Fallen Hearts (Casteel 3)

"I understand, Your Honor. Mr. Meeks, an example?"

"Well . . ." He opened his folder. "On one particular day in March of her second year in junior high school, Fanny Casteel was discovered in the boys' locker room with two young men. She was only half dressed. She was reprimanded and sent home early. On another occasion toward the end of that same month, she was found with an older male student in the crawl space under the stage. The teacher who found them wrote in her report that they were embraced in a licentious manner. Again, she was sent home."

"How old was she at the time?"

"Thirteen."

"I see. Do you have other examples?"

"At least half a dozen."

"Your Honor, I don't wish to be redundant and waste the court's time with the recitation of more examples, but I would move for Fanny Casteel's school record to be entered as evidence for you to consider when making your determination."

"So moved."

"I have no further questions for Mr. Meeks." "Mr. Burton?" the judge said.

Wendell Burton smiled He had a syrupy face with large blue eyes and lips that moved like two strips of red licorice. There was a prominent mole just over his right eyebrow. His hair was slicked back, the top flat and parted just two inches off center. He stood about five feet ten and was a little stoop-shouldered. I noticed that he had a habit of rubbing his hands together before he spoke.

"Mr. Meeks," he said, without leaving his table, "ah assume ya brought Heaven Casteel's records as well today?"

"No."

"Oh, and why was that?"

"I was only asked to bring along Fanny Casteel's records."

"Ah see. But knowin' what this hearing was all about, ah assume ya took a look at Heaven Casteel's records."

Mr. Meeks squirmed in his seat, looked my way, and then back at Wendell Burton.

"I did take a quick look just in case I would be asked any questions pertaining to those records."

"Oh. Good, good," Burton said, starting toward him. "Now, would ya tell the court what ya

discovered when ya looked at Heaven Casteel's attendance records."

"I don't understand," Meeks said, looking toward the judge.

"Especially durin' her last year at Winnerow. What was her attendance like, for example?"

"Well?"

"Was she not in fact absent a great deal?"

"Absent?"

"Mr. Meeks," the judge said. "Please answer the question."

"Yes, I suppose you could say that."

"Oh, ya could say that?" Wendell smiled widely at the audience and then looked at Mr. Meeks. "Is that the behavior of a good student?"

"No, but--"

"Isn't poor attendance a serious discipline problem?"

"Of course."