People's Exhibit 195U & 196U
010803 ─ 1332 02-142591
RECORDED PHONE CONVERSATION BETWEEN AMBER FREY AND SCOTT PETERSON: (January 8, 2003 at 1332 hours)
Page 1 of 33
FREY: Hello.
PETERSON: Hey.
FREY: That’s a lot better.
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: Okay. So where were we at in this conversation?
PETERSON: Uh…yesterday was the first day of truth.
FREY: Yes, yesterday was the first…first day of truth.
PETERSON: Uh-hum.
FREY: Okay, keep that in mind when you talk to me, okay? Hello?
PETERSON: Yeah, I’m here.
FREY: Okay, I didn’t get a response to that. So what about uh…the media as far as…not media, but your uh…speaking in public?
PETERSON: Well, I didn’t give any interviews this morning.
FREY: Uh-hum.
PETERSON: I let them take more video of me today.
FREY: Where?
PETERSON: But I…I will not be able to go on and talk about the investigation to them.
FREY: Right, that’s understandable.
PETERSON: Cause that is…I’m sorry, that way is blocked to me. So the ways I can prove it to you are by supplying you with the receipt and letting you talk to uh…
FREY: Uh-hum.
Page 2 of 33 -- January 8, 2003 at 1:32 p.m., People’s 195U
PETERSON: Um…and letters..
FREY: And you have not yet uh…sent the letter out. Or is it gonna be that oh, well, I sent it. Well, it’s not in the mail. Well, I…something must have happened. Is that gonna be the…?
PETERSON: Well, I dropped it at the post office so it will be post-marked today.
FREY: Okay. And well, I’m assuming at this point you received my message?
PETERSON: Your mail?
FREY: What?
PETERSON: Your mail or your message?
FREY: My message. Did you receive my mail?
PETERSON: No, I’m at the post office or the Mail Boxes, Etc. now and I’m gonna go in and see if it’s there. What was it?
FREY: Just some…just a card thinking that you were far away.
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: So you got…you did or you did not get my message?
PETERSON: I did.
FREY: You did?
PETERSON: Uh-hum.
FREY: And what do you think of that?
PETERSON: That’s fine.
FREY: That’s fine?
PETERSON: I have nothing to hid, Amber.
FREY: Okay. At this point uh…you must be worried about your parents and your family and her family?
Page 3 of 33 -- January 8, 2003 at 1:32 p.m., People’s 195U
PETERSON: Oh, of course, you know, there’s no question. But I mean, you know, I mean if that’s what you have to do.
FREY: Uh-hum.
PETERSON: I’m not gonna ask you to stop, you know, or anything cause that’s what you feel that you have to do then that’s right? And I have nothing to hide in this. Um…so, you know…
FREY: So, what about your parents?
PETERSON: I’m sure that, you know, they’ll be…I mean hurt and obviously it’ll have some repercussions amongst the family.
FREY: I thought there already were repercussions in your family about…prior to this event?
PETERSON: Oh, definitely.
FREY: There was?
PETERSON: There is.
FREY: There is?
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: And what repercussions are those?
PETERSON: I…you don’t want me to give the same answer I gave yesterday do you?
FREY: Well, I thought you were gonna work on that one?
PETERSON: Well, I can’t. I mean I just…I can’t…I can’t talk about it.
FREY: So are you going to uh…talk to your family about me? Well, at this point it’s evitable it’s going to, but I mean what’s your thought or uh…output on that?
PETERSON: Well, I mean obviously um…you know I want them to know you.
FREY: Why?
PETERSON: What’s that?
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FREY: Why?
PETERSON: Why? Cause I…we talked about it. I have that hope that we can have some kind of relationship.
FREY: In amongst everything else that is happening?
PETERSON: Well, I mean yeah. I mean this is obviously, you know, I am…I’m obviously…you know, I’m physically sick on a day to day because all my energy is working toward finding Laci. But yes, I have that hope. I mean I care about you a great deal. You know that.
FREY: I just have a hard time with knowing that when you have been so deceitful.
PETERSON: I know that, I know.
FREY: And none of this makes sense to me, Scott.
PETERSON: Yeah, I know it doesn’t. Yeah, I know. And I don’t know what to say. Um…and I just want to…I want to tell you, you know, everything so it makes sense to you, but I can’t now. And I have that hope and you don’t deserve being involved in this.
FREY: (sigh)
PETERSON: And that’s the reality.
FREY: …pathological lies?
PETERSON: No, it’s not. That is reality, that is the truth.
FREY: Hum! (sigh) That is the truth. You know, Scott, when people find out, and they will, no one will think your behavior is innocent. Do you understand that?
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PETERSON: Yeah, I know that, but I had nothing to do with this. So, you know, once we find her um…you know, everyone will know that I was not involved in this. And I just, you know, I hope that you um…are not um…involved to any degree and…
FREY: How…backup! Unh! Backup to that statement.
