by J A Whiting
Keith chuckled. “I’m sure Ian prefers your company to mine.”
During dessert, the talk turned to the cold case murder of Janice Carter.
Keith said, “I appreciate your help on this case. Ian tells me you’re both good interviewers and that you have strong intuitive skills. That’s very important. Little things can be overlooked when an investigator misses subtle things in a conversation, body language, facial expression, what the person doesn’t say. When you have the ability to pick up on these small details, the little things can lead to a solved case.”
“We spoke to the officer who was first on the scene at the bungalow,” Claire said.
“Sam Holden.” Keith nodded. “It seems the man made the right career choice leaving the police force for engineering. He’s very successful.”
“Have you spoken with Sam?” Nicole asked.
“I did. About a week ago. He wasn’t very forthcoming with me.”
“He told us about the crime scene,” Claire explained. “He also talked a little about that man, Brandon Willis, who tried to abduct a young girl on the same evening Janice was killed. Police considered Willis a possible suspect in Janice’s attack, but the man was let go due to lack of evidence.”
“That’s right,” Keith said.
“Sam also mentioned that Willis was wearing an orange hoodie that night,” Claire said. “I suppose the color of the sweatshirt made the man stand out to the kids at the ball field.”
“Sam did not share that hoodie information with me,” Keith said with a raised eyebrow.
With a smile, Ian set down his dessert fork. “Claire and Nicole seem to have the power of persuasion.”
“Then I’m glad you’re helping me out.” Keith stirred some cream into his coffee. “I don’t have a lot of time to devote to this cold case. It was looked into about a decade ago by Jack Phillips and luckily, he took notes. Without those notes, there would be nothing to go on and we’d have to disappoint Janice’s daughter, Kelly Cox. Most likely, we’ll be giving Ms. Cox disappointing news, but at least, we’ll have tried.”
“Sam Holden suggested we find the three siblings who were at the ball field the night Janice was killed and talk to them about the orange-hooded Brandon Willis,” Claire said. “Their names are in the case notes. The last name was Harrison.”
“Did he say why he thought it was a good idea to do that?” Ian asked.
“He didn’t say specifically why we should meet with the Harrison siblings,” Nicole explained. “I assume to pick their brains about what happened that night.”
“I’ll do some research and see if I can find out where the siblings are living now,” Keith said. “Maybe the three of us can interview them together. I’m going to be away for a few days later in the week and I’ll be gone for two days next week. I’ve told Kelly Cox to contact either of you if she has questions or needs anything. I’ll share my contact information with you both. I’ll also try to set up a meeting between you and the three Harrison siblings.”
“What else should we be doing?” Claire asked.
“I’ve tracked down one of Janice Carter’s friends, Brittany Patterson. She was in nursing school with Janice. I’ll email you her address and phone number so you can arrange to speak with her.”
“What should we focus on when we meet her?” Claire asked.
“The usual stuff,” Keith said. “Ask about their friendship, ask about Janice, what was she like. Ask the woman where she was the night of the murder.”
“We’re treating the friend as a suspect?” Nicole asked with a look of surprise.
“Everyone’s a suspect.” Keith drank some of his coffee. “Be suspicious of everyone.”
From under the big tree, Bear and Lady let out loud barks of agreement.
“Our lives certainly couldn’t have gone in more different directions,” Brittany Patterson told Claire and Nicole over coffee at a café in Newton. “Janice was cut down in her prime with so much to live for, her little girl, a future career in nursing. It crushed me. My heart broke.” Brittany was sixty-years old, the same age Janice would be had she lived.
“I went on to get my master’s degree. I’ve been a nurse practitioner for years.” Brittany had blond hair cut to her shoulders, was about five feet ten inches tall and slim, and gave the impression she worked out or took part in an athletic pursuit of some kind.
“Did you know Janice before you were in nursing school together?” Claire asked.
“We met for the first time in school,” Brittany told them.
“What was Janice like?” Nicole questioned.
A wide smile formed over Brittany’s mouth. “She was a warm person, friendly, kind, a lot of fun. She was full of life, funny, intelligent. She loved that little girl of hers.”
“Did she ever talk about why she hadn’t married Kelly’s father?” Claire asked.
“She wasn’t in love with him and he wasn’t in love with her,” Brittany said. “I think those are good reasons not to hitch yourself to someone.”
“Was Janice dating at the time of her death?” Nicole asked.
“She dated some, nothing serious though. It was hard to get into a serious relationship when there was a little daughter around. Some guys didn’t like the idea that there was a child in Janice’s life.” Brittany smiled as she recalled something her friend had said. “Janice told me if a guy didn’t want Kelly around, then she didn’t want that guy in her life.”
“Did you ever meet Janice’s daughter?” Claire asked.
“A few times. I never had kids myself. My first husband and I divorced after a year and my second husband divorced me after two years.” Brittany gave a shrug. “Not the marrying type I guess. I focused on my career, my investments. I’m still working full time and I love my job. I’m very good at it.”
