Part 2 (1/2)
Nancy was glad that he'd remembered to use her alias. The fewer people who knew her true ident.i.ty, the better.
”Hi, Nancy,” the woman said. ”I'm Phyllis Hathaway. Come into my office. I'll tell you a little about the program, then we can go down to check out the cla.s.sroom where you'll be working. Have you done much of this sort of work before?”
Walter rushed to answer before Nancy could reply. ”Nancy has excellent qualifications,” he said, his voice harsh and impatient.
Phyllis's expression hardened. ”I'm sure she does,” she said in a clipped tone that clearly said, Mind your own business.
The headmaster's face reddened, but he didn't say anything more. Instead, after another awkward pause, he said, ”Well, I'll leave you to it. Nancy, if you need anything, just let me know.”
He disappeared into his office, and Nancy followed Phyllis into hers.
”I hope that didn't make you uncomfortable,” the woman said apologetically after they were seated. ”I've been at Brewster for a number of years, ever since I finished college out in California. But Mr. Friedbinder is new to the place. We're still learning to work with each other. I guess we're experiencing what's called a personality conflict.”
”That happens, I suppose,” Nancy murmured. She glanced around the office. Half of Phyllis's desk was taken up by the high-powered computer work station Nancy had glimpsed before. The bookcase behind Phyllis's chair seemed to be filled mostly with software manuals and books on computer programming.
”I've heard that the school has a very advanced computer system,” Nancy remarked.
Phyllis beamed. ”It certainly does-the most powerful of any high school in the state. We're very proud of it, and I'm especially proud because I was able to help design it. I'm sure you'll enjoy using the system, too, once you get the hang of it. Now, here's what we hope to accomplish with the new tutoring program....”
As Phyllis spoke, Nancy realized that this case was going to be a challenge in more ways than one. In addition to unmasking the grade-changer, she was going to have to help students with their English, history, and social sciences. It sounded as if she was going to have to do a lot of homework herself!
”That's the plan in a nutsh.e.l.l,” Phyllis concluded. ”Now, why don't I give you a quick tour of the place?”
They were getting to their feet when the telephone rang. ”Excuse me a moment,” Phyllis said, reaching for the receiver.
Nancy stepped just outside Phyllis's office and waited. She was reading her notes and thinking over her approach to the investigation, when suddenly a phrase caught her attention.
”-too dangerous,” Phyllis was telling the caller. ”Listen, Dana, I don't like him any more than you do. I'd love to see the conceited nitwit squirm, but I'm not sure I want to go any further with this. Yes... okay... maybe I am am getting cold feet. But this could really hurt Brewster. I know... I know... the financial rewards are compelling. And I really do need the money. Let's just take it more slowly. This plan has the potential to end in disaster.” getting cold feet. But this could really hurt Brewster. I know... I know... the financial rewards are compelling. And I really do need the money. Let's just take it more slowly. This plan has the potential to end in disaster.”
Chapter Four.
NANCY EDGED AWAY from the office door. She didn't want Phyllis to guess that she'd overheard any of her conversation.
It looked as if Nancy had another suspect. Phyllis had a motive-apparently she needed money, though Nancy didn't know why. And who was it she wanted to see squirm? Maybe Friedbinder, considering their strained relations.h.i.+p. A grade-changing scam would accomplish both things. Phyllis had the opportunity, too. Who would have better access to the school's computer than she?
There was only one catch. Phyllis was tall and elegant. Even in a disguise she wouldn't fit the description of the pet.i.te I. Wynn-or of the woman who'd been seen at I. Wynn's Sycamore Avenue address. But maybe that was where this Dana person came in.
”Sorry to keep you waiting,” Phyllis said, coming out into the anteroom. ”Now let me show you the learning lab.”
Nancy and Phyllis took the stairs up to the second floor. Using a key, Phyllis unlocked the door and ushered Nancy into a small room with a teacher's desk, four student desks, and a folding table that held a telephone, computer terminal, and a small printer.
