Real Love

The Campbell house was very picturesque and Lilly felt as if she had stepped into one of those 'Good Housekeeping' magazines. Richard and Carolyn Campbell, Mavis's parents, and Edward Campbell, Mavis's older brother, were sitting on a couch while Lilly and Scotty sat on an adjacent loveseat.

Lilly decided to start. "Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, some new evidence has recently come to light and we are looking into Mavis's murder again," Lilly softly declared.

Carolyn's face instantly turned white and she stood up. "I beg your pardon!"

"Don't worry, Mrs. Campbell, we don't think that Nicholas Charles is innocent but we still need to investigate all possible angles," Scotty assured her.

Carolyn rolled her eyes and turned around to go upstairs. Richard immediately got up and went after her, but stopped at the bottom step before ascending.

"You'll have to excuse her," he told the detectives, "It's just that it took her nearly two years to become normal again."

Lilly nodded and then turned her attention towards Edward. "How old were you when your sister was murdered?" she asked him.

"I was 21. Ava always kind of looked up to me."

"Ava?" Scotty asked in slight bewilderment.

"Yeah, Mavis hated her name so we always called her Ava," Edward replied.

"Did Ava know anyone that played sports?" Scotty asked.

"Not really. She usually stayed away from those kinds of guys, but her boyfriend

and her best friend Hannah's boyfriend were on the football team."

"Do you remember their names," Lilly asked, taking out her notebook and pen.

"Ava was dating David Castillo and Hannah was with Ryan Kennedy."

Jeffries rung the doorbell to the house where David currently lived, but a woman in her mid-thirties answered. She was a petite, standing at only 5ft. 3in with blonde hair and big, blue, doe eyes.

"Philadelphia Homicide. We're here to talk to David Castillo," Jeffries announced, showing his badge.

The woman's eyes widened with acknowledgement. "Oh, of course! My brother Ed told me that you two would be coming," the woman told them as she moved aside to let them in.

"Your brother is Ed? As in Ed Campbell?" Nick asked.

"Yes. I'm Danielle, his younger sister. He called and told me that you were looking into our sister's murder. Excuse me, I'll go get David," Danielle told them and left the living room.

"Ava's older sister married her boyfriend," Jeffries exclaimed.

"Yeah. Pretty weird if you ask me," Nick replied.

Jeffries smiled and opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by a man in his early thirties who came walking into the room.

"Hello, you must be the detectives. I'm David and this is my wife Dani," David said.

David motioned for everyone to sit down and Nick began. "We understand that you were dating Ava at the time of her death."

David smiled sadly. "That's correct."

"Was there anybody else that might have been interested in her?" Jeffries asked.

"Ava was a very pretty girl but not that many people noticed her. She was a tad awkward around people she didn't know, but that didn't stop Ryan," David said.

"Ryan Kennedy?" Nick asked just to make sure.

"Yeah. He was dating Ava's best friend Hannah but he didn't exactly make it a secret that he had a crush on Ava," David explained.

8 February 1992

David and Ava sat in the crowded Middleton High School cafeteria, sorting through their food. Seriously, why can't the cafeteria make normal food? David glanced up and saw that Ryan Kennedy was making his way towards them. In truth, David felt kind of bad for the guy; the only thing he had going for him was his girlfriend Hannah, but she wasn't here today so he had no one today.

"So, Ava, are you going to the Valentine's Day Dance," Ryan asked as soon as he sat down.

Ava pouted playfully. "No," she nudged David slightly. "David has to work that night."

Ryan's eyes glowed for a second. "You could come with me."

Ava smiled politely. "What about Hannah?"

Ryan scoffed. "What about her?"

Ava rolled her eyes. "She is your girlfriend after all. Go with her."

"All right, but if you want me to tell her I'm busy, give me the word," Ryan beamed.

After David shared his recollection, Jeffries and Nick went back to the car.

"I think we should check with Ryan's old girlfriend Hannah and see if she backs up David's story," Nick said as he got out his cell phone to call Lilly.