Because You Loved Me by M. William Phelps Page B

clipped to the side of his sleeve.
    There was also a female, “a large lady with long blond hair, dressed in civilian clothes,” remembered Parker. She was consoling Nicole, who was walking beside her.
    Parker stood as they approached. Nicole noticed Parker as soon as the light from an overhead streetlamp hit his face. She looked at Parker, but didn’t recognize him at first.
    “Parker? Is that you?”
    “How you doin’, Nicole?”
    “OK.” She seemed confused, panicky, disoriented. “What’s goin’ on?”
    The woman with Nicole steered her away from Parker. The detective walked toward him.
    “She doesn’t know yet?” Parker asked the detective quietly, so Nicole couldn’t hear.
    “No.”
    Nicole spun around and moved closer to Parker.
    “What’s goin’ on, Parker?” she asked again. “What’s happening?”
    “Nicole, just go with these people…. They’ll explain everything to you. Just go with them.”
    Parker shook his head. He had daughters. He thought for a moment how the news was going to hit Nicole.
    “Parker? What’s happening?” Nicole said again.
    “Just go, Nicole,” Parker responded. “It’ll be OK.”
    Parker was horrified at the thought of Nicole walking into the police station, sitting down and being told her mother was dead. It was going to destroy her. If anybody knew how estranged Nicole was from Jeanne at the time of Jeanne’s death, it was Parker. Living next door to Jeanne, Nicole and Drew, Parker was one of a few neighbors Jeanne went to when she needed help with the kids. Drew might need his bicycle fixed, or maybe Jeanne wanted him home for dinner and couldn’t find him. There were times, recalled Parker, when Jeanne knocked on the door in desperation—not because of Drew, but Nicole.
    “Nicole’s gone again, Parker. Can you go look for her?”
    “Where’d she go?” asked Parker.
    “I don’t know,” said Jeanne. “She said something about running away. You know these kids. She has no clothes with her. She just took off down Amherst.”
    “Absolutely, Jeannie. Do I have permission to forcibly put her in the car?” Parker was worried about getting into trouble.
    “Whatever you have to do. Just get her in the car and get her home.”
    Nicole had an argument with Jeanne that night and told her, “I’m leaving and never coming back.” Jeanne was more concerned over the Little Red Riding Hood factor than anything else. She knew Nicole couldn’t take care of herself on her own and wasn’t planning on actually running away. It was more of a way to rebel.
    “No problem, Jeannie, I’m on it,” said Parker as he left.
    It took Parker about five minutes. Nicole was just down the road, trolling along the sidewalk.
    Parker pulled up.
    “Your mom told me I could put you in the car if you didn’t get in, Nicole,” he shouted out the window, “so just get in and don’t make me do that.”
    Nicole never verbalized her feelings. When Jeanne explained to Parker that Nicole had “flipped out” and “yelled and screamed” inside the house before taking off, he had a hard time picturing it. “That was so out of character for that little girl I knew. I had never seen her like that. Drew, sure. But Nicole? No way.”
    During the short ride back to the house, Parker said, “Nicole, when you get older, you can make your own decisions. Right now, you have to do what your mom says. She’s the boss. You’re a minor. Until you’re an adult, it’s her rules.”
    “I know, Parker,” Nicole said, staring out the window. “I know. I know. I know.” She threw her hands up.
    “Nicole, you got a couple of years, just wait. And then you can do whatever it is you want to do. But for now, your mom pays the bills. You do what she says.”
    “OK,” said Nicole. “I understand.”

C HAPTER 22
     
    Knives. Jeanne Dominico was against having them in her house. Even everyday kitchen knives to carve meat and butter toast. As detectives continued questioning Chris McGowan