Nancy’s penchant for writing also blossomed during her years at Kent. She was senior editor of the Kent News, which was published every six weeks, and editor of The Cauldron, the school’s literary magazine. Her love of words extended into dramatics, a passion she contemplated pursuing professionally. She learned later in life that other Kent School graduates had followed this path, including Ted Danson, star of the television sitcom Cheers, who graduated the year before she arrived.
Acting was a talent that came naturally to Nancy, and she liked to showcase her abilities in the company of friends. Without prompting, she would teasingly assume other voices, or break into theatrical performances to dramatize a point she was trying to make. Her giddy role-playing kept her friends in stitches, and in later years, helped her to interject a little fun when life became too serious to bear. Her style of dress was equally theatrical. While the other girls shed their plaid uniforms on weekends to don sweater sets, turtlenecks, and slacks, Nancy preferred a more “Jacqueline Kennedy” look, which included large-framed sunglasses and a colorful scarf to encircle her neck.
As a member of the Thespian Society, she befriended Richard “Treat” Williams. The talented actor burst on the film scene playing the role of a New York police detective turned justice department informant in the 1981 film Prince of the City. He also played Stanley Kowalski in a made-for-television version of A Streetcar Named Desire in 1984.
Raised in nearby Rowayton, Connecticut, “Treat” was a member of Nancy’s graduating class. During her last year at Kent, he had a very small role in the school’s production of The American Dream, in which she played the part of Mommie. The same year, she also landed the starring role as Antigone in Sophocles’ Greek tragedy of the same name. Her performance was the grand finale of four years spent at the exclusive boarding school, and she received a standing ovation from her high school peers.
Her summers were spent touring the world with her wealthy maternal grandparents, who included such cosmopolitan cities as Paris, London, and Rome on the whirlwind itinerary. Her trips were fully funded by Grandma and Grandpa Rehm, who wanted only the best for their darling Nancy. From the moment her grandfather laid eyes on her, his affection for her never waned. The two enjoyed countless hours together, talking and joking about every subject imaginable.
The wealthy businessman spared no expense when it came to his granddaughter, and his generosity included an all-out extravaganza for her sixteenth birthday. The Holly Ball, also known as “the biggest social event of the season,” was the elegant debutante party held each summer at the ritzy Scarsdale Golf Club in nearby Hartsdale. For sixteen-year-old Nancy, a celebration on the same scale marked her debut into society, and she counted it among the highlights of her young and privileged life. Her coming out was topped off by a whirlwind trip around the world with her grandparents, who over the years had taken Nancy to the far corners of the earth in first-class style.
But upon her return, Nancy was forced to confront the difficulties her family continued to grapple with, even in her absence. And while boarding school afforded Nancy the opportunity to escape from the emotional turmoil, her younger brother John was not as lucky. Unlike his sister, John had never really adjusted to the changes that had taken place early in his life.
His difficulties continued throughout his teens. His troublesome behavior landed him at a special school—in spite of the fact that his father, Dr. Richards, had signed on as the doctor for the Scarsdale school system in 1969 when John turned fifteen.
Of the three, Roderick fared the best, perhaps because he had never experienced the wrenching separation his half-brother and half-sister had when they were children.
Nancy’s youngest brother—who was known to his friends as “Rod” “Rodder” and “Dor”—was a loner, which was perhaps his own way of coping with the instability at home. Classmates described Roderick Jr. as very much his own person, someone who never cared much about being part of a group. One of the tallest members of the Scarsdale Boys’ Cross-Country team, the gangly teen with the wide smile and thin mustache looked very much like his father. He wore his shoulder-length, light-brown hair brushed to one side, and his quiet, serious demeanor was often mistaken for snobbery. Unlike Nancy, he weathered the emotional ups and downs at home with a fair degree of equanimity, and graduated from Scarsdale High School exactly ten years after she completed her education at the exclusive boarding school in northwest Connecticut.
