Page 5 of Mr. B

“Call me later and let me know how the day went.”

“If Justin hasn’t arrested me for murder, I will.”

Wes ended the call, then dropped onto the loveseat in the corner of his office. He grabbed a throw pillow and hugged it. “Don’t let her get to me?” He sat up and tossed the pillow aside. “Exactly. She knows what she does to me. No more, Cassandra. I’m in charge of this situation. I’m your boss.” He nodded. “The freakin’ boss.”

The intercom next to the phone beeped, and Polly’s voice crackled over it. “Dr. Jordan is on line two.”

Wes fell back onto the couch and closed his eyes.

Chapter two

“I guess that would be a bit inappropriate.”

Wes took his time getting off the couch to pick up the phone. “You can dial me directly instead of going through Polly. She has enough to do without being your secretary.”

“I wasn’t bothering Polly. I was trying not to bother you by asking her my question first.”

“What question?”

“How to get into the locked drawer on the desk.”

“One of them is locked?”

“Yes. Polly thought you might have the key.”

“Why would I have the key to Brian’s desk?”

“Well, boss, I don’t think it’s too radical an idea to think you might. Never mind, I’ll call the janitor.”

“Roland. His name is Roland.”

“I’ll call Roland.”

“Wait, just…let me come take a look at it first.”

Wes hung up the phone before she could protest, then left his office and went to hers. A box sat on the desk, which had been completely cleared off. Cassandra was going through the drawers when Wes came through the door.

She stood and moved from behind the desk. “Bottom right.”

Wes sat in the chair and tried the drawer, then looked at the lock.

Cassandra folded her arms across her hips. “Did you think it would magically open for you?”

“We need to pick the lock with something.”

“How about a key?”

He glanced up at her. “Do you have a paperclip?”

She moved next to him, handed him a paperclip, then moved away, leaving the scent of lavender behind. Wes straightened the clip, then jiggled one end of it in the lock. Cassandra came around the other side to watch him.

“What do you suppose he has in there? A bottle of scotch? Expensive cigars?”

Wes looked at her. “You do realize we’re at a high school, right?”

“I guess that would be a bit inappropriate.”

“You think?” He jiggled the lock some more.