“The truth is important.” Casey spotted a couple of trophies on a shelf across the room. The engravings were too small to read from here. “Did you notice anything unusual about Jasmine’s mood a couple of days before her death?”
“She’d been grumpy most of the week. In hindsight, I should have picked a better time to confront her, but I’d been stewing about it for weeks and finally worked up some courage.”
“Do you think Elliott Birch killed Jasmine?”
“Good question. All I know is that Birch threatened to hurt Jasmine if he didn’t get more time with Jeremy. She was trying to obtain a restraining order because the jerk kept showing up outside her building.”
Interesting that he didn’t mention the part where he’d told Birch to get lost. “Marie wants me to check out Birch’s place to make sure Jeremy’s okay.”
Surprise and worry flashed across his face. “She’s probably hoping you’ll find a murder confession taped to Birch’s door.”
“I’ll settle for a quick peek through the window.”
“Don’t. Listen, Birch used to hit Jasmine. He’s violent.”
Alarm made her sit forward. “Violent enough to hurt Jeremy?”
“I don’t think so. But if he got wasted, he could forget about Jeremy, and who knows what would happen.”
“I’ve done surveillance work at dozens of bus stops. What if I used binoculars and took a quick peek at night?”
“Why would you do that when you’re so busy?”
“Two reasons. A colleague’s asked for help, and I’m worried about that little boy, too. I know how it feels to suddenly have an absentee mother, and I was much older than Jeremy when my mother left. A child feels the loss, regardless of age.” Casey turned to the window and watched three Canada geese nibble the grass in front of the trail. She thought of Summer.
“Sam brought Jasmine and me together, you know,” he said. “In early July, he got out and was hit by a car. After his surgery, Marie said she had a friend who wanted to be a vet. Jasmine helped me take care of him.”
A woman walked a chubby basset hound along the trail. The hound started after the geese, but the woman reined him in.
“We have a golden retriever at home,” Casey said.
“Marie mentioned that.”
“Did she?” What else had Marie had told him about her? “Noel, please don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t seem overly upset that someone’s trying to frame you.”
“I’m angry and scared; just don’t show it much.”
“You’re sure different than your sister.” She liked his smile. “Were you here when Jasmine died?”
“Yeah, I work at home; started my own company about six months ago, but it’s been tough.” The smile faded. “I design flyers, brochures and other promo stuff for people.” He nodded toward the notepad on the table. “I’m working on a logo for a company that wants to sell snorkelling and scuba lessons to kids.”
“That explains the goggles on the happy dolphin.”
“It’s all wrong. I’m supposed to target older kids. Off my game, I guess.”
Casey watched him. “Marie hasn’t told me much about you.”
“I’m probably a depressing topic right now.”
He seemed so resigned. Maybe she could help a bit; talk to people on Birch’s mail route. At least Marie couldn’t accuse her of selfishness or apathy then. What if new information led her back to Noel?
“Maybe I can find out if Birch really does have an alibi,” she said.
“Casey, really; I’d steer clear of him.”
“I plan to.” The question was how?
TEN
“HERE IT IS—PULL OVER.” Casey leaned forward as far as her seatbelt would allow and read “Cedarbrook Estates” on the sign. She stroked Cheyenne who sat between her and Lou. “Lofty name for a trailer park.”
Lou parked on the shoulder of winding, two-lane Dewdney Trunk Road. This was a quiet, residential area of Coquitlam. Casey scanned the tree-covered slope to her right. At the top of the slope, houses were built back from the road and overlooked the trailer park. A haphazard assortment of evergreens and bushes grew in front of the park. Through the foliage, Casey counted a dozen single-wides backed up against the fence.
“Interesting that Jasmine lived only a short distance away,” Lou said.
Casey turned to him. “You knew where she lived?”
“Marie’s car broke down a few weeks ago and she needed a ride there.”
Irritation and jealousy was irrational. After all, Lou wasn’t interested in Marie. Still, he hadn’t told her, probably because he thought she’d overreact . . . Maybe she would have. Casey slung her arm over Cheyenne and got her face licked. The dog seemed to love this excursion. Cheyenne didn’t go for car rides often, but tonight Casey needed her presence.
“We should have come earlier,” Lou said. “The lights are off in some trailers.”
“Summer was giving me grief.” Casey fiddled with the binocular strap.
“Which is her own fault for not starting on homework when you asked.”
Easier said than done. Summer had wanted to come along too, but Casey knew she had too much homework, so she’d called Mrs. Nally, who agreed to babysit. As Summer’s whining escalated into a rant, Casey threatened to ground her for the rest of the week if she didn’t get the work done. She hated resorting to threats, but Summer had been procrastinating all week. Besides, this excursion could be dangerous.
Casey focused the binoculars on the mobile homes. “I can’t see any numbers on the trailers. They must be on the other end of the units.” She handed Cheyenne’s leash to Lou. “Let’s walk the dog, dear.”
“If Birch isn’t home, you’re not going to wait for him, are you? I have an early shift tomorrow.”
“I’ll just take a quick peek to make sure Jeremy’s okay, then leave.”
“That won’t really tell you anything.”
“Maybe I can find out if he has a bed to sleep in and isn’t crying. At least I’ll have tried to do everything Marie asked, which should get her off my back.”
“Then let’s get moving.” He opened the door.
Casey understood Lou’s irritability. He was tired and had tried to talk her out of this, but when he realized it wasn’t working, he’d volunteered to come along.
After her talk with Noel yesterday, Casey interviewed three retirees on Birch’s mail route. Each person had spotted him shortly after 11:00 AM, right around the time Jasmine was shot. Two seniors had even greeted him, and both were adamant this was the same man who delivered their mail every day. The information had been a little depressing, yet she still wasn’t convinced of Noel’s guilt.
Casey stepped out of the pickup, raised the hood on her jacket, and put on a pair of glasses. It wasn’t much of a disguise, but it was dark outside and no one would see her clearly. As long as she didn’t get close to Birch, she’d be safe. She tucked the binoculars under her arm and patted the dog.
“Okay, Cheyenne, act like you belong here, honey.” With any luck, no one would pay attention to a couple walking their dog.
The entrance was wide enough for one vehicle to pass through. Evergreens flanked each side of the entrance. An asphalt lane divided the trailer park into two rows, with twelve units on each side. Casey shivered in the cool October air. Thankfully, it wouldn’t take long to find Birch’s place.
“What number is his trailer?” Lou murmured.
“Nineteen. Marie said he drives an old brown Dodge Dart.”
Floodlights on either side of the entrance provided more light than Casey wanted. She pulled her hood farther down, then taking Lou’s arm, strolled down the middle of the lane. Even in mobile home parks, trailers were not created equal. Two were double-wides. Some had tiny porches on the side. One enterprising soul had installed fancy pane windows with shutters and flower boxes. The place was quiet; no loud music anywhere.