by L. T. Ryan
“I told you to leave him alone.” Mandy leaned in closer to his ear and whispered. “I tried to warn you. Don’t mess with my friends.”
Pete only whimpered. Mandy couldn’t help but feel satisfied at hearing the sound.
There was an audible silence. Then an ear-splitting screech ripped through the air. “MISS LOGAN.”
The boys scattered, and Mandy let go of Pete. He started crying, but there were no tears. When Mandy turned around, she found herself face to face with Mrs. Turner. The woman was only a head or so taller than Mandy, but the tight bun on top of her head added several more inches. She was probably in her sixties, but she looked ancient and severe. All the kids were afraid of her.
“What in the world do you think you’re doing?” Mrs. Turner asked. She was red in the face.
“He was trying to beat up Marcus, ma’am.”
Mrs. Turner looked from Pete’s tear-stained face to Marcus’. She turned back to Mandy. “Be that as it may, violence is never the answer. What would your father say?”
Mandy shrugged. “He’d probably just critique my form.” Mandy thought better of her answer and added, “Ma’am.”
5
Bear threw open the door to Crossroads High School with enough force that it bounced off the concrete wall and hit his heels as he walked through. But he didn’t feel it. All he saw was red. He thought the drive over would have been enough to calm him down, but it merely allowed him time to stew in his anger.
Moments after the New York State Troopers arrived at his doorstep, Bear got a call from school saying Mandy had been caught fighting. They hadn’t given Bear any additional information, just a single demand: Meet them at the school within a half hour to discuss Mandy’s punishment. He’d agreed and hung up the phone, turning to face a curious Sheriff McKinnon.
Bear had given the sheriff the short of it, apologizing for having to leave. He didn’t like the idea of the cops poking around while he wasn’t there, and he was more than aware it wasn’t a good look, but what else could he do? The school hadn’t given him a choice. He wasn’t about to risk Mandy’s future because he had a stick up his ass.
Didn’t mean he was happy about it.
Mrs. Turner met him at the front office. He knew exactly the kind of teacher she was. By the book, no wiggle room for circumstances. These kinds of teachers didn’t even like children. They just enjoyed wielding power over people smaller than themselves. Liked the idea of shaping kids into subservient pod people. Don’t bother letting students think for themselves. They should obey their elders and follow the rules—no exceptions.
“Mandy was completely out of line,” Mrs. Turner said. “There is no justification for her actions.”
Bear brushed past the teacher and shouldered his way into the main office. “I’ll be the judge of that.”
He heard Turner tsk behind him, but she wasn’t in charge of the situation. Principal Amos was. Bear had met the man on Mandy’s first day of school and decided he was a good enough guy. He had a round waist but a skinny face and thin ankles, like a spinning top. A thick walrus mustache was at war with his beady eyes, and it was winning. The man had a quiet demeanor that Bear took as a sign of intelligence.
“Mr. Logan.” Amos stuck out his hand. “Thank you for joining us.”
“Of course.” Bear shook the principal’s hand and then turned his gaze to Mandy. She shrunk under his scrutiny, but he was only looking for signs of mistreatment. Though he was happy to see she was the apparent winner, he kept his scowl. “You mentioned a fight?”
“There is no justification for Miss Logan’s actions,” Mrs. Turner repeated. She squared off against Bear, and he had to give her points for bravado. “It is never okay to strike another student.”
Bear turned his back on her and addressed the principal. “I’d like to hear Mandy’s side of the story.”
“She is a child,” Turner said behind him. “She’ll lie to get out of it.”
“Can you excuse Mrs. Turner and send her back to class?” Bear looked back down at Mandy. “What happened?”
Mandy sat a little straighter in her chair. She didn’t break eye contact. “Pete, Jamie, and another kid were picking on Marcus. They pushed him up against the lockers. He was crying and in a lot of pain.” She swallowed audibly. “I walked up to Pete and told him to knock it off. He refused. I gave him another warning, and when he tried to hit me, I pushed him up against the locker. Didn’t mean to hurt him. I was just trying to defend myself. Oh, and save Marcus.”
