A Savage Hunger (Paula Maguire 4) by Claire McGowan Page A

lucky that we have a lot of private bequests, so we don’t have to rely on government funding. We’re fully accredited, of course. We just take a different approach. And we’re fortunate that applications are always high, so we can be selective.’ She swept her hand to the window, indicating the graceful building, the acres of green grounds, the lake like a pewter bowl in the afternoon sun.
    ‘Does that have to do with your reputation for emotional support?’ Corry asked.
    Madeleine Hooker darted a look at her. ‘I’m not sure what you mean. We offer high levels of pastoral care – being so small and cut off, it’s important.’
    Corry obviously wanted her to say something about money, and she was far too wily for that. ‘You take care of the students here, Ms Hooker?’
    ‘Of course. Some of them come to us a little lacking in the . . . robustness to survive a larger university. All that drinking and partying.’
    ‘No parties here?’
    Her lips vanished in a thin line. ‘They are adults, Detective. But we often attract a more reflective type, students who want to learn without distractions.’
    ‘Was Alice one of those?’
    ‘I admit, I didn’t know Alice all that well. I can’t, with over three hundred of them. Of course we did know all about her background.’
    ‘Her anorexia, you mean?’
    Madeleine Hooker sat back at her desk, her face reflected in the shiny iMac that dominated it. ‘Alice was being well looked after here. She was in the best place – but unfortunately, as we’re dealing with adults, we can’t always protect them.’
    ‘Isn’t it true that she hadn’t been seen in college much for a while?’
    ‘It’s not compulsory. We prefer to let them learn in their own time.’
    ‘It’s not a cause for alarm, a girl with severe anorexia moving out of campus like she did?’
    ‘Alice is twenty-two. You can’t expect us to police her life – no joke intended.’ Both Hooker and Corry looked as far from joking as it was possible to be.
    ‘Well. Yes. I just hope you’ll make sure the staff and students cooperate with our inquiries. It seems impossible to know where anyone’s supposed to be at any moment.’
    ‘It’s not a school. But I’m sorry to hear if anyone hasn’t been helpful. Perhaps you’d give me their names?’
    Corry stared at her over the table. ‘Just ask them to show us every courtesy. A cup of tea wouldn’t go amiss either, now and again.’
    ‘Tea?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘Well.’ She blinked. ‘I’m sure we can set you up with cafeteria cards. But – will you be here much longer?’
    ‘Ms Hooker, Alice is still missing! I don’t see why no one here feels the urgency of that.’
    The woman didn’t react. ‘A young adult with a history of disappearing, with mental health issues, and she’s not in her house for a day . . . I don’t see that this is necessarily any concern of the college’s, no.’
    ‘A student goes missing and there’s blood at the scene? I think that’s everyone’s concern, to be perfectly honest.’
    She was frowning. ‘I was under the impression that a small amount of blood had been found. And that Alice was prone to self-harm—’
    ‘Nothing we’ve heard suggests that. We’re treating Alice’s disappearance as suspicious. I’d suggest you do the same.’
    Madeleine Hooker sighed. ‘Detective. I hate to have to say this, but about six weeks ago, at the end of term, there was an incident on campus.’
    Corry was on it like a wolf. ‘What kind of incident?’
    ‘Alice was seen in the grounds, apparently having taken something. Quite out of it, by all accounts. Stumbling around, making a show of herself.’
    ‘Drugs?’
    She nodded, a look of distaste on her made-up face. ‘So maybe you’ll see why I wouldn’t necessarily be surprised if Alice had gone off somewhere.’
    Corry batted it right back. ‘No activity on her phone? No use of her bank account? If she’s gone off, then where is she? And why is her blood