Honor Code Violation
Previously: Missing teen Alexa Thomas is identified as the body in El Polin Spring. Jeannie offers up a plan for next steps.
6:55 PM - Saturday, November 1, 2014
US Park Police Office, Ft Winfield Scott, The Presidio
Jeannie was thinking 5 steps ahead, organizing a to-do list for all of them before the morning session with the high schoolers. Release forms, question lists, statement forms, legal pads, pens…
“Jeannie - the Captain is here.” It was Paco, leading the Captain into the conference room. The Captain was in civilian clothes - a well-worn flannel and a barn jacket over well-worn jeans. He looked resigned. Jeannie stood as he entered.
“It’s fine Hagen, you can sit.”
“Thank you, sir. We won’t keep you long.”
“Can I get you something Captain, a tea, water?” Paco offered. The Captain looked at him thoughtfully.
“Tea is fine.”
“Sure. Be right back.” Paco left to find whatever he could.
“I went ahead and called the Headmaster of Academy Prep - he’s on his way over here.”
“Really?” Jeannie asked, moving to the whiteboard to make her list. “Well that’s good. Better in person.”
“How has your day been?” The Captain asked, leaning back. He looked so different out of uniform, it was hard to reconcile. Jeannie sighed.
“Awful. Good. Both things are true.” The Captain nodded. Paco came in with a large mug of steaming tea.
Mark passed through the hallway, returning from dropping off Spiro Thomas. He looked drained. “Hey - I need a minute.”
“Sure.” She answered quietly. “Take all the time you need.” Mark looked at her, his blue eyes pained. He breathed and gave a slight nod before walking on.
“Well, it’s getting late, so I’ll get started and Mark can catch up.” Jeannie said to the Captain and Paco. “We’ve confirmed that our victim is Alexa Thomas and we’ve confirmed that she attended a party last night at the home of Tripp Hartman on Presidio Terrace.” Jeannie thought she saw the Captain’s face wince a little. “We believe she then went on to a far less formal after-party here in the park up on Inspiration Point. We heard from a witness that there were mini bottles of Tito’s there, and apparently the evidence team has found proof of that.”
“What else has the evidence team found?” The Captain asked.
“We don’t know yet. They’re still working up the report. It may be Monday at the earliest.” Paco offered. Mark entered with a cup of tea and began pacing at the back of the room again.
“So in lieu of a full scope of evidence, we would still like to proceed with questioning some of the other teens that were at the party, which is why we wanted to speak to you.” The Captain raised his eyebrows, sipping on his paper cup. “The news about Alexa Thomas will move like wildfire among these teens once her family lets people know. This would give people too much of an opportunity to compare stories, start rumors….”
“Not to mention clear out texts and photos.” Mark tossed out. He was right.
“…and even intimidate each other, if need be.” Jeannie continued. “We have a list of names, but they’re at multiple schools. What I propose may be unorthodox, but timing is key. I was hoping we could get the headmasters to play ball and call an urgent, mandatory meeting tomorrow morning for all of the kids we’ve identified together, ostensibly about drug and alcohol usage. All these schools have big reputations, honor codes….they’d want to button this up. We stress that if the kids miss the meeting they’d be considered for suspension or even a failing grade.”
“Bad news for a high school senior.” The Captain offered.
“Exactly.” Jeannie said. “So, we get them to show up early, give them the news about Alexa, and do some initial interviews and statements. Then the schools can prepare grief counselors, etcetera.”
“I’d like to secure their phones.” Mark said. “Can we tell them phones are not allowed in the meeting? That way, no one can go mucking things up when the news drops.”
“We could - I was thinking of a check-in desk. Give everyone a dorky name tag so we know who they are, have them sign in and check in their phones.”
“And this girl went to Academy - where are the other kids from?” The Captain asked.
“Holy Heart and Xavier Prep.”
“Shit.” The Captain said. Jeannie knew he’d hate that his own alma mater, and hers, was in the mix. “Alright I’ll call the dean.”
