"No one likes math," a voice said.
Miss Hernandez spun in place and held out a marker like a sword. "Who said that?"
The class laughed. Tiffany liked Miss Hernandez. She was a nice, funny lady. Tiffany didn't like it when she heard other kids on the playground calling her teacher names. The kids all made fun of Miss Hernandez's face, calling her names like Scarface and Cat-Attack.
The teacher stopped next to Tiffany and put a hand on her desk.
"Tiffany, did you have some trouble with your homework over the weekend?"
She lowered her eyes. "It's just hard."
"You don't think the times table stuff is fun?"
She shook her head, afraid to look Miss Hernandez in the eye. She didn't want to disappoint her teacher, like she always disappointed Miss Simmons. Tiffany knew Jack liked Miss Hernandez, and wanted them both to think she was smart, even if she wasn't.
She struggled through her math assignment, and looked up occasionally to see Miss Hernandez staring at her from behind her desk. The pretty teacher seemed embarrassed and looked away.
After lunch the class took turns reading out of a book when there was a knock at the classroom door. Miss Hernandez answered it and spoke to someone standing outside for a minute or so.
"Okay, everyone," she announced. "Today we have a special treat. You get a break from the reading I know you just love so much. I want you to meet Officer Mark Taylor. He walks the streets at night while we're sleeping to keep all of us safe, and he's taking time to talk to us today."
Tiffany's jaw dropped as Officer Taylor stepped into class. Her mind flashed back to that night in the alley, the night she met Jack. She remembered the monster attacking that man, biting and sucking at his neck. She still dreamed about the monster sometimes.
The monster was terrible, but she also remembered the man in the alley. He was dressed like a policeman, just like Officer Taylor. Blue hat, blue uniform, gun on his belt. The policeman did nothing while the monster killed that man and drank his blood.
She let out a cry as she jumped from her desk. Miss Hernandez and the students around her stared at her in surprise. She quickly made her way in between the desks, bumping her shin on someone's foot, and reached for the door.
She ran down the empty hall as fast as her legs would carry her, screaming as she went.
*****
Jack stepped through the school's main doors. He wasn't sure what the policy was. He didn't know if he was supposed to sign in at the main office, get a badge of some sort, give a blood or urine sample. He didn't care. He was past the office and nearly to the library when he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"Jack! Wait!"
He turned to see Erica walking out of the main office, concern on her face. Behind her was a police officer followed by the principal. The officer carried Tiffany's backpack, and Jack's heart caught in his chest, a strange feeling for him.
"Thank you for coming," the principal said.
"Of course I came. What's going on? Where's Tiffany?"
"She's in a supply closet just outside Miss Hernandez's classroom."
His jaw tightened. "Please tell me you didn't stick her in a closet."
"You know we didn't, Jack," Erica said, flashing him a glare. "She went in there herself. She just...snapped. She ran out of class. She screams and goes crazy when we try to get her out. We figured it'd be best to get you down here."
Jack settled his gaze on the policeman. "Who are you?"
The man smiled and held out a hand. "Officer Mark Taylor. I just stopped in to talk to the kids, and she freaked. I hate to ask, but is there anything going on at home I should know about? I looked through her pack here, and saw her camera. If I was to look through it, would it make me unhappy?"
"You...looked through her things?"
"I have the right. I thought she might be on drugs."
“An eight-year-old on drugs? Are you serious?”
Something about Officer Mark Taylor didn't sit well with Jack. He'd been around a lot of terrible people in his life. Jack was a terrible person himself. He could sniff one out easily. It wasn't always about body language. But a cheating spouse, a petty thief, a corrupt cop, they were easy to spot.
It took most of his willpower to ignore the man and look at Erica.
"Take me to this closet, please."
Before budging, Jack held his hand out to Taylor, waiting impatiently for him to hand over Tiffany's pack. With a smile that made Jack want to rip his throat out, Taylor handed it over.
