Happy New Year, everyone. Hope it's a good one for everyone.

Chapter 81.

Cameron had never been to the Shelby Town Court, housed inside the same building at the town hall where the council met. She wasn't sure where to sit, since Mrs. Carson had subpoenaed her to appear, but her testimony would likely cause the nail lady, as House dubbed her, would lose the case against the salon.

Mrs. Carson sat at one of the tables talking to a relatively young woman with curly blond hair. Cameron couldn't place her even though she was sure she knew her. The blond woman called her to the table.

She held out a hand, "Dr. Cameron, Greta Johanson." Cameron shook it. "I don't think you remember me, but I was one of the patients last June."

"Of course." Cameron smiled. "Glad you've been well since."

"Mrs. Carson tells me that you diagnosed her condition."

Cameron nodded. "And I also told her that it was long-standing. A visit to the salon couldn't have caused it. They're very sanitary."

Johanson made a note on a pad. "But you'll testify to the condition itself."

"It's obvious to anyone." Cameron shook her head. "Doesn't require a doctor to confirm."

Johanson tapped her pen against the pad. "Indulge me."

"I'll testify as an expert witness if I'm paid. And I get a retention contract. You don't have to pay for the time I've already spent examining her or if she loses. Otherwise, I'm here as a hostile witness."

"We only have to prove our case to a judge." Johanson shook her head. "This isn't a jury trial, so there's no need to impress the voters this close to the election."

"That never entered my mind," Cameron said.

The judge asked Mrs. Carson's attorney and the one for the nail salon to present their cases. Each stated what they intended to prove. Cameron found herself nodding to everything the nail salon's lawyer said. The slight Asian woman was right. Carson's condition couldn't have been caused by negligence or unsanitary conditions at the salon.

Since Johanson's client was the plaintiff in the case, she called the first witness, another woman who'd had her nails done at the salon in the past.

"Why did you stop going to the salon?" Johanson asked.

The woman on the stand snarled. "The girl who did my nails was clumsy. She smeared my polish, especially on my toenails." She held out her hands for the judge to see. "These were done at another salon. Look how pretty."

But the salon's lawyer countered. "Isn't it true that, rather than follow her instructions to let the polish dry before putting on gloves and shoes, you did both, ruining the polish?"

Her brow furrowed. "Well, I thought they were dry."

"And isn't it true you never saw any unsanitary conditions at the salon?

"I… I suppose."

The petite lawyer paused to let that sink in. "Did you ever develop athlete's foot fungus after a visit?"

"No."

"No further questions." The lawyer sat.

Johanson called Cameron to the stand.

House entered his new offices to find a full waiting room. Naomi handed him a few sheets of paper, the intake forms for new patients. "Carol sent them over from the clinic because Dr. Cameron had to be in court."

His smile at finally having more patients come to him because they'd heard the great Dr. House had opened a practice faded. He shrugged. Whatever reason they were there, he'd treat them. He called the first patient. It was like doing clinic duty at PPTH. Cut fingers that wouldn't heal, a broken wrist, a hangover that didn't respond to the usual remedies.

He treated them all. One had a problem that would require her to return, but the rest were one offs. Still, it made the morning go by, and his shelves were filling up with files..

By eleven thirty, his waiting room was empty. "I'm heading out to lunch." A burger was calling his name.

"Dr. Carter has an appointment at two," Naomi reminded him. "But if Cameron's not back at the clinic this afternoon, we may have other patients too."

He drove to the diner and was the first to arrive. Cameron was probably still in court, and the team, Hadley, and Wilson were in Snow Hill. Anita had planned to interview Steve, so she was there too. That left Jessica. And Curt, but he didn't really want to invite the agent to share their booth. He decided to wait for Jess before ordering, contenting himself with a third cup of coffee for the day and a piece of pie. He didn't have very long to wait.

Jessica brought Bruno with her to the vet clinic. He seemed to like it in the huge crate there, filled with dog toys and occasionally another dog or two.

That morning, Dr. Carter deposited a chihuahua, whose owner would come for her after work. "Bruno's much healthier than when he was first brought in."

"He's really a good dog." Jessica beamed. "Look how gentle he is with a smaller one."

They treated five dogs and three cats in the space of two hours.

"I have a follow-up appointment with Dr. House this afternoon. You'll be all right here alone, won't you?" Carter asked.

"Oh, sure." She glanced at the clock on the wall. "Long as I can leave for lunch at about eleven thirty. I'll be back quickly."

"I'll watch the dogs. Bring me back something." He told her what he wanted and gave her money.

Jessica drove to the diner. The only one there was House, but she wasn't surprised since she knew everyone else was in Snow Hill, except for Cameron who was attending the trial.

"Any word from anyone?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Not a peep."

"Doesn't the court take a recess for lunch? Won't Cameron call then?"

"Why are you so interested in the trial?" House stared at her.

She shrugged. "More curious than anything. Worried what might happen if we have to go to trial against Bruno's owners."

"I'm more interested in finding our what Anita learned from Steve."

Jess grimaced. "Do you really think he's gonna reveal anything he hasn't already told her?"

"Chances aren't good, but he's in a worse position than before."