Nancy had proudly walked the lawn of the Kent School for the last time in June of 1969, her dark eyes hidden behind large-framed sunglasses, her thick locks of chocolate-brown hair tucked neatly behind her ears. Amidst the lilac and cherry trees that were in full bloom, she received her high school diploma on Prize Day, the name given to the school’s commencement exercises and the awards ceremony that followed.
Her next stop would be Washington, DC and the gated campus of exclusive Mt. Vernon College. It was a move that would bring her professional success. It would also bring Jeremy Akers into her life.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The stifling, muggy days of summer in the District of Columbia were giving way to September’s more temperate climate when Nancy arrived in the Capital City for her first day of classes at Mt. Vernon College. The private women’s school she had chosen to attend had a reputation as a “debutante” college, and was popular with the daughters of well-heeled families, and of Washington’s ambassadors and diplomats.
After four isolated winters spent at the remote New England boarding school, Nancy enjoyed the hustle-bustle of big city living and the intimate atmosphere of the small, well-secured campus. She and her fellow classmates felt secure behind its scrolling wire gates, and protected by the twenty-four-hour manned security booth located at the school’s front entrance. It was here that she befriended the woman who would remain one of her closest friends. From the moment that Nancy met Alison Van Meter, the two became instant friends. Their bond remained strong even after Nancy transferred to another college, with Alison serving as Nancy’s maid of honor at her runaway wedding to the man who would ultimately take her life.
Mt. Vernon College was situated in the heart of downtown DC, steps from young and trendy Georgetown, and gorgeous cherry and maple trees surrounded its Federal-style brick buildings. Nancy was attending college at a volatile time in our nation’s history. The Vietnam War was escalating overseas and she watched protesters descending on the White House almost daily. The boys in her own social circle were choosing to stay clear of the Vietnam conflict, opting instead to study at Ivy League undergraduate and graduate schools.
Nancy continued to excel in the areas of history and English during her two years at the small liberal arts college, and living in the nation’s capital also provided her with an insider’s view of the political arena. It was nearly impossible for anybody living in the District to avoid getting pulled in to the daily controversies that raged over the war. Nancy was among them, and her escalating interest in world affairs ultimately led her to change her major from English to international studies.
In many ways, it seemed that she was like a chameleon, able to adapt and change effortlessly to any situation. She had already adjusted to life with a new father and to the demands of a rigorous private school. In the years to come, she would exhibit an unerring ability to transform herself to fill a number of roles.
On weekends, she and her classmates took advantage of the city’s cosmopolitan social scene, attending dances and parties teeming with young college men enrolled at George Washington and Georgetown universities, both of which were considered “dating schools” by the women of Mt. Vernon College.
Sunday mornings were often spent at Clyde’s of Georgetown, the popular hangout where students congregated to sip Bloody Marys and gobble down Eggs Benedict.
Nancy’s roommate was employed as a hostess at the M Street eatery and was assigned to work the busy Sunday morning shift. It was a perfect reason for Nancy to join her there to grab a quick bite a
nd partake in the festivities before returning to the dorm for an afternoon of study. It was there at Clyde’s that she was introduced to Bill Ranger, a Georgetown University student and part-time waiter at the eatery whom she would later meet as one of her future husband’s closest friends.
In the fall of 1971, Nancy transferred to Sweet Briar College, the top-notch women’s liberal arts school in the rolling green hills of Sweet Briar, Virginia. The expansive campus covered 3,300 acres of Virginia’s Wine Country, and was set at the foothills of the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains, about twelve miles north of Lynchburg, one hour south of Charlottesville, and 150 miles southwest of Washington, DC.
Like Mt. Vernon College, Nancy was aware that Sweet Briar College was considered a debutante way station, and was attended by wealthy “society” girls, many of whom went on to gain financial wherewithal by marrying prominent politicians and businessmen. In a school with only six hundred students, and fewer than twelve pupils to a class, individual attention abounded at the tiny institution that had a reputation as one of the finest four-year colleges in the nation. The intimate classroom settings promoted greater interaction among the students and their professors, and afforded Sweet Briar enrollees with a level of education unrivaled by private colleges in its class.
