Besides, Daddy would be mad if I said anything. He’d have to cut his business trip short to come back home and deal with it. And deal with me. If I thought my latest injuries were bad, wait until he found out the sheriff was asking me questions. The fact that the sheriff got called at all would be enough to set Daddy off.
My gaze shifted over at the principal’s door, where Mrs. Grier was pointing. It would be better if I dealt with this. Maybe then Daddy wouldn’t have to know. Lying didn’t cause me pain. Not physically, anyway.
Sighing, I told myself I could do this and slowly made my way over there. That confidence fled the instant I slipped through the door.
Three sets of eyes shifted my way.
Mr. Sampson, Sheriff Adams, and Louis Kessler.
And just like that, I knew what it was like to be a gazelle in the middle of a pride of lions.
The sheriff was the first to speak.
“Hello Harper.” Warmth shone from his blue eyes as he tipped his head. “Do you know why I’m here?”
To screw up all my hard work and put everyone I care about at risk.
“No,” I lied.
“Harper,” he let out a breath. “I’m going to tell you a story.”
I stayed where I was, comforted by the possible exit at my back, as he shifted around in his chair to rest his forearms on his knees.
“Last week I had the unfortunate task of notifying a woman that her husband had passed in a car accident. When she opened the door she got this look, like she knew something was wrong. You see, that’s the response I normally get. Do you know why?”
I shook my head.
“Because when the sheriff comes calling, it’s not with good news. But you don’t have that doomed look in your eyes. Now why is that?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know?”
“It’s because you know everyone you care about is safe. Just like you know exactly why I’m here.”
My eyes weren’t the only ones that widened. Mr. Kessler also cocked his brow. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he looked impressed.
“So why don’t you just tell me who gave you the bruises? Who hit you, Harper?”
I looked from the sheriff to Mr. Kessler, then over at Mr. Sampson. All of whom wore concern on their faces, except for Mason’s dad. He stood there in his suit with the same cold look that Micha donned every day. That was more intimidating than anything the sheriff could ask. All I could hear was Micha’s voice.
‘I’ve been itching to take out the trash.’
I sidestepped away and whispered, “Lot’s of people have bruises.”
“Not like the ones my daughter described.”
Summoning all my strength, I turned my attention back to the sheriff and said, “I don’t know what she thinks she saw Sir, but I can’t help it if I had a clumsy day.”
He took a deep breath then huffed a frustrated sigh out through his nose.
I watched his nostrils flare and added. “Do you question all of her friends who might’ve tripped or fallen?”
“Is that what you’re saying happened?” The sheriff’s brow arched in disbelief.
“I’m not saying anything happened.” I tipped my shoulder to my head. “I don’t know what she saw.”
Did I feel bad for lying to Riley’s dad? Yes, but she was the one that involved him. She might not know how dangerous that could be, but I did. I’d seen the repercussions of involving someone in my father’s personal affairs. I knew what the outcome would be.
He made me help him dispose of two people in the past year. One was a woman he brought home for the night and caught poking around his office, the other some guy I’d never met before. He came around asking about someone named Niles. Daddy lost it.
