Laurie said Mark. He took in a breath.
Mr Whaley, said Ren, who knew that you were coming to Breckenridge this weekend?
Some of our friends, I guess. Erica probably mentioned it to some of hers. Its its our wedding anniversary this Tuesday; thats why she pressed for going to dinner I think, even though we had Laurie. I wasnt thinking that way, but she was.
Mr Whaley, several witnesses have said that you and your wife had a heated discussion over dinner
He blinked. I wouldnt have called it heated
Ren waited. He didnt fill the silence.
Can you tell me what the discussion was about? said Ren.
Couple stuff. It wasnt about Laurie.
It doesnt have to be about Laurie to be relevant to the investigation, said Ren.
I know its just it was a private conversation that I didnt think Id have to share with anyone. Especially the FBI. My head is please. Let me get my head around this. Im thrown. He took a breath. Erica thinks Ive been distant. I disagree.
Ren waited.
That was the crux of it.
Your wife thinks youve been distant is there any reason for that? said Ren.
I work hard, said Mark. Long hours. And I take work home. If that makes me distant He shrugged. Im doing it for my family. So, I guess, yes, it makes me mad not mad just frustrated when she accuses me of being distant.
Shes accused you of this before, said Ren.
No, not like that just she asks me if Im OK a lot.
And are you? said Ren. How are things going for you?
He frowned. Theyre going well. Why do you ask?
Im trying to get a handle on everything, said Ren. Thats all. Is everything going OK in your work?
Absolutely.
You work for, she checked her notes, MeesterBrandt Pharmaceuticals.
Yes, said Mark. Im the CFO.
A flicker of something crossed his face.
Annoyance?
How long have you worked with them?
Since 1989.
And what do you do there exactly? said Ren.
Im head of the Finance and Administration Department.
And how are the finances of MeesterBrandt?
Mark Whaley gave a wry smile. Well, have you heard of the drug Ellerol?
Its new, isnt it? said Ren. Ive seen the TV commercials.
Eighteen seconds of dazzlingly positive effects, and twenty-two seconds of rapid-fire side-effect warnings. Guarantee: no guarantees.
Its been on the market one year, said Mark. And its already one of the top five revenue-producing drugs in the country.
But its an antipsychotic, said Ren. In the top five?
All of the top five are antipsychotics, said Mark.
Oh. My. God.
He looked like he had shocked people before with this information.
So, said Mark. You can understand that success on that scale would create a lot of work.
And misery, clearly.
And, obviously, its not our only drug, said Mark.
Ren nodded. Are you happy at MeesterBrandt?
Yes, said Mark. Why are you asking these things?
Ren didnt reply. She stared.
Im sorry if Im sounding a little short, said Mark. I just dont see how this is relevant.
I understand that, said Ren. You want to get out there, you want to find your daughter. But Im not wasting your time. Like I said, the more we know-
There was a knock on the door, and Bob Gage leaned his head in. Ren followed him outside.
Beating a confession out of him? said Bob.
Only a matter of time, said Ren.
The ex-wife is outside, said Bob. Lauries mother Cathy Merritt. She was going crazy at security. I told them to let her through.
Well take him out to meet her, said Ren. Let the magic happen.
Youre a twisted one, said Bob.
This could be a ransom situation, said Ren. MeesterBrandts worth big bucks. Then would they choose the CFOs kid over the CEOs?
Does the CEO have kids? said Bob.
We shall find out, said Ren. Did you know that the top five drugs in our fair land are antipsychotics?
What? said Bob. There are that many psychos out there?
Keeping us in a job, said Ren.
We just need them to stop taking their meds, said Bob.
10
As Bob and Ren walked with Mark Whaley into the reception area, Cathy Merritt burst through the door from the foyer. She was a round, heavy-set woman with thick black hair that was still dotted with snowflakes. She had a full face and cheeks that were beaming their high color through a thick layer of foundation. She was dressed in a low-cut green velvet dress that had shunted her large breasts down to her waist and left a pale, flat expanse of chest behind. Her legs were plump, and covered in black panty-hose. Her feet were squeezed into a pair of black shiny Mary Janes.
Bob and Ren exchanged nutjob glances.
Cathy Merritt lunged for Mark, slapping him hard on the chest and pushing against him. Despite her bulk, he didnt move.
I knew it, she screamed. I knew it. What have you done? That judge! What have you done to Laurie? I heard this from a hotel receptionist! she said. Thats how I heard my daughter had gone missing. I tried your cell, I tried Lauries, I got nothing, I called the hotel, and they told me all hell has broken loose, a child has gone missing. My child! Thats how I hear it! What have you done to her?