PETERSON: Yeah. Well, I was trying to explain it to you. But, you know, what I mean by that is obviously you’re not involved in…but I mean I don’t want um…you have to have any repercussions from people you know.
FREY: What repercussions? My hands are clean of this, Scott.
PETERSON: Oh, I know, and I’m the one that…that lied to you.
FREY: Exactly.
PETERSON: And put you in this position.
FREY: Exactly. So where do you think that people are gonna think this behave…they’re not gonna think your behavior is innocent.
PETERSON: No, of course not. No, they won’t. You’re right. Of course they won’t.
FREY: (sigh)
PETERSON: You know, and I recognize that this situation will be, you know, obviously detrimental to…to me. It’s more detrimental to Laci, and that’s the key.
FREY: No, it’s not detrimental to La…how do you figure to put that in that retrospect?
PETERSON: Well, she is the one that’s missing.
FREY: Yeah, she’s the one that’s missing.
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: I’m the girlfriend.
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: You have a perfect marriage. (silence) You got quiet.
Page 6 of 33 -- January 8, 2003 at 1:32 p.m., People’s 195U
PETERSON: Well, I mean we…we can’t talk about this. You don’t know all the facts. Um…
FREY: Well, you keep saying that. I don’t know all the facts, Scott.
PETERSON: I know. And I want to tell you.
FREY: And all…and all I know is, Scott, is that you told me that this will be the first holidays without your wife. But then you tell me yesterday that you…
PETERSON: I lied to you about that.
FREY: …that you lied to me because you weren’t going to be able to be with me during the holidays cause you were gonna have to be with her. How does that make sense, Scott? Explain that one to me?
PETERSON: I can’t explain that to you now.
FREY: Oh-oh-oh-oh! I think you better start trying.
PETERSON: I wish I could, Amber.
FREY: Are you following me? Are you following your lies versus…I mean I remember you…uh…because that was truth to me.
PETERSON: There are no lies between us now. I lied to you about where I was gonna spend the holidays and with who.
FREY: Yeah, and you told me again December 9th you had lost your wife and this will be the first holidays without her, yet you…
PETERSON: And I lied to you about that.
FREY: Yes, but then…
PETERSON: That I was gonna be with her these holidays.
FREY: Yes, that was definitely a lie, yes.
PETERSON: Yes, I did.
FREY: But isn’t it so ironic…ironic that she’s showed missing before the first holidays? Are you following me, Scott?
PETERSON: That sounds pretty sinister, you’re right.
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FREY: Pretty sinister?
PETERSON: But it is not the case.
FREY: What’s the case, Scott?
PETERSON: The case is that she’s missing and we don’t know who has her and what happened to her and are looking for her. The case is I lied to you about where I’d be spending the holidays because I couldn’t spend them with you. The fact is you don’t know all the facts and I can’t share everything with you and I…
FREY: Who have you shared this with? Who have you shared all the facts to or with?
PETERSON: Um…her family. Police.
FREY: Her family and the police?
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: (sigh) And what? The police? All right. Well, at this point from what I gather and what I’ve covered from…or what I could is the only truth is that you were really the only last person to see her alive, Scott.
PETERSON: Yeah, we think I was at this point.
FREY: You think?
PETERSON: We have lots of reports that people…well, there’s lots of reports of people who saw her, or at least they think they saw her in the park um…and walking in the street. I mean I have another one of those faxed to me today that I’ve just handed over to the police and to um…our private investigator.
FREY: Okay, so that…
PETERSON: And hopefully he’ll be able to place her.
FREY: Uh-huh. Well, at this point that just leaves me to believe that you do know where she is.
PETERSON: I do not know where she is. I wish I did.
Page 8 of 33 -- January 8, 2003 at 1:32 p.m., People’s 195U
FREY: So that the last evening or day that you saw her, what…what happened in those events that day or that morning or that night?
PETERSON: Well, we were going to uh…meet at 4:00 o’clock to go over to her parent’s house for dinner.
FREY: Uh-hum.
PETERSON: I went fishing.
FREY: But what did she tell you she was doing that day because I…I…
PETERSON: She was gonna go…
FREY: …because…because when I talk to you about my days, I usually tell you my days and what I’m gonna do.
PETERSON: Right, right.
FREY: And you’re not even…because you’re not with more or you’re not around. But that’s just something you do when you’re in a relationship with someone, right?
PETERSON: Yeah, definitely.
FREY: So what did she…what did she…what was it she told you she had planned to do?
PETERSON: She was going to walk the dog.
FREY: Oh! In which case you told me you didn’t have a dog too.
PETERSON: Right.
FREY: Do you remember that?
PETERSON: Yes, yeah. You asked if I have pets, and I said I did not.
FREY: What was that?
PETERSON: You asked if I had pets, I said no I do not.
FREY: Well, you were saying how you wanted to get another dog…
PETERSON: Yeah.