”Once in a while you may have to share this room with Mickey Randolph-he's the other tutor,” Phyllis told Nancy. ”His specialty is science and math. Unfortunately he's out of town for the next few days, though. A relative pa.s.sed away.”
”I'm sorry to hear that,” Nancy said. In more ways than one, she added to herself. Randolph might have information that would help her.
”Yes, well, here is some background on each of your students,” Phyllis continued, handing Nancy a manila folder she took from the teacher's desk. A schedule was taped to the top of the folder. ”Let me give you a pa.s.sword so that you can use the computer, too.”
Phyllis found a sc.r.a.p of paper on a desk and wrote out a code.
”NS four forty-four,” Nancy read when Phyllis handed her the paper. ”What does that stand for?”
”Nancy Stevens, four hundred and forty-fourth pa.s.sword,” replied Phyllis. ”I'll load it into the system when I get back to my office. You'll be able to use it right away.”
”Thanks,” said Nancy as Phyllis left. She sat back down in a student's seat and thought. Sally Lane's message had been sent by IW443. Four forty-three was the last pa.s.sword entered into the system before Nancy's. That could mean that the grade-changer was someone who hadn't been at the school a long time. Or it might mean that the person had two pa.s.swords and had a.s.signed himself or herself the I. Wynn pa.s.sword without the school's knowledge.
Yet Phyllis was aware of the number of the last a.s.signed pa.s.sword. It must be in her records. Did she know who was using it? Was Phyllis, herself, using it?
Nancy's thoughts were interrupted when her first student arrived. He was a tall, awkward boy named Dan. ”I don't see why we have to learn this stuff,” Dan mumbled as Nancy opened the history book. ”These geeks are dead, man.”
Nancy could see that she had her work cut out for her.
Her next two students weren't much easier. One was a girl with short red hair who needed help in English. Apparently, she had never bothered learning much spelling or grammar because she had Spellcheck and Grammarcheck on her home computer.
The other one was a girl who was failing history. She admitted to Nancy that she'd been caught writing her reports from miniseries on TV.
To each of the three students, Nancy asked the same leading question: ”Wouldn't it be great if you could somehow change your old grades now that you're going to start doing better?” She asked it casually, with a smile, but her blue eyes scrutinized their faces for any trace of reaction. All three students agreed it would be wonderful, but Nancy didn't note any signs of guilt or nervousness.
Nancy glanced at the name of her fourth and final student before lunch. Victor Paredes. He was the guy Sally had named as the computer whiz, she recalled. Apparently he needed tutoring in English.
There was a tap on the open door. Nancy looked up and saw a guy standing there, grinning at her. He was very good-looking, tall and broad shouldered, with light brown, almost amber eyes, and dark brown hair.
”Hi, Teach,” he said.
”Hi, Stu,” she retorted. ”Come on in.”
Nancy looked over the sheet that detailed what he was supposed to work on, then got down to it. Victor was very quick, but it was obvious he had never bothered to spend more than two minutes on English grammar before. Now that he was was bothering, he caught on easily. bothering, he caught on easily.
”If any of my teachers were as pretty as you, maybe I would have paid more attention to this stuff,” said Victor, gazing into Nancy's eyes.
”With lines like that I'm surprised you didn't didn't get better grades.” Nancy laughed, trying to deflect his flirtation. get better grades.” Nancy laughed, trying to deflect his flirtation.
At the end of one of the exercises, Nancy said, ”Now, that wasn't hard, was it? It's too bad you can't go back and change last year's grade in English, now that you know how to do the work.”
”Who says you can't?” Victor replied. ”I could, if I wanted to.”
Nancy started, then caught herself and said lightly, ”Don't be ridiculous. Your grades are in your permanent file.”
”Sure,” said Victor, flas.h.i.+ng her a dazzling grin. ”And my permanent file is in the school computer, along with everybody else's.”
Nancy fought to keep cool as she said, ”Yes, I know. But you need special access codes to get to them, don't you? Otherwise, people would go around giving themselves whatever grades they wanted.” She held her breath and waited to hear what he would say.
”There are ways to access those codes,” Victor replied. ”You'd have to be really smart to figure out how. But I could.”