“Alan, you’re not thinking of hurting yourself, are you? Think of what that would do to your mother and father.”
“It would be easier for them if I just wasn’t around, rather than watch me get convicted in court.”
Deeply concerned, Father Frank said, “Let me remind you that it will probably be a year or more before you go to trial. By that time your situation may have changed.”
“Wouldn’t that be nice,” Alan said matter-of-factly.
When Father Frank left, he was deeply disturbed remembering what Marge had told him about Jamie being in the pool and how fearful she was that if the police found that out, they might get him to tell them that he was the one who had hit Kerry.
What should I do? What can I do?
He did not know that Brenda had been in the hallway catching every word and that she couldn’t wait to tell Marge all about it.
47
Brenda could barely stay near the speed limit as she drove over to Marge’s house. She had called Marge to confirm she was home and that it would be okay to come over. It was obvious that Marge had seen her coming up the driveway, because the door had been left open.
Breathlessly, she recounted how Father Frank had dropped in to see Alan. “He came over because June and Doug Crowley are afraid he is suicidal.”
“Oh, dear God!” Marge exclaimed.
“That poor boy! No wonder they’re worried. He’s convinced that he’s going to prison for killing Kerry Dowling. He swore on the Bible that he is innocent.”
“What did Father Frank say to Alan?” Marge asked anxiously.
“He was pleading with him to have faith. He told him he won’t go to trial for at least a year, and a lot can happen in that time. I just pray that he convinced Alan that he shouldn’t harm himself.”
“I pray that too,” Marge said with a tremor in her voice.
Having delivered the day’s gossip, Brenda looked at her watch. “Gotta go,” she said. “I have to shop for dinner.”
Marge sat trembling at the thought that Alan would commit suicide. She distracted herself from that thought by turning on the five o’clock news. Just as she returned to her chair, Jamie came into the room.
The newscast began and Alan’s picture appeared on the screen. “That’s Alan Crowley, Mom,” he said excitedly.
“Yes, I know it is, Jamie.”
The reporter was speaking while footage of Alan at the courthouse was shown in the background. “Rumors are swirling that Lester Parker, attorney for accused killer Alan Crowley, has approached the Bergen County Prosecutor about a plea bargain. We contacted Lester Parker and he adamantly denied that rumor.”
“Why is Alan on TV?” Jamie asked his mother.
“The police think he hurt Kerry the night she died in her pool.”
“He went home.”
“I know, Jamie. They think he hurt Kerry and then went home.”
“No. Alan Crowley gave Kerry a hug and a kiss and then he went home. The Big Guy hurt Kerry.”
Aghast, Marge stared at him. “Jamie, are you sure Alan didn’t hurt Kerry and push her in the pool?”
“No, the Big Guy did. Alan went home. I’m hungry. What’s for dinner?”
48
Aline was worried about Valerie Long. Something was not quite right about the girl, and it was more than just the loss of Kerry’s friendship. The word that came to Aline’s mind was “despairing.” In a meeting with Pat Tarleton, Aline shared with her how concerned she was about Valerie after their talk.
“I think you should speak to the parents and get their version of what is going on,” Pat told her.
“I agree, but I have a feeling Valerie would be very unhappy if she knew I was planning to meet with her mother and stepfather. Do you think I should arrange to see them someplace outside of school?”
“No, I don’t. It’s against our school’s policy to have this type of meeting away from our building. It’s the parents’ decision to tell or not tell Valerie that they’re coming in to talk to you. If she finds out they were here, they’re on their own to come up with an explanation as to why.”
Glad to have Pat’s approval, Aline looked up the contact information for Valerie’s parents. She decided to start with the mother and dialed her cell phone number. It was answered on the first ring.
The screen on Marina Long’s phone showed that the call was from Saddle River High School. Her first words were “Is Valerie all right?” The question made it easer for Aline to go directly to the reason for the call.
“Mrs. Long, everything is okay. Valerie is in class. My name is Aline Dowling. I’m Valerie’s guidance counselor at school. But I have some concerns about Valerie that I want to talk to you and your husband about.”
“Aline, I’m glad you called. We have concerns too, and we’re not sure what to do. Wayne and I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you.”
It was agreed that the Longs would meet Aline the next day.
• • •
Later that day Aline heard a knock on her office door. When she called, “Come in,” she was surprised to see Scott Kimball enter and settle into the chair opposite her. Her first thought was that she had not invited him to sit.
“Aline,” he began, “I know you’re annoyed at me, and you have a right to be. That was a big faux pas on my part the other day in the teachers’ lounge. You had made it clear that there was to be no talk of our having socialized off school property. As the saying goes, ‘loose lips sink ships.’ I’m here to apologize.”
Aline wasn’t sure what to say. She had rehearsed a speech where she was going to blast him for talking about their dinner in front of another teacher. Now he had apologized and seemed genuinely contrite.
“Okay, Scott. We all make mistakes. Let’s let it go.”
“Thanks Aline. I really appreciate that.”
