by K. M. Waller
Now to stop the hormonal teen boys from causing more issues in the small school.
I slipped out of the office into an empty hall. While I’d wanted to be the one to catch the boys and send them back to town, the voices around the end of the corridor let me know I’d missed my opportunity. Rebecca stood, fully dressed in the clothes she’d had on earlier and arms crossed, outside of Jennifer’s room. Of course it’d be my mom with the townie boys. I held my breath as I approached the group, knowing that my father would be on the other side of Rebecca’s scowl.
“What’s going on?” I asked, sure to keep the note of ignorance in my tone.
“I don’t get it,” Rebecca started. “Not less than a day ago, the police found a woman murdered in those woods and these boys walked right through them as if they don’t have a care in the world.”
“Please don’t call my mom,” the boy with dark hair and amber eyes pleaded.
My dad. But not my dad. The man who hadn’t wanted me. Nor had his family. Or had any of them even known about me?
Still too many questions and not a stretch closer to any answers. For my personal life and for the murder case.
Officer Mike joined us in the hall and cleared his throat. “I called your parents as soon as I saw you sneaking up the window from my car stationed in the parking lot. Your dad is on the way.”
Hector’s posture stiffened. “Step-father.”
The way he corrected Officer Mike matched the way Don had said stepson earlier. No love lost between the two.
The second boy, a half-asleep blond with baby blue eyes, said nothing. He leaned against the wall as if the conversation didn’t include him.
Rebecca gestured to the hall. “Let’s take this to the main lobby. Jennifer, back in your room.”
The door slammed so hard it shook a picture hanging outside the room. I straightened the picture and followed the crew to the main lobby. Two girls opened their doors, but Rebecca shooed them back inside.
Once we made it to the lobby, she turned to me. “You don’t have to stay for this.”
I shrugged, careful to keep the folders from rustling against my shirt. “I’d like to stick around and see how to handle these situations.”
In reality, I wanted to see the relationship between my future father and his parents.
Officer Mike pointed to the row of chairs. “You two. Sit.”
I had a suspicion about my grandmother I wanted to confirm. If she showed up in the middle of the night wearing gloves, I’d know that my witchy powers of empath had come directly from her. I thought about the doll with darker hair. If Grams was the only witch in the vicinity, then she’d most likely know the reason for the ritual in the woods.
A pair of headlights lit up the parking lot and I could hear two arguing voices approaching the main doors. The arguing stopped the second the door pulled open and Don stomped through. Grams followed close behind, tugging on a pair of white gloves.
Bingo. One question finally solved. My witch heritage came from my father’s side of the family. Grams was an empathy. Did my dad have powers?
“What were you thinking?” Don pushed past Officer Mike. His voice continued to rise. “Do you know how worried your mother was?”
Hector stood toe to toe with Step-gramps. “It’s fine when you sneak out here but when it’s me, you’re angry? Hypocrite.”
Don clenched his fists. Hector smiled.
I stepped forward and between them. Not on my watch. “I agree that what the boys did was stupid, but they’re just kids. Someone needs to explain the dangers of their actions, but it’s not like they’ve done any actual harm here at the school.”
My theory about Don making excuses to come out to school to see Sarah were correct. Is that who Sarah bought her silky lingerie for?
“Hector, it’s time to leave.” Grams’ crisp voice filled the front office.
Hector pushed past both me and Don and when he brushed against my shoulder, I experienced the same zing as when I’d touched Jennifer. Parental zings through touch seemed to be a thing in my family.
Grams squinted her eyes and shook her head as if a thought had entered that she didn’t want to believe. I rushed forward and thrust out my hand. I wanted to see if our touch caused the same reaction from her, even through the gloves.
“I don’t think we were properly introduced this morning in the salon.”
She tucked her gloved hands against her stomach. “Excuse me if I don’t shake. I have severe psoriasis. It’s painful at times.”
“No worries. I totally get it.” Liar.
Don snapped his fingers and followed Hector out into the parking lot. “We’re leaving.” He paused and looked at Rebecca. “I didn’t get the final payment on that facsimile machine your boss bought.”
Rebecca’s smile tightened. “Feel free to repossess it any time.”
An underlying current of dislike and distaste filled the air. Rebecca knew about him and Sarah.
Don turned his back to her and pushed through the door. Grams followed, her spine straight as if she knew about the gossip that followed her husband around but preferred not to acknowledge it.
Officer Mike sighed heavily. No doubt in the small town this situation was one he’d seen too many times before. “I couldn’t get Jimmy’s parents on the phone. I’ll give him a ride home. Can you ladies do without an armed guard for about ten minutes?”
“We’ll be fine,” Rebecca answered.
“I can make a few rounds in the hallways and watch the doors until you return,” I offered.
I needed a safe place to sit and go through the files before returning them. I also needed Rebecca to feel safe enough to go to bed.
After Officer Mike took the other boy to the parking lot, I tapped my fingers against my lips.
“If Officer Mike saw the boys coming to the window, how did you know they were here?”