Erica led him past her class, where a substitute teacher had taken over, to a closet at the end of the hall. The halls were empty, but it wouldn't be long before they were full of students clawing for the exits. The school day was almost over.
Tiffany must have seen shadows moving under the door, as she shouted out when Jack drew near.
"Go away! Leave me alone!"
He turned to Erica. "She just ran out of class?"
She opened her mouth, but Taylor, who was standing behind her, cut her off.
"Yeah. It was crazy. The little freak just bolted away. I thought the room was on fire."
"I wasn't talking to you," Jack snapped. "And please, do not call Tiffany a name again."
Taylor laughed and threw his hands in the air. "Whatever. I guess my work here is done. But I've got my eye on you."
Jack glared at the corrupt cop as he turned and walked down the hall. Even after he rounded the corner and disappeared, Jack was still tense.
"Calm down," Erica said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I really don't know what happened. I can see Officer Taylor is a bit of an asshole. But he was just stopping by to say drugs are bad, don't talk to strangers, all that generic crap."
Despite the situation, Jack smiled. Erica was finally sounding like a real person, and not a woman hiding behind her teacher's mask.
"Tiffany just took off," she continued. "Did she have a bad experience with a cop or something?"
"Let's find out."
Jack knocked on the door.
"I said leave me alone!"
"It's me. It's just me and Miss Hernandez out here."
The door shot open. Tiffany grabbed Jack's arm and pulled him inside. She hesitated as she looked at Erica, but grabbed her wrist as well. She slammed the door shut after everyone was firmly inside.
Jack frowned as he shifted in the darkness. The supply closet was mostly empty, plenty of space, but he still wasn't fond of an enclosed room. He shoved a mop and bucket out of the way as he grabbed his iPhone. The soft light pushed away the darkness. Erica gave him a nervous smile as she stood across from him.
"I wonder how many rules I'm breaking right now," she said.
The thought of spending time in a closet with Erica was an alluring one, but Jack was more concerned about Tiffany.
The girl sat at his feet, hugging her knees to her chest. Her eyes were red from crying. She'd taken her shoes off and set them in the corner. Grabbing her pack, she pulled it from Jack's grip and hugged it close to her.
Jack sat next to her, placing the iPhone in his lap. Erica slid down the wall across from him. There was just enough room for the three of them to sit comfortably, although Jack and Erica's feet were touching.
"So," Jack said, flashing a smile. "How was your day?"
"Tiffany, what happened?" Erica asked. "Do you know Officer Taylor?"
"You wouldn't believe me."
"You might be right," Jack said. "We might not believe you. But you can still talk to us, and we'll listen."
Erica wrinkled her brow at Jack, telling him he chose the wrong words.
"The monster."
Jack rolled his eyes. "Tiffany, we've talked about this. I seriously doubt you saw a monster."
Erica gave Jack a questioning look, and he quickly filled her in on the first night they met. She took everything well, her eyes widening only a few times.
"I know you don't believe me," Tiffany said. "I saw a monster, and some
one dressed liked a policeman. But you'll protect me, right?"
"As long as I'm around, which believe me, is looking to be a long time, I've got your back. You've got mine, right?"
Tiffany giggled and stood up to give him a hug.
"Shit, Tiffany, enough with the hugs."
His eyes met Erica's as Tiffany's tear-stained cheeks touched his own. He was an expert in body language, facial expression, and lip reading, but Erica had a face he couldn't read at the moment. It wasn't lust. He'd seen that enough times to recognize. Was it longing, or caring? That didn't make sense either. No one had ever cared about him before, other than Victoria.
Jack opened the door, looking both ways. The halls were still empty. He left first, followed by Erica and then Tiffany. The bell rang, and two seconds later every door in the hall opened at once.
Tiffany had taken the lead and carried her own bag once again. She tried to pass an open door, but a boy nearly ran out of the classroom. He bumped into her, knocking her back a foot. It was Robert, the bully.
"Hey, new girl. Why don't you watch where you're going?"