“I don’t know who it is since Brother Driscoll retired.” Jeannie offered. The former venerable dean of Xavier was a Jesuit brother both feared and adored by his students for nearly five decades. He was also a family friend. Whoever had taken over for Brother Driscoll had very large shoes to fill.
“Oh, I know who it is.” The Captain sighed. “A new Jesuit who came to the order only a few years back. He’s doing well, but definitely no Brother Driscoll. XP has been getting a reputation for some lax discipline unfortunately.” Jeannie raised her eyebrows. This was hard to believe after her four years of dress codes, ties, shirts tucked-in, trim hair cuts, and detention given for the merest offense.
“Sic transit gloria mundi.” She said softly. The Captain gave her a wry smile, as he scrolled through his phone.
“You have the heads of these schools in your phone?” Mark asked him.
“Well, yes. We have a close relationship with all of the high schools.” The Captain sighed. “A necessity, unfortunately.” He scrolled his phone. “This is a unique plan, but it may work. I like that you all want to move fast.”
“We won’t have a choice once this goes public.” Mark offered, grasping the back of a chair. The back door banged and Paco ran to open it, returning with the Headmaster of Academy Prep. He was tall and trim, and somewhat nerdy looking, wearing a v-neck sweater and scarf. He brought a file and a laptop and immediately sat down at the table, face grave.
“How are you, sir?” The Captain asked.
“Well - this is shocking news.” He said simply, settling himself. “Alexa Thomas was a vibrant, talented girl and a great student. But I do have something in her file I thought you should know about, which is why I came immediately.” He opened his laptop and navigated to open something. “So, I know this is maybe a little unorthodox for those not familiar with Academy Prep, but our students have a very egalitarian relationship with our teachers and staff. We maintain open communication and welcome any student who needs to talk.” He looked at all of them. “So, when Alexa emailed me this past summer and asked if she could meet with me for a coffee to talk something over, of course I agreed. It was right after the July 4th weekend, and we met at Jane on Fillmore Street.”
“What was it about?” Mark asked, as Jeannie slid into a chair at the table.
“Well, it was interesting. She was somewhat upset - rattled, really.” His face grew concerned as he remembered. “She asked me if there was a way to file an honor code violation against a student at another school, but to do it anonymously.” Jeannie looked at the Captain, whose face was confused.
“What was the nature of the honor code violation?” Mark ventured.
“Well, she was reluctant to say, but eventually she said there had been a situation of possible assault at a party on July 4th and that Jennifer Tyson - another one of our students - may have been the victim. She said the perpetrators were students at Xavier Prep.”
“Shit.” Again, softer this time, from the Captain.
“Did she give you any names?” Jeannie asked.
“Yes, and I did relay them to the new Dean at Xavier Prep, but since she wouldn’t make a formal statement, I’m not sure it went anywhere.”
“What would a formal statement have involved?” Mark countered.
“Well, at Academy, it would have meant a detailed account of the situation, plus providing her name on the record. Then, there’d be an investigation and action taken if it was proven to be true. But if it couldn’t be proven, it could come back on the accuser. That’s why she was reluctant to give her name and go on the record. This instance being against students at another school made it even trickier. I told her that if the accusations were serious, she could consider filing a police report, but she didn’t want to do that.” The Headmaster took a breath. “I got the impression that she was very much on her own with this — she hadn’t told her parents about any of it.”
“So, how did it end?” Jeannie asked.
“I told her to think about it — to seriously think about it. I told her to write down what she could remember while it was still fresh and keep it somewhere safe, just in case. Even if she didn’t act on it, she would have it. I also encouraged her to seek advice from her parents and talk it over with them. And then, she left with her family a few days later for the rest of the summer. I chatted with her again briefly when school started and she seemed to have moved on entirely. She dropped the whole idea and seemed eager to get going with her senior year.” Jeannie didn’t realize she had been holding her breath.
“Well,” Mark began, “this is a new wrinkle. Do you have - are you willing to share the names she gave you?”