by Melody Anne
“You heard as much as I did,” she said in frustration.
“How did you end up out here with them?” Arden asked.
He reached out to touch her again, and she scooted back. There was something in her eyes telling him she wanted to accept his touch, but something was holding her back. They were at a standstill.
“I was just taking a walk, getting some air, and they appeared. I don’t know why they’re after me,” she said. Arden knew she wasn’t telling him the entire truth. There was a hint of guilt in her eyes.
“What are you hiding from me?” he asked.
Her eyes connected with his and, for just a moment, time stood still. She looked vulnerable, and it took everything in him not to pull her close. He’d been right about her from the moment he’d met her. She was trouble. But it appeared as if it was a trouble he didn’t want to back away from.
She shook her head, and just that quickly, her eyes narrowed. “Why are you interrogating me? I’m your boss,” she pointed out.
“Really, Keera?” he challenged, looking down at the dog, who appeared quite amused by their interaction. Max was looking at Keera as if she could do no wrong. Just as soon as he thought he might like the dog, the mutt pissed him off again. “You don’t have to treat me like the enemy. I’m here, and I’m trying to help.”
“Because you’re protecting the school, not me,” she said.
“I can protect both you and the school,” he told her.
She was quiet for a moment, then gave him a slight smile. “That is, if I’m worthy of protecting?” she finally asked. “That’s what you aren’t adding.”
“That’s not true,” he insisted.
“It doesn’t matter,” she told him with a wave of her hand. “We all have things in our past we want to keep buried.”
“Is your past that bad?” he asked. He felt tense.
She took a deep breath. When she spoke, he wasn’t expecting what she had to say. “My brother was killed a few years ago, and the case was never solved, and now thugs are after me who apparently know him. I’m just wondering what the connection is.”
Arden felt a deep tug inside him. He couldn’t imagine what would happen to him if one of his brothers, or his baby sister, was taken from this world.
“I’m sorry, Keera.”
“I’m sick of people being sorry,” she snapped, her eyes shining with tears. “I want someone to do something about it.”
Arden nearly smiled. He could understand how she felt. Of course, he hadn’t ever experienced that type of loss before, but he knew beyond a doubt that if he had, there would be nothing stopping him from seeking revenge, from finding out what had happened, and from doing whatever it took to obtain justice.
“And you think what’s happening at the school has to do with your brother?” he asked. “How could it?”
“I don’t know,” she said, her voice rising again. “But sitting around thinking I’m doing something to harm this school isn’t solving anything.”
Arden felt like an ass as he gazed at the hurt and frustration in her eyes. Obviously, she was used to people letting her down. Maybe it was time someone didn’t disappoint her. He smiled at her.
“You’re absolutely right. Let’s do something about it,” Arden told her.
Her head snapped up as she looked at him with watery eyes and a shaking mouth. Finally she nodded, respect and maybe a hint of trust showing in her eyes.
He hadn’t wanted to get involved with this woman, had known from the beginning she was too complicated. But it didn’t matter what he wanted, because he was now involved, whether he wanted to be or not. Maybe it was time he learned exactly what complicated was like.
Chapter Five
Keera was incredibly aware of Arden following closely behind her as the two of them made their way into the back entrance of the school. Trust wasn’t easy for Keera. As a matter of fact, it was impossible for her to trust in a person’s word, but even with that conviction, she wanted to believe in Arden.
This whole situation was an utter mess, and there wasn’t a whole lot she could do about it. That wasn’t going to keep her from trying, especially with the offer of help from Arden. If anyone could find answers, it would be him.
They reached the back hallway where the gym was located, and after sniffing around for a few moments, Max lost interest and lay down, his leash dangling as he looked at Keera with bored eyes. He’d been ready to eat the kids alive. They were damn lucky Arden hadn’t let go of the dog’s leash. She was grateful she was an animal lover or the dog would be downright intimidating.
“What information do you have about your brother’s case?” Arden asked after a couple of minutes of silence.
She could feel his eyes burning into her, willing her to look at him. His gaze was so captivating, it was hard for her to keep eye contact too long. It was much safer to gaze over his shoulder.
“I know he got involved with drugs. He began hanging around with a bad crowd, and before I could stop it, he was dead,” she said. It was a very simple explanation for an incredibly complicated issue.
“You might not ever get to the bottom of his case,” Arden warned. “You won’t know the whys and hows, but you can possibly get the who, especially if this is connected with this school.”
“It never should have happened. If I’d been more aware, taken more interest in his life . . .” She trailed off. “My brother was eight years younger than me, only eighteen when he died. It was too soon. It was much too soon.”
“It’s always too soon,” he told her, reaching out and putting his hand on her shoulder. She knew he was trying to comfort her, but the feel of his fingers against the thin material of her shirt nearly scorched her. Arden Forbes was far too powerful for her liking, and the feelings he inspired in her scared her to the very depths of her soul.
