by Robin Lyons
“Yes.”
“Thank you.” She disconnected.
Why was he hesitant?
“Do you think he sees himself as an ethical man?” she asked the cat in her lap. “He’s a fool. He’s never turned down our generous contributions before, has he?” She stroked the cat who purred his approval. From her bedroom, she gazed out at her expansive backyard as she stirred the coffee in her favorite china cup.
Chapter 6
After Scott Welch left the security office, Mac found Brandi’s class schedule in the school database to see her class list and the roll sheets. She had the standard schedule for a second-semester freshman. He studied the lists. Which one of you little bastards raped her, he wondered.
Mac’s phone vibrated. He glanced at the text from Maggie, his sister.
Maggie: How’s your first day back?
He considered telling his sister about Scott’s request for assistance, but quickly decided it would be better to discuss in person.
Mac: Mostly okay. A little weirdness in the aftermath of last semester’s events. Jackson junior - Kevin, hasn’t changed. He’s still the same arrogant jerk just like his father.
The School’s PA system crackled to life alerting all that the morning message was about to begin. Mac reached over to his phone and turned the volume down.
A male teenage voice boomed throughout the campus, “Good morning, Blackstone Bulldogs, and welcome back to school. We hope everyone enjoyed the holidays. You may have noticed new boxes mounted on the walls outside the security office, the cafeteria, the gymnasium, and a few boxes outside the classrooms. They’re the new ‘Blackstone Academy Tip’ boxes or ‘BAT’ boxes for short. If you have a tip you’d like to share anonymously with, Marshal MacKenna, or the superintendent, write it on a paper and put it in a BAT box.”
A female voice giggled through her part of the announcement. “Remember to check the sports calendar on the bulletin board across from Mrs. Weeks’s office and show your Bulldog pride by wearing blue to our games.”
The boy speaker took control of the microphone. Mac had heard the morning announcement enough times to know it was winding down, so he tuned it out.
Maggie: Hope you don’t have to see much of him.
Mac: I can handle him. Were the girls excited to go back to school?
Maggie: Bella was, Lindy not so much. Gotta go.
Mac: Bye
He watched the security feed scroll through the various cameras located throughout the school, inside and out. Interior security cameras with pan-tilt-zoom capabilities were installed in every room except the Superintendent’s office, bathrooms, changing area in locker rooms, and utility closets. Exterior cameras have infrared night vision capability in addition to pan-tilt-zoom.
Nine large screens were mounted on a wall in Mac’s office, three screens wide by three screens high. It took him fifteen minutes to watch a full five-second snippet from each camera. If he needed to see more from any viewpoint, he could lock onto it and watch the feed longer.
Mac refocused on Brandi’s schedule and began creating a list of the kids she had in her classes.
Since Scott told him Brandi and Stu had been friends since kindergarten, Mac made the assumption Stu and his troublesome friend, Kevin, would be top on his list. Brandi had a few classes with both boys. He wished he’d paid more attention to their friends last semester, so he might have known something about Brandi before she was assaulted.
He manually changed one of the security screens to watch the class Brandi currently attended. English with Crosby Nash. Things had sure changed since he was in high school. Students were allowed to be much more relaxed. At least with some teachers. Others were ‘old school’ and used a more regimented teaching style. Crosby was young and easygoing.
Brandi kept her head down. She was either focused on the book in front of her or daydreaming while pretending to read.
As Mac was about to switch the security feedback to automated, Brandi lifted her head and looked out the window. Mac changed the viewpoint from the back of the classroom to the front to watch her face.
Brandi stared out the window with a blank look.
Mac watched for several minutes.
She didn’t change her focus.
A brick wall surrounded the well-maintained grounds of the entire campus. When kids stared out the window, the only distractions they saw were birds and squirrels.
While watching Brandi, Mac thought about Scott’s fear of speaking to the police. He resisted the urge to call Jason, his longtime friend with the police department. He knew Jason would keep any information he shared confidential. He picked up his cell and opened Jason’s profile to call him. A moment later he put the phone down without calling. Scott was firm to not involve the police until he has evidence.
