A Hunting We Will Go by Hal Friedman

Author:Hal Friedman [Friedman, Hal]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-06-201279-1
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 1998-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

Dr. Ellen Lundon was a sturdy woman in her late forties with completely white hair pulled back into a tight bun. She stood ramrod straight in the entrance to her office, which occupied the main floor of a four-story commercial building in the heart of Westwood.

“I’m not really comfortable discussing my patients,” she stated, even before they went inside. “But given the circumstances, I’ve decided that your friend’s interest takes precedence.”

“I appreciate that, Dr. Lundon. It’s very important,” Fava said.

“And no doubt I’ll be doing this again shortly with the police.”

“No doubt.”

Lundon let out a long breath and was resigned to her fate. She led Fava to an inner office where her consultations with patients took place.

“First of all, I’m puzzled about the name you mentioned when you called,” she said when Fava took a seat on a platform couch opposite her. “The woman in custody is Helen Kahn, but that wasn’t the name of my patient. What makes you think we’re talking about the same person?”

“I’m not sure we are. But how many women could there be who feel so persecuted by the media that they seek counseling for it?”

“I have no way of knowing that.” Lundon thought about it some more and added, “I guess not too many.”

“I figured someone like that could harbor so much resentment she might eventually come after the reporter she blamed for her problems—that is, if she was too late for therapy to help her,” Fava added respectfully.

Lundon nodded but didn’t say anything.

“Would you have known if she wasn’t using her real name?” Fava asked.

“No, not necessarily. A number of patients withhold their real names, at least in the beginning. Do you have a picture?”

Fava quickly produced the shot Katlyn had given her, the one that Jarrett brought back after the arrest. As it turned out, that same picture ended up all over television and the newspapers the next day.

Lundon studied it, then looked at the date. “I was out of town when this was published. Poor woman. I had the feeling she’d already made up her mind to do something before she came to see me.”

“You mean that’s her?” Fava said excitedly.

“She was very disturbed.” London stood and walked to a file cabinet to the right of her desk. She opened a drawer and in a few moments took out several pages of notes still attached to a ruled yellow pad. She slipped on a pair of bifocals.

“Her first visit was on the sixteenth of April. I saw her only one other time, on May eighth. She was much more agitated on the second visit, so I was concerned when she never called again. She said she was thirty-six, although she looked a good ten years older. Attractive, in a world-weary sort of way. But intelligent, definitely in the superior range.”

“How was she dressed? Did she seem odd in any other way?”

“She appeared to be indigent, but not unclean. More like she was down on her luck. Her clothes were quite threadbare, though, as I remember.

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