Chapter 6:

They crossed the floor, went up the stairs and entered the second floor. The classroom door was open and there was no sound coming from inside. They entered the classroom and spotted a tall, slim, dark haired man in the beginning 30th packing his briefcase.

"Mr. Roth?"

"Yeah, that's me. And you are?"

"Agent Spade and agent Taylor. FBI."

"FBI? What can I do for you?"

"We need you to tell us about Joaquin Matthews."

"Joaquin? Is he in any trouble?"

"We don't know yet. He's missing."

"And you're trying to find him?"

"Exactly – so what can you tell us about him."

"Joaquin – well... The boy was, lets say, difficult to handle in the past few weeks..."

"The principal told us, you had an argument with him and that he had some fights with other students?"

"Yeah that's true. I was asking him to tell me what was wrong with him, but he didn't want to. He was telling me it was none of my business and that I should keep out of it. He was pretty rude,..., and loud."

"So he was having trouble?"

"Severe trouble, but he didn't talk to anyone."

"What about the school's psychologist..."

Sam didn't get to finish her question for Danny was interrupting her.

"Well, the principal told us he wasn't having problems and that he didn't need the aid of a psychologist."

"The principal – is an old-fashioned, superstitious idiot. Excuse the expression. He is arrogant, he is a racist and he loves to hear himself talk. He has no idea about his pupils problems. Joaquin Matthews was a troubled kid, but the principal either didn't want to see it or he didn't care. That's due to the boys ethnicity."

It was Joaquin's teacher, who shot a look at Danny this time, but it was of a completely

different kind.

"I guess you already experienced it. But I guess Joaquin was deeply troubled about himself. He was trying to figure out, who he was and where he belonged to. You probably know the Matthews aren't his real parents and he was deeply worried about what kind of a person he was. I mean he grew up with two completely different ethnicities and ways of living. He needed to find out about his true identity and that was difficult for him. He would have been in desperate need of the school's psychologist's advice and I had wanted the principal to send him there, but he didn't. On the other hand – I don't think Joaquin would have talked to her. He didn't trust her and he would've wanted to sort out his troubles on his own."

"Do you believe he was depressive...?"

"You mean if he wanted to kill himself? No! I don't believe that. He was troubled and he was

angry, but he wasn't suicidal. He just needed time to find himself..."

"We're currently searching for people he may have gone to. Friends or a girlfriend?"

"He didn't really have friends, I believe. I mean there were a couple of people he was hanging around with during breaks and he probably saw them from time to time after school. They were buddies, but real close friends? No, I don't think so. But he had a girlfriend: Sara Peréz. At last I believe she was his girlfriend – they behaved like a couple. But that's not very long ago – probably only a couple of weeks. But he seemed to really care for her..."

"You have her address?"

"Yeah – she just moved here some month ago – I believe she lives in Spanish Harlem with

her family. I think I got her address somewhere in here."

He opened his briefcase once again and started to search for the address.

"What can you tell us about her."

"Sara? She's 15 years old and she's a pretty smart girl, but shy, very shy. She seems to have trouble with getting along in bigger groups, finding friend, talking to people she doesn't know – stuff like that. But she's a very lovely and caring young girl... Here it is!"

He fetched the address from his briefcase and handed it to Sam.

"What about the opposite side, any kids he was having a lot of trouble with?"

"There are some kids he was constantly fighting with. The Connor's brothers were his biggest

problem. You know, they come from a wealthy family and they have their own apartment in downtown Manhattan, but they have been thrown out of every elite private school on this side of the country and as their parents didn't wanna move to the pacific, they were sent to a national school. Their father is paying an amount of money every month, so the principal doesn't throw them out. Of course the school itself doesn't see any of it – I believe Winters keeps it all for himself. To have some nice last years on the Florida Keys when he retires or something."

"What were they fighting about?"

"The Connor's were making fun of him from time to time, because of his familiar background, his living conditions and because of his ethnicity. Normally he just wouldn't listen to it – he didn't care. But lately he shot back – verbally at first and then since the last two weeks also physically..."

"So he was hurt in his pride?"

"Yeah I guess so. You know it's not he hates them or vice versa – it's just that – considering the fact he was in search of an identity of his own – this had been pretty hard and insulting for him. So he fought back."

"Alright – is there anything else?"

"Yeah – there is Miguel Luis of course."

"Of course?"

"I'm sorry – if you would know the situation, you would understand the choice of words. Miguel is a very,..., self-assured kid, he's used to being liked by everyone and he's used to get what he wants. He's captain of the school's football team and he is the most popular guy in the whole school, I believe – all the boys wish to be his buddy and all the girls wish for him to choose her as his girlfriend. Unfortunately, his newest point of interest was Sara."

"But Sara wasn't interested..."

"Exactly. And she told him so. But when Miguel found out that Sara was with Joaquin – he went completely mad. He just lost his temper like I've never seen it before. I mean I've seen this boy angry before, but not like that. He was so goddamn furious, I was afraid he would kill the boy. He felt disrespect in his honor and dignity and he blamed Joaquin for this. He went to him and called Sara a stupid bitch, that he wouldn't even consider worth having sex with, if she would pay him for doing it, and he told him Joaquin probably was the right choice – he was as stupid and contemptible as her."

"So they were fighting?"

"Yeah – I mean they were really fighting – I had to send both of them to nursery afterwards. And that was what also made me believe Joaquin cared for Sara really deeply. I mean you probably have seen pictures of him, he's not that strong. Miguel Luis is about 6 feet tall and he's pretty musculous – he's a football player. I mean Joaquin had no chance against him and he knew it, but he tried to protect Sara's honor none the less – like a noble gentleman."

"Maybe you should give us the address of Miguel Luis, too..."