As the Longs left the office, Aline was more concerned than ever about Valerie.
52
Father Frank knew that he must try to persuade Marge to share with the police what Jamie had told her. He understood Marge’s horror that the police might focus on Jamie as the killer. But it was not fair to have Alan on the verge of suicide when there was a witness who could exonerate him.
Father Frank had replayed the two conversations with Marge a dozen times in his mind. She had confided in him, which is very different from being in the state of sacrament. If she had asked him to hear her confession, his obligation to remain silent would have been absolute. But since she had merely confided in him, the sacrament of penance did not apply. If Marge would not do so, it was his obligation to share what he knew with the police.
• • •
After her conversation with Father Frank, Marge’s conscience continued to weigh heavily on her. She had asked Jamie twice over the past two days to repeat what he saw happen in Kerry’s yard before he went swimming with her. Both times he told the same story. “Alan kissed Kerry goodbye. Then he went home. Then the Big Guy hit Kerry and pushed her into the pool.” He added, “Daddy called me ‘the Big Guy.’ He’s in Heaven with Kerry.”
The idea that Alan was going through a living hell for something he didn’t do gnawed at Marge. That was why when she called Father Frank and he said he could come over, it was a relief. She had decided to discuss with him how to go about contacting the police.
The doorbell rang at three-thirty. Jamie had gone straight from work to watch the school teams practice. Marge was relieved that he would not be home when she spoke to Father Frank.
When she answered the bell, Father Frank followed her into the modest living room, which was scrupulously neat. She invited him to sit down and pointed at a large overstuffed chair that reminded him of the furniture in his grandmother’s house.
“That was Jack’s favorite chair,” Marge said. “After his grandmother died, Jack brought it home.”
“It’s very comfortable, Marge.”
“I’m sorry, Father. I’m talking about furniture because I’m too nervous to talk about the reason I asked you to come over.”
“Marge, I was planning to call you. I think I know what you want to talk about.”
“It’s not right for me to keep quiet while Alan Crowley is in so much trouble.”
Father Frank remained silent to allow her to continue.
Marge bit her lip. “Since I spoke to you, I have asked Jamie twice to tell me what he saw the night of Kerry’s party. Both times he repeated that Alan kissed Kerry and then went home.” She looked away as though gathering strength. “I know in my heart of hearts Jamie never would have hurt Kerry. I have to tell the police what I know.”
“Marge, you are making the right decision.” Father Frank tried to conceal the relief he felt that Marge had reached that conclusion on her own.
“Father, I don’t have any money. Obviously, neither does Jamie. I understand there are lawyers that will help people like us for free.”
“Do you mean public defenders?”
“Yes, if that’s what they call them. I’d like to speak to one now, before I talk to the police about Jamie.”
“Marge, from what I understand, it doesn’t work that way. They will make a public defender available to someone who has been accused of something. I don’t think they can help you before then.”
“I have ten thousand dollars in my savings account. Will that be enough for a lawyer?”
“Marge, I don’t know a lot about how much lawyers charge. I do know that one of our parishioners, Greg Barber, is a very good attorney. For much less than his usual fee, he has worked with our parishioners who needed his help. If you would like, I’ll reach out to him for you.”
“I would appreciate it so much.”
“I’ll speak to him this evening. I know he’ll want to help you.”
That evening Father Frank phoned Greg’s home. Greg’s wife told him he was finishing a case in Atlanta and would return in four days. She gave Father Frank his cell phone number. Father Frank immediately called Greg, who promised that he would try to help Marge and asked that she call his office the day he got back.
Father Frank called Marge and told her about the lawyer’s schedule. They both agreed that she should wait to speak to him before contacting the police. He would remain in touch with Alan Crowley to make sure he was all right. Hopefully, a few more days would not make any difference.
53
The seminar, as promised, concluded promptly at 8:30. Aline was happy she had decided to go. The presenters had offered interesting insights about how some student athletes turn sports, which should be a stress reliever, into an additional source of stress. The problem was often made worse by parents and coaches who focus solely on winning.
The small auditorium appeared to be about half-filled. As she was standing up to leave, Aline looked around. She was relieved when she did not recognize anyone she knew.
As they started to walk outside, Scott said, “Now for the $64,000 question.” His hands pretended to do a drumroll. “I know a wonderful Italian restaurant nearby. And I promise I won’t practice my fractured French on you.”
“I enjoyed brushing up on my French.”
She followed him to a restaurant that was less than a mile away and pulled up next to him in the parking lot. When she got out of her car, he was holding up a wine carrier with two bottles. “It’s a bring-your-own restaurant. I brought a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir, just in case you said yes.”
Once inside, Scott ordered from the menu in surprisingly good Italian.
“You didn’t tell me you know Italian as well.”
“My grandmother was from Italy. She loved to talk to me in Italian. Fortunately, I remember most of it.”
“You are a man of many hidden talents,” Aline said, smiling.
