Forgotten Girls, The (9 page)

Dr. Marion Weber’s office was
located in a banal suburban office complex in a strip mall on a four-lane road
five minutes out of town. She kept her unexpected visitors waiting thirty
minutes in the drab waiting room, with nothing for company but a few ripped
posters on the wall about teen pregnancy prevention.

After twenty minutes a lanky
teenage boy walked out and behind him followed a beady-eyed, stern-looking woman
who, at 5’ 11”, towered above Bella when she said hello. She was extremely
unattractive and her icy demeanor made her more so. Her hair was black and
short and curly and her jawline protruded outward harshly. Her thin lips were
clenched tightly and she looked to be bursting out of the mud-brown pantsuit
she wore, as though it were two sizes too small.

She led them into a small room
with dull yellow walls, a pine desk with two wooden chairs, and a small couch
up against the back wall. There were no pictures or books—nothing personal at
all. The room looked like it was rented and its occupant had done nothing but
thrown a diploma on the wall. She had heard about the murder and expressed
regret, but displayed no sorrow whatsoever. Bella asked about her run-in last
week with Joslyn.

“We did argue,” Dr. Weber told
them firmly, without a hint of emotion in her voice. “Carly is eighteen years
old now and I do not need to discuss her treatment with her mother.”

“Is it true she threatened to
report you to the Ethics Bureau?” Bella asked.

Dr. Weber looked shocked at the
question. Bella didn’t know this for a fact, but guessed it might have been
what happened.

“She did indeed,” she admitted. “But
her threat was ridiculous, as I have done absolutely nothing wrong. I am sorry
she didn’t like that I wouldn’t discuss Carly with her, but I will not be intimidated
by threats. She may be used to getting her way, but I am not one to be bullied,
Detective.”

There was a moment of silence as
her comment hung in the air.

“Was there any substance to her belief
her daughter was abusing Adderall?” Bella inquired.

“None whatsoever,” Weber answered.
“Just the hysterical ranting of a helicopter mother.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I know my patients—what
they can handle, how they function, what doses are safe—that’s why. Carly
performed and functioned at optimum levels all through high school. Witness her
grades.”

“Is that the standard?” asked
Bella.

“It is the one that matters. Straight
A’s cannot guarantee acceptance at a college of your choice anymore, and that
is where Adderall comes in. It helps youngsters achieve more than straight A’s.
Carly kept up a GPA of 4.3, played varsity basketball and soccer, and was all-county
orchestra three years in a row. It is doubtful she could have managed without
some help, no matter how politically incorrect that may sound.”

Her eyes remained fixed upon the
unfortunate soul to whom she spoke, in this case Bella. Mack cleared his throat
and both women looked his way.

“It’s basically a cocktail of
amphetamine stimulants,” he said with a slow drawl. “It’s prescription speed,
similar in makeup to illegal methamphetamines. Isn’t that right, Doc?”

Mack was enjoying the challenge.

“It does wonders for those who
need it,” Weber replied.

“And for those who don’t,” Mack
answered. “Seems the whole world’s come down with a bad case of ADD and needs
some Adderall to help them out of it. Its abuse has increased nearly two
hundred percent in the last few years.” Mack laughed cynically. “Come on. Let’s
be straight with each other here.”

Dr. Weber did not respond.

“It is also highly addictive, is
it not?” asked Bella.

“It
can be.”

“And
it has been known to trigger irreversible schizophrenia and bipolar disorder as
well?” Bella questioned.

“Rarely,”
Weber responded, deadpan.

“But
sometimes?”

“There
are risks to all drugs, Detective,” Weber replied reluctantly.

“Yes, there are,” Bella agreed. “I
guess I am just trying to get my mind around how so many parents are willing to
let their children take a pill like Adderall, given these particular risks.”

“Are you a parent, Detective?”
Weber glared as she asked this question.

“No, I am not.”