What have I done to her? said Mark. Are you insane? Nothing! We came back from dinner she was gone. I had checked on her!
You went for dinner? said Cathy. You left her in the room alone?
Dont be ridiculous, said Mark. She was not alone. Leo was there. And we had a sitter.
Oh, you left her with a three-year-old and a stranger! said Cathy. Well, then!
As if youve never left her with a sitter, said Mark.
Sitters I know! said Cathy. Not strangers. Who was this person?
She works for the hotel. Shes a high school student
Why were you even getting a sitter? said Cathy. You were taking Laurie away for the first time in years!
I I we watched a movie together, she was going to bed in a little while I didnt think going to dinner were in Breck, for crying out loud, its not like were in a war zone. We were going downstairs for a couple of hours. We could just as easily have been doing that at home.
So, strangers can just walk in and out of your house, no problem? said Cathy. And was it a couple of hours? Really? She pushed him again. You know what? On the drive here, Im thinking once a worthless piece of shit, always a worthless piece of shit. You havent changed one bit.
She turned to Bob and Ren, and stabbed a finger at them, then at her ex-husband. Watch this guy, she said. He is a liar, an alcoholic, and she turned to Mark, youre a loser! Her eyes darted back to Bob to Ren. A loser. Save yourself the time it took me to figure that out.
Erica Whaley appeared from the hallway where the rest rooms were. The female detective alongside her was reaching out to stop her from getting any closer to Cathy Merritt. But Erica shouted from where she stood, Mark is not a liar. You dont know him! You havent known him for years. He has a new life now.
God help you, said Cathy. You seem like a good person, Erica. And Laurie adores you, but how, how can you be with this She looked at Mark with years-long disgust.
He is a wonderful husband, and a wonderful father, said Erica.
Mark shook his head. Dont Erica
No, said Erica. I cant listen to this. I cant, honey. And Im not having the FBI, and the Sheriff, and everyone else listening to it either. From the day I met you, you have loved me, cared for me, provided for me and the children, not done one thing to hurt us. Not one thing. She turned to Cathy. Im sorry, Cathy, but he is not the man you married.
Well, you know something? said Cathy. Im not the woman he married! Because he wore me down. Your wonderful husband nearly destroyed me and he nearly destroyed our daughter-
Destroyed? said Mark.
We were driving around in the middle of the night dragging you out of dives. Laurie was only a baby! She turned to Erica. Theres your wonderful husband! The man, hanging over the toilet bowl, after a night of hard drinking? Wetting the bed? Theres your wonderful husband!
Whod have thought?
Ren watched, mute, as the conversation unfolded. You nasty, nasty woman. Ren had pressed her elbow against Bob to keep him from intervening.
Wait for those wonderful things that are revealed in anger.
The door had opened behind Cathy Merritt, and Gary Dettling walked in with Robbie, Cliff and Colin. They stopped at wetting the bed.
Ren gave the briefest acknowledgment of their arrival, but quickly turned back to Cathy Merritt, whose voice was riding high on hysteria.
She was shouting, Oh, puh-lease, the people change bullshit. Look where its gotten you. Seriously. Look! She poked a finger toward Ren and Bob. What happened to my baby? I knew this was going to happen. I knew it.
Mark snapped. You knew this would happen? Dont be ridiculous! You knew this would happen? Youre trying to tell me you were so worried about tonight that you what? Where were you tonight?
What the hell is that supposed to mean? said Cathy.
Just answer the question, said Mark.
We were at dinner, at home, with Jonathan, said Cathy. So shoot me.
And what? said Mark. You were waiting by the phone the whole time for a call from the cops?
Well, it would have been a damn sight better than hearing this from a desk clerk a hundred miles away said Cathy.
Right, said Mark. You thought your daughter would disappear, so you he looked at her, dress up ?
What the hell? said Cathy. I put on a dress and stay home for dinner and that means I wasnt worried? You bet your ass I was worried. And, clearly, I had every reason to be.
11
Gary Dettling stepped forward and introduced himself to Cathy Merritt.
Your daughters missing, Mrs Merritt, he said. We need to focus on that.
I want my husband, she said, trying to walk by him. A man stepped out of the corner. No-one had noticed him come in, even though he was well over six feet tall, and far from slim. He had thick, graying hair and a full beard. He went to his wife and put an arm around her shoulder.
Im Dale Merritt, he said, shaking Garys hand. Cathys husband. Im sorry about all this.
He glanced toward Cathy. She looked up at him, a small flash of anger in her eyes.
Gary nodded. Lets just take you somewhere to sit down.
He guided the Merritts to one side.
Would it be possible to make a call to my son to let him know whats going on? said Dale.
Gary nodded. Thats not a problem. How old is your son?