He shoved Tiffany by the bad shoulder. She winced as she fell back into Jack, who caught her before she tumbled. Robert hadn't seen Jack or Erica standing behind her, and opened his mouth in surprise as he looked at the two adults.
Before Erica could say a word, or Jack's rage could go off, Tiffany stepped forward. She threw a right fist directly at Robert, catching him in the nose. The bully stumbled back a few steps before falling on his ass. The students at their lockers and leaving class erupted in laughter and cheers.
"And down goes Frazier!" Jack shouted, laughing hysterically as Robert picked himself up and ran away. Jack raised Tiffany's hand in mock-victory. "Who wants some now? Who's next?"
Jack felt something odd as students walked by, congratulating and high-fiving Tiffany. The girl turned red from embarrassment, but smiled at the attention she received. He couldn't get the grin off his face, and realized he was feeling proud.
He turned and caught Erica's eye. She smiled for a split-second, and then her face grew serious. It was as if she finally remembered she was a teacher in a school, and just witnessed a fight.
She led Jack and Tiffany down the hall.
"Uh oh," he said. "I think we're in trouble."
*****
Erica paced back and forth as Jack sat behind her desk. Tiffany sat in the back of class, working on her homework. The door was shut, and he expected her to unleash fury any second. He tried to hold in laughter as she paced, stopped to open her mouth, and resumed pacing without saying a word. As she moved far in the other direction, when her back was to him, he gave Tiffany a thumbs-up. The girl giggled, and Erica caught Jack, giving him an evil look.
"Uh, Erica?" he said. "You want to get on with this? I've got things to do. Laundry, dinner-"
"Does it not bother you that Tiffany just punched a fellow student?"
Her tone brought him to his feet.
"Fellow student? That kid is a bully, a piece of shit. Tell me he didn't get what he deserved."
"We here at the school-"
"Oh, stop. Stop talking like a businesswoman. I saw the smile on your face. Be honest. Don't hide behind that I-am-a-prim-and-proper-teacher bullshit."
She stopped and playfulness twinkled in her eye. She glanced at Tiffany and lowered her voice.
"Robert is a turd. I taught him last year. I can't stand that little brat. He's outgrowing everyone, so he thinks he can just push kids around."
"There you go. Honesty. Was that so hard?"
She laughed, but only for a second.
"Still, Jack, fighting isn't allowed for any reason."
"It wasn't exactly a fight. He ran his mouth, Tiffany threw lightning in his face, he fell down."
Erica laughed again, and he saw her conflicting emotions. She was having fun, enjoying the conversation, and felt guilty at the same time.
"I still have to tell the principal. I'm sorry."
"Come on, Erica. Sometimes violence is the only answer."
She stared at him, all humor gone from her face. Her hand went up to her scar without her even realizing.
"I'm sorry, did you just say violence is okay?"
He sighed. "Give me a break. I'm not trying to compare what happened to you to fighting in a school. But when you were hit with that bottle, didn't you defend yourself? Did you fight back?"
Danger flashed through her eyes.
"Your little flirty comments every morning doesn't mean we know each other. You don't get to ask me personal questions."
Jack looked over Erica's shoulder at Tiffany. The girl was trying to listen in, without seeming obvious. When she caught Jack's eye she looked back to her homework. He took a step towards Erica, closer than he meant to be, but she didn't back away.
"Please," he whispered. "Don't get Tiffany suspended. She's been in school a week. All she did was stand up to a bully. You wouldn't believe how proud I am of her. I've been around a long time, and I've never met a kid like her. She's been through so much."
"A long time," she repeated. "What you are? Thirty years old?"
"Close enough."
The anger disappeared, but Erica was still wary. She looked back and forth from Jack to Tiffany, wrestling with her conscience.
"If Robert whines to his parents, she’ll be suspended. If he doesn’t, she won’t be. That’s it."
"Excellent! Tiffany, let's go before she changes her mind."
"Wait, there's one more thing."