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FREY: …but it wouldn’t be fair because you’re never home cause you’re always on the road traveling.
PETERSON: Right, yeah.
FREY: But when you, you know, that whole point of this trip was that, you know, things would change and then you possibly would get a dog then because you’d be around more, right?
PETERSON: Definitely.
FREY: Definitely, okay. So…
PETERSON: Yeah, and that still remains true.
FREY: Okay. So she was walking the dog?
PETERSON: Yeah. And then she was going to go to the store to make gingerbread cookies for that night.
FREY: Okay.
PETERSON: And also to get um…stuff for Christmas Day breakfast.
FREY: Uh-hum.
PETERSON: She was going to make um…some kind of French toast, Cordon Blue French Toast or something like that.
FREY: Uh-hum.
PETERSON: And then we were gonna meet at 4:00 and go to her parent’s house.
FREY: So that night…so that last time you saw her was in the day, that morning?
PETERSON: That morning, yes.
FREY: So that night, what was…what was it you guys did that evening together?
PETERSON: The previous evening I went and got a haircut, I got a haircut.
FREY: Uh-hum.
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PETERSON: Um…had a pizza and watched the movie The Rookie.
FREY: Uh-hum. And so you guys then went to bed together, woke up in the morning together?
PETERSON: No.
FREY: No? Okay, then you explain then what it was you did?
PETERSON: Well, we got up in the morning and…
FREY: No, back after the movie?
PETERSON: After the movie we went to sleep.
FREY: Just went straight to sleep?
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: Isn’t that what I just said? I said okay, after the movie you went to bed together, you woke up together, and you said no.
PETERSON: Yes, but you don’t know all the facts of what you asked so we went to sleep and woke up and…
FREY: Together?
PETERSON: Amber, please don’t ask…I can’t…
FREY: What?
PETERSON: I can’t tell you these things.
FREY: Why? Did she go to sleep with somebody else? You certainly couldn’t have because you were faithful to me, right?
PETERSON: Amber, I’ve told the police and her family.
FREY: Don’t go back to that. This isn’t about anything else but our discussion right now.
PETERSON: Please! I know, but that…those details are the ones we can’t talk about.
FREY: You watched the movie together, correct?
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PETERSON: Yes.
FREY: Was there anybody else there?
PETERSON: Uh…no. We got a pizza at Mountain Mike’s Pizza and we took that home.
FREY: Okay.
PETERSON: After the football game we watched a movie.
FREY: Okay. So you watched the movie together and there’s nobody else there but you and her, correct?
PETERSON: Right, right.
FREY: And then you went toget…or went to sleep together or went to bed together, right?
PETERSON: We went to sleep.
FREY: You’re avoiding that question. Oh, well, of course not because she’s pregnant so all three of you went to bed together, right?
PETERSON: Amber, we went to sleep
FREY: Where? Where did you sleep?
PETERSON: In a bed.
FREY: What bed?
PETERSON: Amber, please.
FREY: What bed? I need to hear this because as far as I was concerned you were tucked away oh, where were you, in Maine with your folks and…
PETERSON: Yes, I lied to you about that.
FREY: …and you were going to bed by yourself at that point because you were uh…uh…
PETERSON: You’re right, I lied about that, Amber.
FREY: …you know, faithful and there was nobody else.
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PETERSON: Amber…
FREY: So okay again…
PETERSON: Yeah, I lied about traveling.
FREY: So you went…you went in separate beds together or to sleep? You went in separate beds to go to sleep then, right?
PETERSON: (no answer)
FREY: Right?
PETERSON: I can’t say yes or no to that.
FREY: Why?
PETERSON: Because those are details that we can’t talk about now.
FREY: Because it would be too painful for me to hear that you went to bed to sleep with your wife?
PETERSON: No. No, because you’d probably…you’d think of the opposite. Okay, but we can’t talk about these details.
FREY: Give me a break, Scott.
PETERSON: Amber, I can’t. I can’t…I can’t tell you everything right now.
FREY: Okay, so you woke up together then, right? Then what?
PETERSON: Can we just leave it at we woke up, please?
FREY: Okay, that’s what I mean. Okay, you woke up, you woke up together. Go on.
PETERSON: And then we uh…had some breakfast.
FREY: So you woke up at the same time or did you wake up before she woke up?
PETERSON: After.
FREY: You woke up after she woke up?
PETERSON: Yeah.
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FREY: Aren’t you early to rise every morning cause you can’t stay in bed cause you have so many…?
PETERSON: No, I got up at um…like 8:30.
FREY: You got up at 8:30. What time did she wake?
PETERSON: I don’t know, sometime before that.
FREY: You don’t know what time before that? What was she doing at that point?
PETERSON: Um…she was um…having breakfast when I woke up.
FREY: And what did she eat for breakfast?
PETERSON: Some cereal.
FREY: Some cereal?
