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
‘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
Similar Books
