and handing each of the parents one of her cards. “If you think of anything that might help us, please call me. My cell phone is on the card and I’m available 24/7.”
“Thank you Detective, and please let us know if you find out who murdered our boys,” David Marsten said. They all shook hands and he lead them to the door.
Jake and M.J. drove to a deli in McLean to grab something to eat before their next appointment.
“That wasn’t very helpful,” Jake said.
“No, it wasn’t, but I didn’t expect it to be,” M.J. replied. “Frankly, I don’t think we’ll get much usable information at the school either, but we still have to try.”
They ordered sandwiches and drinks. While they were eating, M.J. told Jake about her conversation with Doc.
“Well, that physical description seems to fit with what we know,” Jake said.
“Yeah, and someone out in a thunderstorm creeping through the woods at night sounds pretty psychopathic too,” M.J. offered.
“Still not much to go on,” Jake added as they finished eating and headed to the car.
“You’ve got that right,” M.J. said. “Let’s see what we can find out at the school.”
Langley High School is a sprawling complex on the outskirts of McLean. When M.J. and Jake arrived they immediately noticed a large black ribbon that had been carefully tied around a giant boulder at the entrance to the parking lot. The base of the rock was piled high with bouquets of flowers. Hundreds of notes and cards had been taped to the stone face.
Jake parked the car and they entered the school through its front entrance. They checked in at the front desk and were escorted to the principal’s office.
Students were milling about in the corridor, removing books from lockers and talking quietly to friends before going to their next class. M.J. noticed the somber expressions on most of their faces and the black armbands that many of them were wearing. She remembered how she had felt in high school when two of her friends had died in an automobile accident and the collective grief that had consumed student life for weeks thereafter. This, she thought, has to be much worse because the boys were murdered.
They entered the office and were met by a man in a polo shirt and slacks. “I’m Paul Chambers, the principal. We’ll be meeting in here,” he said, motioning to a conference room.
There were two other men standing next to the table when they entered.
“This is Randy Keating, my assistant principal and Tony Lambert, who coaches our lacrosse team,” Principal Chambers said.
They all shook hands, introduced themselves and sat down. M.J. started the conversation.
“As you know, we are investigating the murders of Steven Marsten and Patrick Hager. We wanted to ask you a few questions and would be interested in anything you might know that would help us,” she said.
“We all knew the boys,” Principal Chambers began. “They were both good students and never got in any trouble here at school.”
“They were both first string on the varsity team from day one,” Coach Lambert added. “Really good players. We won the Virginia State Championship twice with them on the team. Frankly, I don’t know how we’ll be able to replace them for this season.”
“Ever any fights between either of the boys and other students?” Jake asked.
“None,” Assistant Principal Keating said. “If there had been, I would have known about it. School discipline is part of my responsibility. Coach, anything ever happen between them and the other players?”
“Oh, hell no,” Coach Lambert replied. “They were very popular with the other guys. They were co-captains of the team this year and last. The only time I ever saw them get rough with anybody was against opposing players during a game, and that’s just part of the sport.”
“Any drug problems that you’re aware of?” M.J. asked.
“None,”
“Thank you Detective, and please let us know if you find out who murdered our boys,” David Marsten said. They all shook hands and he lead them to the door.
Jake and M.J. drove to a deli in McLean to grab something to eat before their next appointment.
“That wasn’t very helpful,” Jake said.
“No, it wasn’t, but I didn’t expect it to be,” M.J. replied. “Frankly, I don’t think we’ll get much usable information at the school either, but we still have to try.”
They ordered sandwiches and drinks. While they were eating, M.J. told Jake about her conversation with Doc.
“Well, that physical description seems to fit with what we know,” Jake said.
“Yeah, and someone out in a thunderstorm creeping through the woods at night sounds pretty psychopathic too,” M.J. offered.
“Still not much to go on,” Jake added as they finished eating and headed to the car.
“You’ve got that right,” M.J. said. “Let’s see what we can find out at the school.”
Langley High School is a sprawling complex on the outskirts of McLean. When M.J. and Jake arrived they immediately noticed a large black ribbon that had been carefully tied around a giant boulder at the entrance to the parking lot. The base of the rock was piled high with bouquets of flowers. Hundreds of notes and cards had been taped to the stone face.
Jake parked the car and they entered the school through its front entrance. They checked in at the front desk and were escorted to the principal’s office.
Students were milling about in the corridor, removing books from lockers and talking quietly to friends before going to their next class. M.J. noticed the somber expressions on most of their faces and the black armbands that many of them were wearing. She remembered how she had felt in high school when two of her friends had died in an automobile accident and the collective grief that had consumed student life for weeks thereafter. This, she thought, has to be much worse because the boys were murdered.
They entered the office and were met by a man in a polo shirt and slacks. “I’m Paul Chambers, the principal. We’ll be meeting in here,” he said, motioning to a conference room.
There were two other men standing next to the table when they entered.
“This is Randy Keating, my assistant principal and Tony Lambert, who coaches our lacrosse team,” Principal Chambers said.
They all shook hands, introduced themselves and sat down. M.J. started the conversation.
“As you know, we are investigating the murders of Steven Marsten and Patrick Hager. We wanted to ask you a few questions and would be interested in anything you might know that would help us,” she said.
“We all knew the boys,” Principal Chambers began. “They were both good students and never got in any trouble here at school.”
“They were both first string on the varsity team from day one,” Coach Lambert added. “Really good players. We won the Virginia State Championship twice with them on the team. Frankly, I don’t know how we’ll be able to replace them for this season.”
“Ever any fights between either of the boys and other students?” Jake asked.
“None,” Assistant Principal Keating said. “If there had been, I would have known about it. School discipline is part of my responsibility. Coach, anything ever happen between them and the other players?”
“Oh, hell no,” Coach Lambert replied. “They were very popular with the other guys. They were co-captains of the team this year and last. The only time I ever saw them get rough with anybody was against opposing players during a game, and that’s just part of the sport.”
“Any drug problems that you’re aware of?” M.J. asked.
“None,”
Similar Books
