The End of the Rainbow (Hudson 4)

"How could this happen here?" Daddy cried, his arms out.

"Austin,'" Mommy said, her eyes big with reprimand.

He shook his head and stood by the window as if he was looking directly at the scene of the crime.

"Okay, Mommy," I said. "I'm ready."

"You want to get something to eat first. honey?"

"No," I said. "Let's just do what we have to do."

She nodded and Daddy pushed her wheelchair with me walking beside them. We got Mommy into the van and drove over to the administration building. One look at Mrs. Whittaker, Dr. Greenleafs secretary, told me she knew the sordid details. She leaped up from her chair and told us she would tell Dr. Greenleaf we were there. Not a half-dozen seconds later, she was ushering us into his office. Mrs. Mariot was there as well as a short, plump, balding man. Mrs. Mariot was a tall, distinguished-looking woman in her early fifties with light brown hair. The plump man had a round face with watery dull brown eyes and a thick nose over thin lips, now stretched into a disgusted smirk.

Two chairs had been provided for us. Daddy wheeled Mommy up beside one of them, which put her between the man and us. Mrs. Mariot was on the other side, both of them now like bookends. Dr. Greenleaf leaned forward to place his elbows on his desk and put his hands together with the fingers in a cathedral.

"Mr. and Mrs. Clarke," he said. "this is Margaret Mariot, president of the board of trustees, and this is Stanley Haskins, the school's attorney."

Daddy nodded suspiciously at the two of them. and Mommy gave them a very small, quick smile.

"Well, now," Dr Greenleaf began, "we've got a very difficult situation here, which we must handle delicately and carefully so little or no more damage can be done to anyone concerned," he began.

"Handle?" Daddy said quickly. "There's only one person who's been damaged here, my daughter. I don't think handle is the right word."

"We realize that profoundly," Dr. Greenleaf said quickly, his eyes swinging from Mrs. Mariot to Mr. Haskins and back to Daddy.

"Has the animal been put in jail?" Daddy demanded.

"He's been taken to the police station for questioning, but the district attorney hasn't had him officially charged and arrested yet. Mr. Clarke." Mr. Haskin

s said.

"Why not?"

"It's a favor to us and to you."

"What?"

"Let's try to be as calm as we can under these difficult circumstances,' Dr. Greenleaf pleaded.

"Calm. This is my daughter!" Daddy screamed at him.

Mommy. who had been watching Dr. Greenleaf squirm in his chair while he spoke, put her hand over Daddy's and looked at him.

"Let's let Dr. Greenleaf talk first, Austin."

"Thank you. Mrs. Clarke. I assure you. Summer's welfare is our primary concern here." He looked at Mrs. Mariot. "I think I speak for the entire board of trustees when I say that."

"He does," Mrs. Mariot said. "I'm here to confirm that."

Daddy sat back but didn't relax. Dr. Greenleaf glanced at Mr. Haskins.

"Mr. Haskins has had some experience in these matters. I think it's best we listen to what he has to tell us."

Stanley Haskins smiled, his face softening like putty as his lips stretched and contracted when he leaned forward toward us.

"What we have here is something popularly known as date rape." he began.

"She was hardly on a date," Daddy snapped.