He turns to Galdek. “Our attorney will want copies of everything. And we haven't ruled out a police report. Assault is assault, regardless of the,” his eyes flick to me, taking in my work jeans, my scuffed sneakers, the pub apron I forgot I'm still holding, “circumstances."
Police?! A police report. On a fourteen-year-old with an open agency file, days before a home visit.
"Please." The word cracks out of me before I can dress it up. "Please, that's not…there's no need for police. Jamie will apologize. He'll…whatever consequences the school decides, we'll cooperate fully, I just?—"
"The suspension will be five days," Galdek says. "Effective immediately. It will be noted in his permanent record, and,” she pauses. “I’m obligated to inform you that given the family's existing involvement with DCFS, the incident will be reported to the assigned caseworker as well."
The room goes airless.
"Please," I say again, and I hate the sound of it, the wet edge creeping in. "If you could…is there any other…anything that doesn't go in the file. I know my brother, if he swung on someone, there was a reason.”
"There's always a reason with boys like that," the mother says.
Boys like that.
A seething anger flashes through me. But I know better than to let it loose.
Galdek slides the suspension paperwork toward me, points at the signature line, and sets a pen on top of it.
"I need your signature acknowledging the suspension."
I stare at it.
The Whitmores’ eyes are on me. Tyler’s smug face watches me over his ice pack.
Fighting tears, I pick up the pen.
Chapter 14
Lorcan
"Where's Maeve?" I’ve spent the past hour in my office going through inventory receipts and want to take a break with my wife.
"She got a call." Sully doesn't stop pulling the pint in his hand. "Had to run to the school. Something with one of the kids. The oldest, I think."
"When?"
He shrugs. “Ten minutes ago. Maybe fifteen."
Fifteen minutes ago. Damn. She got a call about Jamie, and ran—alone. Doesn't she know she's not alone anymore?
"Sully. Bar's yours."
“Sure thing, boss."
The school is seventeen minutes away. I make it in nine.
I find Jamie parked on a bench outside the main office like a prisoner awaiting sentencing.
His lip is split. He's staring at the floor tiles with his jaw locked so tight I can see the muscle jumping, and when he looks up and sees me, fear flashes over his expression.
Does he think I’m going to punish him?
"Maeve's in there," he mutters. “I’m in trouble. Big time.”
I sit down next to him on the bench.
"Tell me what happened. All of it. From the start."