Her cheeks turned a rosy shade of pink. “I was on my way to bring him a cup of coffee when he came up to the door.”
Interesting. I decided on a bolder approach. “Are you dating Officer Mike?”
“My personal life stays personal.” She backed up a step. “What were you doing out and about?”
I clasped my hands in front of my stomach much like Grams had done. Mine needed to cover the folders under my bulky shirt. “My name was added to the cleaning duty roster, and I’m playing catchup with today’s chores.”
She nodded. “Michelle added you already, I assume.”
“Yep.”
“Thank you for making the rounds. I’m going to bed. It’s been an exhausting day.”
“That is has.” I collapsed into the nearest chair needing a breather after all the emotional upheaval in the lobby. It would only get worse from here.
Chapter Ten
Early the next morning before breakfast, Rebecca called a meeting for all staff and girls in the common room.
“I wanted to let you all know that Sarah is being shipped home to Michigan for her funeral in a couple of days. If anyone is interested in having a small memorial for her, please let me know.”
The room stayed quiet.
“If you are in favor of returning to our regular routine with classes, please raise your hand.”
Twelve of the girls raised their hands. All but Jennifer and her two friends. It didn’t surprise me. They’d hold on tight to their rebel status.
Rebecca gestured at me. “Ms. Netty will begin with physical fitness at ten a.m. behind the school. From there, we’ll work out a modified schedule until the rest of the girls return.”
“They aren’t coming back to the house of horrors,” Jennifer called out. “The only reason we’re still here is because no one cares about us.”
“Shut up,” Tonya said.
“Calm down, girls. Go wash up for breakfast. I expect everyone there for P.E.” Rebecca settled her gaze on Jennifer. “I’ll come find you if you aren’t.”
“Whatever.” Jennifer stomped out of the ro
om, her two lackeys on her tail.
Laura sidled up beside me. “Ready for breakfast? It’s waffle day.”
My stomach growled, and I followed Laura to the dining room. As unrestful as her night had seemed with the snoring and tossing and turning, she appeared well-rested and in better spirits today.
I’d had a solid five hours’ sleep after I gave up finding a place bright enough to read the files. They sat between my bedspring and mattress, waiting for an opportunity, but I had to replace them soon before Rebecca noticed.
With one day down and only six to go, I’d have to push her a little further before I met with the salon gossip queen in the evening. I needed all the pieces to fit to get a well-rounded story of who had the most to gain from killing Sarah.
We moved quietly through the breakfast line. I stacked an extra waffle on my plate to mimic Laura and cringed with the amount of syrup she used. Enough to make my teeth ache. I poured half as much and we sat in the corner away from the girls.
“You missed the excitement last night,” I started.
She forked a bite of waffle in her mouth but her eyebrows drew together in question.
“Boys sneaking into a girl’s room.”
She nodded and swallowed down her mouthful. “The Ruiz boy and Jennifer, right? That’s a Romeo and Juliet scenario if ever I saw one.”
I paused mid-bite. The reality of my mom dying made the reference all too real. A flush of heat crept up my neck.
An expression of concern crossed Laura’s face. “Oh, I don’t mean they’d have a suicide pact or anything like that. I just meant that the people in town think the girls here are less than the gum beneath their shoe.”
“They don’t even know them.”
“Reputations are everything.”
“Jennifer mentioned that was Sarah’s motto too.”
Laura took another large forkful of waffle and shoved it into her mouth. Deflection by eating. I let her sit with that information for a few minutes while we ate.
I tapped my fork against the plate. “When… the Ruiz boy you called him? When his parents came, he mentioned something about his step-dad sneaking out here too. Surely a married man doesn’t attempt to come out here to the girls’ school at night?”
Laura’s eyes widened. “Not for the girls,” she answered through a garble of waffle. “At least not after that one time, but that girl was eighteen and of legal age. She’s not here anymore though.”
Still not okay. Looks like I’d have to use that zipper spell after all. “Then who?”
She shook her head. “I really shouldn’t say.”
“You?” I pushed her.
“No way.”
“Michelle.” I pointed to the blackmailer across the dining room.
Laura lifted one shoulder.
“And Sarah too?”
She ducked her head down in answer.
Step-gramps got around.
“Rebecca?” I couldn’t see her falling for his slick charms but I had to ask.
She shook her head again and picked up her plate. “I need to open my office for counseling today. Please let the girls know at P.E. that I’m ready for them if they need to talk.”
“I will, sure.”
I played with the remaining waffle on my plate and the food in my stomach sat heavy. Don cheated like a mad dog on Grams. Grams was a witch and the most likely suspect to have set up the ritual near the body. But before or after the death? Had she lured Sarah to the woods with the ritual and then killed her out of jealousy? Would the Agency be so cruel as to send me back to solve a case that would implicate a family member as the murderer?
Tonya sat down heavy in the chair Laura had vacated. Bags under her eyes suggested she hadn’t slept well.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“That cat never stops meowing. All night long. I’m not ready to be a pet parent.”