Bear turned to the principal. “Were there witnesses?”
“Several,” Amos said. “They corroborate her story.”
“So, what’s the problem?”
Turner huffed. “The problem is she struck another child.”
“It was self-defense.” Bear finally leveled the full weight of his stare on Mrs. Turner. “This Pete kid’s a bully. It’s not the first time Mandy has mentioned him. I’d wager a guess there’s a thick folder around here with his name on it. Why haven’t you done anything about the problems he’s causing?” When all Turner did was sputter, Bear turned back to Amos. “Give her a month of detention. I’ll make her do extra chores at home, and she’ll write an apology letter to Pete and his parents.” He looked down at Mandy. “And we’ll have a long conversation about how we handle bullies.”
Amos sputtered. “A month? We were going to suggest two weeks of—”
“A month.” Bear pushed past Turner and gestured for Mandy to follow him. “And I expect Pete to receive the same punishment.”
He waited at the door, but when neither the teacher nor the principal could find any further words, he shouldered his way back out to the hallway and into the fresh air of the parking lot. Mandy trailed behind him, jogging to catch up.
When they reached his truck, Bear unlocked the doors and fit himself behind the wheel. He waited until Mandy had climbed inside before turning to her. She wore a grin on her face. “What are you so happy about?”
“That was awesome.” She was breathless. “I bet no one’s ever talked to Turner like that.”
“Mrs. Turner. You’ll show some respect.” Bear didn’t enjoy the way the grin slid from her face or how tears filled her eyes, but he didn’t back down. “That was unacceptable. Have you not listened to anything I’ve been telling you?”
Mandy threw her hands in the air. Her voice shook. “Of course I’ve been listening. You’ve been telling me to stand up for myself and make sure I stay vigilant. And to not let anyone push me around.” Her voice caught, and the tears were as much frustration as betrayal. “What did you expect me to do, Bear? Let him beat up Marcus?”
Bear pinched the bridge of his nose. “No, of course not. But now you’ve got a target on your back.”
“Pete’s hated me from day one.” She sniffled. “And so has Mrs. Turner. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“There will be many people who dislike you for no reason. You just gotta shrug it off. They’re not worth your time.”
“Marcus would disagree.”
Bear let out a breath of air. She got him there. “I’m glad you stood up to Pete. And I’m sure Marcus is grateful, too. But we can’t afford for you to get kicked out of school, all right? This isn’t lying low.”
Mandy slumped in her seat. “I know.” She sniffled again. “I’m sorry.”
He ruffled her hair and then started the engine. “I really thought they were going to suspend you.”
“I think the only reason they didn’t is because they’re afraid of you.” She grinned but stopped short of giggling. “Do I really have to do all that stuff?”
“You bet.” Bear shot her a look just in time to see her roll her eyes. “And if you say—”
“Lame,” she finished.
He shifted into drive. He was still pissed, but Mandy understood the situation. And she’d spend the next month making up for it. No use rubbing salt in the wound. “You hungry?”
She looked at the clock. “It
’s not even four yet.”
He shrugged. “Man’s gotta eat.”
Mandy’s eyes lit up. “Can we go to Georgie’s?”
“Yes, but don’t get the wrong idea.” Bear pulled out of the parking lot and swung the truck left, heading back into town. “This is not a reward. I was already going to go there before you suggested it.”
“Then why’d you ask?”
“Gotta at least make it look like you have a say.”
Mandy crossed her arms over her chest, but there was a smile on her face. “Whatever.”
Georgie’s was a local diner that hadn’t changed since 1957. From the tables to the curtains to the staff, it’d been under the same family’s supervision for over sixty years. George Hill Sr. had followed his dreams late in life, and he’d died a fortunate man over twenty years ago. His son continued the legacy of cheap food and friendly atmosphere, all in a place where local gossip ran rampant.
