Page 78 of Vanish From Sight

Hawthorne moved uncomfortably in his seat. He pulled at his collar. “The matter was handled.”

“That’s good to know. Except what did the parents have to say about that?”

Hawthorne laced his fingers together and leaned forward in his chair, placing them on top of his desk. “They were rumors.”

“Aye but rumors you felt were strong enough to believe. That was what you said, right?”

“I did, Mr. McKenzie.”

“Detective.”

Hawthorne glared at him. “Detective McKenzie. Please. Youhave to understand. High Peaks Academy was established back in the 1950s. As a state-approved organization, we’ve been around a long time. We’ve seen it all. Most parents send their troubled teens to our private school as a last-ditch effort with the hope of not only educating them but ensuring changes in behavior, empowering them to become leaders, and ultimately guiding them to make that transition back into their home communities with a different worldview. We take that very seriously.”

“But not seriously enough to tell the parents their child was interfered with?”

“Like I said. They were rumors. I made a judgment call on those rumors.”

“Based on what? From everything we’ve been able to dig up about Katherine, she had an exemplary track record of counseling without one report of conduct unbecoming.”

“Based on who the rumors came from,” Hawthorne shot back.

“Ah. I see. And who might that be?”

“That is confidential.”

“Mr. Hawthorne. We have two dead women on our hands who both worked for High Peaks Academy. One who felt so angered that she had been unjustly kicked out of a position that she requested a journalist to assist her in investigating your Academy. Don’t insult my intelligence. Who provided the rumor?”

He glanced at the other two and looked at him. “Laura Summers.”

His eyebrows shot up and he couldn’t hold back a stifled laugh. “Oh, now isn’t that ironic. Certainly, brings new meaning to kill two birds with one stone. And who told her?”

“Like I said, it’s confidential.”

“Give me a name.”

“I couldn’t even if I wanted to. She made an agreement not to mention their names unless it was requested.”

“And of course, their names weren’t requested because Katherine stepped down.”

“Exactly.” Hawthorne took a deep breath. “Whatever was told or shown to Laura, was done in complete confidentiality. However, it was enough for her to believe them. She came to me. I then called Katherine into my office.”

“Did Katherine contest it?”

“She didn’t admit to it if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Did you tell Katherine that it was Laura who told you?”

“No. And there was no need to. She agreed to leave. You have to understand, Laura had been a nurse with us for over ten years. She wasn’t in the business of making up stories and especially not against Katherine, a fellow faculty member.”

McKenzie nodded. “Well. All right. That about clears that up. I would like to see Katherine’s office if that’s okay.”

Hawthorne nodded. “Erin, would you do the honors?”

“Certainly.”

The two of them rose and were about to head for the door when Callie chimed in. “Just a second. I have a question.”

“No, you don’t,” McKenzie said.