I nodded.
“I’ll need a verbal ‘yes,’ if you don’t mind.”
I should say no. I should ask for a phone call. I should stand up and walk away from this room and never come back.
“Okay,” I said. “Yes.”
“Great.” He set down the recorder. “We had a couple questions for you.”
“What about?”
“We’re just trying to piece together the days before Addison disappeared.”
“Okay.”
“Was there anything else you remembered about Addison that you thought we should know?”
“I don’t think so. He was majoring in economics? But I’m sure you know that.”
“He probably inherited an interest in money from his parents. That family is pretty well-off. Although I guess that’s not unusual at the college, is it?”
“No, it’s not.”
“Anything else?”
“Not that I can think of.”
“I see.” Laurence looked over at Hoffer and Hoffer gave a small frown in reply. “When we spoke, I asked if you knew Addison. And you said no, isn’t that right?”
“I said he wasn’t my student. But I’d seen him around. It’s a small campus.”
“It is. Feeling smaller every day, to be honest with you. But we heard you spent some time together. With his parents in fact. And Tyler. Back in November.”
“Oh,” I said. “Yes. I ran into them after an event at school.”
“Right. A bartender remembered you. We confirmed with his parents. They had nothing but nice things to say about you.” A beat. “And then after that, there was a party in January. Down in Columbus. Did that take place as well?”
I nodded.
“Sorry to be a pest,” Laurence said, “but again, can I get a verbal reply?”
“Yes.”
“So you did spend time with Addison. But when you came to see me the other day, offering your help, you implied you hadn’t.”
“I guess that’s right.”
“How come?”
“I don’t know, I’m not sure.”
“We were able to get over to Columbus and find a few kids who were at that party. Talked to a couple girls who recalled speaking with you. Met you on the porch?”
“I remember them.”
“They said they had a good time with you.”
“Actually,” Hoffer cut in, “they said they really enjoyed talking to someone who wasn’t a brain-dead meathead.”
