When Jane arrived, she surged into the room, her nose tilted at a superior angle. Mia kissed Gus’s wrinkled cheek and avoided her cousin’s sneer. After grabbing the small backpack she used for a purse, she darted out the door and climbed up into Jackson’s truck. Only once they were out of the driveway did she sigh and look over at the man behind the steering wheel.
He smiled at her, but anger simmered behind his gaze.
When he reached out and took her hand, she relaxed. He was angry on her behalf. Warmth blossomed in her chest. It had been a long time since anyone except Shannon had reacted that way for her.
Sighing, she rested her head back against the leather headrest. “How did the school board know that I’d been questioned?”
“I don’t know.” Jackson squeezed her hand.
He pulled into the school parking lot. “Do you need a moment?”
She shook her head, already opening the door. “Let’s just do it.”
The longer they stayed, the more teachers she’d run into as they came to add finishing touches to their classrooms. Thankfully, she’d finished her meetings. She didn’t want to deal with parents today either.
She kept her head high and strode into the office.
The voices stilled as she entered the room, and the temperature seemed to drop.
She avoided looking at the two math teachers near the copier. Instead, she zeroed in on Joyce.
As usual, Joyce’s short red hair was brushed into a fashionable, breezy style. Her green eyes were outlined to make them pop. Even during the summer, she looked like a fashion model.
Joyce stood and dramatically gathered her keys. “I’ll open the classroom door.”
The other secretary, Beth, hit the loudspeaker. “Joe, Mia is here to collect her things. Please stay outside her door until she leaves.”
A heated flush burned up Mia’s neck and face. Jackson shifted closer, rage emanating from him.
Joyce whirled to face Beth. “What was that for?”
Mia had never seen the normally quiet secretary so irate.
Beth shrank back. “She’s being suspended. I thought?—”
“At this moment, we know of no, and I repeat, no factual misconduct from Mia. Everything we have is sheer gossip because your sister ran to the school board with some tale of wrongdoing. If we find out that you’ve been in on this in any way…” She let that phrase hang.
Beth paled.
So Beth had been involved, but how had she found out?
Then Mia knew.
Jane.
Beth and Jane were best friends. But how had Jane heard?
“Follow me, Mia.” Joyce’s voice, while not warmer, was at least neutral. When Joe approached from the other direction, she called out, “Joe, you don’t need to stand outside the door.”
He stopped. “Are you sure? Beth said?—”
“I’m sure. You have more important things to do.”
He shrugged and shuffled off. Mia had never been friendly with Joyce, but she’d always respected the woman. Now that feeling increased.
With a muttered thanks, she started to walk past her.
“Mia.” Joyce stopped her. “I wanted to tell you, not all of us believe the allegations. You’ve always been professional. You’ve always cared for the students. They trust you.”
