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“I wish I was as sure as you are,” replied Decker before looking over at Susan. “When was the last time you saw Cramer?”
She considered this question, her lips moving as though she were counting off days in her head. “Eight days ago.”
“Here, at the school?” asked Jamison.
Susan shook her head. “I was in town. We needed some . . . supplies. There’s a shop we use. They normally deliver out here, but they had two people out sick, so I drove into town.”
“So where did you see her?” asked Decker.
“She was coming out of a building.”
“Did you talk to her?” asked Kelly.
“I asked her when she was leaving on her trip to see her mother. I thought she would have already left, actually. She said she had been delayed but that she was leaving the next day, and she would be back to teach when she had originally said she would.”
Decker asked, “Did she sayhowshe was getting to wherever she was going?”
“She had a car. An old Honda. I know that because she drove it to our school. But she didn’t tell me how she would be traveling to her mother’s.”
Jamison said, “How did she look? Nervous? Happy?”
Susan thought about this for a moment. “Resigned. Yes, she seemed . . . resigned.”
Decker said, “As though her fate was already decided, you mean?”
“Well, I didn’t think that at the time, because I didn’t know she was going to be murdered. But now that I know, I would say yes.”
Kelly said, “So maybe she saw her own death coming?”
Decker glanced at him. “Well, she saw right, didn’t she?”
“DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOWa guy named Stan Baker?” Decker asked Kelly on the drive back.
Kelly said, “Stan Baker? Name doesn’t ring a bell.ShouldI know him?”
“He works for a fracking company. He’s, um, he’s my brother-in-law.”
“Brother-in-law? So you knew he was here, then?”
“No, it was a surprise. He’s a big guy, almost as big as me. Reddish hair, with the same color beard. Rugged in appearance. Ring any bells now?”
Kelly smiled. “Hell, you just described half the guys here, Decker.”
“Yeah, I guess so,” said Decker absently.
Jamison said, “We didn’t find any note or letter at Cramer’s apartment. She might have taken it with her, or she might have destroyed it.”
“At least it shows she was concerned about something,” said Decker. “And it might also account for the air of resignation Susan Ames alluded to.”
“What can you tell us about Caroline Dawson?” asked Jamison suddenly as she glanced briefly at Decker.
“Caroline?” said Kelly. “Why? Did you meet her?”
“Just for a minute. She’s apparently dating Decker’s brother-in-law.”
Kelly looked at her oddly. “Really? Okay. Well, she’s Hugh Dawson’s only child. Well, his only living child.”
“What do you mean?” asked Jamison.
