Almost Perfect Murder (eBook)

Chapter 4

Rob and Jeannie arrived at the high school’s parking lot after a few minutes’ drive. They drove around a bit until they found a spot in the back of the lot and then headed for the school’s main entrance.

Just as they got in the front door, the bell rang and what seemed like 1,000 students poured out into the hallway all at once.

Stopping a student dead in their tracks, Rob asked, “Where is the principal’s office?”

Without so much as a grunt, the student pointed down the hall and took off out the door.

“Kids,” Rob grunted and headed deeper into the high school’s labyrinth. Not far down the hall were the school’s administrative offices. Rob opened the door for Jeannie and then walked in behind her.

One of the office personnel walked up to the counter. “May I help you?” she asked.

Pulling out his ID and badge Rob said, “I’m Detective Sargent Sanchove, and this is my partner Detective Parks. We would like to talk with the principal.”

“May I ask what it is about?” she asked.

“One of your former students was found dead this morning, and we would like to ask him a few questions,” Jeannie said.

The assistant’s face lost its smile and her face its color. “Let me find him for you,” she said and walked over to her desk, pulled her cell phone out of her purse, and sat down. Within a minute, she started talking with the person on the other end. Rob barely made out what she was saying other than “Yes, Sir”. The assistant put away her phone and walked back to the counter. “Dr. Martinez will be here in a few moments. Please take a seat,” she said and pointed to the seats against the wall.

Not having to be told twice, Rob walked over to the chairs. He motioned to the forlorn looking student sitting there to move over one seat so he and Jeannie could sit together.

About five minutes later, Dr. Martinez walked through the door. “Sally, who was looking for me?”

Sally pointed in their direction. There was little about Dr. Martinez that reminded Rob of the principal in his high school days. He was a really big man; in fact, he looked like he could have played linebacker in the NFL. His voice was more like that of his former Army Drill Sargent than an educator. Only his PhD spoke of his vast intellectual abilities.

“Please come into my office,” Dr. Martinez said.

Rob and Jeannie got up. Just before Rob headed for the principal’s office, he put his hand on the student’s shoulder. “If you are waiting to see him, all I can say is good luck.”

As principal of a large high school, Dr. Martinez had an office that was not very impressive. The walls sported his degrees, and pictures at various school events, and one picture of his family.

His desk was a step or two above those at the station. The stuff on the top of his desk seemed organized in whatever way that worked for him; however, all in all, it was fairly clean by modest standards. By Rob’s standards it was immaculate.

As he sat down, Dr. Martinez motioned to the chairs in front of his desk. “Sally told me one of our prior students died. Is that correct?”

“Yes,” Rob said. Then, checking his notes, he added, “His name is David Williamson, and he graduated in June.”

“Okay, if you would give me a minute,” said Dr. Martinez and reached for his phone. “Sally, would pull David Williamson’s file and bring it to me? He was in the 2019 class. Thank you.”

A minute or two later, Sally knocked on the door, walked over to the principal’s desk, and handed him a file. She then headed back to her desk, closing the door behind her.

“If you would give me a minute to look this file over,” the principal said. With that, he started thumbing through the pages.

“Well, David was an excellent student. He had great grades. He was very active in school groups and projects. Frankly, in his four years here, he never crossed the threshold of my office. Wait a minute, earlier this year he was involved in a fight with one of our problem students. According to this, he came out on top of this altercation. Aside from that, he had great grades, was the class valedictorian, and was an exemplary student,” Dr. Martinez said.

“What was the name of the student he had an issue with?” Jeannie asked.

Dr. Martinez looked back at David’s folder, “Peter Sampson.”

“What can you tell us about him?” Rob asked.

“To be fair, let me look as his file.” the principal said.

Sally was evidently keeping her eye on the office because rather than call, the principal just motioned to her. Sally put her head in the door, “Yes sir?”

“Would you please get Peter Sampson’s file? Thank you.” said Dr. Martinez.

Sally ducked back out the door and was back in a flash with another file.

“Thanks, Sally,” the principal said.

At a glance, Rob noted that Peter’s file was much thicker than David’s. “Peter and I were almost on a first name basis as were his parents and I. I just wanted to peruse his file to give you a balanced view of him as a student.”

“First, he is an average student, grade- wise, although his teachers believed he never lived up to his potential. It’s my understanding from talking with his parents that he intends to follow in his father’s footsteps,” Dr. Martinez said.

“What is that?” Rob asked.

“The family owns several mortuaries in the area,” Dr. Martinez put in.

“You mentioned that you and his family were almost on a first name basis. Was that personally or professionally?” Jeannie asked.

“Unfortunately, professionally,” replied Dr. Martinez. “Peter was what I would call a bully. He believes the rules don’t apply to him. He not only intimidated his fellow students, but also cut up in class.”

“This last year, he was in my office at least twice a month. The only time he was the complainant was in his altercation with David. He tried to intimidate David, who took him down a few notches, and frankly, Peter was mad as hell about it.

“According to the report, Peter threatened to get even with him. That occurred in early February. From February to graduation, however, there is nothing in either record showing a further reportable contact,” the principal said.

“Is there anyone else we can talk to, who will give us insight into these boys?” Rob asked.

“Yes; Cynthia Davis, our senior class advisor. Let me see if she is available,” Dr. Martinez said as he picked up the phone and punched in a number.

“Cynthia, Bill. I have two detectives from the Temple Police Department here. It seems that David Williamson was found dead this morning. Yes, I know. They would like to talk to you about him as well as Peter Sampson. Have you got a few minutes?” Dr. Martinez asked. “Great; I will send them your way.”

With that, he hung up the phone, got up, walked to the door, opened it, and said, “Sally, could you please show the detectives to Ms. Davis’s office?” He turned toward Rob and Jeannie and said, “Sally will take you to Cynthia’s office. I’m sorry I wasn’t much help.”

Rob got up out of the chair, reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out his card, and handed it to the principal. “Thanks for your time. If you can think of anything, call me.”

By this time, Jeannie was out of her chair and right behind Sally.

After about two minutes of walking down the hall, Rob turned to Jeannie and said, “This is a damn maze.”

About that time, Sally turned right and knocked on a door with a small sign glued to the opaque window that read “ School Advisor’s Office.”

A voice that again reminded Rob of his drill instructor answered, “Come in.”

Sally opened the door and motioned the detectives in, turned on her heels, and headed back down the hall.

The voice and the person did not match. Cynthia Davis was a small woman with a slight build. Her black hair was a bit longer than shoulder length and nicely styled. What stood out from that diminutive body were her eyes; they looked like they could see through walls. There was little doubt that her voice and those eyes would intimidate the toughest of kids.

Her face softened into a grin when she saw Rob and Jeannie. “Please come in and sit down,” she said in an intimate voice. “How can I help you?”

“As Dr. Martinez told you, one of your former students, David Williamson, was found dead this morning. We are here to get a better picture of both he and Peter Sampson,” Jeannie said.

“I can’t believe David is dead,” Cynthia said shaking her head. “I pulled both their files while I was waiting for you. As individuals they are quite a contrast. First, David.”

Opening a file, she continued with a sorrowful voice. “David was an exemplary student....