I clear my throat. “As you probably know, Randy Sinclair comes from a very affluent family. Perhaps he decided to travel?”
“Travel?”
I shrug. “I don’t know Randy well, but I’ve heard other students talking about occasionally taking a week off to fly to Hawaii for some sun.”
His jaw ticks. “Must be nice. You know, to take off for a week.”
I think of my college years.It was nice.
Returning to the present conversation, I tell him, “Well, most of the students here come from money.”
“I understand. And then there are the scholarship kids.”
I blink. He’s been thorough in his investigation. “Yes, that’s right.”
“And how do the rich kids treat the scholarship kids?” he asks.
I look away. I noticed that unpleasantness right after I got to campus my freshman year. I always wondered if they would have treated Cody like that too; he’d been popular in high school and would have been on the football team here. He got along with everyone, so I could never imagine anyone treating him the way I saw others being treated.
“Not good,” I admit finally.
His eyebrows shoot up. “You’ve witnessed this?”
I nod. “Not as a professor, but when I was a student here.”
He arches a brow. “Wereyouhere on scholarship?”
“No.”
“I see.” He lets out a sigh. “Is it possible Randy didn’t treat some of these scholarship kids well?”
I meet his gaze. “Look, Randy isn’t the nicest person. I’ve seen it, I’m sure other professors have seen it. Unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do about it. Not without risking our jobs, anyway.”
He crosses his arms. “And how did Randy treat you?”
I can’t hide the surprise on my face as my eyebrows shoot up. I wasn’t expecting that. The last time I saw him, he was disrupting my class by talking to his friends. I don’t think I’ll be doing myself any favors if I speak so candidly, though.
“He attended class and asked questions. I’m sure he treated me like his other professors,” I say instead, hoping he can’t tell I’m lying.
Beyers watches me for a moment. “Are you sure last Monday was the last time you saw Randy?”
I swallow. “Yes. I gave a pop quiz, and Randy made a snide comment about it.”
He smiles. “And you don’t recall seeing him since?”
I shake my head.
“Do you take attendance, Professor Taylor?”
“No. Everyone here is an adult. It’s their choice to attend class.”
“Can you tell me who Randy normally sits with in class? I’d like to talk to those students.”
“Of course, I’ll write down their names.”
I retrieve a pen and pad of paper from the desk drawer. After scribbling the names of the three students I usually see Randy chatting with before class.
“I’m sure he has other friends, but these are the students he talks to in this class.”
