<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Evelyn Meyer - The Disgraced Doctor</span></div><br/><br/>Evelyn had been teasing Tommy, but at his last comment her demeanor grew more serious, nodding slightly.  She, too, had a feeling that all was not natural with the old man's death.  Evelyn was not normally one for intuition - she was more of a facts and evidence right in front of her kind of gal - but in this case something just nagged at her.  Something wasn't right, and she wanted to get to the bottom of it.<br/><br/>She was still musing over this new sensation when Bert came in, chiding as usual.  Evelyn grinned, and replied in kind, "Ah, take a damper old man.  You're just jealous you can't have a drink without bringing on the gout."  It was hard not to respect Bert, with his experience and intellect.  She couldn't be offended by his brash honesty, because it was just like her own.  In fact, she found it quite refreshing.<br/><br/>Before she could antagonize him further, James came in, chipper and eager as ever.  "Yes please, apparently I need to disguise my dinner-breath," she replied to his offer of coffee, casting a saucy look up at Bert.  "A drop of milk in mine."  Her eyes followed James as he went to fill the coffee orders, wondering for probably the twentieth time what secrets he was hiding beneath his perky exterior.  She knew better than most how to spot that suppressed flicker of anxiety that crossed his face on the rare occasion he let his guard down.  Something told her it was more than just that case of his sister's kidnapping.  That had been trying, to be sure, and there was no doubt the girl had not yet fully recovered.  It would be miraculous if she had!  But that wasn't all that lurked behind James' innocent eyes, of that Evelyn was certain.<br/><br/>Claude and Carol filtered in soon after, and Evelyn nodded and smiled to both.  They were both smart, hard-working people, with inner strength that Evelyn admired.  It was a good group, all in all, she thought, as they gathered around Alexandra's desk.  Well, she still doubted Tommy's contributions, but other than that they all had their own talents, and they were mostly easy to get along with.  At least, they were when she wasn't poking at them.<br/><br/>As Alexandra spoke Evelyn felt a flutter of sympathy for the girl.  At least she wasn't trying to pretend she knew what she was doing yet - that would help them all move forward easier.  There was nothing worse than a young hot-head coming in thinking they had all the answers and screwing everything up.  And Evelyn should know - she had been that young hot-head, and she'd managed to screw up beyond imagination.  Her foot twitched at the thought, and she tried to drag her attention back to Alexandra's words.  She was talking about her father's case, and Tommy was promising to help.  Whatever "help" that may be, she thought to herself, but outwardly only nodded in agreement.<br/><br/>"You can count on me, too," she said.  "Your father helped us all out in different ways, sometimes in ways he didn't even know about.  I'm in it with you til the end."  She swallowed a lump that had suddenly made its way into her throat, and settled back again in her chair.  Feeling that this was getting a little too serious for her, she added with a twisted smile, "Anyway, if it's poison you'll need my expertise."