“Did she ever describe this guy to you?”
“No. Right after she told him to get lost, she told me she got in her car and drove off.”
“So she didn’t say where she met him to pick up the alcohol?”
“I don’t think she did. I can’t remember.”
He looked at her parents. “I’m very grateful to have had this opportunity to talk with your daughter.”
He said goodbye and left to go back to his car. As he drove away, he could only think about the fact that there might just be yet another potential suspect in Kerry Dowling’s murder.
22
The sun was streaming through the windows of the rectory. Marge sat opposite Father Frank in his office. Instead of sitting behind his desk, he had pulled up a chair closer to her.
“Marge, I’m happy you’ve come to see me. I could tell from your voice on the phone that you are very upset. What’s wrong?”
“Jamie, he’s in trouble.”
There was a pause. And then Marge, her voice trembling began, “Father, from his window Jamie was watching the party at Kerry Dowling’s house. When she fell or was pushed into the pool, he thought she went swimming and went over to swim with her.”
“Did he tell you that?”
“Not at first. The next morning I noticed that his slacks were wet and so were his socks and sneakers. When I asked him about it, he told me he had seen someone come up behind Kerry, hit her and push her in the pool. Still thinking he could go swimming with her, he walked down the steps to the pool.”
Marge took a deep breath.
“I didn’t know what to do, Father. I watched that awful scene of Steve Dowling and Aline finding Kerry in the pool. I was afraid. Afraid for Jamie. His sneakers and pants had stains on them. Maybe it was wrong, but I washed them. I had to protect Jamie. I made Jamie promise not to talk to anybody about what happened that night.”
“Marge, what Jamie saw could be very helpful to the police.”
“Yes, but it could also get Jamie in a lot of trouble if they think he did it.” Marge drew a deep breath. “Father, that’s not all. Remember how Jack always called Jamie ‘Big Guy’?”
“Of course I remember.”
“And now Jamie has been talking to me about ‘the Big Guy’ who pushed Kerry into the pool. Alan Crowley is average height and has a thin build. Jamie sometimes talks about himself as ‘the Big Guy.’ He can get mixed up if he’s upset. I’m so afraid that if he ever tells that to the police . . .” Marge’s voice trailed off.
“Marge, is there any chance Jamie might have hurt Kerry?”
“Jamie was disappointed and maybe even angry that he wasn’t invited to the party, but I can’t see him ever hurting her.”
“But when Jamie said a ‘Big Guy’ pushed Kerry in the pool. Do you think he may have been talking about himself?”
Marge sighed. “I don’t know what to think. He loved her. I can’t believe he would hurt her. A detective came by and spoke to us. I don’t think he suspects Jamie, but I just don’t know.”
“Marge, I don’t want to give you quick advice that might turn out to be wrong. Let me think about what we’ve discussed.”
“Thank you so much, Father. And please pray for me. And for Jamie.”
“I will, Marge. I promise.”
23
Excited by the start of a new school year, students poured back into the hallways. As they passed Aline, many of them stopped to tell her how sorry they were about Kerry. Aline tried to keep her eyes from welling up as one after the other they told her they couldn’t believe what had happened to her sister. “Neither can I” was her answer.
The day passed by in a blur. After the school buses had come and gone and the teachers began to go home, Aline sat in her office. She tried to familiarize herself with the names of this year’s seniors. She knew that one of her jobs would be to help them finalize which colleges they would apply to.
She was troubled by the fact that the first thing she had done on the computer was to look up the information requested by Mike Wilson. She worried that if they found out what she had given to the detective, her first day at Saddle River High School could be her last. She hoped not.
There was a tap on her door. Pat Tarleton opened it and came in. “So Aline, how did the first day go?”
“As well as can be expected,” Aline said wryly. “That said, it feels good to be here. And I’m looking forward to getting to know the students and my fellow faculty.”
“Speaking of that, I noticed that you and Scott Kimball were chatting in the teachers’ lounge together. He’s been a great addition to the faculty this past year. His math classes have been very popular with the students. And he’s been a godsend for the girls lacrosse program.”
“He had some of the players at the wake with him,” Aline said, her tone noncommittal.
“And I remember Kerry talking about what a great coach he was. Okay, I just wanted to pop by. See you in the A.M.”
The door had barely closed behind Pat when Aline’s cell phone rang. It was Mike Wilson.
“Aline, when Kerry was in touch with you, whether by phone, text or email, did she ever mention somebody stopping to help her with a flat?”
In her mind Aline raced through her recent emails from Kerry. “No, I don’t recall