Bear hadn’t been a fan at first. He wasn’t looking to get on anyone’s radar, and this was the place where you went to get noticed. But Junior’s food won him over. You couldn’t beat good diner food. The greasier the better. Burgers, brats, and bacon. It was enough to give any man a heart attack, but Bear figured it was worth the risk. Plus, a single cup of coffee could keep you sustained for three days straight. Jet fuel.
But it was the man himself who had really sealed the deal. Bear saw a little of his future self in Junior, if he was lucky enough to live to his age. The younger Hill didn’t have time for games, and he’d call you out on it sooner than he’d save your feelings. But if you were good to him, he was good to you. And that kind of loyalty bought you a lot in a town like this.
Mandy pushed through the door and sat herself in the corner booth. She’d saved the seat facing the door for Bear, but he could tell she was getting itchy having her back to the room. She was a quick learner, at least. Hell, that was part of the problem, wasn’t it?
Caroline Hill was George’s wife and the best waitress Bear had ever come across. She could read minds and have your drink order on the table before you even opened your mouth. Plus, she always gave Bear an extra helping of bacon. And she doted on Mandy. The girl had stars in her eyes every time she looked up at Caroline.
“Good afternoon, you two.” Caroline placed a steaming mug of coffee down in front of Bear and a glass of cherry Coke—made with real juice and topped with a handful of cherries—in front of Mandy. “The usual today?”
“Yes, Miss Caroline,” Mandy chirped.
Bear chuckled. “Thank you, Miss Caroline.”
“I’ll get that right in for you.” Caroline looked at Bear over the top of her glasses, which she wore on a chain around her neck. “You doin’ all right there, Riley?”
He held her gaze for a moment and realized the entire town already knew about the cop cars at his house. “Just fine, Miss Caroline. How about you?”
She took in his answer for a moment before pushing her glasses to the top of her head. “Oh, you know. Same ol’. We’re still down to one grill. Junior’s breaking his back trying to fix it, but he can’t get a handle on it.” She leaned in and lifted an eyebrow, doubling the wrinkles on her forehead. “Don’t tell him I said that.”
“Say the word,” Bear offered, “and I’ll have a look at it.”
“Deal. I’ll even throw in a couple dinners on the house. How’s that sound?”
“Sounds great.” He sipped his coffee and felt it stimulating his mind. “You can even tell him I’m desperate for work. That’ll make him feel better.”
Caroline bobbed her head and walked away to take drink orders from a new table. Bear looked around the diner, surprised he could name almost everyone in there. Jackie was the local drunk. He was a Vietnam War vet and harmless. Bear was pretty sure he subsisted on vodka and coffee—he never saw Jackie eat. Shirley and Janice sat in the corner, knitting and sipping on mimosas. Every once in a while, they’d look at Bear and put their heads together and whisper and smile. He didn’t mind the ego boost. Charlie and his son Walter both worked at the big pharmaceutical company that basically ran the town. And then there was little old Bernie, who practically lived at the diner. People would come in just to chat with him and hear his stories. Rumor had it he used to work for the FBI. Bear was friendly but tried to steer clear of him when he could. Can never be too careful.
When their plates arrived, Mandy dug in despite having said it was too early for dinner. Bear wanted to bring up the incident at school again but refrained. When she sat down to write her letter, he’d have another chat with her. Press too hard too early, and she wouldn’t hear a word he said.
The mundane sounds of the diner were comforting. Life went on, no matter what kind of mess Bear inched toward. A few other patrons glanced his way, but he couldn’t tell if it was because he was still the newest guy in town or because of what was going on back at his house. Or maybe he had bacon in his beard. Who knew?
Bear wiped his mouth with a napkin and tossed it onto his empty plate. When Caroline came by with the check, he noticed she’d knocked off an extra five bucks. He tipped twice as much. While he appreciated the gesture, he didn’t need help. Especially from the Hills. It was hard enough running a diner in a small town. People would complain if they raised the price of coffee by ten cents a cup. They didn’t need to be offering charity to someone who didn’t need it, no matter what the situation looked like.