Chapter 7
Brookfield police officer, Monica Tanner, waited for RaeAnn Bowen in the nurse’s office at Brookfield High School. It reminded her of how many times in high school she’d spent in the nurse’s office waiting for a migraine to subside.
She heard footsteps approaching her, and a girl’s concerned voice questioning why she had to go to the nurse’s office. She’s smart, she knows she’s walking into an unpleasant situation.
RaeAnn appeared in the doorway. Tall for a fourteen-year-old, she was the same height—five six—as Officer Tanner, and slim, with broad muscular shoulders. She had pulled her long tawny brown hair into a tight ponytail. Her face blank, she showed no sign of emotion.
Officer Tanner picked up a tough-girl vibe which contradicted the wide-eyed concern on her face. The policewoman stretched out her hand to shake.
RaeAnn shook the officer’s hand.
“I’m Officer Tanner with the Brookfield Police Department. Please have a seat,” Officer Tanner said softly, closing the door once RaeAnn cleared the threshold. She sat as directed, not having said a word yet.
Officer Tanner paused to see if RaeAnn would say anything. She didn’t. “I’m sorry to tell you your parents were in a car acci—”
“Oh, my God! Are they okay? Are they in the hospital? Can I go see them?” The tough-girl persona vanished, replaced with shock. Tears streamed down RaeAnn’s cheeks.
Officer Tanner offered RaeAnn the tissue box the nurse had given her, just in case.
RaeAnn gasped air as she blurted words out one at a time, “Are... they... okay? Can... I... see... them?”
“I’m very sorry to tell you, they didn’t survive.”
“What? No. No.” She shook her head violently. “No. I know they’re not dead. They can’t be de...” her words trailed off as she dropped her head to her hands and sobbed.
This wasn’t Officer Tanner’s first death notification. But it was her first teenager who lost both parents. Her heart ached for the girl. Uncertain of rejection, she touched her back with a gentle hand. RaeAnn didn’t shrug the consoling gesture away. She stroked the young girl’s back. “I’m so sorry.”
RaeAnn and Officer Tanner sat in the nurse’s office, neither saying a word while RaeAnn processed the news. She seemed to have a never-ending bucket of tears.
RaeAnn looked up at Officer Tanner, her eyes swollen and red. “Last night, I told my mom I hated her.” She burst into another bout of sobbing. She began to quiver uncontrollably
Officer Tanner recognized the heightened level of shock. “RaeAnn, the students are in classes now, this would be a good time for us to leave. This distressing news has been upsetting. I’d like to take you to the hospital and have them check you out.”
RaeAnn nodded and stood up.
The two exited the nurse’s office. RaeAnn didn’t look at anyone, but Officer Tanner gave a silent acknowledgment to the secretary watching them. The principal, advised of the tragedy, had been alerted that when RaeAnn was ready, they’d leave the campus.
Officer Tanner let the patrol car idle with the heater on and gave RaeAnn the quiet time she needed to process the devastating news. She appeared to stare out the wind
shield while Officer Tanner checked in and informed the person on the other end of her radio she was en route to the Brookfield Memorial Hospital.
Officer Tanner placed the transmission in park outside the emergency room entrance.
RaeAnn cleared her throat. “What happens to me now?” her voice so small, Officer Tanner had to strain to hear her.
“A doctor will check your blood...”
“I meant where will I live?”
Officer Tanner turned down the two-way radio squawking information about an officer dealing with a drunk driver.
“After a doctor checks you out, you’ll stay with a foster couple until your uncle’s able to care for you.”
“Mom’s drug-using brother? No way. I’m better off on my own.”
“Don’t worry about that, you’ve been assigned an advocate. You can talk to her about your uncle. It’s my understanding the DeSalvos, your foster family has said you can stay as long as you’d like.”
“What if I don’t like them?” RaeAnn spoke without a hint of emotion. She was on auto-pilot. “Or they don’t like me?”