I smiled. “She probably wants to go home. When I have a break after my first class, I’ll stop by your room and take her into town. Someone has to know who she belongs to.”
I tilted my head to the side. In fact, I’d found the perfect excuse to stop by Grams’ house and ask if she knew who the cat belonged to. Then I’d find another excuse to get her to let me inside the house.
My watch told me I had an hour before the girls came outside for P.E. I’d take it easy on them for their first day. About fifty pushups and one hundred crunches should take the attitude out of some of them. Then I’d teach them some self-defense moves because basic self-defense was a skill every girl should have. Jennifer and her friends giggled in the corner as I dumped my plate in the trash. Especially girls who let boys in through their windows.
With Laura in her office, I took the opportunity to read through Jennifer’s file in our room. I sat down on the bed, the weight of the file getting heavier with each passing moment. Everything about half of my parentage would be typed out in black and white.
I opened to the first page with the intake information. A judge had court-ordered Jennifer to attend the reform school. In the section listed for parents, a foster care home with the address and phone number were listed under mother. Father remained empty.
Someone had abandoned her like they had me. No wonder she clung to her mean friends and showed the world a stone cold attitude. They were her battle armor against not being wanted. And now my future dad wanted her, and she didn’t want to let go of him either.
I clenched my teeth and continued through the file. They had caught her skipping school so many times the truancy officer wrote a recommendation she be put in juvenile detention. The juvenile court judge had disagreed. I flipped through a few more pages but stopped reading when my eyes misted and clouded my vision.
I couldn’t change her past. Nor could I change mine. But she’d had me and I had a purpose.
I switched gears to the file of the student who’d run away. Sarah wrote some unkind words about her in a lengthy write up detailing the events leading up to the girl leaving. No doubt she’d done it for liability reasons, but what if she’d done it out of jealousy? I noted this girl was a part of the foster system too. Being eighteen, she’d have phased out and not had anywhere to go after leaving the school. Sarah noted her as disruptive, dishonest, and promiscuous. Another girl who let the townie boys in through the window, maybe? I couldn’t find a picture in the file but the description had her hair as a strawberry blonde. Not especially helpful.
I closed the file and glanced at the alarm clock beside Laura’s bed. I opened the letters from Sarah’s family next. I found nothing in the letter useful. I doubted the piece of paper I’d taken from the notebook would reveal anything either.
I changed into shorts and a t-shirt. They fit loosely but the dollar store’s clothing selection had been a rack and a half of women’s clothing to begin with. The white canvas shoes weren’t fit for running but the school didn’t have a track where it would matter.
I took the files, letters, and paper and stuffed them under my mattress. Outside my door I found Michelle waiting for me, her back against the wall. My other little problem to solve.
“When will you have my money?” she asked.
I counted the days in my head. “I can get the three hundred to you by Monday.” The day after I leave.
“No. I need it for tonight.”
I stuck my hands on my hips. “What’s the rush?”
She straightened. “That’s none of your business. But your business is about to become everyone else’s if you don’t get me the money.”
I wanted to make her think I cared about whatever she thought she knew so I could use it against her if needed. I had zero qualms about using a blackmailer. “I can get you one hundred by this afternoon. I need to go into town first. And I need a car.”
She tugged on her lip and dug keys out of her pocket. “I can loan you mine but you have to fill up the tank and that doesn’t come from the one hundred.”
I pulled the keys from her hand, musing how eas
ily it’d been to manipulate her. Had Sarah done the same? I jiggled the keys and winked. “Totally. I’ll fill her up.”
I passed by Laura’s office and found the door shut but I heard two distinct voices in an argument. Laura and Rebecca. I pressed my ear against the door but couldn’t make out their words.
I’d have to be quick. After making sure the hallway was clear of passersby, I placed a palm against the door and whispered a spell to the wooden surface. “Nosy am I, and full of need, let me hear their words, make haste and with speed.”
The voices came through as if I were in the room with them.
“We should tell the detective everything we told the chief,” Laura said.
“It wouldn’t serve any purpose other than to anger Mrs. Ruiz. As president of the board, she could shut us down.” Rebecca’s voice held irritation. “And if the chief of police didn’t care about the argument between her and Sarah, then neither will the state detective.”
All roads led back to Grams.
“What are you doing?” Tonya stood at the end of the hallway.
I snatched my hand away from the door, disconnecting my spell. I joined her at the end of the corridor. “I was going to knock but heard Ms. Rebecca and Ms. Laura having a meeting or something.”
“The grown-ups are always having meetings behind closed doors. Meetings with teachers. Meeting with parents. Meetings on top of other meetings. It’s like, totally a waste of time.”
We walked side by side toward the door leading to the back.
“What would you rather see happen than meetings?” I asked.
She lifted her eyebrows and shrugged. “I don’t know. That’s for y’all grown-ups to figure out.”
I smiled down at her. “Makes sense.”
I glanced at my watch. Almost ten on the dot. “Let’s line up, girls. Make two rows and spread out an arm’s length apart.”
The girls moaned and complained but did as I asked.
All except for Jennifer.