Lawyer Trap

11





DAY THREE–SEPTEMBER 7

WEDNESDAY NOON


Aspen couldn’t shake the feeling that Rachel’s disappearance was somehow connected to the Beverly Twenhofel file. The thought tugged at her so much that, when her lunch hour rolled around, she trotted the six blocks to her car and sped over to the psychologist’s Cherry Creek office.

Hoping to get whatever information she could.

Maybe even the killer’s name.

Dr. Twenhofel was just about to walk out the door when Aspen entered her office, out of breath after having to park more than three blocks away and then power-walk over.

“I’m here about Rachel Ringer,” Aspen said.

The woman—an elegant lady about fifty—studied her.

“Rachel Ringer the attorney?”

“Yes.”

She looked at her watch.

Aspen sensed that she was already late for an appointment.

But they ended up in her office, anyway, a comfortable cozy space with lots of cherry wood, plants and texture. Aspen explained her theory that Dr. Twenhofel’s so-called patient was somehow connected to Rachel’s disappearance. The woman listened patiently and said, “So what is it exactly that you want from me?”

Good question.

Aspen bit her lower lip.

“I don’t know,” she said. “A name, I guess.”

The woman retreated in thought and then said, “I don’t see how there could be a connection, personally. If the guy felt threatened, he would go after me. That hasn’t happened. Plus he wouldn’t even know that Rachel was involved in providing a legal opinion. Rachel wasn’t the kind of person who would do anything stupid like try to hunt him down on the side or anything. Not to mention that I’m not sure that I even told her the guy’s name.”

The woman looked at her watch again.

Then back at Aspen.

“Your desire to help Rachel is admirable,” she said. “But you’re pointed in the wrong direction.”

“If that’s the case, what harm would it do for you to tell me the guy’s name? Maybe he called her or something. If we find his name written down in Rachel’s day-timer or phone messages or something, we’d have a connection.”

The woman shook her head.

“Here’s the problem,” she said. “First of all, I’m not good with names and don’t even remember it at this point. Second of all, even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you because you’d end up doing something to get yourself on his radar screen. I’m not going to let that happen.”

The woman stood up and looked at her watch.

“Like I said,” she added, “your desire to help Rachel is admirable. But my advice to you is drop it.”