. >> reporter: they met with the improbably named kobe laker. eric's best friend. kobe backed up eric. >> they had a terrific marriage and there was no problems whatsoever. >> reporter: but if the marriage seemed solid, there were questions about pegye. at least according to linda bechler, eric's mother. linda says pegye told her something in confidence just before she disappeared. >> she stopped me on the stairway as i was leaving and said, came up and said i have to talk to you. she said i'm afraid i'm going to jail. >> reporter: according to court documents, about a year before pegye disappeared, the couple sold their physical therapy business to another company but they stayed on as employees. then just four months before pegye vanished, the bechlers were fired amid allegations they had overbilled medicare for over $1 million. so when linda heard pegye had vanished -- >> i started thinking about how disturbed she was about going to jail. >> reporter: and she wondered if pegye had somehow staged her own disappearance. pegye's friend glenda said no way. was pegye

have you talked to kobe about coming to the lakers? >> not yet. i plan on working out with him.. >> jimmy: have you worked out with him before? >> no. not yet. >> jimmy: are you nervous about that? >> oh, yeah. absolutely. i'm training now to get ready to work out with him. >> jimmy: i've heard stories about kobe working out with a guy and kobe says yeah, i'll pick you up tomorrow at 4:00 and then the guy's standing out there at 4:00 and finally calls kobe and said hey, what happened you? didn't pick me up. he says i meant 4:00 a.m., not 4:00 p.m. are you prepared for that kind of situation? >> if it's with kobe, whatever he says you've got to do. >> jimmy: you've got to do. >> it's the mamba. you've got to listen to the mamba. >> jimmy: i hope he tells you to come to the lakers. but of course people in indiana this is the worst case scenario for them. >> it is. i love indy, though. it's really a hard -- >> jimmy: is [ laughter ] that would be unprecedented. you really -- i guess this is the greatest honor you can receive as an athlete, is to have your own brand of shoe, correct