Page 23 of Little Child Gone (Nikki Hunt #10)

TWELVE

Mr. Cohen joined her in the practice room after Holly had returned Neena to class.

He sat down across from Nikki, red splotches across his fair cheeks.

A thin line of sweat beaded his forehead, his blond hair standing on end.

He crossed his legs, tapping his penny loafers against the floor.

He fanned the collar of his button-down shirt. “Why did I wear wool today?”

Nikki pointed to his sweaty forehead. “Is that all from conducting?”

“I’m very animated,” Cohen said. “Keeps me skinny.”

“Can you think of any other band kids I should talk to other than Neena and Logan?”

Cohen shook his head, his blond hair flopping in his face. “I’ve only ever seen him with those two.” He leaned forward. “He’s just run off, right? You don’t think something bad has happened?”

“My job is to assume something bad has happened,” Nikki said. “What makes you think he might run away?”

“He wouldn’t,” Cohen answered. “He’s working on a solo for the state competitions, along with two different quartets. He’s serious about his music.”

“What about his family?” Nikki asked. “Do you think he’d leave them?”

“I have no idea,” Cohen said. “I don’t talk to students about their personal lives. We barely have enough time to practice as it is.”

Normally, Nikki would press the issue, but Cohen’s sincerity was impossible to ignore. “Isn’t it unusual in such a big marching band to have two freshmen quads?”

Cohen sat up straighter. “Last year, I would have said yes. But Neena and Taylor are both exceptional. Their commitment level blew me away. And they knew the music and routine better than some of the other kids in the line. That’s all I care about.”

“Do you do individual lessons with every kid?”

“God, no. Individual lessons are reserved for kids competing in state competitions,” Cohen answered. “In addition to regular band practice, I practice with each instrument group twice a week, after school.”

“Taylor was preparing for a competition, right?”

“Yes,” Cohen answered. “He practiced with me during the lunch hour. I play the drums as well. I don’t know how familiar you are with high school band culture, but most percussionists don’t do individual solos. I did when I was in school, so I was excited for Taylor.”

“So even though you didn’t talk about personal things, you spent frequent time with him during the school day?”

“I suppose so.”

“Did you guys practice at lunch yesterday?”

Cohen’s brow furrowed. “Not as long as usual. Taylor said he had a headache, so we just ran through a few things.”

“Did you notice anything else other than him having a headache?”

“Honestly, I wasn’t sure that he had a headache,” Cohen said. “He didn’t seem to be suffering from the noise. He did seem like he had something on his mind.”

“How so?”

“He was very quiet,” Cohen said. “I assumed it was illness or whatever, but he just didn’t have his usual energy or focus. When he didn’t arrive this morning, along with Logan, I assumed they’d both gotten sick.”

“How was he before the holiday break?”

“Normal. Excited for Christmas and time off school.”

“Did you have any band practice that week?”

“No,” Cohen said. “The obsessive director in me wants to have practice that week, but I remember how much that can mess up a break. That just turns kids off band.”

“I know you don’t talk about personal things with the kids because of time constraints?—”

“Not just that,” Cohen said. “I don’t want to get involved in their personal lives. It’s about music for me.”

Nikki nodded. “Even so, would Taylor come to you if he were in danger or if something was wrong at school?”

“I doubt it,” Cohen answered. “The only personal conversations I’ve had are about his prior music experience and whether his sister will play next year. I do know he’s close with his dad. He plays drums, too.”

“What about his mom, Christy?”

“I’ve only met her once, after the fall concert. She was nice but didn’t talk a lot.”

“She let Jared do all the talking?”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Cohen said. “Her pupils were dilated, and I couldn’t understand her.”

“She was under the influence?” Nikki clarified. “At his band concert?”

Cohen held up both hands in defense. “I can’t say for sure. I don’t want to make accusations. Everyone has their issues.”

“But you thought so at the time?” Nikki pressed. “That was your gut reaction?”

“Yes,” Cohen said.

Nikki handed him one of her cards with her work cell and personal cell numbers. “If you remember anything else, however minute, please call. You’d be surprised how many times a little bit of innocuous information blows a case wide open.”

Cohen nodded and stood. He adjusted the belt holding up his baggy khakis and smoothed his hair. “Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do.”

“One last question,” Nikki asked as Cohen reached for the doorknob. “Where were you after school yesterday?”

He turned around slowly, his blue eyes hard. “Excuse me?”

“I have to know in order to cross you off the suspect list,” Nikki said. “We’re asking everyone who had contact with Taylor.”