“My mother would often say that to me. And then my aunt would always chime in, ‘If you’re so damn smart, why ain’t you rich?’ ”
The calamari and the veal were excellent. Their conversation glided easily from politics to favorite movies. When they were finishing their cappuccinos, Aline brought up a topic that had been in the back of her mind all evening.
“Scott, I’ve been meaning to ask you about a student I’m really concerned about. I’m sure you know her because she played varsity lacrosse.”
“Who are you worried about?”
“Valerie Long, the girl who transferred to Saddle River last January. I met with her parents today.”
“It sounds serious. What’s wrong?”
“She appears to be withdrawn and depressed. One of her teachers has already spoken to me about her appearing distracted.”
“I’m so sorry to hear this.”
“The reason I bring it up is, as her coach, you got to work closely with Valerie last spring. Is she in any of your math classes?”
“No, not this year.”
“What was your impression of her when you coached her?”
“Frankly, she’s a kid with two personalities. On the sidelines she is shy, often standing someplace off by herself. Put her in the game and she goes into attack mode. She’s the most aggressive player on the field.
“But when the game’s over, it’s back to quiet and timid. She was the only sophomore on the varsity squad. I know Kerry tried particularly hard to make her feel included.”
“Was Valerie close to any of the other girls?”
“Not really. I tried to be, what’s the word, available to her. But she kept me at a distance as well.”
“Do you see her often in school now?”
“Lacrosse isn’t until the spring, so I don’t see her every day like I used to. We’ll pass in the hallway and say hi to each other. Nothing really beyond that.”
“Okay. I’m just trying to figure out a way to get through to her.”
“I’ll try to help, engage her in conversation. Mayb
e she’ll open up to one of us.”
“Thanks. And thank you again for dinner.”
54
As Nancy Carter glanced out her kitchen window, she found it hard to believe how quickly the last two weeks had flown by. She and her husband Carl had agreed that he would take their son Tony to Alaska on a fishing trip. It would be a break in every sense of the word. Workaholic Carl would see that his partners at his civil engineering firm were perfectly capable of running the business while he was away. Tony would break his habit of constantly being on social media by leaving his cell phone home. Carl had brought his phone, with the understanding that Nancy would contact them only in the event of a dire emergency.
And, she admitted to herself, although she dearly loved her husband, it was a nice break for her.
But in the two weeks they were away, Nancy wondered if she should have let Tony know that Kerry Dowling had been murdered.
Tony had gone to Saddle River High School for two years and was about to start at Choate, the famous boarding school in Connecticut, where he would do his junior and senior year. He and Kerry had known each other from the time they had been in student government together. Nancy knew he would be very sad to hear of her death and learn that he had missed her wake and funeral. That was precisely why she had decided not to tell him about what happened to her while he was away.
She had checked the United Airline app. Their flight had landed in Newark on time. The sound of car doors opening and closing in the driveway announced their arrival.
After hugs all around and carrying in their gear, they sat at the kitchen table.
Carl introduced the conversation Nancy had been so concerned about. “So, did we miss anything while we were away?”
Looking at Tony, she said, “I’m sorry to say yes. Something terrible happened while you were away.” She told them about Kerry’s tragic death and the police investigation.
Tony immediately grabbed his cell phone off the charger and reviewed the messages his friends had sent him about Kerry. They repeated the same information. Kerry had a party on Saturday night. Her father and sister found her dead in the pool around noon on Sunday. Kerry and Alan had a fight at the party.
“We were away for two weeks,” Carl said. “When did this happen?”
“I heard about it on the radio literally while you were on your way to the airport to start your trip. Then Alan was arrested. From what I’ve read in the papers and seen on the news, the police believe Alan went back after the party was over and killed Kerry.”
“So Mom, they found her in the pool Sunday morning, around the time Dad and the limo picked me up at the Acme?” Tony asked.
“That’s right, Tony, and I hope you’ll understand why I didn’t—”
Waving her off, Tony said, “No, Mom. That’s okay. Did the papers say anything about Jamie Chapman?”
“Jamie Chapman?” Nancy said incredulously. “No, why would they?”
“That was the Sunday Dad and I left on the trip, right?”
“Yes,” Nancy answered. “Dad left here in the limo and picked you up at Acme, and you went straight to the airport.”
What he was trying to remember came back to Tony. “I noticed Jamie’s sneakers,” he said. Then he blurted out, “He had new sneakers. He was showing them off to everyone. I know he was wearing them on Saturday because he asked me a bunch of times if I liked them. But he wasn’t wearing them on that Sunday. The ones he had on were all scuffed up. I asked him why he changed them. He said they got wet because he was swimming in the pool with Kerry after her party.”
His mother and father stared at him. “After her party?” they both said in unison.
“Are you sure that’s what Jamie told you?” his father asked.
“Dad, I’m positive.”
