Blood Loss

pain in her stomach, that was all, but she was fine shortly afterward. We got out of the SUV, and she kind of got a sharp pain, she was bent double with it, but by the time we were checking in, she said it was gone. And she didn’t look ill: no fever, rosy cheeks, and she was running around after Leo.’

‘So, this weekend … you were picking her up from the Merritts’ house?’

‘Yes — on Saturday afternoon, it was about four o’clock. We told Laurie about Breck when we got there — it was a surprise. Obviously, we had run it by Cathy and Dale. So we headed for Breck, but then Laurie asked us could we go back so she could pick up her new ski jacket. We hadn’t the heart to say no. Leo had spilled his drink all over himself, so it suited us to have the chance to get him cleaned up.’

‘What time was that at?’ said Ren.

‘It was five by the time we left again,’ said Erica.

‘Who was there when you went to the house?’ said Ren.

‘The second time? Just Joshua — that’s Dale Merritt’s son.’

‘Did you spend long there?’ said Ren.

‘Not long,’ said Erica. ‘I don’t know. Laurie ran up to her room to grab her jacket. I went in after her to find somewhere to change Leo’s clothes and then we left.’

‘Did Mark go inside with you?’ said Ren.

‘Yes, he came to help with Leo.’

‘How does Laurie get along with her stepbrother?’ said Ren.

‘He’s a teenage boy, she’s an eleven-year-old girl … you can imagine.’

Ren nodded. ‘With three big brothers, I sure can. Could you elaborate a little?’

‘Laurie bugs Joshua, he bugs her, but they get along just fine. You’ll hear about them bickering one minute, then Laurie’ll say that they were having fun playing Shaun White Snowboarding on Xbox or whatever. So it’s up and down. Nothing unusual, as far as I can make out.’

‘What kind of kid is Joshua?’ said Ren.

‘I don’t know him very well,’ said Erica, ‘but … he seems like a nice kid. His mom died when he was five years old. He had his father to himself for quite a few years, and then Cathy and Laurie came along. It took him a while to adjust. He’s sixteen years old, it’s not an easy age …’

‘And how would you describe your husband’s relationship with Dale Merritt?’ said Ren.

‘Good, actually. There’s no tension there. He’s a very nice man, and he’s very good to Laurie.’

‘We’ll be going through Laurie’s cell phone records,’ said Ren. ‘Does she use it a lot?’

‘Not really, she’s still a little young, I think …’

‘Is she ever secretive about who she’s calling or texting?’ said Ren.

‘She isn’t allowed to be,’ said Erica. ‘Cathy and Dale got her the phone and they explained to her very clearly that the only reason she has it is so that her parents can be in contact with her at all times, and that we all know she’s safe. I know that Cathy told her about the rapist that’s out there, so Laurie was aware that she had to stay safe, and that we would be worried if we didn’t hear from her.’

‘Mrs Whaley — what happened back there with Cathy Merritt?’ said Ren.

‘I know that didn’t look good,’ said Erica, ‘and you’re probably thinking all kinds of things about Mark … but it’s just not how it seemed. I think that was a rant from somewhere in Cathy’s past. I met Mark when he was in recovery. I guess I see him how Cathy did when she first met him. He’s a wonderful guy. So I understand, to a point, how she could be so bitter that he left. I think she’s still hurt. She sees it that he cleaned up his act for me, even though he was doing it for himself. Mark’s been through a lot. Yes, he was an alcoholic, but he’s in recovery — he’s been sober for six years. And even still, Cathy didn’t want him having access to Laurie.’

Ren nodded.

‘Mark is a good person,’ said Erica. ‘I’ve never seen anything other than that. He told me all about his past, he’s always been honest about it. He was a different person back then.’

‘OK,’ said Ren. She stood up and thanked her.

Bob was with a detective in the hallway when she walked out. The detective nodded at Ren and took her place in the room.

‘Well, Mrs Whaley’s still drunk,’ said Ren.

‘I thought she might be,’ said Bob.

‘Do you know what’s sad?’ said Ren. ‘Millions of women will hear about this on the news, about the mother who was down in the restaurant getting drunk while her children were upstairs. And, really, there are lots of people everywhere who could just as easily be in the same position. Guilty, Your Honor. Of socializing.’

13

The Safe Streets team had made a command center out of the same office they had used for the Jean Transom investigation.

‘It’s like we never left,’ said Ren. She glanced at Colin. ‘Except you’re not at cat lady’s desk.’

‘Cat lady appears to be gone,’ said Cliff. ‘There’s no sign of any kitty pictures anywhere.’

‘She’s probably lying dead on her apartment floor and they’re chewing on her remains,’ said Ren.

‘So …’ said Gary. ‘Erica Whaley?’

‘Well, I’m not convinced of the whole notion of being scared sober,’ said Ren.

One look at myself at 3 a.m. in a bar-room mirror would solve all my problems if that were the case.

‘I think she’s telling the truth in as much as she can,’ said Ren, ‘but attention to detail won’t be her strong suit, and that’s really agitating her. Not to mention the showdown with her husband’s ex.’

‘Which lady is telling the truth about Mark Whaley?’ said Gary.

‘I’m guessing they both are,’ said Ren. ‘But despite her big defense of him, Erica Whaley still suspected him of having an affair.’

‘What’s your reading?’ said Gary.

‘I’m not sure about the affair,’ said Ren, ‘but I am sure that he is lying.’

‘What makes you say that?’ said Colin.

‘My gut,’ said Ren. ‘And a few other things.’ She read from the statement she had taken. ‘Exhibit A, when I asked him what time he left the table, and what happened, he said “I guess … eleven thirty? And then I came back down to Erica.”’

‘And?’ said Colin.

‘Think about it,’ said Ren. ‘The sitter has possibly taken your child. Wouldn’t you analyze every single second of your last encounter with her, then recount the entire thing? Mark Whaley fast-forwarded to getting back to his wife. He skipped the entire time he was in the room i.e. the last time he saw the sitter, and his daughter. That usually means that someone has edited out their bad behavior in some way.’

‘You don’t think it was just that he’s a nervous wreck?’ said Bob.

‘No,’ said Ren. ‘I also asked him was there anything out of place in the kids’ room. He answered: “Absolutely not. Nothing.” Who is absolutely sure of what is or isn’t out of place in a hotel room they’ve just been in a couple of hours?’ said Ren.

Bob nodded. ‘Hmm.’

‘It was like he wanted me to get out of that room, figuratively,’ said Ren. ‘Also, twice he answered my question with questions, as if he was stalling for time. Literally. Stalling for the time it took to come up with a time. Another weird thing was that twice he mentioned the sitter was wearing sweats. It’s kind of random. Oh, and then there was his pause after suggesting fifteen minutes, then quickly giving twenty as an option, which, I would venture is because he figured his wife would be in the other room telling a version that wouldn’t have added up. My conclusion is … there are two gaps in his story. At least.’

‘What do you think is at the root of them?’ said Gary.

‘That I don’t know,’ said Ren. ‘Maybe his wife is right — maybe he is having an affair. I don’t know …’

‘Maybe he stashed the mistress in another room,’ said Bob.