Free Baby Please Don't Go: A Novel by Frank Freudberg Page B

settling into a seat while sliding a mug toward him.
    “Please,” said Lock. “It’s important for us to keep focused on the girls and why I’m here. I don’t know who’s playing games with CPS, but it’s not funny. Whoever filed the complaint is guilty of filing a false report to authorities. I could pursue it, but I’m not interested in wasting my time. I want to be able to walk out of here feeling confident your children are all right, and as of right now, I think that’s the case.”
    Witt took a quick peek at the business card Lock had placed in front of him on the table. “What do you think of the importance of fidelity in the grand institution of marriage, Mr. Gilkenney?”
    “Let’s stay on point, Mr. Mannheim. This is no light matter.”
    Ignoring Lock’s caution, Witt continued. “Of course, I’ve flirted…harmlessly. Who doesn’t?”
    “Everyone’s falling asleep, Witt,” Natalie said.
    “Ask her about her yoga teacher,” he said. “He’s taught her how to bend her body into all kinds of accommodating positions.”
    “That’s a vile lie, Witt.”
    “I can guarantee you, knowing your wife is out somewhere with someone else hurts a lot.” Witt made a fist and tapped his chest three times. “Especially if you loved her as much as I loved Natalie.”
    “I’m here to follow up on a complaint of neglect of your children, Mr. Mannheim,” Lock said. “That’s all. Let’s confine the commentary to that. No editorializing. It’s not helpful.”
    “Don’t you want to see the kids?” Witt asked. “The sooner you see that they’re fine, the sooner we can get this over with.” He stood up, as if to end the interview.
    Lock had seen all sorts of misbehavior during interviews like this. There was no way Witt was going to make him angry, not in his professional capacity, at least. But a part of him was fuming at the way Witt treated Natalie. What do I think of infidelity? he thought. I think it’s amazing she stuck with you for this long .
    Witt stood over them, removed his glasses, and rubbed his eyes.
    “I still have a few questions,” said Lock, looking up. Play your power games, buddy . I’m not leaving until we’re done here.
    “And I still have a few lawyers,” said Witt. “You can see for yourself that there’s nothing going on here that’s of any interest to your agency whatsoever. Admit it.”
    “That’s what I’m trying to ascertain. And you’re right, what I need to do now is to see the kids—in the presence of you and Mrs. Mannheim.”
    Witt exhaled slowly, then sat back down. He scowled at Lock and said nothing.
    “I need to see them now, with both of their parents,” Lock said.
    Witt shouted, “Candice! Get the kids.”
    Natalie got up to top off Witt’s coffee. She flashed him a fake smile.
    “I know you don’t read much, Nat,” he said, “but there’s a book by George Orwell— Animal Farm —all about Big Brother. Government control. No right to privacy.” He nodded toward Lock, then looked back to Natalie. “Well, right here, right now, you have an example come to life. Big Brother, right here, right now, in our kitchen. An anonymous government bureaucracy injecting itself into our lives and minding our business.”
    “Wrong book, Witt. All assholes are created equal, and some assholes are bigger assholes than other assholes—that’s Animal Farm . Big Brother is in 1984 .”
    Candice arrived with the children. Edwina walked in on her own, and Candice held Dahlia. Lock turned, looking them over slowly, carefully. He focused his attention on the four-year-old. Candice leaned up against the refrigerator, watching. Witt and Natalie watched Edwina approach Lock.
    “Hello, Edwina,” Lock said, and his face widened in a warm smile. He got off the chair and, despite wearing a suit, sat cross-legged on the cool tile floor, eye-level with Edwina. “I’m Lock. You remember me. You gave me White-Mane.”
    Edwina, now shy, stepped back and wrapped her