Walking over to the phone, Carl said, “Tony, you have to tell the police what you just told us.” He began dialing the number of the Saddle River Police Department. They took Carl’s name and phone number and said they would immediately notify Detective Wilson of his call.
55
Marina Long and her husband Wayne had been concerned about Valerie ever since they moved from Chicago to Saddle River. They understood that it had been an abrupt and dramatic change for her, but had hoped and expected that her new school, which was highly rated, would bring her around. At her previous school, even though she was innately shy, she’d had many close friends. They had now been in New Jersey for nine months. That should have been enough time to make new friends. But where are they? Marina asked herself. Valerie always seems to be alone.
Marina had taken the afternoon off. She had hoped to spend some time with her daughter. But when Valerie came home from school, she went straight to her room and closed the door behind her. When Marina called her for dinner shortly after Wayne got home, she was her usual distant self. They both tried to initiate a conversation by asking about the outlook for this year’s lacrosse team. Her one-word answer was “Good.” It was over coffee and Valerie’s favorite apple pie dessert that Marina broached the subject with her.
“Valerie, Miss Dowling called and asked us to meet with her. We went over to the school this morning.”
Valerie half-closed her eyes as though in denial. “She had no right to do that,” she said fiercely.
“She had every right,” Marina said. “Apparently, the teachers are worried about the way you are in class.”
“What’s wrong with the way I am in class?” Valerie asked defensively.
“You appear to be distracted, and your marks went downhill shortly after we moved here.”
“They’ll go back up,” Valerie said.
“Is there any reason why your marks changed?” Wayne said gently.
When she did not answer, he said, “Look, Valerie. I think you have resented my presence since your mother and I got together. Let’s see if we can clear the air right now.
“My first wife and I always hoped to have a daughter. Of course, that didn’t happen, and Lucy died around the same time as your father. I know what it’s like to lose someone you’re very close to. When you lost your dad, you were heartbroken. I know I can’t replace him, and I don’t want to. But I want you to know that I want to be close to you. I consider you the daughter I never had.”
Valerie looked away.
“Val, we know that the move was abrupt,” Marina said, “and I told you that Wayne had gotten a big promotion. That was absolutely true. But the fact is that the Chicago office where he worked was being closed, and if he didn’t accept the offer in New York he would have been out of work.”
Valerie did not answer. Marina looked at her and said, “Valerie, your father loved you very much. I’m sure that it’s a great comfort to Daddy to know that Wayne is here for you, and he loves you.”
Valerie considered telling what was really happening, but her lips would not form the words. She had told Kerry, the only person she felt she could confide in, and Kerry was dead. She shook her head, as though dismissing what her mother and stepfather had told her. She pushed back her chair and abruptly left the table.
Marina followed her up the stairs.
“Valerie, something is upsetting you that you won’t talk about. But you can’t live with it. You’ve lost Daddy and your grandmother. I think what you need to do is speak to a therapist, someone who can help you.”
“Do me a favor, Mom. Leave me alone,” Valerie said as she shut the door to her room.
56
As he drove to the Chapman home, Mike was still trying to process the ramifications of the meeting he had that morning with Tony Carter and his father. “Jamie Chapman said he went swimming with Kerry after her party.” Tony was absolutely certain about his recollection of what Jamie had told him. The impact on the investigation could not be underestimated.
Mike had tried to impress on Tony and his parents that they should not share Tony’s information about Jamie. But he was concerned. He got the impression that they were talkers.
&n
bsp; Kerry’s body had been discovered by her family at 11:15 A.M. that Sunday morning. The forensic report from the medical examiner could provide only a rough estimate of how long she had been in the water. Kerry had sent a text at 11:10 P.M. telling Alan not to come over to her house. Assuming she was the one who sent the text, and Mike had no reason to believe otherwise, that was the latest time he could document that she was alive.
Alan’s three friends and the waitress at Nellie’s confirmed that Alan left Nellie’s at approximately 11:15. The 3.9-mile drive from Nellie’s to the Dowling home would have taken Alan about eleven minutes. Was it possible that Jamie went swimming with Kerry after 11:00, when the party ended, but before Alan returned to the house? Very unlikely.
He had brought fellow detective Andy Nerlino with him because he wanted to question Marge and Jamie out of each other’s presence. “I interviewed them the day the body was discovered,” Mike told him. “My last thought when I left the house was that their answers sounded rehearsed.”
“Understood.”
When they reached the Chapman home, Mike rang the front doorbell. There was no answer. They walked around the house to see if the Chapmans were in the backyard. When they were not there, Andy walked over to the back door and knocked on it. Then he said, “Mike, come over here and take a look at this.”
He was pointing at a small smudge stain on the white wooden door, just below the handle.
“Blood?” Mike asked as he leaned in closer for a look.
“It might be.” Andy said.
Mike took out his cell phone and snapped several pictures of the stain, then dialed his office. “I need an evidence tech right away,” he said crisply.
Twenty minutes later the tech arrived. He removed a portion of the stain and placed it in an evidence bag.