The Lady and Her Doctor by Evelyn Piper

don’t know whether you’d rather trust those twelve men or me, isn’t that it? I might have a very personal interest.”
    â€œDr. Krop!”
    â€œNo, let’s face it, let’s face it. Between this morning and now, you thought about that. You thought if you let me do this you’d put yourself in my hands. I’d have a hold over you. You thought that, admit it.”
    She said calmly, standing her ground, “Yes, of course I thought that.”
    This voice she used now was dry. She had squeezed all the panic and fear out of it. That’s what money did, he thought. The minute I closed the front door after me and she calmed down a little, she realized that now she owned it all and that changed the picture. The Folsom estate. “That’s what you thought, you admit it. After all, what do you know about me? That I’m an accredited, competent physician? I could be a—excuse me! I could be a big you-know-what for all you know.”
    â€œYes,” she said, “you could be.”
    â€œYou’re forgetting one thing, though. The minute that death certificate goes out, you have something on me. It works both ways. And let me remind you of one thing more. This should show you! Whatever I might do from now on, Miss Folsom, this morning—with no ax to grind—I saved your life! And you know how I happened to be able to save your life? Because I didn’t come here after the other patients the way Jenny told you I would. Mrs. Krop. I was right there when she told you I couldn’t get around to you until after noon, and the reason she told you that is Jenny doesn’t have much use for you or your mother.” He rubbed his thumb against his fingers in a money gesture. “As far as she knew and I knew, the Folsom estate paid us the sum of two dollars per call whereas my other patients paid three-fifty to five bucks. But I came here first for one reason and for one reason alone—because you’ve had my sympathy right along. Because before I knew a thing about you and your mother having more than two bucks between you—plus some books of poetry, Miss Folsom—I figured the banks were just letting you stay on in this house until they threw you out. Before it meant anything to my possible advantage, Miss Folsom, I came here first—for your sake!” He had gotten himself all worked up and when she didn’t move, he did. Out of the room, into the hall, right to the telephone. Then he called her. “Get the cops,” he said. “Call them up now. I’ll tear up the death certificate.” He heard her coming across the room, down the hall, and stared at the telephone he was holding toward her. So that was that, he thought, that was that. He hadn’t been able to handle it. He had fumbled the ball. They had passed it to him but he couldn’t hang on to it. When she reached him, he set the telephone down so he could dial “O,” then handed the receiver to her.
    â€œPolice?” she said. “Is this the police? This is Sloane Folsom.” She spoke slowly with her eyes boring into his face and he stood there giving her stare for stare. Hell with her. She told the police the address of the Haunted House. “There are some boys climbing our fence,” she said. “Trespassing, yes. Please see that they leave. No, officer,” she said, “I can’t chase them myself. My mother died this morning in this house.” She cleared her throat. “I said my mother died this morning so.… I will call out to them, officer. I’ll say the police are coming, but if they don’t leave I will call you again and then—” She set the receiver down without taking her eyes off him. “I did not distrust you, Dr. Krop. It was Amory—it was my sister, and if you will take care of her—”
    Her voice faded away. She began to tremble, with increasing violence. He could hear her teeth