日本滞在し、実父が亡き娘がいない、そのままになった部屋でひと時を過ごす。どんなことが頭をよぎったのであろうか。その苦痛が指輪とラップトップに込められている。
****
Nicola Furlong: Dad arrives home from Japan with Nicola’s rings and her laptop
By Mark Hilliard、Irish Independent
Wednesday June 13 2012
NICOLA Furlong's father has said he is confident Japanese police have a strong enough case to secure justice for his daughter's death.
Returning from Tokyo last night, Andrew Furlong wore Nicola's two precious rings around his neck having recovered her personal effects.
He also clung to the laptop he had bought the DCU student before her departure for Japan last year.
While he could not go into the details of his extensive meetings with investigating detectives, Mr Furlong said he was confident justice would be done.
"We got a lot of answers but we are kind of tied not to say too much," he said in Dublin Airport following an 11-hour flight from Asia with brother-in-law Denis Corrigan.
"The meetings were long, stressful, hard, and every day was worse than the previous one. You would think there would be an easier day when the next day comes but it's harder again."
It is now three weeks since Nicola (21) was found dead in a Tokyo hotel room after a night out at a Nicki Minaj concert with her Irish friend. Two men -- Americans James Blackston (23) and another 19-year-old -- remain in custody on a charge of assaulting Nicola's friend in the run-up to the tragedy.
Mr Furlong and Mr Corrigan flew out last Thursday and spent five intensive days with police and prosecutors and visited the university where Nicola had been studying to reclaim her personal property.
He spent some time alone in her room but said he would have found it far too difficult to visit the crime scene where his daughter's body was found.
"We got back her rings as well, which was emotional. It was nice to see where she was; the college were brilliant with us out there.
"The whole place couldn't do enough. I think Nicola is the first person in the college that something like this has happened to."
Police detailed the case they were building and Mr Furlong was required to give his recommendation on what penalty anybody convicted with her killing might face.
Heading to his home in Curracloe, Co Wexford, Mr Furlong said his priority now was simply to get home to his "angel" daughter Andrea (18).
