“I’ll put away the message and bottle before Reagan finds it while you order the pizza. Do you have a closet I can shove my bag in? I love my niece, but I’m not blind to her penchant for exploring.”
Anna chuckled and pointed to a door by the foyer. “If you stick your bag on the top shelf in there, it will stay safe.”
“Thanks.”
Four hours later, exhaustion hit him. He hadn’t stopped since six that morning, and Reagan kept him on his feet most of the evening until she’d fallen asleep on Anna’s sofa fifteen minutes ago.
Now that his niece was asleep, he’d slip out once Anna returned to the living room. She entered two minutes later, her phone still in hand. “I just talked to Kelly and let her know Reagan fell asleep. They agreed to let her sleep here tonight since we all know she’s not great at falling back asleep once she’s woken up.”
“Do you want me to run to Kelly’s and pick up a change of clothes for her?”
“Thanks, but I have an extra set from the last time she spent the night.”
He stood up, suddenly hit with awkwardness. “I should head home. It’s been a long day. Is there anything I can help with before I leave?”
She shook her head. “Go home. Everything here’s under control.”
Shifting his weight, he held out a hand for her to shake. “Thanks again for your help. I appreciate all you’ve done.”
She shook his hand. Briefly. Almost too quickly. “I’ve enjoyed the time. After church and once I’ve finished grading papers, I’ll do more research tomorrow. If you’d like, download that program and you can use my login if you want to do more. I’ll text you the information.”
“That’s great. Thank you.”
“No problem.”
He bent down to kiss Reagan’s head, then he went to the closet and retrieved his messenger bag with the bottle and letter carefully stored. “I’ll see you. Keep me updated if you find out any new information.”
“Same for you.”
“Goodnight.” He left her apartment, waiting outside until he heard the lock click in place.
“What a day,” he muttered, walking to his truck. “What a day.”
Chapter Four
“Class is dismissed,” Anna announced when the final bell rang for the day.
She collected the classwork the students handed her on their way out, then collapsed in the chair behind her desk. Of all days to wear heels to work, this was not the day. Two students got into a physical fight during first period. When she couldn’t separate them, she had called the principal and the coach to intervene, the first time she’d had since she had begun teaching four years ago.
In second period, a student asked for a bathroom pass and vomited on the floor before Anna could answer. The student went home for the day, and the custodian, who was Anna’s hero, promptly cleaned up the mess and disinfected the area, but the class had lost any hope of concentration for the period.
As if that wasn’t enough, there was a fire during third period. A chemistry class had an experiment gone wrong, forcing evacuation of the entire school until the fire marshal gave the all-clear. For an hour, she’d stood outside, trying to keep her class in line while her heels continually sunk into the muddy fields.
She couldn’t remember a more hectic, frazzling day in her four years of teaching—she wasn’t sure she’d even experienced a day like this when she was a student. Today’s events were enough to test anyone’s limits, even someone like her who prided herself on remaining calm in all situations. Pressing against her temples, she tried in vain to ease the throbbing.
After taking two Tylenol, she finished filling out the incident reports on the fight, which took the longest, and then the student who got sick in the classroom. The smell of disinfectant still lingered, hours after the fact.
Weary, she reached for the stack of papers on her desk. In lieu of homework, she had her students work in groups to create a chart detailing the parallels and differences of the Revolutionary War and Civil War. Allowing them to work in groups gave them opportunities to talk, though often off-topic. This was a rare occasion that Anna didn’t mind. Half of the students in her last period were in the chemistry room when the fire broke out, and they’d needed a space to process the event.
She tucked the papers in the bag, deciding to only read them once she was home, on her sofa, and sipping a relaxing cup of jasmine tea. Thank goodness today was Tuesday, and she had no afterschool obligations.
Once her mind cleared, maybe she’d do more research for Jack. She felt bad for not doing any Sunday or Monday, but her parents took her and one of her brothers to lunch after church, then she had papers to grade, groceries to buy, and laundry to wash.
Last night, she attended the school’s spring theatrical production, which one of her students asked her to attend. She couldn’t say no, as she knew this young girl’s parents wouldn’t show up. Though she hadn’t planned to attend until asked, she was grateful for the invitation. The drama students gave an incredible performance, and she was amazed to find the play had been written by one of the students.
She left the classroom, engaging tunnel vision so she wouldn’t have to stop for any conversation. Her brain needed to decompress. On her way home, she stopped at Sam’s for a caramel iced latte. The caffeine would give her a boost for the evening and the sugar was her treat for making it through the long day.
Her apartment was one of two that occupied the second level of a building that housed an accounting office below. Living in the business district allowed her privacy and quiet the touristy areas would not. Most who came through her area were residents on a mission, and she never had to worry about late-night noise or drunken visitors who were lost knocking at her door.
