A woman’s voice, tight, slightly nasal, said, “When did we get on first-name basis?”
“Hi, Ms. Bel Geddes.”
“Whatever. Michael has just informed me of your call. Are you serious?”
“I explained—”
“Unbelievable,” said Bettina Bel Geddes. “You trump up charges against my client, subject him to the horrors of incarceration, and now you expect him to help you?”
Milo said, “We’re not in court, Counselor. No need to orate.”
“That,”said Bettina Bel Geddes, “was downright rude.”
“You’re right, sorry,” he said, rolling his eyes. “The thing is, I’m still trying to find out who strangled Sophie Barlow to death and seeing as your client was so adamant about being close to her once upon a timeandabout harboring nothing but good feelings toward her, I figured he might want to help. But up to you.”
“It’s up to Michael.”
“Of course. And I can certainly understand him refusing. On the other hand, seeing as he feels he was framed, he might want to find out who did that to him.”
“He doesn’tfeelhe was framed, he was,” said Bel Geddes.
“Even more to the point.”
A few seconds of dead air, then “I don’t like the tone of this, Mr. Sturgis, and to be frank, I don’t trust you.”
“Got it,” said Milo. “Sorry for bothering you and your client.”
“That said, I’m going to have a serious discussion with Michael because that’s what we’re about: the pursuit of truth.”
A second eye-roll was followed by spinning an index finger in circles. “Thanks very much.”
“Don’t thank me until there’s a reason for gratitude.”
Click.
Milo looked at his closed door as if it were impenetrable. “I’ll walk you to your car. Fresh air. And maybe that bakery—the Italian place—has humble pie.”
—
We took the stairs back down and were outside the station when Bettina Bel Geddes called back.
“Counselor—”
“I know what I am. Here’s the deal: Michael will meet with you under controlled circumstances. Meaning I will be there and so will Michael’s therapist in order to ensure that Michael’s mental health will be protected during what could turn out to be a duplicitous renewal of the trauma of false arrest and imprisonment.”
“No problem,” said Milo. “Who’s the therapist?”
“A noted clinical psychologist named Dr. Wendy Allemande.”
He looked at me. I grinned and gave a thumbs-up.
He said, “That’s absolutely fine. In fact, I’d planned to have our consulting psychologist present.”
“Who’s that and why?”
“Dr. Alex Delaware and for the same reason. We do not want Mr. Heck subjected to any more trauma.”
“That,” said Bettina Bel Geddes, “sounds like utter bullshit.”
