“Tapes are an excellent recording device,” I say. “And I’d be happy to offer a demonstration.”
“A demonstration?”
“The Dr. Adrienne Hale experience.” I wink at him. “You take a seat on the couch and I’ll show you what I do.”
His smile falters as he glances behind him at my leather sofa. “On the couch?”
“Yes. It will be fun.”
“Fun?”
“Sure. Why not?”
He runs a hand along the arm of the sofa. “The Dr. Adrienne Hale experience, huh?”
“I should tell you, there are many people who pay top dollar for this.”
“Oh, I’ll bet.” He looks down at the sofa again. He’s reluctant to do this, but he also doesn’t want to say no. He just spent his entire evening here. Even though he’s a nice guy, he surely has an ulterior motive. “Fine. Let’s do it. Give me the Dr. Adrienne Hale experience.”
Chapter 24
Transcript of Recording
This is my first session with LS, a thirty…？
“Thirty-six.”
“A thirty-six-year-old man who appears normal, but is freakishly good with electronics and computers, and also apparently carries a hammer around in the back of his trunk. Suspicious?”
“Hey, you should be grateful I had that hammer.”
“So, Luke, why don’t you tell me a little about yourself?”
“Like what?”
“Whatever you think is important.”
“Well. I have a master’s in computer science. I’ve been working in information technology for… well, since I got my master’s. I’ve been helping medical facilities set up their EMR for the last five years.”
“Do you enjoy the work?”
“Sure. I mean, it’s a job. But it could be worse.”
“Are you married, Luke?”
“You know I’m not.”
“Do I?”
“Well, I’m not wearing a ring.”
“Plenty of married men don’t wear wedding bands.”
“Fine. But I’m not married.”
“Have you ever been married?”
“Um…”
“Luke?”
“Yes. I have.”
“I see. And how did that end?”
“She died.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“It’s… it’s fine. It was a long time ago.”
“Do you want to talk about—”
“No, I don’t want to talk about it. Let’s move on, okay?”
“Fair enough. But I just think—”
“This was a bad idea. Shut the tape recorder off.”
“I disagree. We have a lot to explore here.”
“Really.”
“Yes. You’re a very complex and interesting person, Luke Strauss.”
“Am I?”
“Don’t laugh. You just gave up your entire evening to do a favor for a woman you hardly even know. And you expected nothing from this woman in return.”
“I had to do it. She lives in the middle of nowhere. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to her.”
“That’s considerate.”
“I’m a nice guy, I guess. Or a sucker.”
“You’d only be a sucker if you did it expecting something from her that she didn’t intend to deliver.”
“I don’t… I mean, I’m not expecting anything. Hoping, I guess.”
“Hoping for what?”
“Nothing. Never mind.”
“No, tell me.”
“So this woman I helped tonight… you called me complex and interesting, and I don’t know if you’re right, but this woman, she’s all those things. And more. Really smart—like you wouldn’t believe. Also, she comes to this low-income clinic on her own free time and she really cares about the patients there. She acts like it’s no big deal, but what she does for them is amazing. They love her.”
“So you wanted to help her because she helps others?”
“Yes… I mean, that’s part of it, but…”
“But?”
“She’s interesting and complex and caring and intelligent. But she’s also…”
“What?”
“She’s beautiful.”
“You think so, do you?”
“I do. I really do.”
“I see. So what you’re saying is that you have romantic intentions towards this woman?”
“Uh…”