Thrown Away/Twisted Roots

Chapter 12

Chapter 12





Casey sat on her hotel bed and called the admissions office and asked for Cathy Ellison. After a number of transfers she got a voicemail. The pleasant but formal sounding recording instructed the caller to leave a voicemail or call her cell phone reciting the number, which Casey wrote down.


She called the number and this time a woman answered. “Ms. Ellison speaking.”


“Hello, I’m Casey a relative of Diane Moyer. Do you remember her?”


After a long pause where Casey almost asked if Cathy was still on the line, she answered. “Yes, I remember Diane. What can I do for you?”


“First I’d like to inform you that she past away last month.” Casey waited for the usual condolences but only silence was the response.


“I was wondering if you could tell me whether you were with Diane at anytime during the last week she was at the school?” Casey kept her voice even as if she were a cop or authority figure.


“Who are you? You said you were a relative. Are you, a relative?”


“Yes. I’m trying to retrace her steps just before she left Austin to drive to Portland.” She waited to see if Cathy would ask more questions or blow her off.


“The last week we had our grades and assignments. Diane had been hired by a hospital in Portland. Some of us were still waiting for responses to our applications.” There was a hard bit to her response. “We didn’t have members of the staff doctors writing out recommendations for us.”


“I see, so what you’re saying is Diane must have had a doctor, let’s say Kevin Crenshaw, send these letters of recommendation along with her applications. You didn’t get any such letters?” Casey made her voice like many an attorney she’d listened to in court.


Cathy must have picked up on the tone and thought before she answered. “I’m sorry I don’t remember your name.”


“Casey. I’m writing an paper on Ms. Moyer. She was a unique individual here at the hospital.”


“Oh. The you might check with Dr. Crenshaw. She seemed to have a very special relationship with him, if you get my drift.”


“I do and I have talked to him and Lisa, his wife. They speak highly of Ms. Moyer who kept in contact with them over the years. I’m not sure what you’re inferring, but I hope it isn’t anything untoward. That could be label as libelous, in court. Casey added at the end then continued. “What I’d like to know from you is whether you knew for certain that Ms. Moyer left for Portland alone. Did she have any passenger who might have wanted a ride to Portland or to ride along with her to be dropped off along the way.”


The question was processed in silence. “From my personal knowledge, she left alone. We were at the parking lot when she said goodby that morning. There was no one else in the car and she never mentioned picking anyone up before heading out of town. She didn’t always share her personal plans. Even her closest friends, I heard. So it is possible she may have picked up someone before leaving Austin.”


“Did you have any contact with her after she left? Did she ever call or talk to you?”


“No. We saw each other at a couple of conferences over the years. A brief nod was all I got. She never spoke to me.”


“Why is that?” Casey’s kept her voice even as if she were a journalist.


“Let’s just say she seemed to get all the breaks. Her friendship with the good doctor opened doors while the rest of us had to break them down.”


“Do I hear some sour grapes? If she didn’t sleep with the doctor and he admired her mind and her willingness to learn, can you blame him for helping her out? I’m just saying. She wasn’t an easy person to live with or work with. She demanded the same dedication to her job and any other project she took on. I’m guessing, others around her don’t share that











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