The Sleeping Beauty Killer

57

Laurie had just put Paula on an elevator when the doors to the next one opened. Charlotte stepped out, wearing blue jeans and a black Ladyform-logo hoodie. Laurie was used to seeing her in elegant pantsuits on workdays.

“This is a surprise,” Laurie said. “Are we planning a heist?”

“That would be much more fun. I’m on my way to Brooklyn.” She said it as if it were a foreign country. “We need to get the warehouse in shape for the fashion show. The set builders started yesterday, but there’s a lot of work to do. Angela and I need to go over the final plans.”

Laurie had been so wrapped up in the show that she’d completely forgotten that her friend was under her own pressures.

“Can I help somehow? Not that I know anything about fashion shows.”

“Unfortunately, I’m here for a different kind of favor. It’s about Angela’s cousin. Can we talk?”

Charlotte was clearly surprised when Laurie told her that Casey’s mother had already beaten her to the punch. “She just left. I explained that Casey’s signed agreement is straightforward. She can’t revoke her consent now.”

“I told Angela I didn’t think there was anything I could do. But she sounded desperate when she called, and she’s my friend, so-”

“I get it. But if my show is successful, there’s always going to be at least one family torn apart by the truth. Everyone has a family. It sounds cold,” Laurie said, “but I can’t concern myself with that.”

“What if you had found out something terrible about my sister? Would you have run with the story, even after my mother put so much trust in you?”

It was the first time Laurie had ever contemplated the question, but she answered without hesitation. “Honestly, yes. But, Charlotte, your sister was a victim. Casey’s not. I know she’s your friend’s cousin, but she’s a killer. Think of what she has put her family through. If I feel sorry for anyone, it’s the Raleigh family.” James Raleigh lost his son, and Andrew lost his brother. If the show was going to explore every aspect of the re-investigation, Laurie was going to have to expose their wrongdoing, too.

“General Raleigh isn’t a perfect man,” she continued. “I don’t approve of his tactics. He had Jason Gardner write the book that convinced everyone Casey was crazy. He, in concert with his sidekick Mary Jane, was probably the source of the RIP_Hunter posts.”

At that she stopped. The General had silenced and even threatened Mark Templeton to cover up the fact that Andrew used the family foundation as his personal ATM. But his concern was always for his sons. He wanted to make sure that Hunter’s killer was punished, and he was desperate to protect his sole surviving son.

“I’ll talk to Angela directly if you want. You shouldn’t be dragged into the middle.”

“I wasn’t dragged. She’s my friend, so I said I’d talk to you. But you’re my friend, too, so I understand you need to do your job. Down the road, Angela will understand, too. Right now, she’s in shock about Casey. She was so certain of her innocence, and now she’s beginning to wonder.”

Laurie’s face must have revealed her apprehension. Charlotte asked if something was wrong. Laurie wasn’t going to repeat what Casey’s mother had told her, but she did want Charlotte to know that Angela might not be as shocked as she was letting on.

“I think Angela may have already had suspicions about her cousin’s guilt. If she asked you to get involved, it might be because she feels guilty for not telling Casey earlier the real reason she thought she shouldn’t do the show.”

Charlotte furrowed her brow in disagreement. “I wouldn’t read that much into it,” she said. “She’s just a really loyal friend and is worried about Casey.”

“I’m sure she is,” Laurie said, “but it’s my understanding she was worried it would come to this. Neither one of us would be in this situation if she’d told us from the beginning she had her doubts about Casey’s innocence.”

Charlotte looked away, and Laurie realized she’d spoken out of turn. Laurie was bothered that Angela had let Charlotte go to bat for her cousin with Laurie, when apparently she had told her aunt she thought Casey was guilty. But Charlotte had known Angela far longer than Laurie. It wasn’t Laurie’s place to question their friendship. “Anyway,” Laurie said, “thank you for understanding my decision.”

“At least I can tell Angela I tried,” Charlotte said matter-of-factly. “Speaking of Angela, I better get a move on. She’s already down at the warehouse. And speaking of warehouses, you might need one to expand your office. It looks a bit like a serial killer’s lair in here.” She rose from the sofa and began browsing the various whiteboards Laurie was using to organize her thoughts. “What is all this stuff?”

“It’s not as bad as it looks. Most of those printouts were a futile attempt to find out who’s been posting negative comments about Casey online. I had a theory it might be the real killer.”

“Or it was yet another weirdo writing from his mother’s basement,” Charlotte said. “You should see the hateful things people post on Ladyform’s Instagram account. Everyone’s either too fat or too skinny or too old. It’s easy to be cruel when you can be anonymous. What’s the deal with ‘and also’?” Charlotte asked, pointing to the large red block letters that Laurie had circled.

“A phrase our favorite troll tended to use. Anyway, it’s not important now. Good luck on your show. I’m sure it’ll be amazing.”

“Do you want to come?” Charlotte asked.

“Really? I’d love to.”

“Cool. I’ll put you on the list for Saturday. And good luck on your show, too. I feel horrible for Angela, but I know this is going to be a big win for you.”

A big win, Laurie thought once she was alone. The words reminded her of something Alex had said when they were first arguing about Mark Templeton. “You win,” he had said. She picked up her cell phone from her desk, hoping he might have called, but she had no new messages.

She was tired of waiting. She typed a text message. Do you have time to talk? Her finger hovered over the screen, then hit the send button.

She waited, filled with anxiety, as she saw dots on the screen, indicating that he was composing a response. I got your message earlier. I just need some time to think. I’ll call when things have cooled down.

Cooled down, she wondered. More like, gone cold.

She heard a knock on the door. It was Jerry. “It’s been Grand Central in here,” he said. “You ready to make that punch list of what we need to do before we can start editing?”

They’d started the list earlier today. An affiliated studio in D.C. would get footage of the exterior of Casey’s childhood home and high school. Jerry was tracking down yearbook photos and video images of Tufts, where Casey had spent her college years.

Once they were seated at the conference table, Laurie said she still thought they needed to interview someone who knew Casey and Hunter as a couple. “We have Andrew’s recollections, but of course he’s going to emphasize the negative. Mark Templeton’s obviously a no. And Casey’s cousin and mother won’t be talking to us any time soon. Didn’t Casey have any friends?”

“She did, as in past tense. They dropped her like a hot potato once she was arrested.”

“What about her friends’ boyfriends? Maybe there was a go-to couple for double dates.” She was thinking out loud now. “Actually, Sean Murray might be perfect.”

It took Jerry a moment to recognize the name of the man who had been Angela’s boyfriend fifteen years ago. “I thought he already passed.”

“He did, but he wasn’t adamant about it. I didn’t push, because it didn’t seem important.” Laurie now realized there was another reason Sean might be helpful. It would be interesting to know if Angela had ever told him that Casey’s own family thought she might be guilty. “And I think he was worried how his wife would feel about his crossing paths with Angela again.”

“But now that she’s not on camera-”

“Let’s track down his address. I might have a better shot in person.”