Chapter 2: The case of the Cheating Class

The almost twelve hour journey gave us time to examine the case and discuss our strategy. The first case involved suspected cheating in an examination at Piedmont College.

"Didn't one of their campus police officers find a bomb before it could go off?" asked John.

"That's right. It was at a concert with an audience of several thousands. He helped to clear a lot of the crowd before the explosion. Unfortunately he didn't have quite enough time to complete the job. One dead and a lot of wounded. However, he left the college and has since died. On this case I think we are going to have to interview most of the students who took that examination."

The train pulled into Toccoa at a quarter past six the next morning. We decided that it was too early to proceed to the college, so we took some advice and made for the Tuck Inn on the corner of East Currahee Street and South Pond Street. It sounded like our sort of place for a nourishing breakfast. We contacted the college by teleson and arranged for them to send us a coach.

Our first contact at the college was the President, Doctor Goodhew.

He greeted us with, "So good of you to come so quickly. It was only last Friday that I was asking your Director for advice. We were at college together, you know, and I thought he might be able to suggest a course of action. I've sent for Professor Higgins, He's the history professor and can explain the problem to you better than I can."

Ten minutes later, Professor Higgins had escorted us to his room. It was far less formal than the Presidnt's. Besides the desk there were a number of arm chairs. One was in the corner of the room and the others surrounded it in a quadrant. Professor Higgins sat in the corner and invited us to sit also.

"Our problem is this! On Monday of last week, I gave my class in European History their mid-term examination. They all passed, which is unheard of! I went through their answers again carefully and found a number of examples of identical answers, but I'd be blessed if I could tell who had been copying from whom. The Principal's solution to the problem is to fail the lot of them. Can you help us?"

"We can but try." I replied. "May I see the students' answer papers?"

"Of course you may see them!" He picked up a folder which he handed to me.

I examined the folder for traces of magic and found none. I looked again at Professor Higgins.

"Incidentally, were there any examples of duplicate wrong answers?"

"Come to think of it, there was one. I ignored it, because the two students were seated on opposite sides of the room. There couldn't have been any copying!"

"Now think carefully. Were either of the students absent when you lectured on that particular portion of the subject?"

"Let me see!" The Professor rose to his feet and crossed the room to his desk. He rummaged for a moment and held up a black book. "Here's my class diary." He sat again in his armchair and we heard him muttering to himself. "Ah! Here it is! Yes Jenkins was away for a few days. A family crisis, I believe. How did you know?"

"It seemed a possibility. Perhaps we could interview this Jenkins?

"Of course! There is a small office alongside my classroom. I use it to store my notes and handouts. You could use that. How do you want to be introduced to the students?"

"I've had a few thoughts about that. I think that you could say that we were exploring the possibility of recruiting from streams other than our traditional ones; that is other than legal and thaumaturgical. We shall need a list of your class."

Professor Higgins rummaged again on his desk, triumphantly waving a sheet of paper, which he handed to me.

"Ah! There you are. That's the class list. Come along with me. I'll show the office you can use and then get Jenkins for you."

He led us down to the first floor to the office next to his classroom. We had barely settled ourselves when there was a knock on the office door.

"Come in." I called. The door opened and a slender youth entered. "Come in and sit yourself down."

"Professor Higgins said that you wanted to interview me."

"Yes! We are visiting a number of colleges and interviewing a selection of students to see if we should recruit from outside our normal range. You, I believe, are Jenkins?"