Mind Games: The Obsession of Dr Lewis

Prologue

Nathan

The dinner menu was worth the trip to the conference. It was good to keep updated on changes within the healthcare system, no matter how tedious it may be to travel to these events. This one wasn't great since I’d not learnt anything new.

“Dr Lewis, may I trouble you for a moment of your time?”

No, but I couldn’t say this, so I turned to face the woman who stood beside my table.

I indicated for her to sit at my table. If I recall correctly, she worked in my city.

“I’m Dr Cavall.”

“Ah, yes. I remember now. How can I help you?”

“I have a patient that has been playing on my mind, and it’s not something that happens often,” she said.

I nodded to acknowledge her statement because we needed to keep our distance so we could treat our patients effectively.

“She has had eight different therapists, and none of them have managed to get to the root cause of her behaviour. She has recently gotten into trouble, and no matter what I try, I cannot get her to open up to me.”

I put my glass down as I was intrigued. Going through eight therapists was impressive.

“What age is she?”

“Twenty-seven,” she said with a look of concern marring her face.

Cavall was in her early fifties and a well-respected psychiatrist. I’d only ever heard good things about her ethics and progress. I was surprised she hadn't gotten her patient to open up to her.

“I know you have a reputation and a manner in which you make progress with the most difficult of patients,” she said with a hopeful look.

She wasn't wrong because I was upfront about which route I would take the therapy and, if required, adjust or prescribe medication. Some of my prescription medication was natural. I pushed people in ways that were not conventional, and I got away with it because of my end results.

“Send me what you have on her. I will look into it and see if I can make it my pro bono case. I cannot promise anything, as I get a lot of referrals.”

◆◆◆

I scanned through the documentation that Dr Cavall had sent me by a secure courier service. The young woman was a mess who refused to cooperate with any of her therapists. I could recognise all the signs in her file.

Daisy Knight was the perfect mess that I needed to alleviate the boredom from rich people's ‘problems’ that I usually dealt with. The private sector was highly lucrative, especially with having my own practice, but this is why I would take a few charity cases on every once in a while. Every once in a while, I needed a headfucked impossible case.

With a smile, I picked up Dr Cavall’s card and dialled her number.