“Are you aware that a party was being held in your home last evening?”
Of course, the answer was no.
“There is evidence that liquor was served at the party. Did your daughter drink alcohol or use drugs?”
Fran’s no was indignant. “She certainly did not use drugs,” Steve said. “I’m sure she had an occasional beer or glass of wine with her friends.”
“We want to talk to her close friends. Can you give me their names?”
“Most of her close friends were on the high school lacrosse team,” Steve said. “The roster is in the kitchen. I can get it for you.” Then he added, “Is there any particular reason you want to speak to them?”
“Yes, there is. As far as we know, there were a lot of people in your home last night. We want to find out who they were and what went on at the party. Your daughter has a severe injury to the back of her head. We need to know what caused it.”
“Could she have fallen and hit her head?”
“That is a possibility. It is also possible that Kerry was struck with an object. We’ll know more after we receive the medical examiner’s report.”
Someone deliberately hit her over the head, Aline thought. They think she was murdered.
“There was a golf club on one of the chairs by the pool. There is evidence that it may have been used as a weapon.”
It was Steve who asked quietly, “What are you trying to tell us?”
“Mr. and Mrs. Dowling,” Wilson began, “we’ll know more after we receive the results of the medical examination, but I am sorry to tell you we are treating your daughter’s death as suspicious and will investigate it accordingly.”
Still trying to absorb what she was hearing, Aline said, “I can’t believe any of the kids she invited here last night would want to hurt her.”
“I understand you feeling that way,” Wilson said empathetically, “but we have to check out everything.”
He paused. “Another question. Did she have a boyfriend, someone special?”
Fran spat out the answer. “Yes, she did. His name is Alan Crowley. He was very possessive of Kerry and he has a terrible temper. If anyone hurt my child, I’m sure he was the one.”
Mike Wilson did not let his expression change. “Could I see that list now? I also want to know who were her closest friends.”
“I can help you with that,” Steve said quietly.
“And one more thing. We did not find a cell phone in your daughter’s clothing. Do you know where it is, and would it be okay if we take it?”
“Of course. It’s on the dining room table,” Fran said.
“I have a consent form in my car. I’ll ask you to sign it to allow me to take and examine the phone.”
“The unlock code is 0112,” Aline said as her eyes filled with tears. “The month of her birthday and then of mine.”
Aline pulled out her phone and began tapping on it. “Detective Wilson, yesterday morning I received a text from Kerry: I have something VERY IMPORTANT to talk to you about when you get home!!!”
Wilson leaned forward. “Do you have any idea what she was referring to?”
“No, I’m sorry, I don’t. Kerry could be a little dramatic. I just assumed it was boyfriend or college related.”
“Aline, I might have to speak to you again as the investigation goes forward. Will you be returning to London?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m home for good. In fact I’m about to start a new job as a guidance counselor at Saddle River High School.”
Mike paused, then said gently to all of them, “I know how awful this is for you. I’m going to ask you to help me in a very important way. Don’t share information with anyone about the wound on Kerry’s head or our concern about the golf club. As we question others in the coming days and weeks, it is critical that as few details as possible be made public.”
The Dowlings and Father Frank all nodded in agreement.
“I will talk to you again before I leave today. And please don’t clean up anything until the investigators go through it and we determine if we need to take anything with us.”
8
After returning to the house to have the consent form signed for Kerry’s cell phone and laptop, Detective Wilson spoke to the officers who were conducting a search of the Dowling home and property. From there, in his car, he tapped in the cell phone’s unlock code and hit the text messages icon. The first four were brief notes from girls thanking Kerry for the good time they had at the party. One said she hoped Kerry would be able to patch things up with Alan, while another advised her to dump “that jerk” and hoped Kerry was okay after the fight. Mike jotted down the names of the four girls as party attendees he would interview.
He then clicked on the text message trail from “Alan.” He skipped to the bottom of the chain so he could read the messages in the order they were sent.
Alan at 10:30: Hope you and Chris are enjoying yourselves. I’m at Nellie’s. Felt like decking him. And you!
Kerry at 10:35: Thanks for ruining my party. You made an ASS of yourself. You don’t own me. I’ll talk to whoever I want. Do me a favor. Get out of my life.
Alan at 11:03: Sorry I lost it. I wanna see you now. Bad enough Chris will be after you when you’re both at BC. You didn’t have to start tonite. Mike wondered if “BC” meant “Boston College.”
Kerry at 11:10: Don’t come over. Tired! Will finish cleaning backyard then going to sleep. Talk tomorrow.
This is going to be a ground ball, Mike thought, using detective parlance for a case that would be easily solved. Jealous boyfriend. She’s