She stepped back, trying not to make it appear too obvious. Them being alone in this hallway was far too intimate for her liking, especially with how raw her emotions were. She didn’t want to accept his compassion—that would make her weak.
“My brother, Dean, was a good kid. He was always an honor-roll student, involved in sports and active in clubs. Then something happened the summer before his senior year of high school. He clammed up, wouldn’t talk to my mom or me about it. I don’t know what it was, probably will never know. I just know that I can’t leave things the way they are,” she admitted. She was sharing more with Arden than she’d shared with anyone, and she didn’t know why.
“I want to help you,” he said.
This time Keera looked up at him. There was sympathy and determination in his eyes. She wanted to tell him he could take back the offer. She didn’t want to depend on anyone, but especially not on this man. She had no doubt it would be dangerous to her peace of mind.
Needing to do anything other than stand there in front of Arden sharing her innermost thoughts, Keera took another step away from him and looked down at Max, who seemed to be in no hurry to do anything.
“What are you doing here on a Saturday, anyway?” she asked.
“I got a phone call that you were in trouble,” he told her.
“What? From who?”
“I have no idea, but it appears someone is either your guardian angel, or out to get you. Maybe both,” he told her.
A shiver traveled down her spine. She feared he was right. There were too many events happening in her life to call them coincidence. Were the same people who’d messed in Dean’s life coming after her now? What exactly had her brother gotten himself into? She honestly couldn’t imagine—didn’t want to imagine.
“We definitely need to add a security detail to the school,” she said with a sigh. “I’m just afraid the budget won’t allow it.”
“I agree, and we’ll make it work. I don’t like how much time you spend here alone,” he said.
“I’ve never felt threatened being alone. It’s why I wanted a smaller school in the first place.”
“Your
safety matters, and you should be more conscious of it,” he told her.
“I hate people telling me what to do or how to feel. It drives me insane,” she said.
“You might want to learn that, in a community such as Edmonds, we care about each other. If you’re in trouble, you won’t be alone.” The words sounded a bit like a warning to her, but that might have been her paranoia instead of her rational brain.
“I thought this school, this town, would be a new start, a safe place,” she said.
“It is. It just appears some trouble might have followed you to town.”
His words instantly made her back stiffen. “So you think this supposed drug problem at the school involves me, or that I brought it here?”
“There’s someone stalking you, and we have rumors of drugs running through the school, rumors we’ve never had before,” he told her. “What am I supposed to think?”
“You’re supposed to not make assumptions. A person is innocent until proven guilty,” she pointed out.
“I agree,” he assured her. His head tilted as he analyzed her. “How did you learn about the job here, anyway?”
“Why does that matter?” she asked.
“Come on, Keera, there’s no need to be defensive about every little thing I ask,” he said with a sigh.
“A friend e-mailed me about the position,” she told him. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Had you heard of Edmonds before that?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’ve lived in the Seattle area most of my life,” she said. “Edmonds isn’t on the other side of the planet.”
“It just seems odd that someone from your past is popping up a month after you take a job you were led to,” he said.
“Or it’s just all a giant mess, and a huge coincidence,” she told him. “I’m not a part of this!”
He held up a hand as if to fend her off. “I’m not implying you are. I’m just saying we need to follow all possible leads. Obviously, something’s going on, and it’s foolish for us to ignore the facts.”
She crossed her arms and glared at him for a moment. How was she going to work with this man? He drove her crazy—in both good and bad ways.
“Then, let’s search the school again. We can see how useful your dog is,” she said in a clipped tone.
He gazed at her for a moment, then nodded. “Let’s sweep the school,” he agreed.
Unease filled Keera. What if they did find something? What if Arden thought she really was involved? She shouldn’t care what he thought, but for some reason she did.
The two of them were silent as they began walking through the gym. A dozen kids were playing a fierce game of basketball, their voices echoing through the mostly empty area. This was the reason Keera loved what she did. These were good kids choosing to spend their Saturday together, being active and involved. If her brother had made that same choice, he’d still be alive, and she wouldn’t feel so lost.
“This doesn’t look like any after-school detention I attended,” Arden told her, leaning too close into her personal bubble. The scent of his cologne tickled her senses, making goose bumps appear on her arms. She prayed he wouldn’t notice. But the man always smelled like wood and spice, an oddly erotic combination that hit her low in her belly whenever she got a whiff.
“There’s only a few kids here working off their detention. The rest want to be here, and I like having a safe place for them to go on the weekends, where they can stay out of trouble. I also believe that just because they’ve done something wrong and they have to pay the price for that, it doesn’t have to be miserable. If I show them a more positive experience, then I think they’ll learn more than if I lock them in a small room and make them write stupid sentences one hundred times in a row.”
“I agree. Our last principal didn’t,” he said.
“I’ve seen much better responses from getting kids involved in activities that interest them than by doing it the old way. If we don’t continue to learn, then we shouldn’t be in the education system,” she said.
“I wish more people felt the same as you,” Arden said. Keera was so used to people arguing with her that she didn’t know how to respond to his positive words.