PETERSON: Uh…I think they were the cinnamon puffins from Trader Joe’s.
FREY: There’s a Trader Joe’s in Modesto?.
PETERSON: Uh-hum (affirmative). And I had the same thing after she did.
FREY: How was she feeling when she woke up?
PETERSON: And then uh…what’s that?
FREY: How was she feeling when she woke up?
PETERSON: She was feeling fine.
FREY: She was feeling fine?
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: She wasn’t having any uh…contractions or anything getting close to the…you know, she’s getting close to having her baby? Usually a lot of times you wake up in the morning, you know, didn’t it…?
PETERSON: The only thing she said she had to do…
FREY: Yes.
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PETERSON: …was eat immediately otherwise she would feel sick. So she was eating.
FREY: Okay. So she ate her puffs? But she did wake up, right?
PETERSON: Of course.
FREY: Of course!
PETERSON: And then she was mopping the floor and uh…Martha Stewart was on after the Today Show. And I went through a couple minutes of that and then I left.
FREY: Uh-hum. And so she was still home?
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: So she was doing all this when you were getting ready to go fishing?
PETERSON: Right. I went to the warehouse and checked my e-mails.
FREY: Uh-huh.
PETERSON: Put together a wood-working tool.
FREY: Uh-hum.
PETERSON: And then hooked up the boat and went out to the marina.
FREY: So you’re telling me that she…she…at this point she was still feeling great in the morning after…I mean you told me that she was aware of me, right?
PETERSON: Yes.
FREY: Yes. And she was still doing great in the morning with that? She wasn’t emotionally distraught about…
PETERSON: No.
FREY: …you not being with her and faithful to her and having someone else because that…that’s just really hard for me to believe.
PETERSON: I know it is. I know it is.
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FREY: And the reason, which I think you know, I’m trying to think, okay, I think I told him the story about uh…a boyfriend I had been with that uh…had been through the drive-through in Vegas and married this girl and that night they got pregnant. But then at that point it was just not a good…it wasn’t a good choice for him or something, he didn’t so anyway, did I tell you about that story and about how she was…?
PETERSON: No.
FREY: I was with him and he was…she was pregnant and had to deal with that and I was just like complete…you know, I told him and I said, you know, are you sure you want to be with me? I mean you have a pregnant woman here with your child and…absolutely, that’s behind me um…you know, that was…that was behind me before I met you, all this stuff. That was hell for me.
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: And I told him, I said when you’re baby’s born you make a decision if you’re gonna stay with me or be with her and your…your, you know, your child. And at that point…when at that point that day came when she had their son, I asked him, I said now, you remember what I told you, you know, seven months ago and he says yes. And I said well, what is your decision and he says I want nothing more than to be with you. And on her side, she was a complete crazy woman.
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: I…I had nothing…I…I…she wanted to fight me, she had nothing good to say about me. Every time she spoke to him, “Are you still with that bitch?, everything else. Are you telling me Laci was okay with me?
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: And you’re married and you live together and all this? That…that’s really hard for me to believe.
PETERSON: Well, you know what um…when you get all the facts, it’ll make sense to you.
FREY: Really?
PETERSON: Yeah.
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FREY: And heh-heh…I’m…I’m trying to uh…I can’t even look past where I’m at now because I don’t even know what’s behind me but…
PETERSON: I know you’ve been hurt so much by this crap.
FREY: You know and…and…
PETERSON: And it’s not deserved.
FREY: And going through that with Josh and…and…and Michelle and everything with that, that’s why that’s how I was able to get through with not having Anthony with me.
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: Because I’ve already been in that situation, I’ve already been Michelle.
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: I decided you know what, I’m not going to be that crazy person and put everything…and with him, if he wants to have a relationship with someone else, great, do it. I’m not affecting myself and my child.
PETERSON: You’re strong that way, wonderful.
FREY: So I’m still again having a very hard time thinking in Laci’s shoes. My husband has a girlfriend and I’m pregnant with this child. (silence). So when did…when did she first learn of me?
PETERSON: What’s that?
FREY: When did she first learn of me?
PETERSON: After our first date.
FREY: After our first date?
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: So why did you carry the charade of lying to me if she already knew and you had the opportunity to come clean with me especially knowing how I feel about truth?
PETERSON: Yeah.
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FREY: And being able to deal with the truth and…and…and move forward from that, why?
PETERSON: Yeah. I don’t know.
FREY: Was there…what reason, what purpose would that serve? If Laci already knows about me already and the situation had come up for you to have that opportunity to be honest with me, why did you keep up deception?
PETERSON: Just so I wouldn’t, you know, hurt other people and make a…
FREY: Who are you gonna hurt?
PETERSON: Well, her family and…
FREY: The truth…truth is so much easier to handle than a lie, Scott?
PETERSON: I know and I’m so weak in that regard. I was so weak in that regard. This has made me so much stronger in that respect.