In addition to its academics, students on the beautiful campus enjoyed excellent accommodations with all of the amenities of a first-class hotel and a panoramic view of the Virginia countryside. There were two lakes for fishing and swimming, trails and nature sanctuaries for hiking, walking, and jogging, two athletic fields, fourteen tennis courts, and an Olympic-sized pool. Sweet Briar women also had access to the famed Harriet Howell Rogers Riding Center, an equestrian facility renowned as the best-designed college facility in the country.
Nancy and her classmates particularly enjoyed walking the campus’ national historic district, which is comprised of sixteen of the school’s original structures, red-brick buildings designed with A-shaped slate roofs and spectacular views of the Blue Ridge mountains. Among the structures was the gracious Sweet Briar House, the original mansion of the college’s founder. For Nancy, attending classes in the historic buildings—designed in part by Thomas Jefferson, whose Monticello was located not far from the campus—was preferable to the more contemporary buildings that had been added on over the years.
The chronic daydreamer—who, as a child, fantasized about a career as a ballet dancer, and as a teen was determined to become an actress—declared a major in government studies, one of two academic programs for which the school was well-known. Her choice of study was a far cry from the creative pursuits in which she had participated over the past twenty years, and would take her in a direction that she had never intended for herself.
On May 20, 1973, Nancy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in government, and, at twenty-two, returned to Washington, DC to pursue a career in her field of expertise. Her jobs were varied and prestigious. They ranged from speech-writer for Sam Ervin, senator from North Carolina, to researcher for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the Salt II Treaties that were never ratified. In addition, she worked for the Democratic National Committee.
She had been employed on “the Hill” for nearly three years when she was introduced to the person who would soon become her husband. Jeremy Ray Akers was like no other man she had ever dated. The well-built Southerner with the throaty voice and thick drawl had a feral manner that set him apart from the polished boarding school boys of her past. Nancy found the disposition of the hard little man with the strawberry-blonde hair and solid gold eye-tooth a welcome change from the staid and conservative style of her former boyfriends. He was not only charming—he was fun.
It excited her that Jeremy had served his country in the United States Marine Corps, and that he was decorated for his heroic acts during the Vietnam War. She had never dated a man who counted alligator hunting among his favorite pastimes, and she was enamored not only with his physical strength, but also with his excessively polite manner and dapper, Southern style. She liked that he took time to help the elderly and went out of his way to lend a hand to single women and young mothers in need. And that he was so incredibly loyal to his country, and to his family, all of which made her proud to be by his side.
To Nancy, Jeremy was the most exciting person she had ever encountered, and from their very first date she was determined to make him hers. She was aware that his upbringing greatly differed from her own, but that was part of what made him so appealing. She was struck by his discipline and self-control, which was reflected even in the way he dressed. Before leaving the house, he spent an inordinate amount of time in front of a full-length mirror, tying and retying his tie and scrutinizing his pants for creases and wrinkles. His closet was meticulously ordered, with like items neatly hung side by side. He adored ties, and had a tremendous collection that he agonized over before making a decision.
But there was something wild and untamed about Jeremy Akers, and for Nancy the combination of his qualities was irresistible. She was convinced that as staff counsel to the House Select Committee on Assassinations, the poised, intelligent attorney was on the fast track to success. And while her parents did not approve of her new boyfriend, her friends could not help but notice how she lit up whenever he was around.
To casual acquaintances, Jeremy carried himself as though he was a member of the Southern aristocracy. His courtly manner and controlled steadiness gave him an air of class and sophistication. But those who knew him better sensed that inwardly, he was self-conscious and uncomfortable about his humble beginnings and longed for something more. In the rough-and-tumble world of Washington politics, having the right woman on his arm was important to Jeremy, and he gravitated toward women like Nancy who commanded respect.
