I prayed that they weren’t just trying to bait me. “I don’t know anything about that,” I said. “It might have been someone she met after she stopped coming to see me.”
“Her classmate also said that she had a drinking problem and that she was promiscuous. The phrase she used was . . .” He consulted his notepad. “‘Queen of the one-night stands.’ Is that why you were working with her? Because of a sex addiction?”
This was all news to me. Melanie had never revealed a tendency toward one-night stands during our sessions together. In fact, it was the opposite. She was critical of her mother for that behavior.
Perhaps I didn’t know Melanie as well as I thought I did. Another failure on my part.
I cleared my throat and looked from one detective to the other. “As I said, what we talked about in her sessions is confidential, but if that’s what her classmate said . . . I won’t contradict it.”
“Got it. So she never mentioned anyone specific who we might want to question? It would be helpful if you gave us something . . . anything?”
“I’m sorry,” I said, shaking my head. “I don’t recall that she ever mentioned names or told me any specifics. And for me to divulge that kind of information, legally, you’d have to subpoena my session notes, which you’re welcome to do if you feel it might help.”
Detective Smith pulled a card from his shirt pocket. “My next question was going to be if she was suicidal. But you’re not going to answer that, are you?”
“Um . . .”
“Didn’t think so. In that case . . .” He handed me his card. “Thanks for your time today. If you think of anything you can tell us that might help us find Ms. Brown, please give us a call. Day or night.”
“I will,” I replied and waited for them to leave before I went to the sofa, sat down, and buried my head in my hands.
Within seconds, I felt sick and faint and had to lie down with my feet elevated. I looked up at the grandfather clock and saw that I had ten minutes before my next patient arrived, so I forced myself to get up and dig out my session notes from Melanie’s visits. Before that moment, I hadn’t been able to look at them, but it was a necessity now. I needed to make sure that there was nothing incriminating in those files. And I had to get rid of her dissertation.
Shortly before I left the office for the day, my telephone rang. Since it was past 5:00 p.m., I considered letting it ring and making a clean getaway, but I decided at the last second to pick it up.
“Hello. Dr. Robinson here.”
There was a soft chuckle on the other end of the line, and I knew at once that it was Olivia. “You sound so official. It’s only me.”
I hadn’t spoken to her all week, though I had called her apartment a few times and left messages. Luckily for me, she was busy editing her film, so I’d had time to pull myself together after what happened.
“Hi, you,” I said. “It’s nice to hear your voice.”
“Yours too. I missed you this week. I’m sorry I was so busy.”
“No need to apologize. I was busy as well. How is your editing going?”
“That’s why I’m calling, actually. I finished it this afternoon, so I feel like celebrating. Freedom at last.”
“That’s wonderful. Congratulations. Did it turn out the way you hoped it would?”
“Yes. Better than I hoped. It really came together nicely over the past few days. I think I’m going to get a good grade. But enough about that. Are you free this weekend? Because I have a proposal for you.”
I sat down at my desk. “I’m listening.”
“Well . . .” She paused in a playful way to draw out the suspense. “My mother is flying down to Miami to visit her family, and she wants me to come with her. I told her I would, and we’re leaving tonight. But I haven’t seen you all week, so I was wondering if you’d like to come with us. I’m sorry it’s such short notice.”
“To Miami?” I asked, surprised by the suggestion. I checked my watch. “Could I even get a flight this late?”
“You wouldn’t have to worry about that,” she replied. “We’re taking the private jet, and we’ll be staying in my mother’s condo. There’s a guest room for you to use. And it’s my grandfather’s birthday on Sunday, so we’d be expected to go to an afternoon party there. But Saturday we can do whatever we want. Go to the beach. Go sailing with Sarah and Leon. Go shopping. Dancing. Movie.”
I tried to absorb what she was suggesting—that we could fly to Miami on a private jet and spend an entire weekend together. I’d never even flown first class before.
“Um . . .”
“If you have plans, I understand,” she said. “Like I said, it’s short notice.”
“It’s not that. I’m just . . .” Just what? “I don’t have plans,” I said.
“Great,” she replied. “Could you meet us on the tarmac at eight thirty? We’re leaving from Newark. I can tell you how to find us.”
“Sure.” She gave me the details and suggested I bring a dress shirt for the party on Sunday.
We hung up. Five minutes later, Caroline knocked on my door.
“Hi. Come in,” I said as I locked my desk.
She strolled in and sat on the arm of my sofa. “I hear you’re jetting off to Miami tonight.”
Taken aback, I shook my head with surprise. “News travels fast. I only just got off the phone with Olivia five minutes ago. Are you going as well?”
“No, that’s a family thing. I was just chatting with Liz, and she told me that Olivia asked to invite you.”
I stood up and retrieved my jacket from the coat tree. Caroline watched me put it on, and I wondered what she wanted.
“Listen,” she finally said, rising from the sofa. “It was pretty obvious last weekend on the boat that there was an attraction between the two of you. And it looked like you left with her afterward. Did you?”
I met Caroline’s gaze directly. “I might have.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she paused. “It’s really none of my business, but I just want you to know that I’ve been spending some time with Liz, and she’s interested in helping me expand the practice. It turns out her brother had some mental health issues and therapy really made a difference for him, so . . .”
Not entirely sure where Caroline was going with this, I buttoned my jacket and waited for her to continue.
“Just don’t screw this up for me, okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean . . . I don’t know what’s going on between you and Olivia, but if you break her heart, that could be the end of my negotiations.” She stared at me for a moment, her gaze unwavering.
“I see.”
“I hope you do.” Everything about her tone and body language felt like a stern warning or perhaps even a threat. “On the other hand, if things go well between you and Olivia and it turns out to be something lasting . . . well. If that becomes the case, I’d want to talk to you about becoming a partner and possibly taking charge of one of the other locations. I think we could build something really great together.”