“Well then, it might be hard for
you to understand this. But when a parent has a child who cannot or will not
focus on their school work; who cannot or will not sit still in class; who is
so disorganized that their backpack looks like a tornado hit it every day and
homework is constantly being lost—after years of this it takes a toll. Adderall
is a wonder drug: one pill and a child is organized, focused, motivated—even
driven. It becomes easy to overlook the risks.”

“An organized backpack and
straight A’s are worth the risk, huh?” Bella countered.

“Apparently,” Weber responded.

Bella’s jaw tightened.

“Do you have any idea where Carly
may have gotten Adderall pills in higher doses than what you prescribed?” Bella
asked.

“I don’t know for sure that she
did. I only know what Mrs. Freed claimed. And no, it is news to me if Carly is getting
Adderall elsewhere. As far as I know, Carly was in no danger whatsoever.”

She spoke with absolute authority.

“Well, clearly Mrs. Freed was,”
Bella retorted.

There was a moment of silence.

“It is very unfortunate what
happened to Mrs. Freed. However, I fail to see the connection between her murder
and Carly’s Adderall dosage.”

Mack leaned forward in his tiny
wooden chair and Bella noticed for the first time how ridiculous he looked in
it, a man of his size.

“You did hear about the two young
seniors who took their own lives last month?” he asked.

Dr. Weber looked momentarily
sideswiped.

“Yes. Of course. This is a small
town, after all.”

“Terrible tragedy about those
two,” Mack continued.

“Yes, it was,” she answered, but
these were only words. There was no feeling in her voice or her eyes.

“Did you know them?”

She was silent for a moment.

“I am not at liberty to discuss,”
was all she answered.

So she did know them.

“Were you at the gala last night?”

“Why would I be? I don’t have
children in the school system,” she responded curtly.

“Ahhh…I didn’t know that. So your
children go to a different school?” Mack asked.

“I do not have children.” She
stiffened.

“No?” Mack replied sheepishly.
“Yeah, neither do I. All three of us here dodged that bullet,” he laughed.

Bella noticed Weber fidget in her
seat. She seemed to be fighting the urge to get up.

Mack went on:

“I don’t know I’d be much of a
dad, what with the work I do and all. You’re lucky though—I am sure your
patients begin to feel like children to you after a while, eh?”

She glared at him.

“Hardly, Detective.” She smirked. “Although
some are more endearing than others.”

There was something off about this
woman. It seemed to Bella that Mack felt it too. Bella glanced at the diploma hanging
on the wall behind the desk, one from a university in Europe. How did she end
up here? Bella wondered.

“I see you went to medical school
in Europe,” Bella remarked. “Did your graduate residency there too?”

There was a discernable flush in
Weber’s cheeks.

“I came to America for my
residency,” was all she answered.

“Really?” Bella pressed on, genuinely
interested. “Where did you do it?”

Weber paused as though she didn’t
want to answer. But she did. “Dunmore Psychiatric.”

Dunmore. Wow. Bella knew the place.
It had been a high-security hotel for the criminally insane before they shut it
down. This might explain Weber’s edge; or maybe it was her edge that brought
her to Dunmore.

“Dunmore, huh?” Bella tried to
sound casual as she leaned back. “Quite a place to work.”

“Quite a place in general,” Weber
replied slowly.

“Different world than Greenvale?”
Bella smiled.

“Quite.” Weber smiled eerily,
revealing yellow, crooked teeth.

Bella wondered how this woman had ever
landed in this town. She seemed way too unrefined.

“OK then,” Mack sighed and stood,
signaling he was ready to go. “Here’s our card. If you think of anything that
might be helpful please get in touch. Hey, let’s hope the stress of this case
doesn’t land us on your couch, huh, Doc?”

He laughed, but she didn’t crack a
smile. Instead, she stood abruptly, clearly thrilled the interview was over,
and led them out of her office where she unceremoniously opened the door for
them to leave and quickly closed it behind them.

“Another nutcase,” Mack exhaled
when he got inside the car. “And she’s the pro. We’re in the Land of Oz, man.”

He rolled down the windows in the
car and rested his hands on the steering wheel, but didn’t start the engine. He
simply sat, staring straight ahead. Bella sat next to him quietly, lost in
thought herself.

