“Reynolds can’t have liked that.”
“I’m sure he didn’t. But what Frank wanted, Frank got. He was King of the Hill. And deservedly so. He was brilliant, you know. His work as a flavorist was revolutionary. Everyone wanted him to work for them. He was drawing down huge bucks.” He paused. “Reynolds was number two. At best.”
Mike drummed his fingers. “Dr. Reynolds didn’t mention any of this to me when I interviewed him.”
“No, I don’t expect he would. I’ve always wondered why the cops didn’t talk to him more. I guess they twigged onto Ray right off the bat and became convinced he was their man.”
“And you think that was a mistake?”
Hubbard shrugged. “Maybe I’m prejudiced. For all his eccentricities, especially when it came to women, Ray was my friend. But if it was my job to come up with an alternate explanation for what happened… I’d give Dr. Reynolds a good hard look.”
“Thank you for coming to see me,” Ben said as he showed Dr. Bennett to the chair opposite his desk. “I’ve been so busy since the hearing I’ve barely left the office. But I know your schedule is packed, also.”
“Oh, not really,” she said, waving a palm. “It’s my afternoon off. After I finished up this morning, I went home to my butterflies.”
“Fascinating hobby.”
“You think so? Sometimes I wonder.” She chuckled. “I’ve been holding a stiletto so long I think I’m developing a callous. What can I do for you?”
Ben glanced at the notes he’d made before she arrived. He wanted the interview to seem spontaneous, conversational. So she would be at ease. So she wouldn’t see him coming.
“I hope this isn’t going to be more about Sheila Knight,” she said. “I really can’t tell you more than I already did. Especially not now.”
Ben followed her meaning. Especially not now that Erin’s lifelong friend was just as dead as she was. “No, it isn’t about her.”
Bennett was wearing her hair down and holding her eyeglasses which, Ben noted, wrought an amazing change in her appearance. She had never been unattractive, but today, she looked downright sexy. “And please don’t press me to reveal any more confidences from Erin Faulkner. Or anything about her and her father. I simply can’t.”
“I understand. It would violate privilege.”
“Twice over.”
Ben slowed. “Twice over?”
“Right. Since Erin Faulkner was my patient. Just as her father had been.”
“Frank Faulkner was your patient?”
“Oh yes. Up to the time of his death.”
“You’ve counseled both Erin and her father? This seems quite a coincidence.”
“It wasn’t a coincidence at all. I first met Erin at her father’s plant. Where I counseled some of the employees. Still do. She remembered me years later when she decided to seek therapy herself.”
Ben sat up straight in his chair. “You counseled for the plant where Frank and Ray both worked? Prairie Dog Flavors?”
She nodded. “On a freelance basis. I came in once a week. Helped the eggheads sort out their problems.”
“I’m surprised that work interested you.”
“Are you kidding? At that point in my career, most of my patients were referrals from the Justice Department. Total scum. Murderers, sex offenders. Lots of sex offenders. Some of the most horrible, twisted people who ever walked the earth. After a few days of that, you’ll welcome the chance to talk to some mild-mannered chemists about their impotence.”
“Is that what it was, mostly? Domestic problems?”
“Actually, at that place, it was mostly work-related stress. Still is. When I first started there, the place was just taking off. They were getting their first big-bucks clients. Mostly thanks to Frank, who had hit it big as a flavorist. He was bringing in some major accounts.”
“That must’ve made the bosses happy.”
“Well, yes and no. That was part of the stress he was experiencing, you see. He wanted to quit and go out on his own. Why should the corporation get all the profits when he was the one doing the work? But he was under contract. Everything he did then and for six years into the future belonged to Prairie Dog Flavors, regardless of how or where he devised it. They owned him.”
“I’m beginning to see why he might need a shrink.”
“It was tearing him apart. He was generating tons of income-but not getting enough of it himself. And remember-he had a nice house and a large family to support.”
“Did he get along with the other people at the plant?”
“He tried, but he was convinced everyone hated him. And acted accordingly, I’m afraid. He thought they were all envious, and not without some justification, I imagine. Anyone who did as well as Frank was bound to engender some ill will.”
“What about Dr. Reynolds? Was he one of the jealous ones?”
“He was one of the ones who hated Frank’s guts. Familiarity breeds contempt, you know. He was forced to work closely with Frank. Frank told me he tried to treat Conrad well, but it just never worked out. I don’t know what the truth is. But I know this-Reynolds had some real problems with Frank.”
“When did you last see Frank?”
“The day before the murders. Special session, at his home.”
“You make house calls?”
She gave him a wry expression. “I did then. He’d had a severe panic attack. Trouble breathing. I thought he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.”
“Why?”
Bennett considered a moment. “He told me he was working on something-something big. He was having a meeting with someone-had to break away to talk to me. But he wouldn’t go into any details.”
“Did you tell the police this?”
“Of course I did. And at first, I thought they were interested. Then they tripped onto your client and became convinced he was guilty. And at that point-”
“The investigation stopped. Yeah, I know.” Ben reached back and massaged his stiff neck. “I can’t get over this idea that the chem lab is a major pressure cooker. I hate to be stereotypical, but I thought they’d all be nerds wearing white lab coats and Coke-bottle glasses who wouldn’t know how to spend money if they had it.”
“You throw major moolah into any environment, you’re going to get stress.”
Ben nodded. “That explains my immunity.”
Bennett leaned forward, twirling her glasses in a small orbit. “Are you sure about that?”
“About what?”
“Stress. And you.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Well… maybe I’m out of line. But I get the impression you’re suffering from a fair amount of stress right now yourself.”
Ben considered. “I’ve just had a bad hearing. A bad case gone worse. And my client’s about to pay the ultimate price.”