“I agree, but I have a feeling Valerie would be very unhappy if she knew I was planning to meet with her mother and stepfather. Do you think I should arrange to see them someplace outside of school?”
“No, I don’t. It’s against our school’s policy to have this type of meeting away from our building. It’s the parents’ decision to tell or not tell Valerie that they’re coming in to talk to you. If she finds out they were here, they’re on their own to come up with an explanation as to why.”
Glad to have Pat’s approval, Aline looked up the contact information for Valerie’s parents. She decided to start with the mother and dialed her cell phone number. It was answered on the first ring.
The screen on Marina Long’s phone showed that the call was from Saddle River High School. Her first words were “Is Valerie all right?” The question made it easer for Aline to go directly to the reason for the call.
“Mrs. Long, everything is okay. Valerie is in class. My name is Aline Dowling. I’m Valerie’s guidance counselor at school. But I have some concerns about Valerie that I want to talk to you and your husband about.”
“Aline, I’m glad you called. We have concerns too, and we’re not sure what to do. Wayne and I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you.”
It was agreed that the Longs would meet Aline the next day.
? ? ?
Later that day Aline heard a knock on her office door. When she called, “Come in,” she was surprised to see Scott Kimball enter and settle into the chair opposite her. Her first thought was that she had not invited him to sit.
“Aline,” he began, “I know you’re annoyed at me, and you have a right to be. That was a big faux pas on my part the other day in the teachers’ lounge. You had made it clear that there was to be no talk of our having socialized off school property. As the saying goes, ‘loose lips sink ships.’ I’m here to apologize.”
Aline wasn’t sure what to say. She had rehearsed a speech where she was going to blast him for talking about their dinner in front of another teacher. Now he had apologized and seemed genuinely contrite.
“Okay, Scott. We all make mistakes. Let’s let it go.”
“Thanks Aline. I really appreciate that.”
He hesitated. “Aline, I want to ask you to do something with me. It would be strictly on a professional basis. Tomorrow night at seven there is a seminar at Montclair State about the stresses faced by high school student athletes. As a teacher and a coach, I’m obviously interested, and I’m planning to go. I assume this type of presentation would be of interest to you as a guidance counselor. Would you like to go?”
Aline started to answer, but Scott kept talking.
“Just so you know, we’ll be doing this as two professionals. I know better than to ask if you want to ride over with me. You don’t even have to sit with me when we’re there. But I warn you. I’m going to be hungry when it ends at eight-thirty. There’s an excellent chance I’m going to ask you to join me for dinner. As professionals, of course.”
Aline found herself smiling. Scott was a charmer. Three minutes ago he had been one hundred percent in her doghouse. Now she found herself looking forward to spending time with him tomorrow night.
“All right, Mr. Kimball,” she said, “I’ll meet you at the seminar. Regarding dinner afterwards, let’s see what tomorrow brings.”
49
After a sleepless night, Marge knew that she had to talk to Father Frank again. As soon as Jamie left to walk to Acme, she called him. He said, “Marge, come to my office right now. I’ve been thinking a lot about our last discussion.”
Marge had not expected to be invited in so quickly. She had wanted time to plan what she would say to Father Frank about what Jamie had told her. Now she only had the ten-minute car ride to the rectory to organize her thoughts.
The priest answered the door himself and escorted Marge to his office. They sat in two chairs facing each other.
“Father, when Jamie and I were in the kitchen last night, Alan Crowley’s picture came on the television. When I told Jamie why Alan was on TV, Jamie started talking again about what he saw the night of Kerry’s party.”
She hesitated.
Father Frank said, “Marge, I can see you’re upset. But I think it will help if you just tell me what is worrying you.”
“I know you understand that Jamie’s memory can be hazy. He mixes together things that didn’t happen at the same time.”
“I know that, Marge,” Father Frank said sympathetically.
“Last night, Jamie was very specific when he described what he saw happened to Kerry.”
“What did he say?”
“When I explained to him that the police think Alan is the one who hurt Kerry, Jamie was sure that Alan didn’t do it.”
Father Frank leaned forward in his chair. “Marge, what exactly did Jamie say?”
“He told me that Alan hugged and kissed Kerry, and then he went home. Then somebody else, ‘the Big Guy,’ hurt Kerry and pushed her in the pool.”
“Marge, do you think Jamie is describing what he saw accurately?”
“Yes, I do. But I don’t know what to do.”
Tears began running down Marge’s cheeks. She reached over and began to fumble in her pocketbook. “Father, is there someplace I could get a glass of water?”
“I’m sorry, Marge,” Father Frank said as he headed toward the kitchen. “I should have offered earlier.” When he returned with the water, he noticed how pale she looked. “Are you okay?”
Marge reached for the water glass, took a sip and swallowed a pill. “Honestly, Father, I’m having some problems with my heart. When I’m feeling stressed, like I am right now, I have to take one of these. It’s a nitroglycerine pill.”
Father Frank waited while she took a few more sips of water. “These pills are miraculous,” she said. “I feel better already.”
Marge continued. “About Jamie, if what he told me is true, Alan Crowley is innocent. But how do I let Jamie talk to the police and risk having the police think Jamie hurt Kerry? I told you how Jack would call Jamie the Big Guy. If Jamie tells the police ‘the Big Guy’ hurt Kerry, they might think he’s talking about himself. Father, I want to help Alan Crowley, but I can’t do it if it means getting Jamie in trouble.”
“Marge, I don’t believe for a minute that Jamie was the one who hurt Kerry. I know you don’t either. Wouldn’t it be best to tell the police what Jamie said, and just have faith in the system to work?”
“I don’t know, Father. I just need more time to think about it.”
50
Aline was about to leave her office when her cell phone rang. It was Mike Wilson.
“Aline,” he asked, “could you possibly meet me tonight? There are some things I want to go over with you.”
“Of course.”
“O’Malley’s at seven o’clock?”
“Fine. I’ll see you there.”
When she arrived at O’Malley’s, Mike was waiting for her. He was seated at the same table in the corner they had chosen the last time.
“It appears that you are a creature of habit,” Aline said.
“Guilty as charged,” Mike replied.
“My, aren’t we formal?” Aline said, noting how handsome Mike looked in his jacket and tie.
“Whenever I testify in court, I wear my Sunday best. I spent this afternoon getting grilled by a defense attorney.”
“Who won?” Aline asked.
“If they don’t find this defendant guilty, there is no justice in the world.”
The waiter approached the table. Mike asked, “Are we both creatures of habit?”
Aline nodded.
“A Pinot Grigio for the lady, and I’ll have a Coors Light.
“So, Aline, how is the world of guidance?”
“Sometimes easy, and sometimes not. I’ve got a depressed student I’m really worried about. Her parents are coming in to meet with me tomorrow. Oh! I have a potential update on Alan Crowley.”
“Really?”
“Princeton is aware of the accusations against Alan. My understanding is that in cases like these, they insist that the student stay home.” She decided against sharing with him that her mother and Pat Tarleton had contacted Princeton.