“Ms. Paula.” He sneered. “A couple days ago.”
“Can you be more specific, please?”
“I don’t know that I can be. Why?”
“Answer the question, please.”
“I can’t. I don’t know when I last saw her.” And then he stopped. “Oh, wait. She might have been at the party last night.”
“Shemight have beenat the party last night,” Kate repeated for clarity’s sake. “And when might she have been at this party?”
He shrugged. “We were there for hours.”
“So when and where was this party?”
“At the dorms.” He named the student residence building, where Paula’s body had been found.
“So this party just went from room to room?”
He sneered again. “It covered a bunch of rooms, a bunch of floors. A really good time was had by all.”
“Drugs, sex, booze?”
He nodded. “All of the above. That’s what university life is all about, isn’t it?”
“A lot of kids try to go to class.”
“Sure, but, when classes are over, a whole new experience happens.” He chuckled, looking smug.
“For some people, yes,” she said.
“For me, I don’t have to worry about grades. I don’t need to study, like these other suckers.”
“So who are these other suckers?”
“Paula and the others.” He waved his hand. “Not a one of them can hold a candle to my brains.”
“Too bad they apparently can’t hold a candle to your personality either.”
“Exactly,” he said complacently. “They hang around me because they want to be like me.” He grinned. “That it will never happen isn’t the point. In the meantime, we have a little fun, while we go through our years at the university, that’s all. A good time was had by all, so what’s your problem with it?”
“When did you last see Paula?”
“She was at the party last night. I already told you.”
“What time was the party?”
“We went up there about eight o’clock, and I think we were there most of the night. I don’t remember a whole lot after four in the morning.”
“And what happened at four in the morning?”
“I think I probably collapsed in my bed.” He chuckled.
“Anybody see you?”
“I’m sure they did, anybody who was at the party, at least.”
“And who did you go with?”