Boystown 7: Bloodlines Read Online Free PDF Page B

off and start bothering people.”
    “I have five minutes then I’m in a meeting.”
    “I’ll be quick then. Who’s Emily Fante?”
    “Oh, that’s right…I should have mentioned her to you. Sorry. She’s a friend of Madeline’s, but when I brought up the name she wanted her taken off the list.”
    “Madeline wanted her off the list? So why is she on the list?”
    “It bugged me that she wanted her off. Melody was so sure she’d be helpful.”
    “Melody? Melody gave you the name?”
    “Yes.”
    That didn’t fit but I decided to hold off a moment. “Did you talk to Emily about testifying?” I asked.
    “No. I left her a message and then when I called back again the phone had been shut off. I haven’t had a chance to ask Melody if she’s got the new number.”
    “Melody says she doesn’t know Emily Fante.”
    “Oh? That’s rather curious.”
    I was tempted to say “quite” as though I was in some English drawing room mystery, but instead I said, “It might not mean anything. Melody may have thought the woman was a friend and then found out she wasn’t.”
    “Then why not tell you that? You should find Emily Fante and talk to her.”
    “Do you think she’s the mistress?”
    “At the moment, dear, I don’t know anything more about Emily Fante than you do.”
    “All right. What about the high school teacher? Do you think he’s important?”
    “No, I don’t. They spent a lot of time trying to make Madeline look stupid enough to murder for insurance she couldn’t possibly claim. I think she just wanted someone to testify that she’s smart.”
    “But he won’t?”
    “He sounded pretty old when I talked to him. I don’t think he actually remembers her.”
    “Do you remember where he lives? I couldn’t get his number.”
    “Oh, I don’t. It’s really far though…look, I really do need to go now. We’ll talk later, all right?”
    I agreed and hung up. I had a decision to make. I could continue with my morning as I’d planned it or I could drop everything and focus on finding Emily Fante. I decided to stick with my plan. I could drop it later if I got more information on the Fante woman.
    Since it was after nine, I called Dr. Caspian’s office again. A woman answered with a cheerful, “Caspian Dental Group.” They’d changed the name. I wondered if they even bothered to wait until the guilty verdict came in.
    “Could I speak to Cynthia Furlong?”
    “Speaking.”
    “This Nick Nowak, I’m working with Madeline Levine-Berkson’s attorneys on her sentencing. Do you have a few moments?”
    “No. But I imagine you’ll just call back.”
    “Yes, I will, I’m afraid.”
    She sighed as though she spent her entire day talking to annoying private detectives. “Look, I’ve already said I won’t testify for her, so why are you calling?”
    “I’d like to know why you won’t testify for her.”
    “She killed her husband. She should go to prison for that.”
    “The sentencing hearing isn’t about whether or not she’ll go to prison. It’s about how long she’ll go to prison. She could go to prison for twenty years. That’s a very long time.” It seemed wise not to mention four years of probation was also a possibility.
    There was silence on the other end of the phone. I could hear another line ring in the background. She said, “Hold on a second,” and was gone. The radio played Marvin Gaye. They’d been doing that a lot, even though I wouldn’t exactly call him a jazz musician. I guess when you’re shot by your own father people are willing to stretch a point. Finally, Cynthia came back. “Look, Dr. Levine-Berkson has hurt a lot people and I think she deserves whatever she gets. Now, if you’ll excuse—”
    “Two quick questions. Do you know a woman named Emily Fante?”
    “Maybe. I don’t know. Dr. Levine-Berkson got personal calls from someone named Emily. She never left a last name.”
    “Do you know anything about their relationship?”
    “Relationship? Dr.