"I doubt the Snow Hill jail is that intimidating."

Throughout lunch, House looked at his watch every couple of minutes, worrying what had happened to Cameron.

"Expecting someone?" Jess sipped her hot tea.

House grimaced. "Haven't heard from Cameron about how the trial was going."

"From what I know, it should be over fast and the woman's allegations thrown out."

"Ah, that would happen if the law was infallible. But lawyers can twist things to prove their point."

She smirked. "Sounds like you speak from experience."

"Hmmm," was all he said then changed the subject. "Had a lot of patients this morning." Five wasn't really a lot, but compared to his usual workload it was. "Of course, most came to me because Cameron wasn't at the clinic."

"Well, then, cheer up. If she's still busy with the trial this afternoon, you'll have more patients."

He couldn't let on his appreciation of her looking on the brighter side of things, but he did smile slightly.

"Anyway, Dr. Carter will be there."

The team had finally determined that the patient's TIA had been triggered by an electric shock to the neck. Someone had deliberately shocked Les as he was entering the diner that day.

They agreed they could discharge him with instructions on how to manage his sleep apnea and allergies. Hadley signed off on the case and he was free to go.

"Do you plan on visiting the Snow Hill PD to talk to Steve?" she asked as she wheeled him to the exit.

"I'll have to call my boss, see what he wants me to focus on. This case has become messy." An Uber driver was waiting to take him to a nearby hotel first. "Thanks for everything, Remy."

"Good seeing you again." She meant it too. "Maybe we'll see you again, here or in Shelby."

He nodded. "You and Anita make a great couple. Never would've thought it." He smiled, stood from the wheelchair, and got into his ride.

Hadley returned to her office, wondering what kind of case they'd have next, and hoping they wouldn't need help from House. She could handle leading a team. She glanced into the conference room. Jacobs and Magnani were already looking through patient files.

Before they chose another patient, Simpson went in search of Chatterji. She was in with a patient, so he waited outside the door, leaning against a wall.

When she came out and saw him, she smiled. "Finally done with your patient?"

He nodded. "Can you take a break? Come for coffee or maybe an early lunch?"

"Let me just drop this off and check whether I'm needed urgently anywhere."

They walked to the elevator, and he asked, "What are your plans for Thanksgiving?"

"We don't celebrate the way you do. I won't go home until the next holiday in late March. Besides your sister, do you have any other relatives you spend the holidays with?"

He shook his head. "All our family lives too far away, but my team is my family now. Neither Heather nor Rocco are going home for the holidays. And Jess has Wilson, so I guess we'll all get together for Thanksgiving. Would you like to join us?"

"Do you think I'll be welcome?"

"Of course. They all love you."

"Okay, just let me know where you're getting together."

"We haven't had a chance to talk about it yet." He took her hands. "But I know everyone would want you to come."

She smiled. "Tell me what to bring. I can make an Indian curry or some kind of dessert."

"I'll let you know."

Steve's lawyer, a heavyset man with a full head of gray hair, had a quiet conversation with his client before Anita entered the room again.

"Now that your lawyer is here, tell me about where Palmer fits into all this."

"He's my informant."

"Informant about what? Why do you need a senator's aide as an informant?"

"Since each branch of the government has distrusted each of the others. Hadn't you noticed that before you quit the bureau?" Steve frowned, more in a sad way than an angry one.

Anita had to choose which questions to ask, assuming his lawyer had advised him to say nothing about any criminal deeds. "Why do you distrust Curt?"

"Do you trust him? Put it another way, how could anyone trust a man who'd told a CIA agent what the FBI was planning?" His frown turned to a look of disgust. "Probably the other way around too."

"And Les? What do you think of him?"

"He's okay. Don't know why he had to show up. Maybe he was on his way somewhere else?"

"Do you really think that?" She took another tack. "Who do you think put him out of commission?"

"It wasn't something medical?"

She shook her head. "Someone did something to him to cause it."

That got to Steve more than anything else had. His eyes and mouth were wide open, and he was speechless.

"So you don't know anything about that?" Anita asked.

"No. I mean, what's going on?"

"You tell me. Did you poison yourself so you'd be in the hospital and could talk to Palmer?"

"I didn't even know Palmer was there." He reached for her hands. "Anita, you have to believe me. Yes, I poisoned myself. I still say I don't know what happened when I was at Lorelei's apartment."

"You didn't plan that?"

"No." He was adamant.

"Okay." The turned to go, then turned back. "One more question. Who do you think killed Harve?"

He shook his head. "To tell you the truth, I have no idea. I've gone round and round in my mind about whether it was someone on our side or someone on the Russian side who was trying to keep him quiet. I tend toward the latter, but have no clue who it was."

"Do you have proof that Harve was a double agent?"

Steve shrugged. "That's what I was told. Lorelei's grandparents were and he knew them."

"What about the girl?"

"I'm not sure whether or not she was involved with her grandparents work."

Anita decided to tell him what they'd found. "Do the words 'Always and Forever' mean anything to you?"

His brow drew closer together. "No."

"They were in a locket Lorelei received from her grandparents. In Russian, of course."

Steve shook his head. "Never heard those words."