What Happened to the Bennetts(51)

I listened, visualizing the interview as if it were one of my transcripts:


Bryan: You’re Lucinda Bennett’s best friend, right?

Melissa: Yes, and let me say, I would never discuss Lucinda’s business with a total stranger. I’m doing this only because I’m trying to find her. I contacted you because I want to get the word out that they’re missing and put pressure on the police.

Bryan: We should explain how you found me.

Melissa: Some friends saw your website and mentioned it to me, so I emailed you. I feel like the police are not being responsive to me or the community, which I don’t understand. I’m a taxpayer. They owe us accountability but they don’t even call me back—

Bryan: That’s infuriating.

Melissa: I agree. And believe me, I know that I’m not in law enforcement, but I have common sense and I care about Lucinda and her family.

Bryan: I feel the same way, though I don’t know the Bennetts. I feel as if I do from your posts and photos.

Melissa: I appreciate that and I know you’re not a professional, either, but both of us are trying to solve this disappearance. I’m desperate to get the word out about Lucinda. We need to find her, Jason, and the kids. You have no idea what a wonderful family the Bennetts are.

Bryan: I’m sure, this is so upsetting.

Melissa: Right? Can you imagine? Your best friend and her family vanish off the face of the earth? As soon as she didn’t go to her mom’s, I knew there was real trouble. Something is really wrong. The police say I’m jumping to conclusions, but I’m telling you it’s true. I know when I’m being condescended to.

Bryan: Melissa, obviously, you know Lucinda better than anyone. My wife has a best friend, too, and her best friend would do anything for her.

Melissa: That’s how I feel. It’s girlfriends that get us through everything. Lucinda was—I mean is—a great friend.

Bryan: I know that you don’t suspect Jason, but let’s discuss him. You have to understand, the husband is the first person we look to in cases like this. Anyone who watches Lifetime TV knows that, right?

Melissa: Jason should not be a suspect. I don’t suspect him at all.



I smiled, appreciating the vote of confidence. I always liked Melissa, and it felt good to hear her defend me, conviction resonating in her voice.


Bryan: You strike me as an educated and sophisticated woman, so you know domestic abusers don’t appear to be so on the outside.

Melissa: I do know that.

Bryan: So you can’t always tell by appearances.

Melissa: Yes, that’s true.

Bryan: No marriage is perfect. Mine certainly isn’t. Is yours?

Melissa: No, and I’m not here to say Lucinda’s marriage was perfect. It definitely wasn’t.



I blinked, surprised. I didn’t think my marriage was perfect, but it was pretty good. I would’ve thought Lucinda would say the same thing.


Bryan: What is it that makes you say that their marriage was definitely not perfect?

Melissa: Well, there was a rough patch.

Bryan: When? I’m curious if it was close in time to their disappearance.

Melissa: Well, uh, in truth, it was. It was over the summer. She felt like Jason was spending too much time at work.



I remembered. I had been working all the time last summer, and Lucinda had been unhappy. We had fought about it once or twice, but I hadn’t thought it was a rough patch.


Bryan: So Jason was working late at the office?

Melissa: No. When you’re a court reporter, you’re not working at your own office. Jason would be in someone else’s office, but he worked nights.

Bryan: So he could have been anywhere.

Melissa: That wasn’t my point.

Bryan: Did Lucinda know where he was on those nights?

Melissa: Yes.

Bryan: But she had to rely on him telling her where he was. He could have been anywhere.

Melissa: I think he was where he said he was—

Bryan: Now during this time period he was working late, did you or Lucinda think he could be having an affair?

Melissa: No, he’s not like that. He’s a great guy.

Bryan: I did see pictures on his website of an employee named Justine. She’s very attractive. Do you know who I mean?

Melissa: Trust me, he wasn’t having an affair with Justine and I’m not going to talk about her personal life. Lucinda trusted Jason and I do, too.

Bryan: Then why do you say the marriage wasn’t perfect? What was the rough patch over the summer about, if he wasn’t having an affair? I suspect he was, and I don’t know why you’re lying for him.

Melissa: What? I’m not.

Bryan: Were you having an affair with him? Is that why you’re so involved in this? You’re acting like you’re worried about her, but really that’s to deflect suspicion—

Melissa: No, no, that’s not true! I would never, he would never, we weren’t having an affair! She was!



I wasn’t sure I heard correctly. Melissa sounded so upset, I must have been mistaken. I clicked stop, pressed rewind, then play and listened again.


Melissa: No, no, that’s not true! I would never, he would never, we weren’t having an affair! She was!



I was stunned, in disbelief. It shocked me to my foundations. It couldn’t be right. I clicked play to see if she took it back or corrected herself.