She opened one of her desk drawers and pulled out another sheet of paper. “This is that list of counselors.”
Liam accepted the papers. “Thank you.”
She smiled. “Thank you for coming in. Please let me know if there is any other way we can assist you and Sophia.”
“I will.” Liam opened Principal Duncan’s office door and walked the short distance to the lobby. Sophia had returned to the seat she’d occupied when he arrived.
“Time to go.” He used his no-nonsense marshal voice to convey how serious he was.
He and Sophia were going to have a come-to-Jesus meeting tonight.
SIX
“Bella. What am I going to do with you?” Sam pulled her phone from her turnout pants, pulled up the Renegade Ride app, and looked for a ride back to the station. Estimated wait time—ten minutes.
Engine 4 pulled out of the school’s lot, and Bella leaned against the wall as Sam laid her turnout coat on the sidewalk. She’d told Lieutenant Fischer what was going on, and he’d given her the rest of the day to handle the situation.
There was one problem with that—they were stranded at the high school. Bella couldn’t ride back to the station on the engine, and Sam couldn’t leave her here alone.
“Do you know how dumb that was? You wasted time and resources. What if there was another emergency, a real one, and we couldn’t get to it because we’re here dealing with teenage shenanigans?” Sam stared at her. “And let’s not forget how embarrassed I was when I found out someone pulled the alarm and that someone was my sister. I’m a firefighter, Bella.”
The doors to the school opened, and Liam and his daughter stepped out. He wore a scowl that probably matched Sam’s.
She stopped reading Bella the riot act. Now was not the time or the place to discuss this. She needed to cool down, and they needed privacy.
“Sophia.” Bella stood up straight.
Sophia slowed and opened her mouth.
“Truck, Sophia.” Deputy Marshal Roberts stopped in front of Sam.
The friend Bella had gotten into trouble with was the daughter of a US marshal. Not just any US marshal,theirUS marshal.
Well, he wasn’t theirs—he was just their handler.
At least she wasn’t the only one to face professional embarrassment. It couldn’t be too fun to have a criminal for a child when you were in law enforcement. But now she knew who the bad influence was between the two teen girls. Things were starting to make sense again.
Sophia rolled her eyes and stomped off to the SUV parked in front of the school.
Liam called after her: “I’ll be there in a minute.” He looked from Bella to Sam, then stuck his hand out. “Liam Roberts.”
Bella stood up straight and gawked at him. “You’re our new marshal?”
Sam shot Bella a look to shut her up. Sam had told Bella about their new handler last night. Most of the WITSEC business was done between Sam and Deputy Marshal Butler, but Bella had needed to know there was a change in case anything happened. She had the emergency number like Sam did.
Sam studied Liam’s hand before she took it. Even though they’d met last night, no one knew that. In a life filled with secrets, she had to keep up pretenses, because anyone could be watching them. “Sam Williams.”
He looked around the parking lot and then down to her turnout pants and the turnout coat next to her. “Do you two need a ride?”
“We’re fine. I’ve called a ride.” Even if she hadn’t, under the circumstances, accepting a ride with him wouldn’t be wise. It would only give the two girls time to conspire and get their stories straight.
Sam already knew exactly what had happened. Sophia was a bad influence.
Liam looked at Bella and then back to her. “May I speak with you? Over there.” He gestured away from Bella.
“Yes.” She turned to Bella. “Do not move.”
Bella grunted.
