One’s local, and the
other two are big shots from Hudson County. Which way do you think we
should go, Aud? Go with the guy who knows the area and the Neptune
police, or go for the best representation money can buy?”
“I want both.” It was her mother’s voice. “Can’t we have both?”
“You mean hire the local lawyer as well as one from up north?” Leslie surmised that her mother must
have nodded her assent, because her father spoke again. “Not unless we
suddenly win the lottery, Aud. We don’t have that kind of money. You
know that, honey.”
As she heard her mother start to cry, Leslie could picture her
father reaching out to take hold of his wife’s arm, trying to reassure
her. “It’s gonna be all right, Aud. I promise.”
“No. It’s not going to be all right, Lou.” Her mother’s voice grew
louder now. “It hasn’t been all right for years, and it’s not suddenly
going to be all right now. All I know is I am not going to have my only
child punished because she isn’t well. That’s really what this amounts
to. Leslie is mentally unstable, and that’s why she pulled this stunt.
Any defense lawyer worth his salt should be able to prove that. We can
show that she’s been in one kind of therapy or another for years.”
“I’m afraid the police don’t consider this a mere stunt, Audrey. And
people around town don’t either. Some folks may feel sorry for Leslie,
but they don’t want to set a precedent by letting her off with a slap
on the wrist. It cost a bundle to have all that searching done, and
people don’t appreciate having their time and tax dollars wasted. They
don’t want to get stuck footing the bill for the next girl who decides
to cry wolf to get some attention. They’ll want to set an example with
our daughter.”
Leslie could feel her pulse race as her cheeks grew hot. She had
sensed the police didn’t believe her story, but it hadn’t occurred to
her that her parents didn’t believe her either, or that she could
possibly go to jail. She had heard lots of stories about what happened in prison, and the idea
terrified her. Leslie couldn’t control the deep sob that forced its way
up through her throat.
“Leslie? Is that you, honey?”Audrey got up from the table and went
through the door, finding her daughter crouched and hugging herself in
the darkened dining room.
“Oh, Leslie. Come here, sweetheart.” Audrey wrapped her arms around
the young woman and urged her to stand up. “It will be all right,
Leslie, you’ll see. Come in with Daddy and me and we’ll talk.”
“I don’t want to talk,” Leslie wailed. “I don’t want to go to jail.
I didn’t do anything wrong, Mom. I swear I didn’t.”
“Shh, Leslie. It’s all right. You aren’t going to jail, honey.”
Audrey held her sobbing daughter as Lou came into the dining room and
turned on the light. “Tell Leslie it’s going to be all right, Lou.”
“We’re going to get the best lawyer, Leslie. Don’t you worry,” her
father answered, unable to attest to something he wasn’t sure was true.
“He’ll know how to handle this. He’ll be able to straighten everything
out.”
Leslie could not be consoled. She continued sobbing, not only at the
idea of the punishment she could face but also letting out the tension
and hurt she had been feeling all day. It was bad enough Shawn hadn’t
looked for her when she was missing; he hadn’t even bothered coming to
see her today to tell her he was glad she was alive.
CHAPTER 16
Thank God, Helen had agreed to get out of Ocean Grove and drive
south to Bradley Beach, where they could let loose a little bit. A nice
lobster dinner and a couple of beers made Jonathan feel much better.
Afterward, as he and Helen danced to the strains of the Motown music,
he found himself actually having a good time. This was the way it
should be. This was normal adult life at the beach. A few drinks and
some loud music and some fun. Not tee-totaling and mind-numbing
other two are big shots from Hudson County. Which way do you think we
should go, Aud? Go with the guy who knows the area and the Neptune
police, or go for the best representation money can buy?”
“I want both.” It was her mother’s voice. “Can’t we have both?”
“You mean hire the local lawyer as well as one from up north?” Leslie surmised that her mother must
have nodded her assent, because her father spoke again. “Not unless we
suddenly win the lottery, Aud. We don’t have that kind of money. You
know that, honey.”
As she heard her mother start to cry, Leslie could picture her
father reaching out to take hold of his wife’s arm, trying to reassure
her. “It’s gonna be all right, Aud. I promise.”
“No. It’s not going to be all right, Lou.” Her mother’s voice grew
louder now. “It hasn’t been all right for years, and it’s not suddenly
going to be all right now. All I know is I am not going to have my only
child punished because she isn’t well. That’s really what this amounts
to. Leslie is mentally unstable, and that’s why she pulled this stunt.
Any defense lawyer worth his salt should be able to prove that. We can
show that she’s been in one kind of therapy or another for years.”
“I’m afraid the police don’t consider this a mere stunt, Audrey. And
people around town don’t either. Some folks may feel sorry for Leslie,
but they don’t want to set a precedent by letting her off with a slap
on the wrist. It cost a bundle to have all that searching done, and
people don’t appreciate having their time and tax dollars wasted. They
don’t want to get stuck footing the bill for the next girl who decides
to cry wolf to get some attention. They’ll want to set an example with
our daughter.”
Leslie could feel her pulse race as her cheeks grew hot. She had
sensed the police didn’t believe her story, but it hadn’t occurred to
her that her parents didn’t believe her either, or that she could
possibly go to jail. She had heard lots of stories about what happened in prison, and the idea
terrified her. Leslie couldn’t control the deep sob that forced its way
up through her throat.
“Leslie? Is that you, honey?”Audrey got up from the table and went
through the door, finding her daughter crouched and hugging herself in
the darkened dining room.
“Oh, Leslie. Come here, sweetheart.” Audrey wrapped her arms around
the young woman and urged her to stand up. “It will be all right,
Leslie, you’ll see. Come in with Daddy and me and we’ll talk.”
“I don’t want to talk,” Leslie wailed. “I don’t want to go to jail.
I didn’t do anything wrong, Mom. I swear I didn’t.”
“Shh, Leslie. It’s all right. You aren’t going to jail, honey.”
Audrey held her sobbing daughter as Lou came into the dining room and
turned on the light. “Tell Leslie it’s going to be all right, Lou.”
“We’re going to get the best lawyer, Leslie. Don’t you worry,” her
father answered, unable to attest to something he wasn’t sure was true.
“He’ll know how to handle this. He’ll be able to straighten everything
out.”
Leslie could not be consoled. She continued sobbing, not only at the
idea of the punishment she could face but also letting out the tension
and hurt she had been feeling all day. It was bad enough Shawn hadn’t
looked for her when she was missing; he hadn’t even bothered coming to
see her today to tell her he was glad she was alive.
CHAPTER 16
Thank God, Helen had agreed to get out of Ocean Grove and drive
south to Bradley Beach, where they could let loose a little bit. A nice
lobster dinner and a couple of beers made Jonathan feel much better.
Afterward, as he and Helen danced to the strains of the Motown music,
he found himself actually having a good time. This was the way it
should be. This was normal adult life at the beach. A few drinks and
some loud music and some fun. Not tee-totaling and mind-numbing
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