Read Online Baby Please Don't Go: A Novel by Frank Freudberg - Free Book Online
Authors: Frank Freudberg
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little too slick, a little too ingratiating. So far, there was nothing to suggest he wasn’t exactly as Natalie had portrayed him. “We need to see you in person, in your home environment, together with your wife and daughters.”
“You came on a little strong with the police threat, Mr. Gilkenney. Let me assure you, I am taking this seriously. It’s just that I can’t be available for the interview.”
“According to Mrs. Mannheim, you’re not taking this seriously at all.”
“You’ll soon learn to take anything Natalie says with several tons of salt,” said Mannheim. “Here’s an example—I understand you suspect that I or my attorney submitted an anonymous report to your office. Is that correct?”
“Mr. Manheim, I can’t possibly form an opinion about what is going on with the information I have right now. That’s why this meeting is so important.”
“I’ll take that as a yes, and I’ll tell you what’s really going on—Natalie sent you that report. I can’t prove it, but it’s right up her alley. She does something wrong and then blames me. She cheated on me and broke my heart, but to hear her tell it, I practically forced her legs apart myself for that little bastard boyfriend of hers.”
“Okay, that’s enough, Mr. Mannheim.” Lock reached across the desk for his appointment book and opened it. “When is the absolute soonest you’ll be available to meet?”
“Let’s see. Today is Wednesday. I’ll be back late next Tuesday. I’ll be in Anaheim until then, but I’ll see you first thing next Wednesday morning, if that works for you.”
“Ten o’clock next Wednesday. Please keep your girls home from school for the morning.”
“I understand. That’s fine.”
“Just so we’re clear, this is a favor. I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt. If, for whatever reason, you’re not at the meeting next week, I will involve the police.”
“Thank you, Mr. Gilkenney,” Manheim said, and he hung up.
Lock felt he had kept his cool, but Manheim had made him angry, not just with his dismissive attitude, but because now Lock wouldn’t see Natalie for a full week. He believed Edwina and Dahlia were happy and well cared for, and the disappointment was all about Natalie, not about the case.
He couldn’t come up with a legitimate reason to see her, and for a moment he flirted with the idea of engineering an accidental meeting. Maybe if they lived in the same neighborhood it might fly, but arranging to bump into her at her local grocery store might seem like too much of a coincidence. He didn’t think she’d mind, but for himself, he needed to stay on the right side of being a stalker.
Lock sat up straight when he remembered that he’d promised Natalie he’d call her once he made a new appointment with her husband. If he were being professional, he would have picked up his phone and called her then and there, but he didn’t. He wanted to enjoy the anticipation of speaking with her, hearing her voice, looking into her twinkling eyes. He pictured her in the cut-offs and t-shirt, imagining her sprawled out on the lounge chair in her solarium. He wanted to be with her, and he couldn’t, so he’d have to enjoy the whole experience of Natalie Mannheim through the prism of one quick, routine phone call.
He couldn’t wait. He dialed her number.
Voicemail. Another disappointment. But he wasn’t going to miss speaking with her by leaving a message, so he hung up.
7
Almost a full week passed and Lock didn’t see Natalie, but in that week, he had crossed so far past the line of professionalism that he couldn’t see it any more. Natalie had called Lock back, and after he had described his conversation with Witt, it hadn’t taken much for her to get Lock’s cellphone number out of him. He rationalized that she might need it in case of some emergency that involved the children. But he knew he just wanted to be in touch with her.
She called him that night, and he was delighted to
“You came on a little strong with the police threat, Mr. Gilkenney. Let me assure you, I am taking this seriously. It’s just that I can’t be available for the interview.”
“According to Mrs. Mannheim, you’re not taking this seriously at all.”
“You’ll soon learn to take anything Natalie says with several tons of salt,” said Mannheim. “Here’s an example—I understand you suspect that I or my attorney submitted an anonymous report to your office. Is that correct?”
“Mr. Manheim, I can’t possibly form an opinion about what is going on with the information I have right now. That’s why this meeting is so important.”
“I’ll take that as a yes, and I’ll tell you what’s really going on—Natalie sent you that report. I can’t prove it, but it’s right up her alley. She does something wrong and then blames me. She cheated on me and broke my heart, but to hear her tell it, I practically forced her legs apart myself for that little bastard boyfriend of hers.”
“Okay, that’s enough, Mr. Mannheim.” Lock reached across the desk for his appointment book and opened it. “When is the absolute soonest you’ll be available to meet?”
“Let’s see. Today is Wednesday. I’ll be back late next Tuesday. I’ll be in Anaheim until then, but I’ll see you first thing next Wednesday morning, if that works for you.”
“Ten o’clock next Wednesday. Please keep your girls home from school for the morning.”
“I understand. That’s fine.”
“Just so we’re clear, this is a favor. I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt. If, for whatever reason, you’re not at the meeting next week, I will involve the police.”
“Thank you, Mr. Gilkenney,” Manheim said, and he hung up.
Lock felt he had kept his cool, but Manheim had made him angry, not just with his dismissive attitude, but because now Lock wouldn’t see Natalie for a full week. He believed Edwina and Dahlia were happy and well cared for, and the disappointment was all about Natalie, not about the case.
He couldn’t come up with a legitimate reason to see her, and for a moment he flirted with the idea of engineering an accidental meeting. Maybe if they lived in the same neighborhood it might fly, but arranging to bump into her at her local grocery store might seem like too much of a coincidence. He didn’t think she’d mind, but for himself, he needed to stay on the right side of being a stalker.
Lock sat up straight when he remembered that he’d promised Natalie he’d call her once he made a new appointment with her husband. If he were being professional, he would have picked up his phone and called her then and there, but he didn’t. He wanted to enjoy the anticipation of speaking with her, hearing her voice, looking into her twinkling eyes. He pictured her in the cut-offs and t-shirt, imagining her sprawled out on the lounge chair in her solarium. He wanted to be with her, and he couldn’t, so he’d have to enjoy the whole experience of Natalie Mannheim through the prism of one quick, routine phone call.
He couldn’t wait. He dialed her number.
Voicemail. Another disappointment. But he wasn’t going to miss speaking with her by leaving a message, so he hung up.
7
Almost a full week passed and Lock didn’t see Natalie, but in that week, he had crossed so far past the line of professionalism that he couldn’t see it any more. Natalie had called Lock back, and after he had described his conversation with Witt, it hadn’t taken much for her to get Lock’s cellphone number out of him. He rationalized that she might need it in case of some emergency that involved the children. But he knew he just wanted to be in touch with her.
She called him that night, and he was delighted to
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