CHAPTER 7

Randy Collins was a self-made man. He was given up as a baby to the local orphanage. He grew up not knowing who he was or where he came from. At 16, he got arrested for stealing from construction sites. He did 3 years in juvenile hall. During that time he decided that he wasn’t coming back to the one horse town he was growing up in or going back to juvie. He truly was rehabilitated. Randy got his GED and first learned how to build simple buildings like houses. Then he built parking garages and finally malls and condominiums. When he was 25 years old Randy started his own company, Country Estates. He was deeply in debt for the first 5 years. But then a boom came and Randy won the bids to develop top of the line condo structures followed by two mini malls and finally the current Estate development in the State’s capital. Randy was a millionaire by the age of 35 and now at 41 he was at the top of his game.

When he saw the two white hats walking toward him, he knew that this wouldn’t be good. No white hat is, was Randy’s mantra. He himself wore a blue hat to buck the trend of the hated white hats.

“Can I help you two?” Randy shouted over the power tools.

“We are looking for a Mr. Randy Collins. Is that you?” Gayle asked.

“Yes that’s me, and you are?” Randy asked back.

“I’m Detective Adams and this is Detective Darker, we are with…”

Randy cut Gayle off,

“Ya I know, Cops!”

“Well Sir, if you had let me finish, I would have told you that we’re from Homicide.”

“I didn’t kill anyone! Sure I fired the guy, but if he wound up dead then it wasn’t me! Try his NA buddies. They are some real peaches.”

“Uum, I think there is a misunderstanding here Mr. Collins” Darrell said.

“Do you own the Industrial Park at 300 -450 Munro?”

“Yes, I do” Randy said “I have two lots left on that site to sell before I start development. Why are ya asking?”

“Did you know that those lots have been used in the commission of two crimes?” Gayle asked, going for the jugular. If Randy had committed these murders, she was going to have his ass right then and there.

“Um, no, I uh, had no idea.” Randy looked shocked and he lost the color in his face. “Uh, I uh, are you sure?” Randy took off his hard hat and ran his fingers through his sandy brown hair. “Who? What?”

“Would you come to the station with us for some questions Mr. Collins?” Gayle asked commandingly.

“Uhh, ya sure, anything I can do to help!” Randy called over one of his guys and gave some instructions then looked back at the detectives. “Do I drive myself or go with you?” Darrell was sure Randy wasn’t the guy; he was too shocked and too sincere. Darrell had seldom been wrong but Gayle was all up in his business and while she was in there, he might as well go along for the ride.

“You can drive yourself” Darrell replied. “Just follow us.”

When all three had arrived at the station, Darrell found an empty interrogation room and put Randy Collins in it. Both he and Gayle waited for 20 minutes before going in to the room. The “make ‘em sweat” technique has been used for years by many Detectives trying to find out a lot of different information.

Randy jolted when the Detectives opened the door. Gayle placed a digital recorder in the middle of the table and pressed record.

“This is Detective Gayle Adams interviewing Randy Collins on September 14, 2010. Also present is Detective Darrell Darker.”

“Mr. Collins, I am advising you that you are being recorded both digitally and on video. Do we have your consent, sir?”

“Ya, whatever you need Detectives.” Randy was eager to help out, especially since they found people murdered on his property.

“Mr. Collins, do you own property at 300 Munro Industrial Park?”

“Yes, my company does.”

“And your company name sir?”

“Country Estates”

“Did you know before today that your property at the a fore-mentioned location had been used in the commission of a crime?”

“No I had no idea until you two came up and told me at the job site today.”

“Do you know someone named Jeanette Woodrow?”

“No, I don’t. I’m sorry” Randy looked up at the Detectives.

“Have you ever seen this girl?” Darrell showed Randy the picture that the Woodrows had given to them earlier.

“No, I’m sorry I don’t.”

Gayle dug out one of the crime scene photos and placed it on the table carefully in front of Randy.

Randy turned white and pale, then ran over to the garbage can in the corner of the room and vomited the tuna sandwich he had eaten earlier. While Randy was hovered over the garbage can, he turned his head and quietly said “No, and that’s disgusting. Is that a real picture? It sure looks real, man. I hope that it’s fake!” Pale faced Randy sat back down at the table and turned the photo over to try to forget the image he had just seen.

“I’m sorry about that Randy, we just had to check.” Darrell said.

“What? That was a test? You made me lose my lunch for what? Cops. I hate you all. Sadistic, that’s what that was! Anything else?” Randy was getting upset and frustrated. He was cooperating after all, the frustration seeped through him and into his voice.

“Guess this is what you get for helping the damn cops.” Randy thought to himself.

“Do you check on your un-leased properties Mr. Collins?” Gayle asked.

“Not usually. Not until the building begins. There are just the two unsold lots left to sell and then we are ready to build. I hire a guard company to do the boring guard stuff once the building begins.” Randy volunteered.

“What company do you usually hire?” Gayle asked politely.

“Ace Guard” Randy said with some resentment in his voice.

“Thank you Mr. Collins. We may have more questions for you; is it OK if we contact you again?” Gayle was treading lightly. Randy was the only link she had and she knew she just about blew it with him.

“Ya sure, just no more of them pictures!”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.” Gayle said.

Darrell walked Randy out to his truck. As he walked back to the office Darrell turned to Gayle.

“Not our suspect, not at all.” Darrell was a little disappointed in Gayle but he tried not to let it show. He realized that in Organized Crimes that was the way they did things; Homicide was different. “I’ll take the next interrogation Gayle.” Gayle nodded.

“Sorry boss, got carried away.” Gayle looked at Darrell and she knew that he was thinking the same thing.

“No worries, Gayle, you did well.” Darrell smiled and walked back to his desk to do some more paperwork. Gayle put on her jacket and signed out for the day. She was mentally exhausted and needed a break.