“Marina, don’t worry about that. I’ll work things out with her teachers. Do you mind if I come to visit her? I can do it right now. I promise I’ll only stay a few minutes.”
“I know how concerned you are. Of course, stop over.”
• • •
A ghostly pale Valerie was propped up on the couch in the den with pillows behind her, a blanket covering her. Aline went over, hugged her and pulled up a chair.
“Valerie, we’re all so worried about you. If anything had happened to you, our hearts would have been broken. I just want you to know that we love you dearly and want to help you in any way we can. If you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here for you.”
Valerie looked at her. “Don’t you understand? I can’t talk to you,” she cried fiercely as she looked away.
Aline went back home. As soon as she was in the door, she called Mike. Unable to reach him, she left a message about visiting Valerie after her suicide attempt.
After returning from a jog around Schlegel Lake, Mike listened to his messages. He immediately tried to call Aline, who didn’t pick up. He wasn’t sure why, but every instinct told him that Kerry’s breakfast meeting with Valerie was somehow linked to what would happen to Kerry that night.
Time is of the essence, he thought. Two suspects are twisting in the wind waiting for this case to be resolved. He searched online and found a listing, including the street address, for a Long in Saddle River. There was only one.
He called the colleague he wanted to come with him. Yes, she could meet him there later if he was able to set it up.
Twenty minutes later Mike’s cell phone rang. It was Aline. “Sorry I missed your call. I left my phone at home when I went to the gym.”
“Aline, I’m getting very worried that Kerry’s death may have had something to do with that breakfast meeting with Valerie at the diner. Especially since this kid has now tried to kill herself. I don’t want to wait another minute. A female detective can meet me there. She is very sensitive and experienced. I’m asking you to call Valerie’s parents and see if I can go to their home later today. They trust you. I think it would be better if you make the phone call.”
“I’ll call right now and get right back to you.”
Ten minutes later Aline called back. “Mike, it took a little persuading because they feel Valerie is so fragile. They agreed that you could come at six tonight as long as you stop right away if she gets too upset.”
“Aline, thanks so much. I owe you a dinner. How about tonight, seven-thirty, eight o’clock? I’ll come straight from Valerie’s.”
“We’re on.”
73
Looking forward to seeing Mike, Aline showered and went to her closet. She chose a navy-blue silk blouse over fitted jeans. She had just finished her makeup when her phone rang. The name on the screen surprised her. “Hello, Mrs. Chapman.”
“Is this Aline Dowling?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Aline, my name is Brenda Niemeier. I’m a close friend of Marge’s. This is her phone. She asked me to call you.”
“Is Mrs. Chapman okay?”
Aline heard the woman fighting off tears as she spoke. “I’m over at Pascack Valley Hospital. It looks like Marge had a heart attack. She had instructions in her pocketbook that I should be called in an emergency and help make decisions if she can’t.”
“Oh my God,” Aline said. Part of her was not surprised. She could only imagine the strain Marge must have been under these past weeks. “Brenda, what can I do to help?”
“When I saw Marge before they took her in for surgery, she was so worried about Jamie. She asked if you could go over and be with him for a little while. Tell him everything will be all right. Maybe help him fix something for dinner. Marge is so worried that if anything happens to her now, who will be there for Jamie?”
“Tell Marge of course I will. Please call me as soon as you get any updates on her condition.”
“I will, honey. Marge always told me how nice your family is, and how lucky she is to have you as neighbors.”
Aline said goodbye, disconnected and immediately called Mike. She told him about Marge being in the hospital. “I’m going over to spend some time with Jamie. Meet me later at the Chapman house.”
“Okay, but meet me outside. Remember, I’m not allowed to talk to Jamie anymore.”
74
While driving to Valerie’s home, Mike called Detective Angela Walker, who was also en route. He explained the sequence of events that began with finding Kerry in her family pool. Mike told her that he strongly believed something had happened at the breakfast the morning of Kerry’s death that resulted in her sending Aline the very important text immediately afterward.
There was a specific reason Mike had reached out to Angela. An African American woman who had just turned forty, she had an extraordinary ability to push the right buttons to get young people to talk. He had personally observed her toughness in staring down an eighteen-year-old drug dealer during an interrogation and her incredible compassion when talking to a ten-year-old boy who had witnessed his parents’ murder. If there was a way to get Valerie to open up, she would find it.
Marina Long greeted them at the door. She showed them into the den where Valerie was sitting up on a couch with two pillows behind her back and a blanket over her. “Wayne and I will be in the other room if you need us,” Marina said as she left.
Mike and Angela settled in the two chairs opposite Valerie. Her eyes looked puffy and