FREY: Really? But look at where you’re at now, Scott, with this in your life?
PETERSON: I know. I know.
FREY: Is it that…is it that lying is so fun for you?
PETERSON: No. Lying is terrible.
FREY: It seems to come to you so easily.
PETERSON: It doesn’t and it’s a terrible thing and I’ve done it and I know that it’s wrong and I’m just…I know…I’m strong enough…stronger now.
FREY: Or you could just add it to your collection of hobbies now can’t you, pathological liar?
PETERSON: No.
FREY: No?
PETERSON: I will never…
FREY: You can add that to your resume with all your uh…degrees.
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PETERSON: I will never lie again. I know you can’t believe that.
FREY: No, I can’t.
PETERSON: But you’ll…I mean hopefully you’ll…
FREY: Why should I? Why…why…why should I?
PETERSON: No, there’s no reason you should.
FREY: No, there is no reason.
PETERSON: There’s no reason you should.
FREY: And again because…
PETERSON: But hopefully…
FREY: …because of your lies you’re in the mess you are in now and are going to be…it’s…it’s…it’s just…it…it serves no purpose.
PETERSON: I know it.
FREY: No good comes out of a lie, Scott.
PETERSON: I’ve learned that.
FREY: That’s a pretty damn hard lesson to learn.
PETERSON: Yes, it is.
FREY: So why are you jerking me around with all this?
PETERSON: You do not deserve to be in the middle of this.
FREY: No, I don’t. I’ll agree with you there, no I don’t.
PETERSON: You know that. And I…I am so sorry that you are, but I’ve…you know, I will never…I will never lie again.
FREY: You shouldn’t say things you don’t mean, Scott.
PETERSON: I mean that.
FREY: That you can’t hold true to.
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PETERSON: The only way that you’ll ever know that’s true is through time. And I hope that I get a chance to show you that.
FREY: (sigh) That’s one thing on this earth with people I have is time.
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: So are you living for today remembering...
PETERSON: What’s that?
FREY: I said are you living for today and remembering yesterday and planning for tomorrow, Scott?
PETERSON: I’m remembering from yesterday and living for tomorrow.
FREY: And where’s today?
PETERSON: Today is the effort to find Laci.
FREY: The what?
PETERSON: The effort to find Laci.
FREY: Really? And what…
PETERSON: And I know that tomorrow will include the effort to find other people that disappear.
FREY: Tomorrow will what?
PETERSON: Tomorrow will include being a part of efforts to find other people who disappear.
FREY: I…I…I still…I don’t understand what you’re saying, I’m not following you.
PETERSON: My future will include volunteering in efforts to find other people who disappear with this experience now.
FREY: Oh! So you’re going to do a good deed? You’re going to be a Good Samaritan?
PETERSON: I don’t think I will ever talk…pass up the opportunity to volunteer after going through this.
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FREY: That would pass as being a Good Samaritan and doing a good deed. Is that what you want people to portray you as?
PETERSON: I would hope that people would think of me as that, yes.
FREY: Really? What else would you like people to think of you as?
PETERSON: Well, I would always hope the honest thing that I’ve shown that to you.
FREY: Oh!.
PETERSON: I would hope the kind thing and I think people see that…
FREY: Well, you always say something kind, I won’t take that from you, Scott.
PETERSON: I know and I just hope that I would add to people’s lives instead of detracting and hurting from them. And I think everyone would say that except for what I’ve done to you.
FREY: (sigh)
PETERSON: And I am so sorry that you are involved in this situation.
FREY: Again….
PETERSON: And I am so sorry I lied to you.
FREY: Yeah again, had there been truth, I wouldn’t be in this situation, Scott?
PETERSON: That’s so…yeah. I don’t know why.
FREY: You don’t know why what?
PETERSON: Why I lied to you.
FREY: But would…you didn’t lie to Laci?
PETERSON: No.
FREY: How is it she deserved and gained the respect of your truth?
PETERSON: You deserve the truth.
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FREY: I deserve it, but how come she…and you were so truthful with her or is it that that’s a lie too?
PETERSON: No.
FREY: No?
PETERSON: It’s not a lie. And you are no less deserving than her or anyone. You’re most deserving of the truth.
FREY: Most deserving of the truth. But you again are telling me you were truthful with her about me?
PETERSON: Yeah, and I lied to you.
FREY: So that makes no sense to me, Scott, when…when you…you sound like okay, well, I put that behind me, I’ve lost my wife. But you could be honest with someone that you have no regard in
having a relationship with anymore and the person you expressed to have…wanting a relationship with you lied to, how does that make sense, Scott? Is it that you’re leading just this whole double life?
PETERSON: It doesn’t make sense does it?.
FREY: Is that all you have to say?
PETERSON: That’s why…that’s why I just do not know why I lied to you. I mean, you know, the obvious reason is just I lied to you because then I could, you know, be with you. But there’s something…
FREY: You didn’t have to lie to me to see me..
