I've Got My Eyes on You(25)

Mike took them into the interrogation room. Normally he interviewed witnesses separately, but he thought it would be more effective to challenge the three of them together. All of them had sweating palms as they sat in the three chairs on one side of the conference table. He turned the video camera on.

Mike began gently. “Alan is your friend, right? You played baseball together.”

They all nodded.

“It is very natural for friends to want to help a friend that might be in trouble. I’ve done it myself. I’m convinced that is what each of you did the last time I spoke to you. Well, things are different today. I know a lot more about what happened that night and who was where at what time. So I’m going to ask you questions. This is your chance to put things right. If you lie to me today, you will be charged with false swearing and obstruction of justice.” Mike paused. “And possibly accessory to murder. Now, let’s get started.”

Words tumbled out of the mouths of all three of them. “Alan left Nellie’s before we did. We didn’t know we’d be in trouble. When Alan phoned, he sounded so scared. The minute we lied for him, we knew we were making a mistake.”

Mike said, “Okay, hold on. What time did Alan leave Nellie’s?”

Desperate to be exact, the three of them agreed it was about eleven-fifteen.

Mike asked, “Did he say anything about where he was going?”

Stan answered, “Kerry had sent him a text telling him not to come over until tomorrow. But he said he wanted to straighten things out that night.”

Mike said, “So it was your impression that he was leaving Nellie’s and going directly to Kerry’s?”

“Yes.”

“When Alan joined you at Nellie’s, can you tell me if he had been drinking?”

There was a moment of silence. Then all three nodded.

“A little? A lot? How much?”

“He was kinda drunk when he got to Nellie’s, but after he had the pizza and soda, he was pretty okay,” Rich said.

The three affirmed that they were together at Stan’s pool that Sunday afternoon when Alan phoned and asked them to lie for him.

“I thank you for coming here today. You did the right thing by telling us the truth.”

Watching them leave, Mike thought that nobody had ever been happier to get out of here than these three.

He went back to his office and called Artie. They agreed that it was time to arrest Alan Crowley.





32




June and Doug Crowley felt somewhat relieved after their meeting with Lester Parker. They drove directly home with Alan. When they were inside, June went into the den and settled there with a satisfied sigh. Doug and Alan followed her in.

“Lester Parker may be expensive, but I believe he’s worth it,” June observed. Her expression changed. “Fran Dowling is telling everyone that you killed Kerry,” she said, looking at Alan. “I’m going to have Parker write a stiff letter to her saying that we are going to sue her if she continues her malicious defamation.”

“I agree,” Doug said heartily.

They both looked at Alan, expecting his approval.

“Mom, Dad, there’s something I have to tell you.”

Oh my God, he’s going to tell us he killed her, June thought, her blood running cold.

“I wasn’t honest with you or the detective in Hackensack about where I was after I left the party. I did go to Nellie’s, but on my way home, I went to Kerry’s house.”

“Alan, don’t tell us you killed her,” June begged.

A suddenly white-faced Doug gripped the arms of the chair, preparing for the worst.

“I killed her? That’s what you two have believed all along!” Alan snapped. “Here’s what really happened. I went back to make up with Kerry and help her clean up. We spoke for a few minutes. She told me she was tired and going to bed, she said she would get up early in the morning to clean up. I kissed her good night and came straight home.”

“Then why did you lie to the detective?” Doug asked.

“Because I knew it would look bad for me. We had a fight at the party and everybody saw it. I sent her some nasty text messages which I’m sure the cops know about. If I admitted going back to her house, I was afraid how that would look.”

“Alan,” June said, “you know your father and I are behind you no matter what.”

“No matter what! What does that mean? You’re behind me even if I killed her?” Alan stood up. “Well you might as well know I not only lied to the detective. I asked my friends to lie and say I was at Nellie’s with them when I was really at Kerry’s.”

Doug and June were too stunned to react. Alan looked at his mother. “You better not send that letter to Mrs. Dowling,” he said bitterly, and stalked out of the room.





33




Brenda was in the kitchen when she heard raised voices coming from the den. Knowing every inch of the house and blessed with exceptionally good hearing, she knew exactly where to go when she wanted to listen to Crowley conversations. She tiptoed from the kitchen down the hall and ducked into the small bathroom next to the den. She brought a roll of paper towels and a bottle of Windex in case she had to look busy.

The words “He lied to the detective” swirled around in her brain. Always sympathetic to Alan because of the Crowleys’ demands on him, she began to wonder. Why would he have lied to the cops? There’s no way he would hurt Kerry.