Yet, while Jeremy found the shapely, dark-haired speechwriter attractive, he had no intention of giving up his bachelorhood, and continued dating as many women as he could fit into his schedule. He still could not believe that he had attained this lifestyle, appointed to such an important role, re-creating himself as a prominent DC lawyer who was working on Capitol Hill, winning the respect of his colleagues. Women considered him worldly and polished, and he suddenly found himself in the position of having his pick of Washington’s most desirable dates. It was almost too much for a small-town boy to have ever imagined.
While his new love interest was telling her friends that she would not date anyone but Jeremy, he was out on the town with other women. He did little to hide his disinterest in a more serious commitment, and he even let it be known that he was dating around. Nevertheless, during the time he did spend with Nancy, he was overbearing and controlling, even advising her to quit her position with the Democratic National Committee because he didn’t like the Party’s politics: Nancy, who would do anything to keep him interested, strove to please him. Although brilliant and competent, Nancy seemed to lack the self-esteem necessary to disagree with the man she considered her handsome hero. Eager to please, she eventually agreed to leave her post with the DNC to make the new object of her affections happy. But her devotion and compliance did little to bring Jeremy closer to making a commitment to her.
In fact, his desire to cool things down did not sit well with Nancy, who seemed almost addicted to his volatile disposition. She found herself attracted to the characteristics that made other women on the Hill shy away from Jeremy. To them, his sardonic humor and intense, dark personality translated into something dangerous. To Nancy, they were the qualities that magnetized her.
When she finally agreed to separate, Jeremy’s friends couldn’t understand why Nancy continued to take Jeremy back even though she knew that he had been unfaithful, or why she continued to look the other way when it was clear that he had taken up with yet another young lady. While most women would have taken his indiscretions to heart, Nancy remained strangely true to Jeremy, penning him love letters, and believing that ultimately he would see his way back to her. For a woman who had been abandoned in
childhood by her father, perhaps she continued to set herself up for some kind of rejection or future abandonment.
“Opposites attract” might be the simple explanation for why Nancy found Jeremy so attractive. It is not uncommon for the athlete to be attracted to the couch potato or the intellectual to find comfort in the “street smarts” of a non-academic type. To a large degree, both Nancy and Jeremy were entranced with each other. Perhaps she found his kind of rigid discipline and focused, goal-setting style a complement to her own innate creativity and her tendency to dreaminess and fantasy. And maybe he found her free spirit and wild side a complement to his own uptightness.
Yet, when Jeremy announced that he was leaving town for Colorado to join his former law school roommate, Ron Castille, at the ski camp he was running for military amputees, Nancy was heartbroken—another abandonment. She listened in disbelief as he told her that his departure would mark the end of their relationship. To her, the idea of losing Jeremy was completely unacceptable, and she resolved to win him back no matter what it was going to take.
Her determination—or desperation—prompted her to buy a plane ticket to the west, where she paid a surprise visit to the man she was desperately obsessed with. Her unannounced arrival stunned Jeremy, who was enjoying life as a ski bum in the opulent snow-capped playground of the rich and celebrated. While Nancy had literally chased after him countless times during their on-again, off-again relationship, this time her efforts yielded the results that she so urgently desired.
When Nancy announced that she was pregnant with the couple’s first child, Jeremy quickly got down on bended knee and asked her to be his wife. Friends of the couple say that his proposal had less to do with the pregnancy and more to do with Jeremy’s impulsive, sudden change of heart, perhaps influenced by his strong Christian values. Friends recall a conversation in which Nancy and Jeremy confided that their decision to marry was based on the belief that their union would ultimately be consummated in matrimony, and said that they agreed to keep their exact wedding date a secret in order to protect their first child from feeling awkward about their premarital relationship. In fact, it would not be until the day after Nancy’s murder that their son, Finny, would learn through a newspaper article the true circumstances of his parents’ nuptials.
Fatal Romance: A True Story of Obsession and Murder Page 10