He groaned as she led him to the far corner of the room. He loved her perfume. It was difficult to focus, even with his great concentration.
"Tiffany's not where she should be," she said. "Her reading's a little behind. She doesn’t understand basic multiplication. She was home-schooled before you?"
He nodded.
"Her foster-mother obviously didn't do a good job, and from what I saw on the news, that doesn't surprise me. I was talking to Mrs. Freeman. She teaches third grade, too, but for-"
"Slow kids," he finished.
Erica frowned at his choice of words. "Students with learning disabilities."
Jack clasped his hands together as he eyed Tiffany. It was turning out to be a stressful day.
"She needs tutoring. How much do you charge a night?"
"I don't tutor, Jack. I have enough on my plate."
"Please," he said sarcastically. "You go home every night and watch TV. One hundred dollars a night?"
She frowned and looked away. "Would you please stop doing that? Do you ever stop to think about what you say?"
"You'd be doing me a favor," he said, ignoring her questions. "She likes you. I know you could help her. Two hundred dollars."
"There are plenty of other tutors...two hundred dollars?"
He winced. "Okay, two-fifty. And I'll cook."
She smiled. "Deal. But...no cooking. We meet at the library."
"Why?"
"You're definitely one of the most unique guys I've ever met-"
"You have no idea."
"But I don't trust you enough to go to your house. So, the library."
"Was that so hard? Doesn't honesty feel good?"
CHAPTER 11
Jack held in amusement as he parked outside the library. He didn't even know Parkville had one. He'd seen institutions come and go over the decades. It actually broke his heart when horseback slowly faded away. It was probably only a matter of time before the digital age replaced libraries.
"Why does Miss Hernandez have to teach me two times in one day?" Tiffany asked as they climbed out of the truck. "Is this discipline for hitting Robert?"
"Not at all. This is just some extra teaching, called tutoring. As far as Robert goes, you did awesome. He pushed you, and you busted his ass. I guarantee he will not push you again."
Tiffany stopped halfway across the parking lot. Jack paused when he realized she wasn't at his side. Her lower lip quivered, but she held in her emotions.
"Is this because I'm not very smart?"
He felt a stab of sadness, and quickly shoved it aside. He didn't like feeling things for other people. She looked down as he knelt in front of her.
"Tiffany, you're doing fine. We're just trying to give you a helping hand."
"Miss Simmons used to say I was the stupidest kid she ever saw."
Jack clenched his fist. With every mention of her name he regretted not killing her.
"Forget what she said. You only listen to Miss Hernandez and me now."
"Okay."
The library was nearly deserted. Only a few people read at tables and browsed the net at computer terminals. A woman sat behind a counter and played with her phone. Jack laughed at a teenaged couple making out in a back corner. Weren't there better make-out spots than the library?
He almost overlooked her, thinking they'd arrived first, but saw Erica sitting at a table near the water fountain, drinking a soda. What threw him off was the dark pair of sunglasses on her face.
He tried not to indulge. He saw her every morning, but never outside of school. She wore a tight pair of jeans and a shirt with a lower cut than usual. Her legs were crossed, and a pair of open-toed sandals dangled from her feet. Her wardrobe hugged her perfectly. Erica simply oozed beauty.
She noticed them approaching and offered a smile.
"Hi there, Shady," Jack said.
She blushed and removed her sunglasses, shifting her head slightly to minimize view of her scar. "Sorry. I wear these when I'm out. You know, to-"
"Yeah, I know why."
"Okay, Tiffany," she said. "Get your books ready while I talk to Jack for a second."
She led him away a few tables by the arm and lowered her voice. Jack leaned in close.
"I’m not comfortable with you giving me two hundred fifty dollars."
"Well, you agreed. I’m not going any higher."
"No," she said, shaking her head. "It’s already too high."
"Think of a number you’re comfortable with, and let me know."
"Fine. Give us about two hours," she said with a smile. "You finally get some time to yourself, a single parent’s dream."
"I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay out of your way, but I’ll be over here."
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