Page 14 of The Catcher (High Peaks Murder, Mystery and Crime Thrillers #5)

“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.

“Bullying. Peer pressure. They have to be here five days a week. We may only have to see them a few times in that time, but they have to see their fellow students countless times. It’s easier to stay tight-lipped than to speak up.

We are trying to change that, but it’s a slow process,” Wright acknowledged, recognizing the complexities of addressing these issues within the school system.

As they entered the office, Wright swiftly directed his secretary to arrange for Nicholas to be brought down. With a nod of acknowledgment, she set about her task while Wright opened a nearby door, gesturing for Noah to step inside.

“This whole incident has created a ripple effect. Students are scared. Parents are terrified. I’ve spent the better part of the morning reassuring parents that we will be taking every measure to ensure their child is safe,” Wright shared.

“But yet you can’t, can you?” Noah remarked, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.

Wright let out a heavy sigh, acknowledging the challenge they faced. “Not any more than we usually do. But they don’t want to hear that. It didn’t happen on school property, but that’s not to say that people don’t think it’s related to something that has occurred here.”

“Maybe it is,” Noah suggested, considering the possibility.

Within minutes, a wiry teenager with unkempt hair and a worn-out backpack was escorted into the office.

“Ah, Nicholas, come on in,” Wright greeted him, attempting to put the boy at ease.

Nicholas entered cautiously, glancing around the room from underneath his dark hair.

Noah stepped forward, offering a small smile to establish rapport. “Hey, Nicholas. I’m Noah from the State Police. We’re investigating the disappearance of Pete Landry and Hailey Matthews. Do you mind if we chat?”

Nicholas nodded nervously. “Sure, I guess.”

Noah motioned for him to sit, and they gathered around a small table in the corner of the office.

“Two days ago, an argument was recorded on video of you and Pete Landry. Do you remember that?” Noah inquired, adopting a gentle yet probing tone.

“I do. But that had nothing to do with the disappearance,” Nicholas replied. “Landry’s an asshole,” Nicholas stated bluntly, earning a reproachful look from Wright.

“Nicholas.”

“Well, he is. I mean, he was,” Nicholas amended, acknowledging Landry’s demise with a shift in tense.

“What was it about?” Noah pressed further, seeking to understand the dynamics between Nicholas and Landry.

“He and his goons have been on me since my first year. I’m not the only one either. ”

“So there was no reason?”

“I told Hailey that he was cheating on her. I saw him kissing some other girl. She got all up in his face outside science class. I figured she’d dump his ass.

Leave him where he belongs, in the garbage.

But she didn’t. That’s the stupid part. They never learn.

They keep going back to the same assholes.

Why? Because they have good looks and money, they play football, and they are the life of the party. ”

“You felt a little jaded by that?”

“I don’t care.”

“Go on. What happened?”

“He cornered me in social studies. He had his goon squad jump me and hold me down. Covered my face in marker. It took me ages to get that off my face.”

Noah noted his skin was red and raw.

“Well, I, for one, won’t miss him.”

“Nicholas,” Wright said.

Noah studied the kid. Bullying was still rampant in schools. People who were different stood out like a sore thumb, but that shouldn’t have made them a candidate for violence.

“He ever whale on you before?”

“Countless times.”

“Were you in school yesterday?”

“Uh-huh.”

“And two nights ago, where were you after school?”

“At home, where I always am. I don’t have any friends. I don’t have any hobbies. And no one gives me the time of day in school. I just come home and sit in my room, scrolling on my phone like a loser.”

“You’re not a loser, Nicholas,” Wright said.

“Can anyone confirm you were at home the whole time?”

“Well, no, my father works in the evening.”

“And your mother?”

“They divorced, and my father got custody.”

Noah nodded and glanced at the principal. “That should be all for now. Thank you, Nicholas.”

After leaving the room, Noah asked the principal for Nicholas’ father’s address and phone number on file. He wanted to do a quick follow-up.

“Of course. You don’t think he had something to do with Landry’s death, do you?” Wright asked as he sat behind his desk and brought up the student files.

“From my experience, anything is possible. Could you give me a list of friends that Pete and Hailey were known to hang out with? I just want to understand better what was happening at that time.”