PETERSON: I know that.
FREY: Oh, you know that?.
PETERSON: I don’t know why I thought I did. I don’t know why I thought I did.
FREY: Because you had to lie to your wife about me?
PETERSON: No, I didn’t lie to her.
FREY: Well, that doesn’t make any sense either, Scott?
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PETERSON: I know. I didn’t have to lie to you to be with you, I know that. I don’t know why I did.
FREY: I don’t know why you thought you had to lie. You lied to Shawn about wanting to be…or meet someone. Is there any…I…I…I have a hard time find the truth with anything that has been said.
PETERSON: I know that. I know that I need to gain your trust. It’s only through time…it’s only through time that I’ll be able to do that, Amber. I hope I have the opportunity. It’s all up to you.
FREY: I’m not the one that created this whole situation, Scott.
PETERSON: I know. I know that. You didn’t create any of this situation, you don’t deserve to be in it. I should not have lied to you and there’s no reason to.
FREY: You know, I’m almost uh…I’m almost at my sister’s house right now.
PETERSON: Yeah. have you two reconciled, have you spoken since you fought?
FREY: No, but I couldn’t get a hold of Ayianna’s Grandma and there’s only two…well, there’s only two people I know that live in Modesto.
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: You’re pretty quiet? You should have a lot…
PETERSON: I don’t know what to say. I lied to you and you shouldn’t be involved in this and it’s a terrible situation and you don’t deserve this.
FREY: You know, at this point you sound like a broken record, Scott.
PETERSON: Well, I…you know, I don’t know what else to say.
FREY: And are you speaking from your heart, because to me I’m sorry, it doesn’t sound like you are.
PETERSON: I am, Amber. I am, I hope you can tell that.
FREY: Well, I can’t.
PETERSON: It’s sad.
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FREY: What’s sad?
PETERSON: It’s sad that I destroyed it. But I mean those…those are the facts and the truth and I don’t know what to say beyond that.
FREY: You don’t what?
PETERSON: I don’t know what to say beyond that.
FREY: Well, you don’t know what to say?
PETERSON: And I just hope that we can move on.
FREY: So what’s you plan now, Scott?
PETERSON: What’s that?
FREY: What’s your plan now, Scott?
PETERSON: Amber, my only plan right now is to find Laci. And then at this conclusion…
FREY: Uh-hum. And…
PETERSON: …and I can tell you what you don’t know, need to know.
FREY: When?
PETERSON: …that’s where it will be.
FREY: When?
PETERSON: At the conclusion of finding Laci.
FREY: At the conclusion of finding your wife, so. So what are you going to do to control the situation after I speak with the police?
PETERSON: I’m gonna keep doing the same thing, I’m gonna keep trying to find Laci.
FREY: So you have…you haven’t thought about that?
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PETERSON: What’s that?
FREY: You haven’t thought about me and the uh…situation and me going to the police and you haven’t thought about that? You haven’t thought about me?
PETERSON: Amber, I’ve…you know, I lied to you and it…yeah, like I said you called me a broken record so I won’t say it again, but I also have nothing to hide in her disappearance. And if you, you know, if you want to go to the police that’s, you know, fine.
FREY: I don’t feel…
PETERSON: You need to do what’s right for you.
FREY: Yeah.
PETERSON: And I’m not afraid of it.
FREY: Okay.
PETERSON: You know, because I know that…I know what I’m doing now is right by telling you, which I should have done much earlier, you know, and doing the right thing.
FREY: So how much time do you think…I want to say we or you, I’m not sure which…which one uh…______________(inaudible) place. But uh…when this all explodes, then what?
PETERSON: I’m sorry, Amber, say that again?
FREY: I said um…how much time before…how much time do you think before all of this explodes?
PETERSON: Oh, I don’t know.
FREY: Before the media finds out?
PETERSON: Oh, I don’t know.
FREY: You don’t know?
PETERSON: No.
FREY: You don’t know what?
PETERSON: Well, you asked me when I explode, I assume…
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FREY: Not who explodes, when all of this explodes?
PETERSON: Yeah, that’s what I said when…when it explodes.
FREY: Well all this unravels and everything else then what, Scott, what’s your plan there? What…what’s your mindset or thought there?
PETERSON: My only mindset, Amber, is to work and do what I can to find Laci. And that…and then when that’s done that is the conclusion of this, you know, fiasco situation.
FREY: And again, there’s your broken record.
PETERSON: Well, that’s the truth. And yes, you know, um…is the press…if you, you know, you asked me when it will explode and I assume you mean, you know, the fact that we’re seeing each other, right?
FREY: Yes.
PETERSON: Okay. Um…I don’t know.
FREY: And the fact that the whole time you were in Maine, Europe, Paris, Brussels, Spain when all this is going on, how’s that gonna make sense to anybody?
PETERSON: It’s not gonna make sense to the people…Well, it won’t make sense to anyone except the people that know the truth.
