Shiller opened the door to his office again and when he found Mrs. Miller was still standing inside, he slammed the door shut and turned away.
Mrs. Miller cleared her throat, a loud holler came from behind the door, she said, "Professor Shiller, if you do not immediately explain to me why you tipped the newspapers boy double, I will call your butler..."
Shiller pushed the door back open and sighed, looking at Mrs. Miller, he said, "Can't I just pity those homeless little chaps, kind madam?"
"Yet, your generous tipping will encourage them to slack off on the job. There were already complaints about smudged ink because someone forgot to tip for just one day."
Shiller pursed his lips and walked around the office desk to turn on the desk lamp. Then he said, "But, what happens if I stop tipping now? He might smear the ink on my paper tomorrow."
"I will make sure they treat all the subscribers equally and deliver the best-printed paper. If they refuse to do so, they should get lost."
Suddenly, she looked at her watch and said, "It's time for Dr. Brand to write his prescriptions again. I must check to ensure no spelling mistakes... This is really typical of you two!"
After Mrs. Miller left, Shiller muttered to himself, "Mrs. Miller is the real Miss Arkham, she's terrifying…"
Barely sitting on the couch for a moment, the phone on the other side of the glass divider rang again. Shiller picked up, but an unfamiliar voice came from the other end, "Hello, Professor Shiller, I have some questions in psychology that I would like to discuss with you."
Shiller hung up the phone with a click, looked at the ceiling, and counted down in a low voice, "Three, two, one…"
Just as he said 'one', the phone rang again. After Shiller again answered, the man said, "I apologize for my rudeness, Professor, I know, this is an internal hospital line. But I just need to have your advice."
"Alright, what's your question?"
"Can we meet and talk?" The stranger did not sound hurried and there was a certain confidence to his voice as if expecting an affirmative answer no matter the question; Shiller paused for a moment glancing at his wristwatch before saying: "Are you sure? It's almost nine o'clock at night. You know, late-night meetings can be bad for both the body and emotions, right?"
"I'm sorry, but my free time is only for a limited period coming up." The other party's tone was leisurely and not in the least bit like someone seeking help urgently. Shiller let out a small sigh and said, "Only the nurses are off duty, the hospital is about to close. We can discuss it over the phone."
"Alright, I just wanted to ask... Is it normal that I like killing?"
Shiller paused for a moment, glanced at the phone, and said, "This is not normal. You need treatment. Can you stop by tomorrow? I think we could use a chat. You can talk to me about anything that's bothering you."
"Sorry, I won't be available tomorrow. I have something I must do." The other party's voice suddenly sounded energetic as he rapidly continued, "Isn't this normal? But what can be done?"
"Try not to get worked up and think about the consequences before you act," Shiller murmured into the phone, "Everyone needs to take responsibility for their actions. Impulsivity will only bring about catastrophic outcomes."
All of a sudden, a disappointing sigh came from the other end of the phone, followed by the stranger's voice answering, "Is this all you want to say?"
"Yes, from your voice, you should still be young, do not go astray. Think about your friends and family, do not disappoint those who love you." Shiller's tone was slow but firm, he said "No matter what grudge you bear, violence will only bring about the worst outcome."
"Every psychologist says the same."
Shiller took a deep breath and then said, "That just means we all want you to live a healthier life. Trust me, we..."
The phone line suddenly went dead and Shiller slowly put down the handset. While returning the receiver back to the telephone, his hand exerted a bit of extra force, producing a crisp 'click' sound.
Then, he squatted down, opened the cabinet door, and pulled the phone line off the wall. As expected, the phone didn't ring again afterward, and no one came to report anyone wanting to schedule a therapy session.
Shiller sighed and moved back to his office desk. As he turned his head, he noticed that the leaves on the ground had been cleared away. His mood lightened a bit. However, a moment later, his office door was knocked again and this time Jason entered.
He seemed to have run a long distance, his cheeks were somewhat flushed but he appeared lively. Seeing Shiller, he waved a greeting.
As he approached the office desk, Shiller reached out and mussed his hair asking, "What happened? What brings you here so late?"
Jason began to speak but his face suddenly looked unsure. Looking at Jason's eyes, Shiller said, "Whatever you want to say, just say it. What's wrong?"
"I… I want to move into Wayne Manor for a while." Jason's expression was a bit twisted as if he was worried about angering Shiller. He quickly explained, "You see, recently, Dick hasn't been in the best state. Tire told me he seems a bit irritable, almost always fighting with Bruce."