Tuesday, November 22 at 5:30 p.m.
Asia rubbed her head as she read through the highlighted passages from Janice Warren’s diary.
He hit me over and over again. After he finished I lay on the floor for what seemed like hours, too scared to move.
Asia frowned and stared at Coleman. “Who is this guy? Is she saying Lawrence beat her? How did Adam get this diary?”
Coleman leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands behind his head, “As far as how Adam got the notebook I have two theories. Lawrence could have given it to him because he thought it would help his case. Or someone else passed the book to Adam.”
Asia commented, “If it’s Lawrence she’s talking about, this doesn’t help his case. Who else was close enough to Janice to have access to something this personal?” She crossed her arms as though to brace herself for what Coleman would drop next.
“Candie Parker.”
Asia raised her eyebrow. “They knew each other?”
“Candie and Janice were friends. They met when they were escort girls back in the day. This diary reads like a memoir. It’s like Janice was recording her past. She mentions a woman named Candie early in the book. I have confirmed with Candie this morning that they were friends. Also, that argument that happened at the time Officer Lane walked in had to do with Brooke.”
“Brooke Cannon?” Asia shook her head, “So it really was a jealousy thing going on? Not that that matters. I want to know if Candie was aware of this diary?”
“She says Janice never mentioned any of this to her. We’re checking the diary for fingerprints to see if we can find others who may have had their hands on the notebook besides Janice and Adam.”
Coleman shuffled the copied pages. “Janice mentions this guy in the highlighted entries quite a bit, but she doesn’t name him.”
“Why? Do you think she was going to try to publish this as a book?”
“It’s possible. Someone could have found out. Maybe didn’t want any secrets revealed. Could be a motive for why she was killed.”
“Yeah, but are there really any major secrets? There is this guy who was pretty horrible to her. He was definitely violent. In this passage, he held a gun to her head.” She looked down at the report Coleman handed her when she arrived earlier. “You know what really stood out to me the first time I looked at the crime scene for Janice was how similar it looked to Adam’s. So, the gun used on Janice was the same caliber that killed Adam?”
Coleman nodded, “Yep. We’re possibly looking at the same person. Adam had that notebook.”
“Explains why the killer took his laptop and phone.” Asia rubbed her hand across her forehead. This was almost too much to process. “Janice had to have this electronically stored in a cloud system somewhere, right? I’m assuming if she had plans to publish this it had to be transferred from this handwritten form.”
“I agree. We’re attempting to track down any electronic versions. We do have phone records that we’re comparing for both of them. Adam’s phone went dead that night. It’s possible the assailant smashed it.”
Asia sighed. “At least something is coming together. There was no camera footage around the Warren’s home?”
“The Warrens had a security system, but get this, the day before she was killed, Janice requested more cameras be placed in the home.”
“Was Lawrence Warren aware of this?”
“He claims he knows nothing about her request for further security. Remember they had been separated and he was living in an apartment.”
Asia contemplated, “It’s possible she wanted the security knowing she would have that big house to herself.”
Coleman shrugged. “They lived in a gated community, actually not too far from Adam’s home.”
“Interesting. Someone or something spooked her. Did she mention any fears to anyone in her life?”
“No. If anything she’d become more withdrawn. People assumed she was depressed about the divorce.” Coleman pointed to the copied passages from the diary. “This guy she writes about was a scary dude. I hate to say it, but it’s not Lawrence. She clearly says she met Lawrence later. Read.”
Asia scanned the passage.
It was hard to believe after so many years I would meet the man of my dreams. Lawrence is truly a kind and sweet man. I’m looking forward to our life together.
Wrong man. Those were Adam’s words to her. “She names Lawrence. Even claims he’s the man of her dreams. So why did their marriage fall apart?”
“It was a complete surprise to Lawrence.”
“I’m not trying to bring an innocent man before the grand jury in a few weeks. We have to dig harder on who this guy could be in Janice’s notebook. How does she end the relationship with him?”
Coleman picked up the last copied page. “Apparently, he was convicted of a crime. Not against her though. He was sentenced to prison.”
“So we can look at who’s recently been released around the time of Janice’s murder? See if there’s any connections.”
Coleman asked, “Still, how would someone find out about Janice writing this diary? How would they know Adam had the book too? Candie didn’t know about the notebook.”
Asia looked at her phone. It was getting late. “I guess we need to end this for the day. I’m due at my parent’s home for Thanksgiving tomorrow. You have plans?”
Coleman stood and stretched. “Yes, my daughter and I usually head down to Columbia, South Carolina to visit with my wife’s parents. Imani likes to spend the holidays with her maternal grandparents.”
“I see. I’m sure it’s good for her grandparents to see her, especially…”
“With their daughter in jail. Yes, I try to give them as much time with their granddaughter as possible. I do need to leave out and get rested for the drive tomorrow.”
“Of course. We’ll get back to who this mystery man is after the holidays. Just as long as we find something very soon.”
“I wish we hadn’t charged Lawrence, but all the evidence pointed towards him. A text was made to his phone from hers the night she was killed. He came to the house because she asked him to come. He could have easily gone over to the house in anger and shot her.”
“You’re right. But he didn’t. Someone set him up. They killed Adam to further cover their tracks.”