“Yes, it was a few months after his eighteenth birthday.”
“Good. Do you know where your guardianship papers are?”
“I have them at home in the top drawer of my dresser.”
Father Frank said, “Marge, give them to me when I drop you off.”
“Why do you want them?” she asked Barber.
“Because I want to determine whether the detective had a right to question Jamie outside your presence and without your permission. Beyond that, even though Jamie wasn’t under arrest or in police custody, I think I can make a strong argument that, since he was a suspect, he didn’t have to speak to the detective.
“But that’s for later. Now, let’s start from the beginning, with the night your neighbor had a party and the young girl was murdered. Tell me everything you recall about that night and the following morning, right up until when the detectives came to your house last week.”
Step by step Marge related everything that had happened. Finding Jamie’s wet clothes and sneakers in his closet. Seeing Steve Dowling carry Kerry’s body out of the pool. In a panic washing the clothes and sneakers. Making Jamie swear that he wouldn’t tell anyone about going in the pool that night. She told Greg Barber about Jamie telling her that he had seen Alan talking to Kerry and then leaving.
And her concern about Jamie saying that the Big Guy hit Kerry and pushed her in the pool, and that she had felt guilty ever since Alan Crowley was arrested.
She finished by saying, “Father Frank will back me up on this. I was planning to go to the police, but I wanted to speak to you first. But then that Tony Carter told everyone that he had solved Kerry’s murder and that Jamie did it.”
“Mrs. Chapman, there are some circumstances in which I would be concerned that two family members whom the police are scrutinizing should have separate lawyers. I think, however, that for the time being, I can be the attorney for both you and Jamie. Do you have any issue with that?”
“Oh no, Mr. Barber. I know you’ll do your best for both of us, but it is Jamie that I am worried about.”
“All right, fine. We’ll work out the financial details later. For now leave it in my hands.”
Barber turned to Father Frank. “Father, when you drop Mrs. Chapman off, would you please leave those guardianship papers in my home mailbox.”
“Of course,” Father Frank said.
“Mrs. Chapman, I cannot stress strongly enough what I’m about to tell you. If anyone contacts you or Jamie wanting to talk about this case, do not say anything. Just give them my name and phone number and tell them to contact me.”
“Mr. Barber—”
“Please call me Greg.”
“Greg, I’m so relieved and grateful. Please call me Marge.”
He smiled. “Marge, Father Frank speaks very highly of you and your son. We will get through this. I want you to come back tomorrow at one P.M. with Jamie. I need to go through everything with him.”
61
After her conversation with Fran, Aline was troubled. She had to speak to Mike Wilson about Jamie, but she knew it would not be a short conversation.
He answered on the first ring. “Mike, it’s Aline Dowling. I have some information I want to share with you. By any chance are you free for dinner tonight?”
“Yes, I am” was his immediate response.
“Do you know Esty Street, the restaurant in Park Ridge?”
“Sure. I love their food.”
“Seven o’clock tonight?”
“We’re on.”
For the rest of the afternoon Aline had a sense of relief. She knew Mike Wilson was determined to find Kerry’s killer, but he didn’t know Jamie the way she did.
When she arrived at the restaurant, Mike was already there. He waved to her from a table in the corner. She slid into her chair and saw a white wine waiting for her. This time there was a white wine in front of Mike as well.
“Tonight I’m joining you,” he said.
“If ever I needed a glass of wine, it’s now,” Aline told him.
“Then I’m glad you didn’t have to wait for it. By the way, how are your folks doing?”
“They’re doing a little better. They’re planning a long weekend in Bermuda.”
“Glad to hear that. They’ve been through a lot.”
The waiter came over with menus. “Let’s take a look and get our order in before it gets crowded.”
He could sense the tension in Aline. Her eyes looked strained, and he realized that in the last few weeks she had lost some weight.
Mike said, “Aline, I asked how your parents are doing. I neglected to ask how you’re doing.”
“Frankly, Mike, I just can’t believe what’s going on. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know Alan Crowley very well. Most of the time Kerry went out with him I was in London. I met him a few times when I was home for a holiday. But whenever Kerry mentioned him in emails to me, it seemed obvious that she and Alan cared deeply about each other. I know that they had that spat at the party, but there’s a big difference between being upset with each other and killing somebody.
“You certainly know that Tony Carter is telling everybody that Jamie killed Kerry. It drives me crazy to hear that. I started babysitting Jamie when he was eight years old. I can tell you right now that there’s no way in the world that he ever would hurt Kerry. Quite simply, he loved her.”
“Aline, you just admitted to me that you don’t really know Alan Crowley that well because you were away during the time Kerry was dating him. Let me remind you, you were also away from Jamie those three years. That sweet young boy you babysat for is now a young man. People change over time. That may be the case with Jamie.”
“Mike, people don’t change that much. I would swear on a stack of Bibles that Jamie is incapable of
