Point the scalpel at him? Well, this is something she can certainly do, although not right away. First she has to search his face for any sign that this is a trick. Given her extensive life experience with born-and-bred liars and her chosen vocation, she reads people well - not well enough for it to be foolproof, but well enough to believe she could at least begin to sniff out murderous intentions.

If not, well. That's why she's got the damn scalpel.

Eyes narrowed, she looks at him through the thin fog of her light lashes and points the scalpel at him. Her muscles bunch, ready to leap at the first sign of trouble.

Nobody gets the jump on her.