FREY: You know it’s not just about all the people involved to make sense, right? Does…that’s how you’re narrowing it down to, correct? That’s all that’s…that’s all that’s important, is that what you just said?
PETERSON: Primarily, I mean yeah. The rest is…well, yeah.
FREY: Primarily really? I completely disagree with you on that.
PETERSON: Okay, I’m not sure then. What do you mean?
FREY: You say all that it matters is the people primarily involved in this, the family, you, me, and Laci, right?
PETERSON: Right.
FREY: Right. Is that correct?
PETERSON: Yes. Okay, those are the people primarily involved in this?
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FREY: I disagree with that, Scott.
PETERSON: Aren’t they the most important?
FREY: Laci, yes. But you know what, there…there are more people in this than that, Scott. there’s a whole entire nation in this.
PETERSON: I know it. It’s wonderful that they’re, you know, helping look for her.
FREY: So you don’t think that they have a right to know about this?
PETERSON: Uh…it’s not a part of this. I mean the only thing…
FREY: The part what…what…the only part that I’m seeking to find is the truth, in which case I haven’t faced yet.
PETERSON: Well, the truth is that Laci disappeared on, you know Christmas Eve…
FREY: Yeah, that’s true, that’s one part of it, yes. But everything else?
PETERSON: I lied to you about, you know, where I was.
FREY: You didn’t only lie to me, you’ve lied to a nation, Scott?
PETERSON: No, I haven’t.
FREY: Oh, yes, you have.
PETERSON: No, I haven’t.
FREY: Hum…I beg, I beg to differ.
PETERSON: How have I lied to a nation?
FREY: One, you have not spoke in public…
PETERSON: True.
FREY: …a husband of a missing pregnant woman.
PETERSON: Right. I’ve been told some wrong things too.
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FREY: I’m sure you have. And you’ve already told me you really don’t care what they say or it doesn’t affect you in any way.
PETERSON: Well, no, of course it affects me, but not as important as finding Laci. I mean she is the missing person here.
FREY: (sigh) So how was dinner with her folks, Scott, last night?
PETERSON: It’s sad.
FREY: So why did you participate? Or is that something you do every night, you have dinner with her family?
PETERSON: No. It was one of the few chances we’ve had.
FREY: What was that?
PETERSON: That’s one of the few chances we’ve had.
FREY: Well, you’ve had plenty of chances to stand up with them and comfort them and support them and show the nation your concern?
PETERSON: Yes, but that’s not the important thing. They shouldn’t have even been up there. The important thing is Laci’s missing.
FREY: Scott, yes, but they should because they’re pleading to the nation please bring my daughter and my grandson…
PETERSON: Yeah, but look at the media. Look at the questions they ask about…they don’t ask important questions of what was she wearing, what did she look like?
FREY: Certainly they…
PETERSON: You know, what is the number to call? They ask how are you feeling?
FREY: And they did all of the above. They…they said she was wearing a black shirt, this, that and the other, she has a tattoo of a daisy, they’ve listed all those things, Scott. You can’t tell me that, I’ve read that for myself.
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PETERSON: Okay. Now, will you watch like Fox News and they give, you know, 20 minutes to it, right? 15 of those minutes is asking the family, you know, Sharon, Laci’s mom, how do you feel? Brent, Laci’s brother, how do you feel? What has it done to you? When they should spend 20 minutes on the disappearance showing, you know, those things you just talked about and trying to develop some leads. The family should only appear in order to help that, should only appear and say you know what, she’s gone from here…
FREY: But you haven’t…
PETERSON: What’s that?
FREY: You haven’t even appeared?
PETERSON: They have not shown my appearance because when they do I hold up the flier and say this is what’s important. They want some kind of drama beyond that.
FREY: Of course you’re gonna want to direct them away because you know in the back of your mind…Amber, right?
PETERSON: What do I know in the back of my mind?
FREY: Yes.
PETERSON: I’m sorry, what did you say?
FREY: I said…I said heh-heh…
PETERSON: I didn’t hear you.
FREY: I said in the back of your mind you’re thinking there’s Amber. Of course I can’t show my face in front of the camera left and right because in the back of my mind Amber’s out there somewhere. There’s Amber, you know, somebody I’m…I’ve been telling I’m in Europe. Of course that’s in the back of your mind, of course. If I were in your shoes I wouldn’t want my face to be shown either because there’s Amber, right?
PETERSON: The reasons I’ve just told you about are the reasons I’ve not appeared on camera a lot. Obviously I’ve been on camera a bunch. The reasons I…they haven’t I…you know, when they ask me how are you doing, I tell ‘em how’s Laci doing and I show the flier.
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FREY: So did you love…
PETERSON: And they’ve shown that a few time, but not nearly enough.
FREY: So did you love Laci and your baby?