“Something’s off with that broad,”
Mack said. “Something’s off with all the broads here if you ask me. None of
them give a shit about the murder. Except Erika.”

Bella’s phone vibrated with a text
from Billy. Joslyn’s sister had arrived.

“Lillie’s here,” Bella said
softly.

Mack nodded and started the
engine.

“They are whackadoodles,” he
continued with resignation in his voice. “They’ve lived in their cocoons far
too long. All of ’em.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “But I think there’s
more going on. Joslyn was fixated on this Adderall issue. I wonder if she
stumbled on to something, got in over her head?”

Now it was Mack’s cell that vibrated.

“What do you know?” Mack said. “Someone
saw a guy who fits Ridley’s description on a train into Grand Central this
morning. They’re checking the cameras, have put out an APB. And we got a hit on
another sick bastard, sex offender living next town over. Earl Powell. Andover
Complex. Wants me to grab a body and go have a chat.”

Bella grimaced. “Lucky you.”

Mack sighed resignedly as he
backed the car out of the lot.

“It looks like you’re chatting
with Lillie alone.”

Media trucks perched prominently
in front of the Freed home as Bella drove through the gates with the help of
the officers outside. Once inside, even she couldn’t deny the beauty of this
place, the most magnificent of the homes she had seen so far.

The S-shaped charcoal-pebbled driveway
wound its way alongside massive evergreens, poplars, and willows, until the
sprawling, shingled and stone new construction house at the end of the driveway
came into view. A detached, peaked and shingled three-car garage stood off to
the left. Climbing vines of pink roses meandered their way up the barn-style
garage doors until they reached the French windows above. A full court basketball
court was carved into the side of the property, and a mass of dark evergreens adorned
the center island. A silver Maserati sat parked off to the side.

Bella got out of the Ford sedan
and walked, alone, toward a pair of deep walnut, double-height doors framed by
five-foot pewter stone planters bursting with pink and green hydrangeas. She
smiled inwardly, imagining Mack’s reaction to this place.

A maid led her through the double-height
entrance foyer, over a black and white diamond-shaped marble floor, into a
library. The arched opening into the room hid a pair of French paneled pocket
doors, beyond which were walls made of dark mahogany boxed molding, lined with built-in
bookshelves. Floor to ceiling French windows in the rear afforded a view of the
backyard. Bella noticed the Gunite pool and hot tub. Toward the right stood a fire
pit, outdoor kitchen, gazebo, and garden.

An antique desk grandly anchored
the room, and a pony-hair swivel chair sat at the helm. A deep red Persian
carpet lay underfoot and a chocolate brown chesterfield leather couch rested
against the wall. Memorabilia lined the walls: Jamie with celebrity athletes,
signed posters of the Rolling Stones, and a picture of Jamie with Mick Jagger.

As Bella ogled the wall she once
again pictured Mack’s reaction, how blown away he would be with all of it,
especially the photos. She looked for pictures of Joslyn but found only two—one
when she was extremely young and one with her daughters when they were babies.
Other than these two, peeking out behind some books on a shelf, Bella didn’t
see a recent picture of Joslyn anywhere in sight.

Jamie entered the library and
greeted her solemnly.

“Lillie is upstairs with the girls,”
he said in a solemn voice.

“Can I have a few minutes with you
before she comes down?” Bella asked pleasantly. He nodded.

“We learned some things today I
would like to go over with you, if that’s OK?” Bella asked deferentially.

Jamie leaned back in his pony-covered
chair and looked more regal than he did at the club. She was clearly on his
turf now—his demeanor screamed it. Jamie pointed to two straight-backed steel metal
chairs that faced his desk and told her to sit.

“We had the pleasure of meeting some
of your wife’s friends today,” she began as she squeezed herself into the small
chair. “Lovely people.”

“To whom do you refer?” Jamie
squinted his eyes.

“Doug and Jenna for starters,” she
answered. “Really seem to have loved your wife.”

A silence descended.

“We also met Stephanie. Sweet woman,”
Bella added with a smile.

