CHAPTER 5
Meanwhile in the other room, Detective Tom Allen sat with Rory Samielz’s parents asking about their daughter. They weren’t as co-operative as the other parents. Even having them come over was a big a deal. However he knew he had to be empathetic. They had lost their only child who they hoped would live long after them. Mr. Samielz especially was the worst hit. He really adored his daughter and each time he mentioned her name he would pause and swallow a breath. Tears would be seen at the corners of his eyes. He seemed to blame himself for not listening to her and forcing her to stay in the town and studying there other than moving to a different town as she wanted to. Rory had big dreams. Like Jane, she too wanted to be an actress and they took the same cause. They had all common classes and had been friends though not very close.
Rory had dreams of going to New York and pursuing her acting career other than stick around their boring little town. She hated the way everybody new everyone else’s business and poked their noses in it. She didn’t like to be told what to do. And that is what her parents spent their lives trying to do. They had wanted her to pursue business but she insisted on Theatre Arts and stood her ground. As a compromise, her parents made her stay in town and study what she wanted to but closer to them. They had tried all their lives to protect their only child but they had failed, Mr. Samielz seemed to believe.
Mrs. Samielz on the other hand seemed to have taken the death of her daughter well. She was the one left to comfort her husband and assure him whatever happened was not his fault. When asked about boyfriends, they were quick to say they never encouraged it. Though Rory had had 2 boyfriends. Lisa’s brother Lam and a high school friend Joseph. Detective Tom new both these boys. He knew the Alveron’s son Lam and Joseph too. He was the son of Chris Reynolds. Detective Todd’s former partner who had died in the line of duty. Both boys were good from the knowledge he had of them and not the kind to cause trouble. He wrote down their names on his notepad as he had to speak to them.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Samielz accepted that the boys were OK but that they only needed to protect their child. They were really hit by their loss but Tom assured them they would not rest until they were behind bars.
“Mr and Mrs. Samielz, this has been a fruitful conversation. I have gathered a lot about your daughter and I’m sure this will help. I would like to request your permission to visit your home and check out Rory’s room. We may find an important piece of evidence.”
The Samielz looked at each other in surprise but reluctantly accepted. They knew if they had to find their daughter’s killer, they had to fully co-operate with the police. Detective Tom thanked them and bid they good bye as he escorted them out of the room.
He then sat down to evaluate what information he had as he scribbled a few noted. He then made a call to an officer, “Hey Ronny, I need a favor, I need you to bring in Lam Alveron and Joseph Reynolds. Probably tomorrow since we still have some few people to question here right now.”
“OK cool Tom, I’ll just run this by the Alverons and Mrs. Reynolds, make sure the boys stay put.” Ronny answered back.
“OK thanks man, I appreciate”
“No problem how’s the case so far?”
“Not much, but we have good information so far, we still have the parents of the other two victims and their closest friends to question. We’re building up “
“Well ok, that’s good I hope you catch the bad guy soon.”
“We will, thanks” he said with hope as he hung up.
He stepped out to call in the Torino’s just about Todd stepped out to call the Alverons to the next room.
“Did you get anything from the Welshs?” Tom asked Todd with a serious look.
“I got plenty but what stuck out most is about Tommy”
Tommy? What did he do?”
“It seems he and Jane were an item for a few months but she broke it off claiming he was too controlling and over protective. That struck me. I mean the kid has been through a lot. Losing his mother in a freak accident and his father committing suicide the same year. And he fits most of the description Lorraine gave us.
“Yeah he’s a possible suspect. We should have brought him.”
“Yes, I’ll do that”
Then both turned to face the parents and asked them in. Todd had the Alverons while Tom had the Torinos.
The Torinos, were very kind and seemed to be the most controlled of the parents. As much as they loved their daughter, they had to accept her loss. This is not the first child they had lost. Their second born son had died of Leukemia 3 years earlier. He had struggled with it for 15 years before he finally succumbed. They rarely talked about him. After their son died, they moved from the town they were in to Terry Hill. They wanted to live all the bad memories behind. They had 4 children, Nina was the first born and now they were left with only 2. They were staunch Christians and had brought up their children as so.
Nina was more of a business-minded student. She was a business management major at the university. Her parents mentioned her as being an entrepreneur and always looked for avenues for business.
“She at one time, just before we moved from Cornell, had done a garage sale that saw her make over $ 2000. She went around the house collecting all the stuff we didn’t need and she advertised all over with posters. She was very aggressive and a dreamer. She always said she needed to be a millionaire by 30. I saw it possible. She would have made it. She had the determination and her hard work said it all. Why would someone kill her?” Said her now tearful mother.
“She was a good girl. I just don’t understand why someone would want to hurt her.” Mr. Torino saying in agreement to his wife. His origin was Mexico, though he himself had been born and bred here. After their son’s death, in order to overcome the grief, the family had decided to move into a new town. Mr. Torino had a sister who was married and had settled in Terry Hill. When she heard they were looking to move, she had invited them over to the town. They both accepted that they loved the town and so far had proved very safe until recently.
“Did Nina have any close friends or boyfriends?” Tom asked them
“Yes she had a few, back home, but ever since we moved here she hasn’t been with anyone. Though there was a guy, his name was David Johnson, from the university. They had been pretty close but they never mentioned being in a relationship. There was also that’s boy, Tommy Smith, the one who’s father committed suicide. He’s been around our house they seemed to be friendly.”
“Tommy and Nina were friends?”
“Yes they were, you seemed surprised?”
“Yeah well they’re so different, unexpected. How was their friendship?”
“He seemed OK, we never really spent much time with him but Nina had mentioned that he had asked her out once but she was too involved with her life she didn’t want a boyfriend yet.”
“OK I see”
“He seemed like a good boy, I sincerely hope he has nothing to do with this. From your expression I can tell you have something in your mind.” Mr. Torino asked detective Tom bluntly.
“Well I hope so too. But we will have to bring in both the gentlemen to hear their story”
“Mr. and Mrs. Torino, thanks a lot for coming in today. We appreciate your assistance. We will have our CSI over at your house to check out Nina’s room if you don’t mind.”
“Thanks Detective Tom, That’s OK. I just want us to find closure.” Mrs. Torino told the detective with sadness in her voice. He could tell she was fighting hard not to burst into tears.
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In the other room, Detective Todd was summarizing his questing with the Alverons. They didn’t have much information he didn’t already know. Lisa was a very popular girl and considered the most beautiful around. But the thought about Tommy lingered in his mind. Could he have done it? He is such a good boy and quick to offer help. I don’t believe he would have. But then he went through a trauma in his life that could be a stresser.
Todd finished up with Lisa’s parents and escorted them out of the room. He went over to Tom to compare notes on their findings.
“Apparently Tommy had been friendly to Nina and even asked her out.” Tom was quick to say before Todd even asked him anything. “I think we should bring him in”
“Really? I seriously want to believe he is innocent, and I hope he is. I like the boy. His father and I were really good friends” Todd seemed disturbed by the thought of Tommy being the killer but he in his career and experience, he had seen the most awkward situations with people doing the most unexpected things.
The agreed they would deal with him the next day. Being late, they closed for the day and rested. They had passed word around the campus for everyone to keep in doors or walk in groups. He hoped people would fear for their lives and stay safe.