He hesitated. “Aline, I want to ask you to do something with me. It would be strictly on a professional basis. Tomorrow night at seven there is a seminar at Montclair State about the stresses faced by high school student athletes. As a teacher and a coach, I’m obviously interested, and I’m planning to go. I assume this type of presentation would be of interest to you as a guidance counselor. Would you like to go?”
Aline started to answer, but Scott kept talking.
“Just so you know, we’ll be doing this as two professionals. I know better than to ask if you want to ride over with me. You don’t even have to sit with me when we’re there. But I warn you. I’m going to be hungry when it ends at eight-thirty. There’s an excellent chance I’m going to ask you to join me for dinner. As professionals, of course.”
Aline found herself smiling. Scott was a charmer. Three minutes ago he had been one hundred percent in her doghouse. Now she found herself looking forward to spending time with him tomorrow night.
“All right, Mr. Kimball,” she said, “I’ll meet you at the seminar. Regarding dinner afterwards, let’s see what tomorrow brings.”
49
After a sleepless night, Marge knew that she had to talk to Father Frank again. As soon as Jamie left to walk to Acme, she called him. He said, “Marge, come to my office right now. I’ve been thinking a lot about our last discussion.”
Marge had not expected to be invited in so quickly. She had wanted time to plan what she would say to Father Frank about what Jamie had told her. Now she only had the ten-minute car ride to the rectory to organize her thoughts.
The priest answered the door himself and escorted Marge to his office. They sat in two chairs facing each other.
“Father, when Jamie and I were in the kitchen last night, Alan Crowley’s picture came on the television. When I told Jamie why Alan was on TV, Jamie started talking again about what he saw the night of Kerry’s party.”
She hesitated.
Father Frank said, “Marge, I can see you’re upset. But I think it will help if you just tell me what is worrying you.”
“I know you understand that Jamie’s memory can be hazy.
He mixes together things that didn’t happen at the same time.”
“I know that, Marge,” Father Frank said sympathetically.
“Last night, Jamie was very specific when he described what he saw happened to Kerry.”
“What did he say?”
“When I explained to him that the police think Alan is the one who hurt Kerry, Jamie was sure that Alan didn’t do it.”
Father Frank leaned forward in his chair. “Marge, what exactly did Jamie say?”
“He told me that Alan hugged and kissed Kerry, and then he went home. Then somebody else, ‘the Big Guy,’ hurt Kerry and pushed her in the pool.”
“Marge, do you think Jamie is describing what he saw accurately?”
“Yes, I do. But I don’t know what to do.”
Tears began running down Marge’s cheeks. She reached over and began to fumble in her pocketbook. “Father, is there someplace I could get a glass of water?”
“I’m sorry, Marge,” Father Frank said as he headed toward the kitchen. “I should have offered earlier.” When he returned with the water, he noticed how pale she looked. “Are you okay?”
Marge reached for the water glass, took a sip and swallowed a pill. “Honestly, Father, I’m having some problems with my heart. When I’m feeling stressed, like I am right now, I have to take one of these. It’s a nitroglycerine pill.”
Father Frank waited while she took a few more sips of water. “These pills are miraculous,” she said. “I feel better already.”
Marge continued. “About Jamie, if what he told me is true, Alan Crowley is innocent. But how do I let Jamie talk to the police and risk having the police think Jamie hurt Kerry? I told you how Jack would call Jamie the Big Guy. If Jamie tells the police ‘the Big Guy’ hurt Kerry, they might think he’s talking about himself. Father, I want to help Alan Crowley, but I can’t do it if it means getting Jamie in trouble.”
“Marge, I don’t believe for a minute that Jamie was the one who hurt Kerry. I know you don’t either. Wouldn’t it be best to tell the police what Jamie said, and just have faith in the system to work?”
“I don’t know, Father. I just need more time to think about it.”
50
Aline was about to leave her office when her cell phone rang. It was Mike Wilson.
“Aline,” he asked, “could you possibly meet me tonight? There are some things I want to go over with you.”
“Of course.”
“O’Malley’s at seven o’clock?”
“Fine. I’ll see you there.”
When she arrived at O’Malley’s, Mike was waiting for her. He was seated at the same table in the corner they had chosen the last time.
“It appears that you are a creature of habit,” Aline said.
“Guilty as charged,” Mike replied.
“My, aren’t we formal?” Aline said, noting how handsome Mike looked in his jacket and tie.
“Whenever I testify in court, I wear my Sunday best. I spent this afternoon getting grilled by a defense attorney.”
“Who won?” Aline asked.
“If they don’t find this defendant guilty, there is no justice in the world.”
The waiter approached the table. Mike asked, “Are we both creatures of habit?”
Aline nodded.
“A Pinot Grigio for the lady, and I’ll have a Coors Light.
“So, Aline, how is the world of guidance?”
“Sometimes easy, and sometimes not. I’ve got a depressed student I’m really worried about. Her parents are coming in to meet with me tomorrow. Oh! I have a potential update on Alan Crowley.”
“Really?”
“Princeton is aware of the accusations against Alan. My understanding is that in cases like these, they insist that the student stay home.” She decided against sharing with him that her mother and Pat Tarleton had contacted Princeton.
