Page 44 of Little Child Gone

“Do you think this is related to Eli’s disappearance?” Johnson asked.

“It’s too early to tell,” Miller said. “Did Eli and Taylor have any classes or extracurriculars together?”

“No,” Johnson said. “Eli loved theatre, and the orchestra handles the music, not the band. I don’t remember Eli ever talking about Taylor. Or vice versa.” He looked at Mrs. Fink. “Did Taylor ever mention Eli?”

“Not before he went missing,” Fink answered. “Taylor brought me a Christmas gift the day we left for break. He mentioned how sad it was for Eli’s family. That’s the first time I’d heard him mention him.”

“I didn’t know kids gave gifts in high school like that,” Nikki said.

“Most don’t,” Johnson said. “But his mom made goodie bags for each teacher. Best peanut butter fudge I’ve ever had.”

Nikki wasn’t surprised to hear Christy had made such an effort. It lined up with what she’d learned about her from Amelia and Neena.

“How did Taylor seem before break?” Nikki asked.

“Fine,” Fink answered. “Excited for the time off like all of us. I didn’t get a chance to see him yesterday.”

“We know about the fight with Adrian Lynch,” Miller asked. “Did Taylor tell you what it was about?”

“Taylor said that Adrian disrespected his sister,” Fink said. “Taylor knew he’d get in trouble, but it was important for him to defend his sister.”

“He ever show any sign of anger issues beyond that incident?” Miller asked. “Or give any hint about issues at home?”

“Taylor’s not an angry kid.” Fink looked at Johnson, who nodded. “He and his mother have certainly had their battles.”

“Can you elaborate?” Nikki asked.

“A lot of it’s normal teenaged stuff,” Fink answered. “But Taylor carries some resentment for his mother, I think. He’s mentioned their lives being bad before his dad came into the picture.”

“Jared, you mean?”

Fink smiled. “Yes, and it just warms my heart. There are plenty of good stepparents out there, but their close relationship is something I don’t see very often. Taylor glows whenever he talks about his dad.”

“How often does he talk about his relationship with his mother?” Nikki asked.

“Not often,” Fink said. “He never really came to me for a counseling session, per se. He was a happy kid. But it was obvious their relationship isn’t the same as his and his dad’s. He didn’t have to tell me much about before Jared came into their lives for me to know he had issues with his mom. I noticed he seemed more tense when he talked about her.”

“Did he give you the impression he was afraid of her?”

“No,” Fink said. “It was more exasperation and bitterness,” Fink continued. “She keeps a perfect house and stays home to take care of his youngest sister. I got the impression Christy tries very hard to make up for the past, but in all the wrong ways. Taylor did tell me she cares more about appearances than them sometimes. He walked that comment back, but I knew he meant it.”

“Back to the fight with Adrian Lynch,” Nikki asked. “How was Taylor when he came back from suspension?”

“The same, as far as I know,” Fink said. “His grades are steady. He participates in class and hasn’t had an issue with anyone else.”

“Agreed,” Johnson said. “I’m in charge of bringing kids back in after suspensions, making sure things go smoothly. I haven’t been around him as much as Mrs. Fink, but he didn’t seem any different to me.”

“What about friends?” Miller asked.

“He only talked about Neena and Logan,” Fink said. “I got the impression he was friendly with everyone but kept his circle very small. He didn’t share a lot of personal information in class like some kids do.”

“I know you can’t tell us anything Logan or Neena have told you in confidence, but did Taylor ever mention being angry or fighting with one of them? Or where he might go if he did?” Miller asked.

“No,” Fink answered. “He just didn’t share that much about his life. I can say I never heard him say anything negative about them.”

“And Logan has an exemplary record,” Johnson said. “Neena, too.”

“I’ve spoken to Neena already,” Nikki said. “But Logan isn’t at school today. His mother called him in sick.”

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