Just Take My Heart - Mary Higgins Clark [53]
“That is correct.”
“And isn't it a fact that if Natalie had lived, there is every indica?tion that she would have continued to be very successful?”
“I am sure she would have been.”
“And isn't it a fact that if you weren't her agent anymore, you wouldn't be getting a portion of her income?”
“That is true, but I was a successful agent for years before I mar?ried Natalie, and I continue to be a successful agent.”
“Mr. Aldrich, I am only going to ask you one more question in this area. Did your income substantially increase when you married Natalie and became her agent? Yes or no?”
“Yes, but not substantially.”
“Well, are any of your present clients as successful as Natalie Raines was?”
“I have a number of clients, particularly recording artists, who make a great deal more money than Natalie did.” Gregg Aldrich hesitated. “We are talking about a different kind of success. Natalie was well on her way to assuming the mantle once held by the late Helen Hayes: 'First Lady of the American Theatre.' ”
“You wanted very much to have her viewed in that light?”
“She was a magnificent actress. She deserved that accolade.”
“On the other hand, you were saddened when, to further her ca?reer, she went on the road for extended periods of time, weren't you, Mr. Aldrich? Isn't it a fact that you constantly badgered her by want?ing it both ways?” As her tone began to rise, Emily stepped closer to the witness stand.
“As I have testified here and will now tell you again, my concern was that Natalie insisted on accepting roles that I felt could hurt her career. Of course I missed her when she was away. We were very much in love.”
“Of course you were. But isn't it a fact that you were so angry and frustrated at the frequent separations that Natalie became tormented, so much so that she finally gave up on the marriage?”
“That was absolutely not the reason she decided to separate.”
“Then if you were so accepting of Natalie's schedule, aside from your professional opinion about the roles she was taking, why did she hire another agent? Why did she beg you to stop calling her? Why did she end up demanding that you stop calling her?”
As Emily pounded away at Gregg Aldrich, she could sense that there was an awareness in the courtroom that his composure was beginning to break down. His answers were becoming hesitant. He kept looking away from her.
“Natalie phoned you for the last time on Saturday morning. March 14th, two and a half years ago. Let me quote to you exactly what you said under oath about the call.” She looked down at the paper she was holding and then read: “'I received a message from her on my cell phone, saying she had gone up to Cape Cod, that she would be at our scheduled meeting on Monday, and asking me not to call her over the weekend.'”
Emily stared at Gregg. “She wanted to be left alone, didn't she. Mr. Aldrich?”
“Yes.” A thin bead of perspiration was forming on Gregg Aldrich’s forehead.
“But instead of respecting her wishes, you immediately rented a car and followed her to Cape Cod, didn't you?”
“I respected her wishes. I did not phone her.”
“Mr. Aldrich, that's not what I asked. You followed her to Cape Cod, didn't you?”
“I didn't plan to talk to her. It was necessary for me to see if she was alone.”
“And it was necessary to drive a rented car that nobody would recognize?”
“As I explained last week, Gregg answered, ”I wanted to go there quietly and I didn't want to upset her or confront her. I just wanted to see if she was alone."
“If you wanted to find out if she was seeing anyone else, why didn't you hire a private investigator?”
“That never occurred to me. I made a spontaneous decision to drive up to Cape Cod. I would never have hired anyone to spy on my wife. The thought is revolting to me,” Gregg said, his voice quiv?ering.
“You testified that, by Sunday evening, you were satisfied that she was alone because you didn't see any other cars in the driveway. How do you