But I’ll give you a piece of advice, the only advice I intend giving you. Keep up whatever it is that you’re doing and you will have a nervous breakdown. Guaranteed.” Stenzel got up, rolled down his sleeves, snugged up his tie and put on his jacket. Rencke got languidly to his feet. “What are you going to tell Mac?” “The same thing I told you. That, and the fact I don’t like being toyed with.
You’re a very bright man, but from where I sit I don’t see anyone who is very nice. In fact, you’re an asshole.” Stenzel smiled and shook his head. “Now get out of here, please.”
Rencke stared at the doctor for a long beat; hesitating as if he wanted to say something. But then he turned and left.
McGarvey knocked once and went into StenzeFs office. The psychiatrist glanced over McGarvey’s shoulder to the open door into the observation room. “How long were you watching?” “Long enough to wonder who the hell you were talking to. That wasn’t Otto Rencke. Or at least not the Otto Rencke I know. I thought I was watching a complete stranger.”
“Unless he faked his eye prints he was the real McCoy,” Stenzel said.
“And not very nice. But I suppose nobody likes a company shrink poking into his head. Their jobs are usually on the line. You’d be amazed at some of the stories I’ve heard.” One of his assistants came to the door. “Do you want an inventory made up?” “Don’t bother,” Dr.
Stenzel said. “We’ll append our notes to the file.” Stenzel motioned McGarvey to have a seat, and he went around behind his desk and looked out the window. “I administered every test that I knew. MMPI, Rorschach, TAT, Edwards Personal Preference, Cattell, the works.” He shook his head. “They were loaded with all the control keys. No way that he could have defeated them.” Stenzel turned to face McGarvey.
“And in the end I couldn’t have told you for sure that Rencke wasn’t, in fact, a ten-year-old black girl with schizophrenia, or a sexless alien from Antares.” I “You said that he was depressed.” “That came out loud and clear, especially in the TAT.” McGarvey raised an eyebrow. “Thematic Apperception Test. It’s a series of twenty pictures showing ambiguous scenes. Like a man coming into what might be an old-fashioned sitting room or living room, with an odd look on his face. We ask the subject to tell us what he sees. Like what led up to the event in the picture. Or, what’s happening, and how does the man feel, and what’s going to happen in the end.
“Picking out Rencke’s depression from his answers was fairly straightforward. But the test is usually invalid if the subject has no respect for the test or the person administering it.”
“He had a tough childhood,” McGarvey said.
“I’ll bet he did,” Dr. Stenzel replied. “I tried to work out a Maslow Hierarchy to see where he was going wrong, but even that didn’t work out.”
“What’s that?”
“About fifty years ago a shrink named Maslow figured out that people have five basic needs, starting with the physical stuff, like food and clothing and shelter. Without those nothing else is possible.
“Next up the chart is security, which is our safety margin. We do whatever it takes to make sure that next week, next month or next year we’ll have everything we need to maintain our physical needs. So we buy food and put it in the fridge; we save money; we try not to piss off someone who’ll someday come back at us with a gun.
“After that is love, then respect, and finally what we call self-actualization. We want to be the best we can, self-improvement.
Going to bed at night and being able to think that we’re okay, that we’re not doing so badly.”
“What about Otto?”
“Well, for one he has some serious security issues. It’s the same with DO people out in the field. They don’t know when they’ll be burned.
Maybe they’ll get shot, maybe they’ll be imprisoned. Tortured. It’s why they have a problem with divorce; love is next up on the scale.”
“Should I force him to take a leave?” McGarvey asked. “We need him here, but if he’s on the verge of exploding, it wouldn’t do anybody any good to keep him. The man you talked to today was not the real Otto Rencke.”
“Yeah, I know. I think he has another even bigger problem he’s trying to deal with,” Stenzel said. “He’s hiding something, maybe even from himself.”
“What is it?”
Stenzel spread his hands. “I don’t know. But whatever it is could be tearing him apart worse than his depression. It’s certainly feeding into his mood swings.” Stenzel shook his head. “He’s in denial, I caught that from the test, too. But beyond that it’s anybody’s guess.
Leave him in place, and he might do fine. On the other hand, if you pull him away from his job, you’ll be interfering with his esteem needs. Self-respect.”
“Damned if I do, damned if I don’t.”
“Sorry, Mr. Director, but it’s the best I can do without his cooperation,” Stenzel said. “The ball’s back in your court.”
FOURTEEN
SOMETHING WAS COMING. GAINING ON THEM. SKULKING IN THE NIGHT. WAITING TO POUNCE.
McGarvey got home a few minutes after seven. Something that he had forgotten to do; something that had nagged at him all afternoon, even during his swim with Yemm and laps around the gym, came to him the instant he opened the door and smelled something good from the kitchen.
He had forgotten to let Katy know that Liz and Todd were coming over for dinner. The workmen were almost finished with his study already.
Only some trim pieces had to be installed, along with the track lighting and carpeting. He put his briefcase on his desk, hung up his coat in the hall closet and went into the kitchen. She had a brandy waiting for him. The dining room table was set for four. “Liz must have called,” McGarvey said, giving his wife a kiss. “Good thing she did; otherwise, you and Todd would have been taking us out to dinner.” Kathleen gave him a warm smile. “How did it go today?”
“They didn’t quite shoot at me, but it was close.” “Posturing peacocks,” she said. “Hammond and Madden, preening for each other. I wonder if they’re sleeping together?” McGarvey had to laugh. “Good thing you weren’t up there with me. There probably would have been gunfire.” “You have just enough time to shower and change clothes before the children arrive. I told them to come early because of the weather.” “Did Elizabeth tell you that they were going skiing in Vail this weekend?” Kathleen gave him a sharp look. “No,” she said tightly. “Go change.” McGarvey took his drink, but stopped at the hall door. “We’ll have to cancel the party this weekend.” “It’s already been taken care of. And I’ll finish packing in the morning.” She gave him another warm smile. “Close your mouth, sweetheart. Your secretary called me.” “I thought we needed to get away.” “I know. But what about Otto? Is he back at work?” “I sent him home for a couple of days. I think he might fall apart if we push him.” “I know.” “What do you mean?” “Oh, I talked to Louise this morning. She was worried about getting Otto to see Dr. Stenzel. I had her put him on and explained to him that this was for his own good. He should grow up and get on with life.” Kathleen pursed her lips. “He’s needed someone like Louise for a long time. I’m glad he finally has her.” McGarvey studied his wife for several beats. She was an amazing woman. And she had changed again from earlier this week, and from last night. She was calmer, even serene; more like the old Kathleen; self-assured, happy, content. He didn’t know if her anxiety had simply worn away of its own accord, or if it was because they were getting away for the weekend.