Chapter 9: Lynn and Erin’s Story 05 – Our Family, Our Home

June – August – Year 2

“Doctor Daumerville’s office.”

“Hello. I need to make an appointment to talk to the doctor.”

“I’m sure we can make that happen. What seems to be the problem?”

“There is no problem, physically, I need to speak to the doctor about a problem with a missing person who may have lost his memory.”

“One moment please.”

“Excuse me Ryan, I have a woman on the phone that wants to make an appointment to talk to you about a missing person who may have lost their memory.”

“Ok. Get her info and set up an appointment. Are we still on for tonight?”

“I don’t know. My husband is getting a bit suspicious.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Just the way he is acting around the house. I don’t think that I should be going home late so often.”

“Ok. Let’s meet tonight and then back off for a bit.”

“I’ll think about it. Let me get back to the woman on hold.”

“Hello?”

“I’m still here.”

“I am sorry for the delay. I spoke with the doctor and he asked me to make an appointment with you. Let me look up the calendar and see what is available.”

“Thank you.”

“He can see you in two weeks.”

“No that won’t do. Look I just need to get an opinion on an issue. I am not seeing him as a patient. Perhaps I could meet him for lunch?”

“Let me check that for you. Please hold.”

“The lady on the phone can’t wait for an appointment in two weeks. She says that she is not a patient, she just wants some information and wants to know if you can meet her for lunch.”

“Lunch, huh. Sure, that might be fun.” He leered.

“So, when should I tell her to meet for lunch?”

“Well since I am not going to get lucky tonight, ask her if she is available for dinner tonight.”

“Right.”

“Hello?”

“I am still here.”

“Dr. Daumerville asks if you would meet him this evening for dinner. That would be the earliest time he is available.”

“Sure. Where do I meet him?”

“What is convenient for you?”

“I will go anywhere I need to go to speak with him about my husband. Tell him to name the time and place.”

“One moment please.”

“The lady wants to know where and when to meet you.”

“Anxious, huh? Tell her Chandler’s at 6pm. Have her ask for my table. Looks like you can go home on time tonight.”

He chuckled at her.

“The doctor asks you to meet him at Chandler’s at 6pm tonight.”

“I’ll be there. How do I know him?”

“Well you could ask for his table or you could look for the bastard with the perpetual hard-on.”

“I was told that he was a bit of a pussy hound.”

“He is that. Please be careful.”

“Do I need to watch what I drink?”

“Perhaps.”

“Thank you. My name is Lynn O’Dell. I am the CEO of a Foundation here in town. I appreciate your help and your caring. If I can ever help you, my name is in the book.”

“Thank you. Mrs. O’Dell.”

At 6pm a beautiful, medium height, redhead walked into the steakhouse and asked for Dr. Daumerville. The hostess took her to the doctors table.

“How do you do doctor. My name is Mrs. Lynn O’Dell I spoke with your office this afternoon about meeting you for some information.”

She shook his hand and sat down. He did not stand to greet her.

“Mrs. O’Dell. Very nice to meet you. Would you like a drink?”

“No thank you. I am not here socially. I have some serious questions.”

“Very well, how can I help you?” The doctor seemed to deflate.

“My husband disappeared in Houston Texas last year. The ER attending doctor told me that because of a severe blow to the head, my husband could have memory loss. Before they could verify that diagnosis, however, my husband came to, snuck out of the hospital and has not been seen since. I need to find out if there are some common actions or behaviors that a man in that position might do, and then, perhaps, I can use them to track his movements.”

“I see. Let’s have dinner and after this date we can talk about it.”

“Doctor, this is not a date.”

“If you want my expertise it is.”

Lynn took her phone out of her purse and pushed a speed dial button.

“He did it.”

Then she disconnected.

“What was that?”

“That doctor is me, telling you, that you are now in deep trouble.”

“What?”

“You propositioned me. You implied that you would help me if I gave you personal favors.”

“Did you record me? Are you going to sue me?” He laughed at Lynn.

“No. I don’t believe in the legal system. It is just you and me and he said, she said.”

“So, in other words, I said nothing.”

“And in other words, I do not have anyone outside towing your car to a wrecking lot and waiting for you to walk out the door to do the same to you.”