“I’m not surprised,” Mike said. “Colleges have media tracking services. They would have picked up reports that ‘Princeton-bound Alan Crowley’ has been accused of a crime.”
Mike took a long sip of his beer and then asked, “How are your parents doing?”
“I guess as well as can be expected. My mother is so sure that Alan is guilty. I think it’s given her some peace that he’s been arrested.”
“The families of victims often react that way. They consider it the first step toward justice. It might be a good idea for your mother to join a victim’s support group. I’ve seen people who were helped a lot. I’ll send you some information on the groups.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.”
“Aline, let me get to the main reason I asked you to meet me tonight. As I’ve told you, a weakness in our case against Alan is that we haven’t found the tire changer who had the incident with Kerry. The information you sent me that he was a tow truck driver is very helpful. In your text you said one of the girls who appears to know something may be holding back. It’s so important that we find this guy and confirm where he was the night of the party. Can you find a reason to spend more time with that girl and maybe get her to say more?”
Aline sighed. “I may be en route to a very short career as a guidance counselor if they find out what I’ve been doing.”
“Aline, I don’t have to know the girl’s name. I just need the information. And I promise you, nobody will know the information came from you.”
In her mind Aline relived Alexis Jaccarino’s distinct hesitation when she asked her about the guy who changed Kerry’s tire.
“I’ll figure out a reason to have that girl come to my office and get her talking.”
It was on the tip of Mike’s tongue to ask Aline to stay and have dinner with him again. But if a defense attorney thought that a detective and a witness on a case were dating, he would rip both of them to shreds on cross-examination.
Ten minutes later Mike had finished his beer and Aline her wine. He signaled for the check. “Back to the office for me. I’m on the witness stand again tomorrow morning. I have to go over my reports.”
“And I can catch the end of dinner with my parents. I try to be around them as much as possible, and I have plans for tomorrow night.”
They walked to their cars. Mike was disappointed that he couldn’t ask Aline to dinner.
She was disappointed that he didn’t.
51
Aline’s call to Valerie’s mother only heightened the feelings of concern she and Wayne had about Valerie. Marina was relieved when Wayne quickly agreed to work from home so that he could go with her to the high school. Hoping to avoid being seen by Valerie, they arrived at Aline’s office promptly at 11:00.
The mother, whose resemblance to Valerie was striking, looked to be in her late thirties. The stepfather had a head full of steel-gray hair and appeared to be in his mid- to late fifties. Aline’s initial impression was that he reminded her of the actor Richard Gere.
After introductions were completed, Marina Long asked, “Why are you worried about Valerie?”
Her direct question required a direct answer. “I saw in her records that she did well at her previous high school in Chicago. But since coming here, her marks have gone down considerably. And she seems depressed,” Aline told them.
Marina nodded. “We know. And we’ve been so worried about her.” Marina was obviously on the verge of tears.
Aline watched as Wayne put his hand over his wife’s hand. He said, “I know I’m the major cause of the problem. From the first time she met me, she didn’t like me. She thought I was trying to replace her father. I wasn’t. Every effort I made to build a relationship with her was rejected. I have two sons who live in California. I’m a widower. My first wife and I always hoped we would have a daughter as well.”
Marina added, “Valerie tries to give people the impression that he ignores his sons. The fact is Wayne often travels to San Francisco. He always sees them when he’s there. It was harder for them to come to Chicago because they both have young families. And last year when Way
ne and I went out to see them for Thanksgiving, Valerie insisted on staying home to be with her grandmother.”
“Did Valerie tell you why we moved from Chicago?” Wayne asked.
“Yes. She said you were offered a better job with a bigger salary and you took it. That resulted in her being apart from her Chicago friends.”
“That’s not what happened,” Wayne said, the frustration clear in his voice. “I am a branch manager for Merrill Lynch. The branch office I ran was shut in a consolidation. I was offered a better position in Manhattan and I had to give them an answer right away.” Looking at his wife, he said, “We agreed I should accept it.”
Aline said, “One of the things that puzzles me is that when Valerie came to Saddle River last January, at least marks wise she got off to a good start. But something changed in the spring. Do you have any idea what that might have been?”
Marina said, “Last May her paternal grandmother had a stroke and passed away. Valerie had stayed very close to her after her father died.”
“For a young person, she has experienced a great deal of loss,” Aline said. “Have you considered having her see a psychiatrist?”
“Of course, we have,” Marina said. “Twice I tried to introduce the idea. Both times she got furious and upset. We decided it would do more harm than good to keep bringing that up.”
“As you probably know,” Aline said, “my sister Kerry died two weeks ago.”
Wayne interrupted. “We know, and we’re terribly sorry. We read about it in the papers.”
“Valerie told me that she considered Kerry to be her closest friend at this school. Did she ever tell you that?”
“No,” Marina said. “I know how shocked she was when Kerry died, but I thought she knew Kerry more as a teammate than a friend.”
“Apparently they were close. That makes yet another loss in your daughter’s life.”
“Then where do we go from here?” Wayne asked.
“I’m going to keep in close touch with Valerie and her teachers. I’ll monitor her progress and will keep both of you informed. Of course, if you notice any changes, let me know.”
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