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Show "She's always talking about going to parties with them," said Kim. "Yes, but how many times do they ever come through? She's a social orphan and she knows it." "What's that got to do with her stealing?" "Subconsciously, she's trying to get someone to notice her." "By taking things?" "Sure. The psychology literature is filled with cases of children from wealthy families who do crazy things to get attention. They run away from home, get involved in drugs, flunk out of school and some steal. You can't ignore a smoldering fire forever." It struck Kim as so strange that that Isabel would steal to get attention. She seemed so self assured and confident, like she had the world hanging by a noose. But what Mimi said did make some sense. Isabel was always talking about going away for the week-end with her parents, but then she'd end up spending the week-end with an aunt or grandmother or a housekeeper. Kim had never actually seen Isabel's mother-only her father on Orientation Day. She remembered his striped tie and blue blazer and silver hair. Could it be that her 144 |