Still no reaction.

“I have to say my favorite was Erika.”
She grinned, surprising herself with this comment. She hadn’t considered a
strategy and now she was thinking maybe she should have. She and Jamie looked
at one another.

His face remained stoic,
unreadable, like ice. Gone was the bereaved husband from this morning. Here,
before her, was a Master of the Universe in his lair.

“Is there a question there? Is
there something you’d like me to say?” Jamie looked impatient.

“Not at all,” said Bella. “Just
wanted to keep you posted on our progress.”

“I don’t know what kind of
progress you think you’re making by speaking with our friends. There is a
sadistic killer out there and our friends aren’t going to help you find him.”
Jamie looked angry.

“You would be surprised how much
progress we have made already, Mr. Freed, how much we have learned,” Bella said,
turning her pleasant tone into a no-nonsense voice.

“Learned about what?” Jamie shot
her a look.

“Your wife, sir,” she answered
seriously. “We have a better sense of her now than when we started our day.”

“What does that mean? I told you
everything you wanted to know,” Jamie said indignantly.

“Yes, but you neglected a couple
of interesting tidbits and, well, I guess I am wondering why.”

Bella was in motion, pumped in a quiet
kind of way.

“What are you talking about?”
Jamie looked peeved.

Bella brought up the article Joslyn
had been writing and her visit with Lieutenant Glades. She told Jamie about his
wife’s theory that too much Adderall or an adverse reaction may have been
behind the girls’ suicides. She informed him of his wife’s growing concern
Carly was abusing Adderall too. Bella spoke to Jamie as though she were filling
him in on the life of a stranger, not his own wife. And in some ways, she was.

Jamie looked blindsided.

“I did not know any of this.”

Bella cast a skeptical glance.

“Why do you think that is, Mr.
Freed?”

He shook his head from side to
side, confused. He ran his hands through his hair twice before he spoke

“Look, we definitely needed time alone.
It had been a while, with work and kids and college applications and—” He strained
then stopped.

“We had drifted. We were working
on it. We needed to reconnect,” he stammered. “I don’t know why she wouldn’t
have talked to me about Carly.”

“Earlier you said all was well in
your marriage.” Bella almost sounded sad.

“All was well,” he said
defensively. “We just needed some time. We were twenty years in for god’s
sakes. I wasn’t about to get into the nitty-gritty with the two of you an hour
after—”

A knock at the door interrupted
them. It was the maid informing him Lillie was in the family room.

“OK, Mr. Freed. We can talk more
later,” Bella said quietly.

“I loved my wife,” he said to her,
defiantly.

Bella deliberately did not
respond. She lifted herself out of the small steel chair and followed him into
the family room, where a woman sat curled into a corner of the sofa, wrapped in
an ivory cashmere throw, her face red from crying. She looked Bella’s way when they
entered and warmly invited her to sit down and thanked her for being there.
Bella liked her immediately.

Lillie had the same look and build
as Joslyn—long blond hair, blue eyes, an angular face, slim and fit. Jamie left
them alone and went to check on the girls. The sun cast a deep orange light
through the double-hung windows, hitting the camel and burgundy silk pillows in
such a way they seemed to sparkle.

She spoke quietly about Jos’s love
for her daughters and what a good mom and sister she had been.

“Her life was her girls,” Lillie whispered
sadly. “She loved them with all her heart. If anyone did anything to hurt them she
jumped into action. Whatever it was. That was her red line. If you crossed her
girls, you crossed her.”

“Sounds like a great mom,” Bella
said wistfully, seeing Jos’s terrified eyes.

“She was. She could have had a
great career, but her first priority was being a mom. I am older than her, but
she was my role model.”

“Was there anything going on in
her life lately that was causing her trouble?” Bella began.

Lillie’s taut expression spoke
volumes as she pursed her lips, nodded seriously, and looked nervously at the
door.

“My sister was extremely agitated
recently, for a variety of reasons. I hardly know where to begin…”

“Let’s go slowly. One thing at a
time,” Bella replied, soothingly.

