I've Got My Eyes on You(7)

“I’m looking forward to being on my own, Princeton or wherever.”

Their conversation was interrupted when Mike’s phone rang. After he answered, a voice came through the speaker. “Mike, we have a ninety-three-year-old male who was found dead in his Fort Lee apartment by a neighbor. No sign of forced entry.”

Mike hit a button on his cell phone that took the call off speaker. He put the phone to his ear and listened.

Alan welcomed the interruption. He needed time to think. In his mind he meticulously reviewed every minute of his activities.

The fight with Kerry at the party was because Chris was hanging around her saying that he’d help her get settled in at Boston College. The Felt like decking you text he had sent her.

I went to Nellie’s because I knew the guys would be there, he thought. Then I started to sober up. I wanted to make up, so I’ll say I wanted to help her clean up. Kerry texted back that she was too tired to clean up. And I went back to her house anyhow.

His blood froze at the thought.

They think I killed Kerry. The detective will try to get me to admit it. His mind scurried around for answers. He came up with only one. The guys at Nellie’s have to cover for me, Alan thought. If they’ll say I was with them until 11:45, I’ll be okay. I got home around midnight. Mom and Dad were home, and Mom yelled good night to me from their room. I drove fast. I made it home in less than ten minutes. I wouldn’t have had time to go to Kerry’s on the other side of town and get home that fast.

I’ll tell the guys to say I was with them until they left Nellie’s. They’ll do it for me. That reassurance calmed Alan. He fought to stay calm as he was led into an interrogation room. The first questions were easy ones. How long had he and Kerry been friends?

“Kerry and I have been together for a year, I guess. Oh, sure, we have arguments. Sometimes Kerry starts them. She likes me to be jealous.”

“Did you have an argument at the party?”

“Yeah, but it was really nothing. This guy Chris has been trying to get between us. He was all over Kerry at the party.”

Wilson said, “I’ll bet that got you really mad.”

“It did at first, but I got over it. It’s happened before, but we always end up okay. Like I said, Kerry likes to make me jealous.”

As he answered the questions Wilson was asking, Alan thought, This isn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

“Alan, many people get angry when they’re jealous. Do you?”

“Sometimes, but I get over it right away.”

“Okay. What time did you leave the party?”

“Around ten-thirty.”

“How long had you been at the party?”

“I got there about seven.”

“Alan, it’s important that you tell me. Did you have any drugs or alcohol before you got there or while you were at the party?”

“I never do drugs. There were no drugs at the party. I did have a couple of beers.”

“Did anybody leave the party with you?”

“No, I was by myself in my car.”

“Where did you go?”

“I drove ten minutes to Nellie’s in Waldwick and had a pizza with some friends who were already there.”

“Who were these friends?”

“Bobby Whalen, Rich Johnson and Stan Pierce, friends of mine from the baseball team.”

“Had they also been at the party?”

“No.”

“Had you planned to meet them at Nellie’s?”

“No, but I knew they were going to a movie and then to Nellie’s. I was pretty sure they’d be there.”

“What time did you get to Nellie’s?”

“About ten-forty.”

“How long did you stay?”

“I ate and stayed with them for about an hour.”

“What did you do then?”

“I left and drove straight home.”

“Did your friends leave at the same time?”

“Yeah, we all walked out together.”

“What time did you get home?”

“About midnight, maybe a little before that.”

“Was anybody home?”

“Yeah, my mom and dad. They were watching TV in their bedroom. I yelled good night.”

“Did they hear you come in?”

“Yeah, my mom yelled good night back to me.”

“At any time after you left the party at ten-thirty, and before or after you went home, did you ever go back to Kerry’s house?”

“No, definitely not.”

“Did you call or text Kerry at any time after you left the party?”

“I didn’t call her, but I sent her a text and she answered me.”

“Was it about the argument?”

“Yeah, we were both kind of teed off.”

Wilson did not pursue this further because he had already seen the text messages on Kerry’s phone. He also knew that he would get a court order for any other messages or calls Alan had made.

“Alan, just a few more questions.” Mike asked, “You have a cell phone, right?”

“Sure I do.”

“You used your phone when you sent texts to Kerry last night, right?”

“Yeah, of course.”