“Let’s take this one step at a time. I’m here for you. Hopefully, you like me enough to allow me to help you through the process of adjustment.”
“I want you to be my advocate. Why do I need someone else?”
“I’m not a social worker. I’m a cop.”
“So? It’s not like I’ll need to contact you all the time. Why can’t I call you when I need to talk about something?”
“I’ll talk to my boss and see what we can work out. Okay?” Officer Tanner said softly.
“Okay.” Her voice again had dropped to a whisper.
Two hours after they entered the emergency room, RaeAnn and Officer Tanner were back in the patrol car. RaeAnn had been given a sedative to calm her. Other than the shock of losing both her parents, she was in excellent health.
“My mom and I had a fight last night.”
Officer Tanner left the car in park with the engine idling, so the heater kept them warm.
“I wanted to go to a stupid movie. My mom said no. I told her I hated her.” RaeAnn stared blankly through the windshield. “I wish I could take it all back. I wish I’d never wanted to go to the stupid movie, then mom and I wouldn’t have fought.”
Chapter 8
Officer Tanner and RaeAnn rode in silence through Brookfield from one side of town where the hospital was located to the other side of the city where the DeSalvos lived in Blackstone Estates.
RaeAnn had been sedated at the hospital.
When Officer Tanner turned into the entrance of the Estates, RaeAnn said, “My foster family lives here? Are these people rich?”
“Judging from their neighborhood, I’d say they’re well off,” Officer Tanner said as she presented her identification to the guard at the guardhouse. She told him they were there to see the DeSalvos.
He bent over and looked at RaeAnn gazing out her window paying no attention to him.
In Officer Tanner’s six years on the force, she’d only dealt with foster families in the middle-income bracket.
“A rich family wants me to live with them?” RaeAnn asked.
“That’s correct,” she tried to sound as unconcerned as possible. “Steffan and Josslyn DeSalvo.”
“Do they have kids?”
“I’m told they have no children.”
“Why do they want to be my foster family?” RaeAnn appeared anxious.
“Most foster parents do it because they love children and want to help others.”
When she found the address, Officer Tanner stared in surprise at the size of the sprawling mansion.
She parked her patrol car on the driveway next to the enormous home. She let the car idle while she and RaeAnn spent an extra minute staring at the large Tudor home that peered back as if to say, what’re you waiting for?
“This is really where I’m going to stay?” RaeAnn said with a bit of fear.
“It’s okay, RaeAnn, remember I’m here with you, and you can call me anytime—day or night.” She handed her a business card.
“But you’re not my advo... Oh, no! My phone. I left it at school in my locker.” Tears began to flow again and panic settled in. “I need my phone,” she begged.
“I’ll get your phone and bring it to you. I promise.”
“I need to tell Ciera and Haylee what happened. Why can’t I stay with one of them?”
“Who are they?”
“My... best... friends.” She took a big gulp of air between words.
“It’s okay. You may be able to stay overnight with your friends, just not for a few days. I’m sorry.”
After her wave of tears subsided, RaeAnn let out a deep sigh. “Okay.”
“Are you ready?”
“I guess.” She slumped.
As they approached the massive front porch, a short round woman in her mid-fifties opened the door. She looked the part of a friendly foster mom. Officer Tanner’s radar on high alert because she wanted to be sure this family was a good fit for RaeAnn.
Josslyn DeSalvo gave RaeAnn a warm squeeze. “Sweet girl, I’m so sorry for your loss. Let’s go inside and warm up.”
They followed Mrs. DeSalvo into a living room where a warm fire flickered in the fireplace. She motioned for Officer Tanner and RaeAnn to sit on the sofa. She sat across from the sofa in an easy chair.
The living room was immaculate. And the furnishings looked brand new.
“Would you like some tea or hot chocolate? We have marshmallows.”
“No, thank you,” RaeAnn said.
“Nothing for me either, thank you.” Officer Tanner sat on the edge of the sofa cushion.
