“Yeah, why?”
“Come by the office. You can take me to lunch.”
“Okay,” Maddy said. Then she added, whispering as if she did not want anyone to hear her, “We could then sneak home for a while. You’ve been neglectful of late.”
“I’m there every night. Sorry, I have a court appearance this afternoon. But keep the thought.”
When Maddy arrived at Marc’s office, Tony Carvelli was also there. Even though Marc’s door was wide open, Maddy being Maddy had to make the rounds to greet everyone. By the time she finished, Connie had joined Marc and Tony at her smoking window.
“Tony agrees, you’re not having much luck,” Marc said to Maddy.
“Where are you taking me to lunch? I’m starving,” Maddy said.
“You should’ve got yourself out of bed and had breakfast. We can go across the street,” Marc said referring to a comfort food diner kitty corner from their building.
“I had an idea on the drive back,” Maddy said.
She turned to speak to Carvelli and said, “We need to go after people like Robbie. Those that went through the trans process and didn’t really want to. Teens and even younger ones.”
“Yeah, good idea. Where and how do we find them? Have you found any identified in the letters we have?” Carvelli replied.
“No, I haven’t thought about that and I don’t know…” Maddy said.
“Robbie,” Marc said interrupting Maddy. “He is in a trans group. They meet at the Southdale Library once a week. There are people out there helping trans people of both sexes deal with their regrets. Robbie’s group might know one or two.”
“Call her,” Maddy said.
While Marc searched for Robbie’s phone number on his computer, Maddy said, “I’m still not comfortable calling Robbie that. Using the pronoun her.”
“That’s because you know he doesn’t want to be a her,” Connie said.
By now, Marc had Robbie on the phone explaining what he wanted.
“I know two of them,” Robbie said. “I’ve even thought of calling them. One of the girls in my group has worked with them. They’re a married couple both cisgender…”
“Which means?” Marc asked.
“They’re not trans. They’re straights I guess you could call them. They’re both clinical psychologists. I guess, or I’ve been told, they have a very busy therapy practice.”
“Names?” Marc asked.
“I only know first names. Mike and Janet something. Let me make a call and I’ll find out,” Robbie said.
“Get a phone number and address where their clinic is located.”
“Will do.”
While Robbie was calling his trans group friend, Marc made another call.
“Dr. Butler, please,” he said when the phone was answered.
“May I tell her who’s calling?”
“Marc Kadella.”
Fifteen seconds later, she said, “Hello, Marc, what can I do for you?”
“I have the names of a married couple, psychologists who work with trans people…”