PETERSON: I love Laci. I loved Laci, no question. And she doesn’t…
FREY: Yeah, but…go ahead.
PETERSON: She doesn’t deserve to be missing.
FREY: So you loved her, but there’s me. How does that make sense? How…how can I make sense of that, Scott?
PETERSON: Honey, I…I’m sorry, Amber, I can’t tell you all the details.
FREY: Uh-huh.
PETERSON: I know that doesn’t sound right to you?
FREY: No, it doesn’t.
PETERSON: And I don’t like having to say that, but I just can’t now.
FREY: (beep) In some respect it sounds good that…to hear that you at least loved your pregnant wife I mean as crazy as that sounds.
(silence)
PETERSON: I’m sorry you’re involved in this, Amber. How’s Ayianna? Amber?
FREY: I’m here.
PETERSON: Okay. I mean with you being upset how is she?
FREY: She’s not…
PETERSON: Amber?
FREY: I said she’s not well.
PETERSON: No?
FREY: No.
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PETERSON: I mean do you mean she still has a cold or…?
FREY: Yes.
PETERSON: You know, I’m sure she’s affected…
FREY: Yes, she does.
PETERSON: …that you’re upset?
FREY: Yes, she does. And unfortunately she is affected by this too.
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: (sigh)
PETERSON: Is she showing that in behavior or anything or…?
FREY: I would say so, yes.
PETERSON: How has she been?
FREY: I…I just told you she’s not well.
PETERSON: I know, but like in her behavior or…?
FREY: She’s affected by this, Scott. I’m affected by this.
PETERSON: I know of course, I’m sorry it’s not my place to ask.
FREY: I’m still trying to (sigh) I’m just…it’s just very unbelievable all of this to me, Scott.
PETERSON: I know it.
FREY: You know you tell me you don’t want to have a child or you don’t need to have a child of your own to be fulfilled. You want to have a vasectomy. Do you already have a vasectomy, is that something you already did?
PETERSON: No.
FREY: You know and claiming Ayianna to be your only…that just makes no sense to me either, Scott.
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PETERSON: I know nothing makes sense to you now, Amber. I know it doesn’t and I know…I know it can.
FREY: You what?
PETERSON: I know it will make sense to you. I mean I just…you know, we need this to be resolved, the situation. The police said they’re gonna have a major announcement on Friday.
FREY: Really?
PETERSON: Yeah.
FREY: When…when did they indicate that?
PETERSON: Um…at a de-briefing after a press conference yesterday.
FREY: Really?
PETERSON: The Chief said that he was gonna have a major announcement, that’s what he told the family.
FREY: What do you think the major announcement is in regards to?
PETERSON: I think it’s to this um…brown van that was seen across the street that morning.
FREY: Uh-hum. And you don’t know anything about the green…or the brown van?
PETERSON: Um…I have a private investigator working on it and there’s some neighbors reported it, but I didn’t see ‘em.
FREY: So when…so an announcement’s gonna be made what, live, on the news?
PETERSON: They’re having a press conference Friday and I think they’ll have something to say about it then. And I hope it…I hope it leads to finding her.
FREY: The brown van?
PETERSON: Yeah. The neighbors report seeing a tan van with three…
FREY: A tan van with three…
PETERSON: Three guys.
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FREY: Uh-huh. And what about it?
PETERSON: Well I mean it was at the same time and everything that they think she may have disappeared.
FREY: You mean they weren’t the robbers that had turned themselves in?
PETERSON: No, they said the robbers were there on the 26th.
FREY: Oh! (heavy sigh)
PETERSON: So I hope that leads to a good resolution in finding her and the child.
FREY: That was it? Do you think that’s the breaking news in the development of this case is the brown van?
PETERSON: I think so. Yeah, because they um…they didn’t say much about it and then one of the sergeants let it slip to me that they had some information about it. And then additionally I heard from Kim Peterson, who is the head of this missing person’s foundation I’ve been talking of.
FREY: Uh-hum.
PETERSON: And she let it slip that she talked to uh…the Chief about it and he mentioned something also so I think that…
FREY: So how do you feel about that?
PETERSON: I hope it leads to find her.
FREY: Where are you at now?
PETERSON: I’m outside Mailboxes Etc.
FREY: Doing what?
PETERSON: What’s that?
FREY: Doing what?
PETERSON: Uh…I was gonna check that P.O. box to see if there’s mail there.
FREY: Well, check it right now.
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PETERSON: Okay, I’ll call you…
FREY: No, take me with you.
PETERSON: Okay, hold on.
FREY: Are…are you…am I still on the phone?
PETERSON: I’m walking in, it’ll take a minute.
FREY: What was that?
PETERSON: Are you there?
FREY: I’m here.
PETERSON: Okay, I’m walking in. It’ll take just a minute so hang on.
FREY: I’m here.
PETERSON: Hold on just a minute. (background noise, unintelligible)
FREY: Are you there? He’ll call back. (beep)