As they continued on, leaving the gym, Max was busy sniffing the ground, the walls, and the lockers as his eagle eyes took in everything around him. A bug couldn’t squirm up a wall without him tracking it.
She was growing more impressed by Arden’s dog the more she was around him. She might even miss seeing him at the school when he was done with this job.
“Are there any particular areas you want to take your pup through?” Keera asked.
“Let’s just walk the halls,” Arden suggested.
The school was old but well maintained. Though the rumors hadn’t been confirmed, she’d heard it was Arden’s family’s donations that kept everything in the place top-of-the-line, right down to the vending machines. She wanted to ask him about it, but it wasn’t a conversation she was comfortable beginning.
They rounded a corner and ran into Ethan, who appeared startled to find them there. From the stiffening of his shoulders, she was guessing he hadn’t thawed any toward Arden.
“I don’t have you on the volunteer roster today,” Keera said. Ethan’s eyes softened slightly when he turned toward Keera.
“I don’t have to be a volunteer to take pride in being at my school,” he said.
“That’s true. I guess I’m here more often than not, as well,” Keera said with a false chuckle she figured no one was buying.
“I see the dog is back. Is he going to be a permanent fixture?” Ethan asked. Max’s upper lip lifted as he met Ethan’s gaze, as if he was begging the man to make a move. It was almost comical how much personality this dog had. Ethan didn’t appear amused as he took a step back. If the dog had been gazing at her that way, she’d have probably done the same.
“For now,” she told Ethan, who sighed with disgust.
Before anyone could say anything more, Max’s attention strayed as his body stiffened. His alert eyes focused on the set of lockers across the hall from them. He then began tugging against his leash.
When Arden didn’t move quickly enough for his liking, he turned his head and looked with exasperation at the man holding on to him.
“What is it?” Arden asked. The dog almost seemed to sigh, which made Keera’s own lips twitch.
“I think he wants you to follow him,” Keera said.
Arden shrugged and allowed Max to lead him to the lockers. Max sniffed at them for a moment, then sat, his paw lifting as he scratched at number 213. Arden looked at her as if unsure what to do next.
“I think he wants in that locker,” Keera said, feeling a sense of foreboding. She turned to Ethan. “Do you have the register so we can see who it belongs to?”
Ethan glared at Max and Arden before turning and moving back to his office. He returned a few minutes later, holding a paper.
“It doesn’t belong to anyone,” he grumbled. Before she or Arden could respond, they heard the voices of students as they rounded a corner. The three girls stopped, looking unsure of whether to keep moving. The somber faces of their principal, vice principal, and history teacher caused instant worry to appear in their expressions.
“Everything’s okay,” Keera quickly informed the students. “Why don’t you get back to your projects?” She tried keeping her voice cheery. The girls looked at each other and then back to the group of adults, not buying her tone.
“Why is that dog pawing at the locker?” the leader of the small group asked.
“We aren’t sure yet, Kimberly,” Keera told her.
The kids knew something was going on, and though they stepped back a couple of paces, it was obvious they weren’t interested in going anywhere.
“You’d better open the locker, Ethan,” Arden told him.
Though Ethan grumbled, especially at having a teacher tell him what to do, he stepped up to the locker and entered the lock code
that was on his paper. The door popped open, and Max let out a whine as the contents were revealed.
Keera gasped, and Ethan stumbled back as if afraid of getting contaminated by the contents inside. This couldn’t be happening—not in her school.
“Is that coke?” Kimberly asked. The students had crept closer to see what was happening.
“We aren’t sure,” Arden said as he pulled out his phone. It was obvious by the look he sent Keera’s way that he was pretty sure it was drugs. But he was keeping calm because of the students standing by.
“Whoa, that’s a lot,” a boy named Daniel said. The group of kids had grown as students held their phones, texting as fast as their fingers allowed.
“Let’s not make assumptions,” Arden said.
Though his voice remained calm, Keera could see the rage in his eyes. There were drugs in his school, and he wasn’t happy. Some of the trust she’d seen in his expression earlier had evaporated as he looked at her with a bit of suspicion that nearly broke her heart.
“Arden . . .” She didn’t know how to finish the sentence.
“School’s out for the day,” Arden said, his voice harder than she’d ever heard before. He then stepped away as he picked up his phone again. Her fingers trembled as she gazed back at the contents in the locker. There were far too many drugs for them to be one student’s stash.
Someone was dealing out of her school. Her heart broke because she feared this was more about her than the school. Her past was following her, and it seemed the ghosts weren’t going to be satisfied until she was destroyed—personally, physically, mentally, and professionally.
The demons of her old life might just win.
Chapter Six
There was no way to express the anger Arden was feeling. He’d been teaching at Edmonds High School for ten years, and in that time, nothing like this had happened before.
Sure, kids had been caught with bags of weed, and those students had been expelled. The staff took an incredibly hard stance on drugs. He was even harsher with his football team. If a player was caught with drugs or alcohol, they were off the team—no second chances.