“What if Conor didn’t do it, Xavier?” Louisa twisted in her seat to face him. “And the police are focusing their investigation on him? They won’t find Zoe.”

Xavier’s eyes weren’t 100 percent persuaded, but enough doubt lingered for Conor to plow ahead.

“When was the last time you saw Zoe?” he asked.

“Monday morning. I mentor four students. Zoe, her roommate, Isa, plus two undergraduates.” Xavier laced his fingers. “I like to meet with the graduate students every couple of weeks. Both Zoe and Isa have a lot going on this year.”

“Isa received the Pendleworth grant, is that correct?”

“Yes, and she’s my teaching assistant as well this year.” Xavier’s casual smile faded. “I’d hoped to groom Zoe for the job next year.”

“Zoe’s young for a TA position,” Louisa said.

“Young, yes, but dedicated to her studies. Frankly, she’s one of the brightest students I’ve ever taught.” He frowned. “I sometimes wonder, though, about the pressure she’s under.”

“What do you mean?” Conor asked.

“Well, Zoe is only twenty-one. She doesn’t have many close friends. Most of her classmates are at least three years her senior. Socially, that’s a large gap. Even though I’ve only been mentoring her since the start of the term, I’ve gotten glimpses that she isn’t always happy.” Xavier rested his forearms on the table. “I think she’s lonely. Until recently, her age kept her from joining the others when they would go out for beers after class.”

Louisa nodded. “She was very excited about her birthday. I got the feeling she thought it would be a magic ‘in’ to the social scene.”

“That’s not very realistic,” Conor said.

Xavier shrugged. “Their IQs don’t make them more emotionally mature. In fact, I find it’s often quite the opposite. Frequently, other children have shunned them from a young age. Plus, if they’ve been allowed to skip grades, like Zoe, their age is a definite detriment. Three years doesn’t seem like a big deal at twenty-four, but in the lower grades, the gap might as well be the social Grand Canyon. What high school senior is going to invite a fifteen-year-old to her graduation party? Some of the brightest kids haven’t had close friendships. They aren’t good at reading social cues, and they have little experience interacting with their peers. They are easily taken advantage of. Frankly, Zoe would be an obvious target for a predator.”

“How mature is she?” Conor asked.