“She found a bunch of Adderall
pills in Carly’s drawer one day. Not her usual pills—these were thirty
milligrams. Her normal dose was ten. She demanded to know where they came from
and she and Carly had a terrible fight. Carly wouldn’t tell her.”

“When was this?” Bella asked.

“Right after Easter,” Lillie
replied.

Bella nodded.

Lillie continued. “The fights with
Carly did not end. During one of them Carly told her it wouldn’t matter if Jos convinced
her psychiatrist to stop writing her prescriptions, because she knew where to
get it at school. That was all Jos had to hear. After that, she was on a tear
to find out what that meant.”

“Why didn’t she go to the principal?”
Bella wanted to know.

“Because she didn’t want Carly
dragged into something illegal,” Lillie said nervously. “She said she was going
to handle it herself.”

“Why not ask Jamie for help? Did
he know about this?”

“She didn’t want to involve him.
She knew he would think she was making too much of it, being too sensitive,
making a mountain out of a molehill. She felt he didn’t take her seriously
anymore.”

This bothered Bella. “Why not?”

“I don’t know. That’s how she
phrased it. Jos was brilliant, but she complained that Jamie always shut her
down, always downplayed her concerns or feelings. He loved her brain, at least
when they were young, but as he became so successful she kind of faded into the
background.”

Bella pictured Jos again and felt
a momentary pang of sadness.

“The last I heard about this was
what she told me a few nights ago,” Lillie said.

“What was that?” Bella asked.

Lillie began to cry. “She said she
had found a way to get to the bottom of it. We were interrupted and I didn’t
know what she meant and, well, we traded calls yesterday. Then she wasn’t home
last night. She was at that gala…” She began sobbing. Bella handed her a glass
of water and pulled some tissues out of a box and handed them to her. After a
few minutes she calmed down.

“OK. What else was going on?”
Bella asked gently.

Lillie thought for a moment and
rested her head in her hands.

“She hated Greenvale. Jamie
refused to move, though, and she didn’t want to uproot the girls. But this year
she reached her limit. She tried to extricate herself from the group of women
she had become aligned with. It was impossible though. All of their daughters
were close friends. She felt trapped.”

“Why did she want to break away?”

“They are cruel, to each other’s
faces and behind each other’s backs, though they call themselves best friends.
It’s insane,” Lillie said. “My sister finally acknowledged it. They act like they
are still in high school with their daughters. It’s pathetic.”

Bella listened intently as Lillie
spoke. She pictured Jos’s twisted, convulsed body and her petrified eyes.

“What about Jamie?” Bella asked.

Lillie looked toward the door.

“They were OK. Not great. They
were considering a marriage counselor. Well, Jos wanted to go to one. Jamie finally
agreed. He was hardly home anymore,” she added sadly. “She felt kind of
forgotten. But she still loved him…” She trailed off before continuing.

“Christmas break they took the
girls to Mexico with Stephanie, Kim, and Jenna’s families. Jos was dreading it.
They had booked it last year. Things took a turn for the worse one night when
she woke up and Jamie was not in bed. She went down to the lobby and found him
in the lounge at three thirty in the morning with Stephanie, at a table. They
claimed it was a coincidence bumping into each other like that. They had each been
unable to sleep, they told her. Jos wanted to believe him. She was kind of
struggling with it though. I mean, how many women do you know would go down to
a lounge at three thirty in the morning in Mexico? Alone?”

Lillie rolled her eyes when she
said this. Bella felt another twinge. She realized now she may have judged her too
early.

“Was there fallout?” Bella asked
cautiously.

“Oh yes,” Lillie replied right
away. “I know the rest of the trip was ruined for her. As soon as she got home she
left the tennis team she had been on with Stephanie for years.”

“I meant fallout with Jamie.”

“Oh,” answered Lillie. “It
certainly didn’t bring them closer.”

“Did your sister think Jamie and
Stephanie were having an affair?”

“She didn’t want to believe it.
She truly didn’t know.” Lillie shrugged her shoulders and looked scared when
she added, “But she suspected.”