”Would you describe her as a good person, Tina?”

”Absolutely.”

”Why do you think she does what she does then? Do you think a good person would be able to do what she does?”

”She’s been forced into it,” Tina blurted out. ”She would have been in danger if she refused to work for whoever she’s working now.”

Dr. Flemming nodded, obviously trying to absorb the information. ”Is that what she told you?”

Tina frowned. ”Well, yeah,” she replied matter-of-factly. ”And I believe her. I know the story, okay? She’s not that type of person who would engage herself into criminal business just for fun.”

”Have you ever found her out in a lie, Tina?” the therapist wanted to know all of sudden.

The blonde folded her arms defensively. She was getting peeved at Dr. Flemming’s doubt about Bette’s honesty. But deep inside Tina knew that the therapist was hitting home.

”I have,” Tina said, almost through the gritted teeth. ”Once…”

Dr. Flemming raised her eyebrows questioningly.

”Okay, twice. First, she was keeping her job secret from me. I found out just a month and a half ago as I told you. And second, she said that she hadn’t had serious relationships before me, when actually she had and…” Tina silenced herself, thinking. ”You know what? The fact that she kept her job secret is completely understandable to me now. She was clearly trying to protect me. And about another one? It’s not important. She was right when she told me that past should stay in the past. That relationship didn’t mean anything to her,” the blonde finally concluded to herself.

”Do you think she has a lot of secrets from you?”

”Maybe not a lot, but several definitely. However, I’m sure she keeps some of them from me for the right reasons.”

Dr. Flemming let out a soft sigh, looking down at her notepad if a little bit helplessly.

”What?” Tina inquired, taking note of her therapist’s unease. ”Tell me what you think.”

”You seem so sure that she’s innocent and has good intentions only. I really want to be wrong, but it looks like she’s leading you up the garden path. Criminals are capable of deception for their own benefit, and it doesn’t matter whether she was forced into the business or not – one cannot stay fully virtuous and well-meant after having been engaged in such immoral activities. It’s against the laws of human psychology. When evil prevails over the person’s life, it prevails over his body and mind.”