“Then I’ll keep asking,” she teased before turning to answer one of the other girl’s questions. My eyes strayed to the table in the middle of the room, the people there a little more subdued than normal, but nothing the rest of the school would ever notice. I felt the weight of someone’s gaze and a surreptitious glance at the teacher’s table told me it was Ms. Nichols.
“I’d love to know what you did to get on her bad side,” Leah whispered, giving me a sideways glance. “If nothing else so I can avoid it.”
“Don’t worry,” I answered, staring straight at Ms. Nichols. “I think you’ll be safe from her wrath. At least as long as I’m around.”
“You have my sympathy,” Leah replied, popping an apple slice in her mouth as the bell rang. As we got up from the table, I saw Ms. Nichols smile and fear zipped through me. My intuition screamed as my gaze automatically sought Dominic. He met my eyes over the herd of students heading for the exit, but couldn’t reach me without making a scene. I shook my head slightly to keep him from coming to me, figuring I had nothing to worry about at school.
The crackle of the intercom interrupted fifth period as the school secretary requested my presence in the office. The teacher nodded for me to go and I grabbed my backpack since class was almost over.
When I got to the office, I saw Leah behind the counter, her eyes going wide when she spotted me. She worked in the office as a student aide fifth period, a fact I was grateful for now. No one else was in there and I gave her a questioning glance.
“The sheriff is in there with the principal and Ms. Nichols,” she hissed and I felt my heart drop. I glanced frantically over my shoulder, my feet already backing toward the door. Flight or fight kicked in as my instincts screamed I was in danger. It didn’t matter why the sheriff was here, if he got his hands on me….
“Where are you going?” Leah’s eyes got even wider if it was possible as she glanced between the principal’s office and me. “What is going on?”
“I need to get to Dom….Coach Navarre,” I corrected myself quickly. “Or Anna or Caleb. They’ll help me.”
“Help you with what?” Leah grabbed my arm forcefully, stopping me. “They say you brought a weapon on school grounds.”
My mouth dropped open in shock. How did they know?
“They searched your locker and found a knife,” she continued and my eyes narrowed. I had a gun in my backpack, but they were accusing me of having a knife in my locker?
“It’s not mine. I don’t own a knife,” I told her with complete honesty. She stared at me for a second and I flipped my palm so I could squeeze her wrist. “I didn’t do whatever they’re saying. This is a setup. I need to get to Dominic. He’ll know what to do.”
Leah gave a last glance at the door and nodded, releasing my arm. I darted toward the exit, but at that exact moment the door opened and the sheriff walked out with Ms. Nichols.
“There she is,” Ms. Nichols declared, satisfaction coating her words. The sheriff sniffed and a predatory smile came over his face.
“So she is,” he purred, the dark undertone in his voice causing the principal to cast him a wary glance. Leah shrank back, her eyes apologetic, as I straightened my spine. I would not cower in front of him or show even the smallest hint of the fear that hammered through me.
“You’ll need to come down to the station with me, girl,” the sheriff said, his beady eyes boring into me as he licked his lips. I suppressed my shudder at the sight, seeing the resemblance between him and the men who’d chased me.
“I’d like to call my father. He should accompany me,” I said determinedly, not backing down when his eyes narrowed, the threat in them clear. Come quietly or pay dearly. I narrowed mine back, willing to pay the consequences.
“Here’s the phone,” Leah said, thrusting it out toward me in a desperate attempt to help. I reached for it, but the sheriff knocked it away and I heard Leah gasp as the phone clattered to the floor.
“Now,” the principal started and the sheriff waved his hand, cutting him off.
“You’ve been a great deal of help today. I’ll be sure and remember that, Tom,” the sheriff interjected smoothly. “But I’ll take it from here. This girl is clearly a danger to her classmates from the evidence in her locker. You’ll have to trust me to handle the situation accordingly.”
His hand wrapped around my arm with bruising force as he jerked me toward the door and the principal watched with sudden concern. I caught a flash of Ms. Nichol’s face and the satisfaction on it made me wish my arm was free to punch her in the nose. Leah came around the desk, her hands balled into fists, and I had one last desperate hope as I mouthed, “Dominic,” to her and she nodded as I was yanked through the door.