Claire felt a slight dislike of Brittany and wondered what kind of friend she’d been. The woman answered too quickly, giving vague replies and she took every opportunity to toot her horn about herself and her achievements.
“Can you tell us about the men Janice was dating around the time she was killed?”
“Well, let’s see.” Brittany rubbed at the side of her face. “I don’t recall all of her dates. I do remember she dated a graduate student for a while. I can’t recall his name. She went out a few times with another guy, but I don’t remember his name either.” The woman sat up. “Oh, there was that guy who was accused of attacking a little girl in Chatham Village, at a ball field.”
Claire’s jaw nearly dropped. “Was his name Brandon Willis?”
“Yes, that’s the name,” Brittany said.
“You’ve heard of him?” Nicole’s eyes stared into Brittany’s.
“I know a few things. I knew he tried to attack the girl at the ball field.”
“Are you sure that’s the same guy Janice had been dating?” Nicole’s voice had risen an octave.
“Yes, it was. I’m sure.” Brittany drummed one of her nails on the wood of the table. “Not very good company to keep, was he?”
“Did Janice hope to become more than friends with Brandon Willis?”
“She liked Brandon. He could be funny, he enjoyed being outdoors.”
“What happened between them?” Claire considered that one must have broken off with the other.
“I don’t really know.” Brittany adjusted the scarf she had on. It was bright red with printed geometric patterns of orange and purple. “Brandon was okay. I didn’t think he made the best choices. He could seem off socially. I really didn’t think those two had any kind of a future together. They were too different.”
“How where they different?”
“Brandon liked alcohol. A lot. Brittany might have had a glass of wine once a month, while Brandon was a daily drinker. I warned Janice on numerous occasions about Brandon. The guy didn’t work much. He claimed he was self-employed or worked as a mechanic. I never knew what kind of work he did. He always seemed to be hanging around with no purpose.”
“Janice didn’t listen to your concerns?”
“She did not and our friendship suffered for it for a short time.” Brittany looked down at her lap.
“You didn’t remain friends?” Claire asked.
“We spoke with each other, but our interactions lacked the warmth they once did. I learned not to criticize a woman’s choice of a man.”
“Was that the state of your friendship when Janice was killed? You two weren’t as good friends as you were before?”
“It would have blown over.” Brittany batted her hand around. “We were on our way back to being good friends, and then … she was murdered.”
The woman’s words picked at Claire. Was Brittany’s and Janice’s friendship close or was it forced? Would Janice have forgiven Brittany for butting into her romantic life and criticizing the man she was dating?
Maybe. Maybe not.
9
Detective Gagnon tracked down Janice Carter’s former neighbor and because Gagnon had to leave town for a conference, he asked Claire and Nicole to go and interview the man in Boston. The detective spent a few hours with the young women giving them pointers and suggestions to use when they talked to people about the crime and the three role-played to give them practice with what to look for.
It was early evening, when Claire and Nicole met fifty-seven-year-old Joe Bricklin at a restaurant in the Back Bay. The husky man was bald and Claire couldn’t tell if he shaved his head or had lost his hair prematurely. Bricklin had broad shoulders, a small scar on his left cheek, and dark eyes. He was about five feet eleven, looked tough and a little rough around the edges.
“Thanks for meeting with us,” Nicole said after shaking hands.
Bricklin gave a shrug and a wry smile. “Didn’t really have much choice. When a detective asks you to meet, it’s not in your best interest to say no.”
They took seats, ordered meals, and got down to business.
“So the Carter case is being re-opened?” Bricklin sipped his beer.
“It’s being looked into again,” Claire told him. “We’re meeting with people who knew Janice or whose paths crossed. You lived across the street?”
“I rented a small house on the street for a couple of years.” Bricklin’s eyes were intense. “I moved away right after Janice got murdered. I didn’t renew the lease. I wanted out of that neighborhood.”
“Was there a lot of crime in the neighborhood when you lived there?” Claire asked.
“Absolutely not. It was quiet, the people were solid, no troublemakers or anything like that. Things changed after the killing.” Bricklin rubbed his chin.
“You’d met Janice?” Nicole questioned.
“Sure. We weren’t friends or anything like that. We didn’t get together or do things. We were friendly. When people were outside, they’d talk, ask how things were going. It was a good place to live. You didn’t have to worry.” Bricklin frowned. “Until you did.”
“Do you think the friendly atmosphere and the sense of safety may have contributed to Janice’s death?” Claire asked.
“You mean because she wouldn’t be afraid to answer the door if someone knocked?”
“That’s right.”
“If someone knocked or rang the bell, I think Janice would open the door without knowing who was standing there, so yeah, the neighborhood being the way it was did contribute to a creep getting inside.”
The meals were delivered to the table and the three ate in silence for a few minutes.
“Do you know anything about Janice’s daughter?” Bricklin asked.
Claire set down her sandwich and smiled. “Kelly is doing well. She’s a teacher. The case is being looked at again because of her request.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear she’s doing okay.” Bricklin dabbed at his mouth with his napkin. “She asked for the case to be re-opened?”
“She hopes her mother’s killer can be found one day,” Nicole said.
