The shed contained an old kitchen chair with a pair of plump cushions for comfort.An upturned bucket served as a side table, topped by a dirty mug and an empty candy bar wrapper.The rest was gardening equipment and supplies: pots, compost—
And seeds, the bags marked with the name and logo of the supplier: the Smiling Seed Company of Orono, Maine.
“You were at Élan,” I said to Santopietro.
“I was.Whatever you’ve heard about it, however unbelievable, may be true.”
“My lawyer was there.”
“Really?What’s his name?”
“Moxie Castin.”
“I don’t remember him,” said Santopietro, “but there were multiple campuses, and it might have been before or after my time.Does he also represent Ward Vose?”
“No, that’s another lawyer.I meet a lot of lawyers.It’s an occupational hazard.”I took a last look at the shed, but I’d seen what I needed to see.“Tell me about Roger Teal, Mr Santopietro.”
“You’ve met him.I’m sure he was able to speak for himself.”
“He was.I just didn’t believe everything he told me.Why does he remain in touch with this school?”
“He believes in our mission.”
“Which part, exactly?”
“All of it.”
“See, that’s what I didn’t believe.He participates in your nocturnal raids, doesn’t he?He abducts terrified boys from their homes.”
“That’s a very pejorative interpretation,” said Santopietro.“It’s an unpleasant component of our work, one that we activate only in extremis.Very few students come here willingly, but the really disturbed ones, those whose parents are living in fear, have to be brought to Spero under duress, or in restraints.We take them at night, when they’re tired and disoriented, because it minimizes the potential physical harm to everyone involved.Nevertheless, it’s very traumatic for the boy—and the team members involved.”
“I hear what you’re saying,” I replied, “but why would someone take on that job unless they were being paid?Even then, it would stain the soul.It would certainly stain mine.But then, I wouldn’t agree to do it for any amount of money, and I surely wouldn’t do it for free.Yet Roger Teal volunteers.”
“That doesn’t mean he enjoys it,” said Santopietro.
“Doesn’t it?Presumably, there are other ways he could make himself useful here, ones that don’t involve brutalizing teenage boys.”
“Again, ‘brutalizing’ isn’t the word I’d use.”
“I’m sure it isn’t,” I said.“It would look bad on the prospectus.But is what you and Teal are doing to these boys any less worthy of censure than what was done to you at Élan?”
“I decline to submit to your judgment, Mr Parker.”
“Teal said something along the same lines.”
“Can you blame him?”
“I can try,” I said.I pointed toward the dormitories.“With your permission, I’d like to speak with any of your students who might have been friendly with Scott Theriault.”
“I can’t allow that.”
“Why not?”
“It would require parental consent,” said Santopietro, “which I’m not about to seek because I know it would be refused.Even if I anticipated a different outcome, an interrogation by a private investigator might be confusing and distressing for the boys.”
“What do you think I’m going to ask them: Whether they killed Scott, or know who did?”
“Scott had an accident in the woods.He broke his leg, fell into a river, and drowned.”
