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“Actually, if you don’t mind,” Lennox says, appearing at the doorway behind them. “I’m going to sit in.” He looks back at Barney, pointing to a chair, and he sits obediently.
“And me,” Beau says, pushing her way in too. I can’t hide my relief. No one likes to feel outnumbered, and I was feeling beyond outnumbered.
They all pile in, and Principal Tucker takes his throne. He’s a tall man, gangly, gray, and wise looking. “I’m afraid there has been a very serious allegation made against Daniel,” he says.
“But it’s just an allegation,” Lennox replies.
“A serious one.”
“Serious or not, it’s an allegation,” I say, looking at the cops. They look grave too. Like Daniel’s guilty without any evidence needed. What is this madness? “To be proven, I assume.”
“Yes,” Principal Tucker says, casting his eye across to Daniel.
Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? They’re treating my son like a criminal, and they don’t even know if he’s guilty of the crime he’s supposedly committed. Which is what? I look at Beau. She appears as equally annoyed. Daniel is a good boy. Decent, kind. What crime, damn it? “And what is the allegation?” I ask, getting worked up, the lioness in me racing to the surface.
“He threatened to stab a fellow student with his dad’s gold letter opener.”
I choke on thin air, and Beau coughs. Oh fuck. I look at Daniel as he cautiously peeks up at me, and I know, I just know, he absolutely did that. “What the hell?” I blurt at him.
He remains guiltily silent, and Lennox shifts in his seat next to me. His hand’s positioned by his mouth, his body slipping down the chair. Embarrassed? And then it occurs to me. He’s trying to make himself smaller. It’s body language 101. He doesn’t want the police to think he’s associated with such scum. Oh God, will he stop Barney seeing Daniel? Will my son lose his friend too because of some stupid words? He wouldn’t follow through on his threat, of course he wouldn’t, he hasn’t a violent bone in his body. But what if he develops some? What if he wants to be like Danny? Feared? A criminal? A murderer?
I inhale, looking over my shoulder to the police. That’s why they’re here. They know who Daniel’s father is. They’re not here to question Daniel. This is hearsay bullshit, not worthy of police intervention. But because Daniel is The Brit’s son?
How long has Principal Tucker known?
“And what part did Barney play in this?” Lennox asks.
“He did nothing,” Daniel cries.
He’s wrong. Barney’s associated with The Brit’s son, making him guilty too. “I’ll be taking Daniel home now,” I say, standing, mortified and disappointed. I’m not waiting around to be thrown out. No. We had planned on Maggie to come here, too as they have an amazing kindergarten. Not now. We’ll be banished forever, not just because of Daniel’s silly, weightless threats, but because of who we are. The Brit’s family.
I collect my idiot son from the chair and lead him out by his elbow. “I cannot believe what you’ve done.”
“I didn’t do anything, Mom, I said it.”
And he gives me cheek? “Why the hell would you even say that?” I squeeze his arm a little, just so he can appreciate just how pissed off I am. “You’ve just thrown away so many opportunities, opportunities we fought hard for so you can have the best of everything.” I walk him outside where Tank is waiting, “Get in the car.” Daniel trudges toward Tank, looking up at him, probably hoping to get some sympathy. My dark look tells Tank to back off, stalling his huge hand from giving Daniel’s hair a ruffle. Instead, he opens the back door for him, looks over his head, and Daniel slips in without a word. “Fucking hell,” I curse.
Beau joins me, but she doesn’t try to make me feel better, she just gives me a small, sympathetic smile.
“He’s grounded forever,” I bark, looking down at my cell, wondering why the hell Danny hasn’t called me back. Doesn’t he know there’s an emergency?
“Rose,” Lennox calls, coming out of the door, Barney in his grasp.
I can’t face him. I bet he’s all kinds of horrified. I’m sure Principal Tucker has—out of a duty of care, I suppose—told Lennox who my husband is and what he does. What he used to do. God damn it, he might not have killed anyone in the past few months, but that’s only because there’s no one left to fucking kill. He still launders money and runs guns.
Good lord. No one left to kill? I look at the school. Principal Tucker may be in grave danger right now.
“Rose, wait.”
I don’t, hurrying to the car.
“Rose!”
For God’s sake. I swing around and collide with Lennox, and pain radiates through my chest. Fuck, my boobs. I cry out, and Lennox, alarmed, makes a grab for my arm to steady me. But he misses my arm and scuffs my breast. “Fuck!”
“Fuck,” he parrots. “Shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to?—”
“It’s fine,” I assure him, wincing, feeling the need to shield them, hold them. “Look, I’m sorry Barney’s been caught up in this whole mess. I don’t know why Daniel would?—”
