Page 30 of The Catcher
“Hailey? A little. She was in the same class as Landry. All of them were part of a larger group. You know, jocks and whatnot. Landry played sports. Hailey was a cheerleader.”
“And Wilson?”
“An oddball. I mean, in the sense that if you were to ask some of those in the class, that’s what they would say. He's a nice enough kid. Smart. But awkward. You know, one of the ones who struggle to fit in or form any lasting friendships. I’m sure you remember those types when you were in school?” Emerson said. “As for the two youths, if you want to know more about them, you’d probably be best to talk to Mr. Ross, the coach who heads up the football team, and Ella Wentworth, who handles cheerleading practice.”
Noah nodded, absorbing the information. “Thank you, Mr. Emerson. We’ll keep that in mind.”
Porter glanced over from where he was still searching through the desk. “Is there anything else you can tell us about Landry? Any other interactions with students that stood out?”
Emerson paused, considering. “Well, he was a bit of a troublemaker, to be honest. He was always pushing boundaries and testing limits. He had a bit of a temper,too. He got into more than a few scuffles with other students.”
“Were there any conflicts between Hailey and Wilson?” Noah pressed.
Emerson shook his head. “Not that I’m aware of. But then again, teenagers can be secretive. They might not have brought it to my attention despite the issues.”
Noah thanked Emerson again before ushering Porter and McKenzie out of the classroom. Once outside, they regrouped in the hallway, discussing their next steps.
“I’ll talk to this Coach Ross,” McKenzie said, folding his arms thoughtfully.
“And keep digging into Landry’s background,” Noah added, gesturing to Porter. “There might be more to this than meets the eye.”
As Noah glanced over his shoulder, he noticed Wright conversing with the janitor near the staircase. “Excuse me,” he said, brushing past his colleagues and raising a hand. Noah navigated his way down the bustling hallway with a sense of urgency as students emerged from classes.
“Principal Wright, a moment of your time,” Noah interjected, catching his attention.
Stepping aside, Wright nodded, acknowledging Noah’s request as the janitor continued on his way.
“Nicholas Wilson. Is he here today?” Noah inquired, quickly getting to the point.
“He should be,” Wright replied, his expression thoughtful as he considered the question.
“Was he absent yesterday?” Noah pressed, eager for any information that could aid in their investigation.
“I would need to check the school records. Do you want to speak to him?” Wright offered, willing to assist in any way he could.
“Yes,” Noah confirmed without hesitation.
“Come, I’ll have someone collect him,” Wright responded, leading the way back toward the primary office.
Wright shifted the conversation to a lighter topic as they walked, mentioning Mia’s progress and her newfound interest in law enforcement.
“It kind of runs in the family,” Noah remarked, a hint of pride in his voice as he spoke of his daughter.
“I never got a chance to express my condolences about your brother. We saw him from time to time, what with his kids here. He was the spitting image of you. A good man,” Wright expressed sympathetically, acknowledging Noah’s loss.
“Thank you,” Noah replied gratefully, appreciating the sentiment.
Turning the conversation back to the matter at hand, Noah inquired about Nicholas Wilson, seeking to gather more information about the troubled student.
“What’s the story with Wilson?”
“Not the best home life. Rough. He lives out at the trailer park in town. However, that isn’t a reflection of who he is. His grades are above par. Socially though, for the most part, he keeps to himself,” Wright revealed.
“Run-ins with others besides Landry?” Noah probed further to understand Nicholas’ interactions within the school community.
“Schools are a bit like prisons, Mr. Sutherland. Students tend to stick to the code of silence: hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. They fear the backlash,” Wright explained, highlighting the challenges of navigating social dynamics within the school environment.
“Bullying?” Noah questioned, concerned about the prevalence of such behavior among the student body.