The ride home was silent. Mandy played on her phone. Bear considered taking it away as part of her punishment but decided against it. He’d make her clean out the basement over the next month. That’d be punishment enough.
As they got closer to the house, Bear’s grip tightened on the wheel. There was little chance the cops had cleared out by now. Sure enough, when he pulled his truck into the driveway, there was barely enough room for him to park in front of his own house.
Mandy looked from the patrol cars and then up at Bear. She had one eyebrow raised and an inquisitive grin playing around her mouth. “So, what did you do today?”
6
As soon as they got home, Bear made Mandy sit at the dining room table and do her homework. She didn’t bother to protest because they both knew it would’ve fallen on deaf ears. His anger at the situation had dissipated, replaced by the anxiety of their current problem.
Bear decided Mandy’s punishment would start tomorrow. Tonight, he threw together a casserole from leftovers in the fridge and washed as many dishes as he could lay his hands on—all so he could stand at the back window and watch the State Police work.
Every hour, Sheriff McKinnon would knock on the back door and give him an update. Mandy wouldn’t look up from her schoolwork, but her pencil would stop moving across the page while she eavesdropped. As much as he wanted to keep her out of the situation, he was glad she paid attention. But they’d have to work on her definition of subtle.
The troopers had removed the skeleton from the tank. It looked like all the bones were there, no visible sign of the cause of death. McKinnon had said one of their experts predicted the body to be a female about Mandy’s age. Bear’s heart squeezed at the thought of not knowing where his daughter had been buried for a decade or more. He would’ve done everything in his power to find her.
They found no more hair, but they drained the tank, taking the detritus away in plastic bags and collecting the water in case it contained trace elements that could help them solve the case. They took hundreds of pictures of the tank, the surrounding area, and even the house. Bear was in at least a dozen of them, peering out the window like some sort of specter.
After they removed the body and transported it to the coroner in the next town over, the police fanned out and explored the woods surrounding the house. No one was delusional enough to believe they’d find anything after all this time, but they wouldn’t be doing their jobs if they didn’t at least try. Bear had no reservations about the quality of their searches. They were being thorough.
After the sun had
gone down, Bear caught McKinnon in a furious debate with one of the troopers. He was a tall, bulky man with a bald head and a thin mustache. He kept glancing over at Bear, but whenever he’d make for the house, McKinnon would step in his way. Bear knew the discussion was serious when she put one hand on her hip and wagged the other in the man’s face. He finally relented, and the pack of cars retreated down the driveway and dispersed into the night.
Bear met McKinnon at the back door, and this time he didn’t resist when she asked him to let her in. He sent Mandy up to bed and grabbed two beers out of the fridge. He set one down in front of the sheriff, and she drained half in one go.
“Thanks,” she said, wiping her mouth.
“No problem.” He pointed at the casserole. “Hungry? “
“After that?” She grabbed her stomach and winced. “Not a chance. Take another beer, though.”
“Fair enough.”
There was a beat of silence as Bear pulled another one out for her. He caught McKinnon looking around the kitchen. It didn’t appear to be curiosity laced with suspicion. Rather, genuine interest in the kind of house Bear kept. But McKinnon wouldn’t find any evidence about the case or otherwise. The place was minimalist, if not barren. If she asked, he could pass it off with the excuse that they had only just moved in. But that line wouldn’t work forever.
“What was Mr. Clean so upset about?” Bear asked. “Did you steal his bucket and mop?”
“Who?” McKinnon stared at the fridge, which was covered in magnets Mandy had collected from other states over the years. “Oh, Officer Hart?” She frowned. “He wanted to interview you. I said I’d take care of it. He didn’t like that very much. I told him he was here because we needed help, not because I was handing the case over to him.”
“Why?”
McKinnon dragged her eyes from the magnet collection. “Huh?”
“Why didn’t you want him to interview me?”
“Because you wouldn’t have given him any answers. He’d waste his time, and you’d get angrier at the situation. We lose enough people around here. Don’t wanna go chasing off new folks who seem half-normal.”