Ray: Would LAAC be exposed, though? There’s no evidence this happened at the school.

Zania: Brenae told a lot of people that her next two projects were about LAAC. She told me. It’s not a big leap of logic.

Ray: But there’s nothing on here to suggest it’s the school’s fault that she’s in this situation.

Zania: It’s a metaphor. The school is the situation. And the art world. Male artists getting the praise. Male artists getting the scholarships and gallery shows and biggest price tags. Male artists getting into museum collections, two to one, sometimes three to one.

Ray: Has your experience at LAAC reflected this? Hal’s crew once had three women and two men.

Zania: I’m an undergrad, as everyone loves to remind me. My opinion isn’t that important.

Ray: Still, I’d like to hear about your experience.

Zania: My experience? It’s busy. Really busy. And I’m afraid I can’t spend any more time on this right now. I hope your client finds the answers they want.

I fast-forwarded and let it play on Layla.

Ray: I really appreciate you meeting with me. As I’ve explained, my client, as a former donor to LAAC, is concerned about Brenae Brasil’s treatment at the school and wants to understand what happened leading up to her death.

Layla: To what end? I mean, what will you do with what we tell you?

Ray: If the school committed any wrongdoing, my client will encourage the board to investigate further.

Layla: Would I be called in to testify or something?

Ray: Not necessarily.

Layla: I don’t want to be called in.

Ray: Fair enough. Can you tell me how long you knew Brenae Brasil and in what context?

Layla: I met her last fall when she started the program at LAAC and Hal put her on the crew.

Ray: What were your impressions of Brenae’s time at LAAC?

Layla: I don’t think she was ready for how hard it was. How hard it is.

Ray: What makes it hard?

Layla: I mean, college is about potential, but when you hit grad school you really have to become something. You can’t just be someone’s shining possibility. I think she was lonely, too. She didn’t make friends that easily.

Ray: Were you friends?

Layla: We socialized. I would say we were strong acquaintances, but she wouldn’t call me her friend.

Ray: Would you call her your friend?

Layla: No. I guess not.

Ray: Was her suicide a surprise to you?

Layla: Of course it was a surprise. We were all devastated.

Ray: Was she close with anyone on the crew—Pearson, Zania, Erik?

Layla: I don’t know.

Ray: You couldn’t tell?

Layla: I don’t know. We all worked together. Ask them.