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Coach Martin chuckled. “Technically, yes. Right guard at Syracuse and an undrafted free agent for Baltimore. Spent a year on their practice squad, then realized I wasn’t going anywhere in the NFL. Been here six years now and it feels like home.”
The headmaster’s phone rang and he said, “Excuse me just a second.”
After Trey stepped away, the coach asked, “Do you live in Westchester County?”
“The city.”
“I figured you had to live someplace like that if you could afford to send your kids here.”
“Do you have kids here?”
Coach Martin laughed. “Even with the discount I get for working here, I could never afford to send a child here. Besides, mine are only three and five.”
“Doesn’t the school offer scholarships?”
“Generally, in some sports, especially football. We’ve been the regional champs five years in a row. But the scholarships are also designed to promote diversity. I doubt your kids would qualify.”
I smiled but didn’t give him any details about my family.
The headmaster finished his phone call and ambled back toward us. Coach Martin stuck out his hand again. “Hope you enjoy your tour, Mr. Bennett. And be careful down there in the city. It’s not like up here in the suburbs where everything’s quiet. You could get killed in the city.”
“You can get killed anywhere. At least I know my way around the city.”
Chapter54
ON THE PLUSside, my tour was finished and the headmaster hadn’t suspected what I was really after. On the minus side, I really hadn’t learned anything of value. I wasn’t about to mention Jaden Banning’s name. A place like this would immediately inform Mr. Banning, who would almost certainly claim some kind of harassment. That would make it much more difficult to determine if either of the Banning brothers was involved in the murderof Estella Abreu, Suzanne Morton, or Emma Schrade, who’d been found in the Bronx.
I was on my way to my car when I heard someone call my name. I turned to see the woman I’d vaguely recognized from inside the office. She hustled toward me as fast as her high heels could carry her.
“Hi, Detective Bennett. Do you remember me?”
I said, “I knew I recognized you.” I hate to ever admit not remembering someone.
“Michelle Finnegan.” She read my blank stare and added, “My daughter Alyssa went missing when she was ten years old, and you found her.”
I snapped my fingers. “The little girl who liked to ride buses. I found her on a bus headed from the Upper West Side to Midtown.”
She jumped up and gave me a hug. “I’ve been holding that in for eleven years. You were the only one who actually listened when we were telling you about Alyssa. You’re the one who figured out the bus schedules and brought her home to me safe. I’ll never forget that.”
“What’s Alyssa up to now?”
“She’s a senior at Binghamton. She wants to work in transportation. Go figure.” We both laughed together.
It’s moments like these that make every hardship a cop faces worthwhile. It doesn’t take many successes like this to make you forget about the failures.
We chatted for a few minutes. Michelle told me how much she’d enjoyed working at the school the past four years.
I took a chance. “Can I ask you a question just between the two of us?”
“Of course.”
“Do you know a student named Jaden Banning?”
“I know all the students. Jaden a little better than the rest. He seems to find his way to the office frequently.”
“He might be involved in something serious. That’s why I’m really here. I was just seeing if I could pick up any information.”
“Jaden is sort of famous around here. He brought an unbelievably beautiful girl as his date to a school dance some months ago. A little older. Really made an impression.”
