Interviewee: Emma van Dyk
Detective: Melanie Lawrence
Part One of Recorded Interview
Date: October 27th, 2017
LAWRENCE: This is going to be a recorded interview. Remember that you are not a suspect in this investigation. You are a witness here to provide information. Do you understand?
EMMA VAN DYK: (softly) Yes.
LAWRENCE: Louder, please.
EMMA VAN DYK: Yes.
LAWRENCE: Please state your full name:
EMMA VAN DYK: Emma Marie van Dyk.
LAWRENCE: And you attend Altenview High School?
EMMA VAN DYK: Yes.
LAWRENCE: What grade are you in?
EMMA VAN DYK: Ninth.
LAWRENCE: Were you a friend of Serena Shields?
EMMA VAN DYK: (softly) Um, no.
LAWRENCE: But you knew her.
EMMA VAN DYK: I knew her. I mean, everyone knew her. She was one of those girls everyone wanted to be friends with. Obviously I knew who she was.
LAWRENCE: Ah. Would you said she was of a higher (pauses) social standing than you?
EMMA VAN DYK: Yeah. I guess. I mean, hers would have been above, like, everyone's. Even the juniors and seniors.
LAWRENCE: My cousin's a junior at Altenview. I believe you. Don't be nervous, Emma.
EMMA VAN DYK: Okay.
LAWRENCE: Would you say Serena sometimes abused this power? (pauses) You know, was she ever mean to others?
EMMA VAN DYK: Yeah. I mean, sometimes. But her friends... she was a good friend to them, I think.
LAWRENCE: Okay. Do you think it's possible that someone she was mean to could have retaliated?
EMMA VAN DYK: I don't know. Maybe. She did have a lot of enemies.
LAWRENCE: Was there anyone in particular whom she had a particularly... harsh relationship with?
EMMA VAN DYK: I don't know. No one specifically.
LAWRENCE: You're not in trouble.
EMMA VAN DYK: I know.
LAWRENCE: And you attended a party on the night of October 21st?
EMMA VAN DYK: Yes.
LAWRENCE: Did you see Serena there?
EMMA VAN DYK: (softly) Yeah.
LAWRENCE: Just in passing or did you interact?
EMMA VAN DYK: We... um, we interacted.
LAWRENCE: Where? Can you tell me about this interaction?
EMMA VAN DYK: It was... I saw her in the shed. She, well, she was kissing Liam Vega—
LAWRENCE: Liam Vega? Is he someone you know well?
EMMA VAN DYK: We... he was my boyfriend. At the time. (long pause) But I knew he had a thing for Serena. I wasn't all that surprised. After all, I'd only been with Liam for a week or two.
LAWRENCE: So then what happened?
EMMA VAN DYK: Um, I started... crying. And I left. I think I left. Then some other girls found me and they told me Serena was missing. They were freaking out. We all waited together for the police to come.
LAWRENCE: What happened in between?
(Long pause)
EMMA VAN DYK: I don't remember it that well. It wasn't that long. I mostly just stood around.
LAWRENCE: Okay. And who were these girls who found you? I'll need them to vouch for this.
EMMA VAN DYK: Um, Anneliese Carlton, Layla Prince. Alexandra Evans, I think.
LAWRENCE: Okay. Thank you. I just have one last question.
EMMA VAN DYK: Okay.
LAWRENCE: What do you think happened to Serena?
(Long pause)
EMMA VAN DYK: I'm sorry. I really don't know.
LAWRENCE: That's all right. That was a long shot.
EMMA VAN DYK: Okay. Um, should I go?
LAWRENCE: Yes. Have a good day, Emma.
Interviewee: Emerson de Castrava
Officer: Melanie Lawrence
Part One of Recorded Interview
Date: October 28th, 2017
LAWRENCE: This is going to be a recorded interview. Remember that you are not a suspect in this investigation. You are a witness here to provide information. Do you understand?
EMERSON DE CASTRAVA: Yes.
LAWRENCE: Can you tell me about your relationship to Serena Shields?
EMERSON DE CASTRAVA: She was one of my best friends. We had the kind of friendship that (sobs) that only comes once in a lifetime.
LAWRENCE: I'm so sorry for your loss, Ms. de Castrava.
EMERSON DE CASTRAVA: Emerson.
LAWRENCE: Okay. So I can assume you were at the party with Serena on the night of October 21st?
EMERSON DE CASTRAVA: No. We were arguing. I went to the party with Clare Brown. I saw Serena, though.
LAWRENCE: How would you describe this interaction?
EMERSON DE CASTRAVA: I mean, we'd been fighting. So... I was mad at her. Oh, God, and then I told her to go away. If I hadn't... if I'd just stayed with her...
LAWRENCE: Do you need a tissue?
EMERSON DE CASTRAVA: No. Sorry. I'm okay.
LAWRENCE: Were you at the crime scene when the officers arrived?
EMERSON DE CASTRAVA: No. I waited with the others by the Davis' house. It was all sort of a blur.
LAWRENCE: Who waited with you?
EMERSON DE CASTRAVA: Clare. Will Davis—it was his party. His sister, Elizabeth. Anneliese Carlton. Emma van Dyk, Rachael Bell, Layla Prince. Lexi Evans. Michael Lawrence—is he your brother?
LAWRENCE: Michael is my cousin. Continue.
EMERSON DE CASTRAVA: That's it.
LAWRENCE: All right. Emerson, don't be worried. You're not a suspect. From what I know, Serena Shields was in a lot of arguments that night.
EMERSON DE CASTRAVA: Listen. I think I know who hurt her.
LAWRENCE: You do?
EMERSON DE CASTRAVA: Yes. He was pretty much in love with her. She barely even looked his way. I think it was making him mad. I think he killed her.
YOU ARE READING
The End of Innocence
Teen FictionFive months ago, the small, secretive town of Altenview, Massachusetts, was struck by tragedy when fourteen-year-old Eleanor West disappeared without a trace. Even now, many of Eleanor's old classmates are affected by her and her mysterious disappea...