Mrs. DeSalvo rubbed her hands together in her lap. She appeared nervous.
Officer Tanner broke the uncomfortable silence, “Have you been foster parents for long?”
“Umm. No. RaeAnn will be our first foster child.” She smoothed out her skirt. “I’ll ask Steffan to join us. He’s in the kitchen making ravioli for dinner. I hope you like Italian food, RaeAnn. We’re Italian, and Steffan loves to cook. We eat a lot of pasta.” She giggled more than seemed appropriate.
Mrs. DeSalvo seemed to wait for RaeAnn to respond. When she didn’t, Mrs. DeSalvo, the first-time foster mother stood and murmured, “I’ll be right back.”
RaeAnn looked at Officer Tanner and shrugged.
She patted her hand. “Remember, I’ll be back with your phone, and then you can call me anytime.
Chapter 9
Early on Wednesday, Mac pushed open the front door at Handley’s Coffee Shop causing the little bell above the door to jangle. All the patrons, except one, looked like regulars. Mostly older men, some wearing ball caps from their favorite sports teams or business. He took in the aroma of freshly baked cinnamon rolls, mixed with coffee.
Mac’s Brazilian friend and jiu jitsu instructor, Marco, stood out from the others. From his long black hair pulled tight into a ponytail to his Portuguese laced English. Seated at the counter with his stool turned backward he laughed with a table of old dudes until he saw Mac.
“Here he’s now.” Marco pointed at Mac.
All the men turned to look at him.
Marco and Mac shook hands and then hugged.
“I tell the men they should come to the training center and workout with us,” Marco said.
The table of six gray-haired men laughed. One spoke up, “Maybe after I have my hip replaced.” The table burst into laughter again.
Marco had a gregarious personality and made friends with anyone.
“Soon then.” Marco made a thumb’s up gesture at them.
They waved him off and settled back into their breakfast chatter and newspapers.
Marco turned around to face the counter, and Mac sat next to him.
“Morning, Mac, the usual?” Tammy Handley cocked her head.
“Yes, please.”
She plunked a coffee mug onto the countertop in front of Mac. “Did you hear abo
ut the bad accident on the highway?”
“Kinda,” Mac said.
“I heard a husband and wife died,” she said.
“That’s terrible.”
Tammy’s husband Joseph looked out the pass-through window from the kitchen and bellowed, “Hello.”
Mac nodded hello to Joseph.
Joseph’s father opened the coffee shop in 1955. His son had worked there on and off since he was a kid. Joseph took over the business full-time as a twenty-five-year-old, fresh out of college. Not necessarily what he’d planned to do as a career, but when he lost his father in a car crash thirty-nine years ago, his life’s goals shifted.
After everyone exchanged the morning greetings, Marco turned to Mac. “How are you, my friend?”
“No complaints. You?”
“Excelente.”
Mac sipped his coffee.
“How’s Carlotta?”
“She stayed in Brazil. She’s good. She’ll come home end of the month.”
“So, you’ll be here every morning?” Mac slapped Marco’s back.
Mac watched Tammy, busy moving items around on the countertops—wiping everything clean across from where Mac and Marco sat.
“Hey, Tammy, did you go to the party at the Collins’s on Saturday? Quite a gathering, I heard.”
She turned to face the guys. “No, we didn’t go. We’ve gone in the past. I wasn’t feeling well. Sam went.”
“Are their parties as crazy as everyone says?”
“Hang on, I’ll get Sam. She’s in the back making cinnamon rolls.”
Marco gave Mac an inquisitive glance before pushing a large bite of pancake into his mouth.
Sam, Joseph and Tammy’s only child, walked around the corner with a big toothy grin and a fresh cinnamon roll on a plate. She placed it in front of Mac.
“Marry me,” Mac joked as he quickly took a bite of the gigantic warm pastry.
Sam blushed. “Don’t toy with me. Mom said you asked about the Collins’s party. It was fun.”
“Are their parties as wild as everyone says? Several people around the school talked about it.”