months ago, Lou had died of cancer, lending cruelty to her wording.

I said, “What exactly would you like me to do?”

“See your patient, Doctor. Who did end up at Ravenswood, a couple of days ago, on a 5150 but has been transferred to us.”

Seventy-two-hour involuntary hold.

“What got her committed?”

“She was arrested for trespassing in someone’s backyard.”

“Where?”

“Bel Air. Why would that matter?”

“Trespassing earned her a 5150?”

“She had an overt psychotic episode and was judged threatening to the safety of others.”

Why explain when you can redefine? I said, “Sorry to hear that, but I treat children.”

“Dr. Delaware,” said Kristin Doyle-Maslow, as if my name were a diagnosis. “The patient has requested you. Would you prefer I tell her you’re not the least bit interested in her?”

“Are you a psychotherapist?”

“Pardon?”

I repeated the question. She huffed. “Why is that relevant?”

Because you sure as hell don’t have people skills. I said, “What kind of care will Ms. Chase be receiving from your agency?”

“We’re not an agency, we’re an exploratory program mandated to evaluate and fact-find. That includes the authorization to carry out 5150s because 5150s are evaluative.”

“And fact-finding.”

“All right, then, Dr. Delaware, I’ll tell her you have no desire to—”

“Where are you located?”

“Wilshire near Western. I suggest you come sooner rather than later. She is not a happy camper.”