Cohen sighed. “I left here around six thirty, after quartet practice. Stopped at the grocery and then went home.”

“Do you have a receipt from the grocery?” Nikki asked. “We can ask for their CCTV, but if you can show me now, it would save time.”

Cohen retrieved his wallet from his back pocket and rifled through the billfold. “Here. I don’t need it.” He handed her the crumpled paper.

Nikki looked the receipt over, confirming the time and took down his address.

“Hopefully CCTV footage nearby picks up your car arriving and that’ll be it.

” She studied the band director, trying to figure out if he was just the anxious sort or really had something to hide.

“The other option would be looking at the geo-tracking on your phone. It would show your exact path.” She smiled.

Cohen tucked his wallet back into his pocket. “I don’t have it on me. If you can’t figure it out with the CCTV, let me know.” He turned around and walked out, leaving the door open and Nikki still confused about where Taylor Hall had gone.

Holly Black walked Nikki from the music department to Adrian Lynch’s calculus class on the other side of the building. The high school had been big when she attended, but it had grown so much Nikki wondered how often kids were late to class just because of the distance they had to cover.

Holly pointed to the closed door ahead of them. “Adrian Lynch’s class. Let me speak to the teacher and bring Adrian out.”

“Thank you,” Nikki said. “The principal should have let the teacher know we were stopping by.”

She waited in the hall while Holly spoke to the calculus teacher. She emerged a couple of minutes later with a tall woman with dark glasses and an even darker look on her face. A tall, blond boy followed her, hands in his pockets and eyes on the floor.

Holly introduced the math teacher and Adrian.

“As the principal already told you, Taylor Hall is missing. Agent Hunt is leading the search for him.” She looked directly at Adrian, who immediately looked away.

“Ms. Farber, you and I are here to ensure Adrian’s rights aren’t violated.

That sounds terrible, doesn’t it? He’s a minor and Agent Hunt wants to make sure he’s protected. ”

Adrian’s shoulders relaxed a bit, and he finally snuck a glance at Nikki. He was a nice-looking kid, blond hair and striking blue eyes. The smirk playing on his lips showed his true character. “I’m not friends with Taylor.”

“Oh, I know.” Nikki returned the condescending smile. “You and Taylor have had some issues, right?”

“So?” Ms. Farber cut in. “Plenty of kids have issues with each other. That doesn’t mean he did something.”

Nikki looked at the teacher in silence for a few seconds. “I just need Adrian to answer.”

“I thought we were supposed to protect him?” Farber crossed her arms over her chest.

“From my putting words in his mouth, eliciting a false confession, pressuring him. That’s what can’t happen,” Nikki said. “Honestly, it’s as much for my protection as his. Adrian, can you tell me what happened between you and Taylor?”

“We don’t like each other.” Adrian shrugged.

Nikki changed tactics. “You understand that I already know what happened, right? I’d like to hear your version of events.”

Adrian’s eyes flashed, but before he could speak, Holly stepped in. “If you can’t cooperate, we can go down to Principal Carlson’s office.”

He glared at her for a moment. “I asked his sister out. He didn’t like it because she’s younger.”

Nikki waited, her eyes locked with Adrian’s. His expression sank as he realized he wasn’t in control right now. “Fine. I was shitty when she turned me down. She lied and said her parents wouldn’t let her date, and that’s bullshit. I know better.”

“Really?” Nikki asked. “How would you know better?”

“She and my little sister have some classes together in middle school,” Adrian said. “My sister said that Amelia left a pregnancy test in the bathroom trash.”

Holly and Ms. Farber gasped. Nikki didn’t flinch. “Did your sister see Amelia put the test in the trash?”

“No, but she’d been the only one in the bathroom and it was on the top.”

“That your sister knew of,” Nikki said. “I don’t know off the top of my head how many girls attend her middle school, but that test could have belonged to anyone. Unless your sister’s a hall monitor and kept track of everyone using the restroom?”

Adrian’s cheeks turned red. “No. But when I confronted Amelia about it, I could tell it was true.”

He might be telling the truth. Nikki needed to speak with Amelia in private. But Adrian didn’t need to know any of that. Amelia had told him no, and that should have been the end of it. “You and Taylor still had issues even after the suspension, correct?”

“We stay away from each other.”

Ms. Farber shifted on her feet, rubbing her temples. “I’m sorry, I have a migraine, and these hall lights make it worse. Can we wrap this up?”