The Lovely Chocolate Mob - By Richard J. Bennett Page 0,66
was grinning; she was pursing her lips to keep from smiling too much. I know she enjoyed the story.
“Mr. Owen, there seem to be two forces at work here: the outside force and the inside force. I hold to the opinion that someone needs to be convinced from the inside to do the right thing; obviously you hold that outside forces be used to obtain the same results. We hold two different opinions on this matter.”
“Maybe we do,” I said. “However, if the inside forces work, that’s fine. It’s probably better, even. We tried to use the inside forces on Dr. Burke, when we showed him pictures of his wedding, his children. We tried to remind him that he had obligations. We didn’t force him to watch.”
“No, but you locked him in a little room.”
“It was a medium-sized room. But we felt we had to lock the door because we didn’t want anybody walking in, nor give him a chance to escape before seeing all we wanted him to see.”
Miss Planter gave me a dubious look.
“After all,” I continued, “we had to try to reason with him. And, I’m afraid all of our work didn’t really amount to much. He’s back to his old tricks; he hasn’t stopped seeing Susan Lovely. We’ve failed.” I looked down, and admitted, “I’ve failed.”
“Then, what are your next steps for Dr. Burke, Mr. Owen?”
“Do you want to know?”
Miss Planter hesitated.
“Do you really want to know?” I pushed.
Miss Planter broke. “Yes, I really want to know.”
“Then we’re back with the sessions. Deal?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Miss Planter smiled and said “Deal.”
“Now, was that an outside force or an inside force, Miss Planter?”
She smiled and replied, “Maybe a little of both.”
I laughed; Miss Planter laughed a little as well. I don’t think she really wanted our sessions to come to an end.
“So, tell me,” she said.
“Yes, I will. Here goes,” I said, trying to set the stage. “I really haven’t decided what to do just yet. Here we are; we’ve tried to reach his ‘inner man,’ through means not quite smiled upon by society, and yourself, but we wanted to move fast and have him come to a decision. Well, he’s decided. He’s decided to keep his girlfriend, at the risk of losing his family. He will lose his family, eventually, or greatly damage it, or them.”
“Do you think acting on the ‘outer’ man would change his mind?” asked Miss Planter.
I shrugged. “I think that’s all we have left. It’s not as though we could go and tell his parents. They had an influence on him when they were younger; they were his authority figures. But now his father is deceased, and his mother is suffering from Alzheimer’s in a nursing home.”
“And threatening to tell his children didn’t work,” said Miss Planter. “He may decide to tell them himself, soon.”
“Yes, you’re right,” I said. “I thought about that; by telling his children, he takes away any threat that we’ll do so.”
“How about changing the mind of Miss Lovely? Have you considered that?”
“We couldn’t get within a mile of Miss Lovely. She’s a billionaire now; well, soon she will be, and she’s protected by bodyguards. It might prove dangerous.”
“Well, why don’t you call her on the telephone and make an appointment to go and talk to her?”
“And have her tell Dr. Burke that we were the ones who locked him in a room and threatened to tell his children of their affair? No thanks. We prefer to remain anonymous.”
“Is there anyone above Miss Lovely? Is there any authority figure in her life?”
“I think her parents removed themselves from the scene years ago, to get away from Cornelius Lovely and his responsible lifestyle. It’s doubtful they’d care, and her only local relative, Mr. Lovely of course, has just passed away and left her with a fortune. Unless…” I thought to myself. “Of course!”
“Of course, what?”
“Why didn’t I think of this sooner?”
“Think of what?” she asked.
“Oh, you’ve been such a help to me today, Miss Planter! This is great!” I stood up to hug her, then in mid-lurch I stopped; she was a professional, and to touch her would diminish her authority. “Thank you, Miss Planter.” I did a half-bow, and turned to leave.
“You’re going now?” she asked.
“Yes, I’ve got to get to work!” I said, as I got near the back exit door.
“Can’t work do without you for a day?”
“I’m already behind; now I’m playing catch-up!”
“Aren’t you going to tell me what your intentions are?”