“Is it likely? After all these years?”
“It happens,” Claire said. “Cold cases can be solved. New information comes to light. People remember things or when time passes, they feel they should come forward and tell what they know.”
“Is that’s what’s happening with Janice’s case?” Bricklin asked.
“We hope so.” Claire crossed her arms on the table and made eye contact with Bricklin. “We’ve been told you saw a man at Janice’s house on the evening of the murder.”
“I was home that night.” Bricklin shifted around a little on his chair. “I’d had a couple of beers. I might have been mistaken about seeing someone.”
“Oh?” Claire kept her gaze on the man and asked another question. “You thought there might have been a man at Janice’s door, but now you aren’t sure?”
“I thought I saw someone, but I just don’t know.”
“What did you think you saw that night? What was the man doing?” Nicole asked Bricklin not wanting him to weasel out of what he’d told.
“I was watching television.” Bricklin rubbed the top of his bald head. “I got up to go to the kitchen. I thought I saw movement under the streetlight near Janice’s house. I dropped my empty beer bottle and bent to pick it up. When I stood straight, I was looking right out of the window. I thought I saw someone at her door, but now I’m not sure. Maybe it was a shadow.”
“What makes you doubt what you thought you saw?” Claire asked.
Bricklin sighed. “I just don’t know if I saw someone or not. I don’t want to throw the investigation off if I’m not sure about it. It could be a waste of time for the police.”
Claire asked, “Did you hear anything that night? The sounds of an argument or a raised voice? A fight? A loud noise? A bottle breaking?”
Bricklin shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t think so.”
“It was October,” Nicole said. “Was it a chilly night or was it warm out?”
Bricklin looked down at his plate. “I don’t really remember.”
“Was your window open?” Claire questioned.
Again, Bricklin said, “I don’t remember.”
“How about the next morning? Were you at home when the police arrived at Janice’s house?”
“I was at work.”
“What did you do for work?” Nicole asked.
“I worked building construction. I was at a house on the other side of town.”
“You left early for work?”
“I left at 7am.”
“That was about the time Kelly ran outside to tell Mr. Adams that her mother was dead.”
“I didn’t see her.” Bricklin shook his head, but he kept his eyes on his plate. “I must have left for work before she came out.”
“Did everything look normal when you left your house?” Claire asked. “Was anything out of place? Was Janice’s front door closed?”
“I’m not sure. I didn’t pay any attention.”
Claire had the feeling that Joe Bricklin’s memory was better than he was admitting. “You didn’t see anything that seemed off?”
“No.”
“Did you ever date Janice?” Claire looked at the man with a steely gaze.
“We didn’t date.”
Claire turned to Nicole. “Didn’t Detective Gagnon mention that Mr. Bricklin was seen at a pub with Janice?”
Before Nicole could reply, Bricklin said, “A pub? When was that?”
“We could get the information from the detective if that would help you remember,” Nicole said.
“Oh, wait. I was at a pub when Janice was there, that’s right. It was no date though.”
“You interacted with Janice at the pub?”
“We were neighbors. We ran into each other. We talked. It wasn’t a date.”
“What did you think of her?” Nicole asked.
“She was nice, pretty. She was friendly.”
“Did you ever ask her out?”
“I don’t think so.”
Would you have liked to date her?” Clair
e asked,
“Sure. I never asked her out though as far as I can remember.”
“Were you dating someone else at the time?”
Bricklin pushed back a little from the table. “What’s all the interest in my love life?”
“I know the questions make it seem like that’s what we’re asking about.” Claire reassured the man with a smile. “The interest is in who Janice knew, who she hung out with, who her friends were, who she came in contact with. People who knew Janice might be able to point us to someone who could have done her harm. By asking these questions, we’re making connections and associations between people.”
“I wasn’t really dating anyone back then,” Bricklin said. “I’d go out with women once in a while, but I didn’t find anyone I wanted to be serious with.”
“Where did you move to after leaving Chatham Village?” Nicole asked.
“All over. First stop, I went to New Hampshire, then I went on to Colorado for a while. I came back to Massachusetts and got married in Lowell and stayed there for four years. We got divorced and I moved down here, outskirts of Boston, to Somerville, been here about ten years.”
“Do you have kids?” Claire asked.
“No kids.”
“Did you ever go out with one of Janice’s friends?”
Bricklin stared at Claire and blinked a few times. “I went out a couple of times with one of Janice’s nursing school friends, Brittany Patterson. We didn’t click.”
“How did you meet Brittany?”
“She was with Janice at the pub one night.”
“Have you kept in touch with anyone from Chatham Village?”
Bricklin said, “Nah. I wasn’t close to anyone really. I stayed there two years for work, made a few buddies, but they’ve moved to other parts of the country.”
“Did you ever notice anyone hanging around Janice’s place?”
“Outside her place?”
“Outside or going into her place quite a lot.”
“Her parents, the little kid. A couple of women would show up there sometimes. That’s it, really. I’d see a guy once in a while, but not often.”
“Is there anyone you suspected might have been involved with Janice’s death?” Claire asked.
