A Criminal's Mind

Mrs. Moran

It isn't long after we end our little discussion that Mrs. Moran arrives. When Ocasek walks her into the room, Tench looks over to me, "you're on." We all look up and smile to Mrs. Moran, but Tench is the first to greet her, "Mrs. Moran, thank you for coming in. My name is Bill Tench. These are my partners, Holden Ford and Nancy Freeman," Ford and I shake Mrs. Moran's hand as she and Ocasek take a seat.

Once he's shook her hand, Ford stands and move behind me. Mrs. Moran looks around and shifts, a bit confused, which is understandable, "I don't understand. I can't call my husband? Aren't I suppose to get a phone call?"

Ocasek shakes his head as she looks over to him, "you're not under arrest, Mrs. Moran. These folks are from the FBI and they just need to ask you a couple questions."

Ford, who is in front of the board, places a hand on the back of my chair, "have you been following the investigation?"

Mrs. Moran looks everywhere, except the board, "can't look at that. Poor girl. Wouldn't hurt a fly?"

"You know her?" I lean forward a bit, Mrs. Moran nods, "how did you know her?"

"She was almost our babysitter."

"I'm sorry, almost?" Mrs. Moran looks around, almost as if she wants to avoid the questions. I lean forward a bit, "Mrs. Moran?"

She takes a deep breath, nodding, "we talked to her about it. When she left, Alvin wouldn't shut up about that girl."

I clear my throat a bit, "what do you mean by that? What did he say?"

"You know what I mean."

"It's better for everyone if we don't guess, ma'am. I know this may be uncomfortable, but we need to know what was said."

"She was young, and skinny, and... 'oh, such pretty blonde hair.' Didn't need that in my house. Not with two little kids in the picture. What do I look like?"

"Were you aware that your husband made several advances toward Beverly Jean?" I shake my head a bit, "where you worried that Alvin might start an affair with her?"

"Didn't I just say he had a thing for the poor girl?" Mrs Moran looks around, "Alvin does this. It's like sportfishin'. He doesn't mean anything by it."

"As far as we know, he was home with you and the children watching television the night Beverly disappeared."

Mrs. Moran looks over to me, shocked, "you think Alvin did this?"

"We don't know, ma'am. But we have to explore every possibility."

"Oh, no. I mean, I'd love for him to get a good scare, bothering a girl half his age, but... no, the idiot was with me."

"All night?"

"All night," Mrs. Moran nods.

"Thank you so much for coming in Mrs. Moran, unless Agent Tench or Ford have any other questions, you may go."

"Does this mean Alvin is no longer a suspect."

I smile over to her, "well, he couldn't have taken Beverly if he was home with you."

Mrs. Moran nods and smiles, "thank you."

We pack up a couple things and put on our coats, I can't wait for summer to roll around again. Once we are all packed up we head out to the car, Ford walking next to me and Tench a few feet behind with Ocasek, "okay, her husband made a pass at a younger woman. He's an idiot," Ford looks over to me, "so are a million other men."

"You say that like you've had some experience in that situation, Mr Ford," I smirk over to Ford.

"I'll admit, I've hit on girls well out of my league, but I don't see the anger we've talked about."

Tench shrugs, "so lo and behold, we're back to the fiancé."

"Follow your own logic, Bill," Ford turns to Tench as we get to the car. "The anger makes no sense in a young couple either."

"That's not necessarily true," I shake my head.

"What do you mean?" 

"While yes, it may be easier to find that anger in an older couple, a younger couple can have the same amount of anger, it depends on the relationship and the people." 

"You say that as if you have some experience in that situation," Ford smirks, trying to make a joke.

I sigh and look up to him, "because I do."

I look away from the group, but I can feel Ford's smile drop, "Nancy, I'm so sorry, I didn't..."

"The point is," I look back to Ford, "a young man can have this kind of anger toward someone he loves... or even doesn't."

Tench nods, "it depends on the relationship."

"And the person," I take a deep breath.

"If you're right," Ford nods, "it may have more to with the person then the relationship and if that's the case, this could be the first in a sequence."

"Nine times out of ten, it's the boyfriend, husband, or someone close," Tench nods.

"Nine times isn't every time, Bill."

I clear my throat, having been trying not to cry for the past few seconds, "he's still worth looking into." I shrug, "what harm can it do?"

"Listen, Uh..." Ocasek puts his hands on his hips, "can't say how much I appreciate all your help. Sorry if I got off a little shaky there at the start."

I smile over to Ocasek, "it's alright, everyone is like that on their first case like this. I wish I could say it gets easier, but it doesn't."

Ocasek nods, "I'm gonna stick with Alvin, if it's all the same, keep you posted ."