Page 31 of Vanish From Sight

The room was spacious and well-lit with bookshelves lining the walls from floor to ceiling. Noah extended a hand before taking a seat. Callie remained standing. Hawthorne sank into a comfortable-looking leather chair. His gaze darted between them, his expression remaining stoic. “What brings you here?” he asked in a deep, commanding voice.

Noah cleared his throat and began to explain the situation about the dog, while Callie took out a notepad to take notes. Hawthorne listened attentively, his expression betraying no emotion. When Noah was finished, Hawthorne leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands together.

“I see,” he said in a measured tone. “Sonny was originally mine but with work and a change in my personal situation, I was planning on giving him up. A faculty member here offered to take him. I assumed she would have updated his registration.”

“The colleague’s name?”

“Katherine Evans. She worked here as a residential counselor up until six months ago. She stepped down from her position. Is everything okay?”

Noah stared back at him and the rector’s expression changed.

“The woman pulled from the lake. That’s her, isn’t it?” Hawthorne asked.

“We don’t know that yet. Would you have a photograph of Katherine?”

“Yes. Um. Give me a moment.” He got up, looking a little washed out in the face. He crossed the room and dug inside one of the filing cabinets. “This is… just… dreadful…” He trailed off, clearly taken aback by the news. A moment later, he pulled out a folder, opened it and handed Noah a school photo. Although the body they pulled out was bloated, the resemblance was clearly there.

“Was that her?” Hawthorne asked.

“Would you happen to have her home address, and a name and number for next of kin?”

“We should.” He shook his head, his demeanor shifting to one of worry. “I can’t believe this. I was only talking with her a few weeks ago.”

“In regards to?”

“Private matters pertaining to the academy.” He sighed. “Nicholas will be devastated.”

“Her husband?” Noah asked.

He nodded, returning with an address for a home in Keene Valley. Noah tucked the address into his pocket. “How well do you know her husband?”

“Uh. I’ve met him a few times. Always came across as kind and personable. He’s a manager at a bank in town.”

“You mentioned Katherine stepped down from her position. Any reason why?”

“Personal choice. You’d have to speak with her but…” He took a deep breath.

Noah looked around. “Did you find a replacement?”

“We did.”

Noah eyed some of the pictures of alumni and staff on the walls. “How many faculty members are there?”

“Thirteen and roughly a hundred students.”

“Hm. A small group. You know, I grew up in these parts,” Noah said, rising from his seat and perusing the room. He glanced at Callie. “I don’t ever recall hearing about this place.”

“It’s not your typical private school. We cater to a very specific kind of individual.”

“And that would be?”

“Our students range from twelve to twenty-one years of age. It’s coeducational. We mostly focus on those with emotional and learning difficulties that have impacted their ability to perform at home or in public schools.”

“Emotional?”

“Students who struggle. There are any number of reasons but mostly it comes down to learning and social needs. We try to take a holistic approach to education, including outdoor-based programs and spirituality to address things such as social trouble, special education, anxiety, lack of motivation, trauma, depression, difficulty conversing with family or peers, ADD and ADHD. We’re state approved, of course, and keep our numbers low to ensure we can work closely with individuals. Everyone who is accepted here is usually referred by social services, probation departments or special education agencies.” He glanced off to see Callie taking notes, his brow furrowing. “Our staff is comprised of educators, counselors and clinicians who are more than capable of helping these young individuals develop positive, healthy coping strategies as well as improve their behavior and academic results.”

“So, Katherine counseled students?”