Laurel held up a hand. “Wait a sec. Does your mom know you’re here?”
“Yeah. Just talked to her. She’s at the hospital right now and should be headed this way soon. Agent Smudgeon is having surgery this afternoon, right?”
Laurel nodded. So long as Kate knew where her daughter was right now, she could relax. “Okay. What do you have for me?”
Viv flipped open her notebook.
Nester appeared in the doorway. “Hey. I need a coffee. Want anything?”
“Sure. I’ll have another chai. How about you, Viv?” Laurel said and introduced the two.
The girl stared at Nester. “Um. Same thing? Thanks.”
Laurel smiled. “We have an account downstairs. Just put it on that and add a tip. Thanks.”
Nester nodded and took off quickly.
Viv spun around to face Laurel. “Oh my God. He is so cute. Who is he?”
Laurel paused. Was Nester cute? He did have symmetrical facial features and an athletic build, even though he’d said he wasn’t athletic. She’d been more interested in his brain and abilities than his looks. “His name is Nester, and he’s our computer expert. He’s an FBI agent and is too old for you.” The man had to be around twenty-four, and Viv was only sixteen.
“A girl can dream, Laurel.” Viv focused on her notebook. “I questioned everybody I could without seeming like a nosy dork, and here’s what I have. Apparently Tommy Bearing and Julie Trapper got together one night in her room.” Viv looked up. “They did not have sex but did roll around and kiss a lot.”
“Was that unusual?” Laurel asked. Maybe Tommy couldn’t quite get there, which would cause rage.
Viv shook her head. “No. Julie is a virgin, and Tommy definitely is not. He’s slept with a bunch of girls and I think he wanted to with Julie, but she said no. But they did have fun, I guess.”
“What then?”
“Tommy climbed out her window and her dad caught him. There was a fight, and Tommy broke Mr. Trapper’s nose and wrist. I guess it was bad.” Viv’s eyes widened. “Mr. Trapper pressed charges, and Tommy got into trouble. Stories vary, but it seems like he was sent to the Tempest Youth Ranch for a two-week course on survival. He passed the course and got to go home. But he and Julie aren’t friends anymore.”
Laurel digested the information. “Anything else? Anything creepy?”
“Not that I found.”
“I’d heard that Tommy was convicted of voyeurism,” Laurel said.
Viv shook her head. “All I heard was that Mr. Trapper wanted Tommy charged with everything from trespass to rape to staring in windows, but then Julie said she’d let Tommy inside, so all Mr. Trapper could get him on was battery. It all seems to have gone away now.” Viv closed her notebook. “Oh. Also, the Trappers are related to Sheriff York, so that’s probably why Tommy was charged.”
“Tommy also broke the man’s nose and wrist,” Laurel murmured. “What’s your impression of Tommy?”
Viv blinked. “My impression?”
“Yes. You’ve seen him in school and have probably noticed how he interacts with others. What do you think of him?”
Viv paused as if giving the question serious thought. “I guess he’s okay. I mean, he acts like he’s a rebel and all, but then he uses a gold card to buy snacks at the school store. I have an advanced algebra class with him, and he’s pretty smart when he wants to be.” She shrugged. “He seems like a normal kid in a small town who doesn’t want to be known as the mayor’s kid all the time.”
Laurel smiled. “That’s a pretty good profile, Viv.”
The girl straightened her light blue coat. “Thanks.” She all but hopped on the chair. “I like this kind of work. What else can I do?”
“Have you met a boy named Davie Tate?”
“Yes.” She lit up. “He is so hot. You know? He kind of stays in the background but is so cute you can’t help but notice him. It’s like he’s kind of a rebel because he doesn’t care what anybody thinks. I mean, he’s in my algebra class also, but he doesn’t talk or answer questions like Tommy does. But if Ms. Montetro calls on him, he has the right answer. He just doesn’t make a big deal about it.”
Laurel had pegged him as being intelligent. “What’s his general attitude?” The kid had sworn at her.
Viv twisted her lip as she appeared to think it through. “Just kind of cool because he doesn’t care. He’s nice to everybody, but there’s an edge to him that’s kind of intriguing.” She slipped her notebook back into her bag.