The man sat there as the smirk slowly slid off of his face. Lynn’s expression never changed. After she blinked for only the third time since her statement he began weighing his situation.

“Doctor, over a year ago I was raped. That man no longer exists. My husband and his friends took care of it. Now, my husband is missing. But his friends are not. I need you to talk to me about the information I need in order to find my husband.”

“Mrs. O’Dell, I am sure the police would have done all of the things that I would suggest.”

“And I am sure that you are wealthy enough to purchase a new car. How about a new house? How about a new office? I can destroy as much of your world as I need to, in order to balance out the insult you have given me.”

“Bullshit.”

“Doctor, please go out to your car. When you find I am telling you the truth, come back. If you do not come back, you will lose another personal item. You came to me highly recommended in your field, and also highly recommended as a man who would take advantage of a helpless woman.”

The man stood and walked out of the restaurant and to the parking garage. His car was gone. Bringing his hand to his mouth he wondered what he had gotten himself into. He decided to return to the woman and try to limit the damage.

“Mrs. O’Dell, I am sure that we can come to an arrangement.”

“Are you asking me for sex?”

“No!”

He almost shouted.

“Then please answer my question.”

“The police really would have done all of the things I could suggest. Really!”

“Doctor, the police would have done the things they needed to do in order to find a person who did not want to be found. I am told that a person who was just lost would do certain things that could make it easier to find them. What would a lost person do if they were just lost? If they were confused and injured?”

The doctor finally realized that he needed to take the path of least resistance.

“Research tells us that a person with memory loss will first find the familiar. Even if they have lost their memory, their personality will have innate traits that come to the front. Also, the more that they do those things the better the chance that they will come back sooner.”

“So, if my husband was a teacher, he would probably find a way to teach?”

“Simple answer? Yes. He could stumble into the same field, but more than likely he would just examine his surroundings and then move towards the activity or vocation, but not the specific field. If he was a history teacher, he could become a welding instructor. It is still teaching.”

“So, he could be teaching or instructing in any field or area?”

“Yes.”

“Very well. Now let’s order dinner and as we eat I will see if I can think of any other questions.”

The waiter came and took our order. They ate in silence, but for the occasional thought Lynn had. In the end, they finished, and Lynn asked for the bill. She paid it and stood.

“Doctor, you are a piece of shit. You are also on my list. If I have any more questions I will call you. You will respond professionally. Anything outside of those boundaries will be seen as a personal insult and I will redress that insult.”

She stood.

“Good evening.” She turned to leave.

“Mrs. O’Dell. What about my car?” He stood a few feet behind her.

“What about it?”

Lynn smiled and left with the doctor following behind her. He did not even risk a glance at her bottom. Outside the door Lynn turned left and the doctor saw his car waiting for him to the right, with a very large man standing beside it, holding the door open for him.

“This time was a rehearsal. Next time will be for real. Good night.” The man spoke with an impressively deep voice.

The large man walked away in the same direction as Lynn.

Later that morning, when Erin had woken up, Lynn shared her info with her wife.

“Well, lover, one good thing that came out of this was that we now have a way of narrowing down the search. Paul will begin to lean towards something that he does that he is very familiar with.”

“So that narrows the field to two things, unless he has become a professional gigolo.” That caused Lynn to laugh.

“Right! But seriously, I am thinking coaching or music.”

“Me too.” Erin agreed.

“I just thought of something. Hang on a sec.” Lynn picked up her phone and dialed a new speed number.

“Doctor Daumerville’s office.”

“Hello Carrie, this is Lynn O’Dell.”

“Hi Lynn! What did you do to him? He has been a different guy today.”

“I made him an offer. Is he with a patient?”

“No.”

“Please tell him that I am on the phone.”

Carrie Stubblefield walked to the doctor’s office and knocked. She entered and looked at the man. He seemed somehow smaller.

“A Mrs. Lynn O’Dell is on the phone. Do you want to take it?”

“Yes!” He almost jumped at the phone.

“Yes, Mrs. O’Dell. How can I help you?”

“Doctor, assuming that my husband went towards an area of his expertise, would he be low profile or high profile?”