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Marlowe opened the door and swung her arm wide for the small man to come in. “What can I get you, Mr. Thompson? Would you like a glass of water? A soda? Lemonade? Some iced tea?”
“Iced tea would be lovely, Ms. Jones. Thank you.”
“Simon, are you getting this?” I asked Simon.
“Yep. I’m just waiting for her signal.”
“You have a lovely home. It’s a shame you had to leave your home in West Virginia.”
Marlowe walked by me to get to the fridge. I watched as she pulled out the pitcher and then poured the asshole a glass of tea.
“Would you like sugar?”
“Four teaspoons, please.”
Marlowe didn’t add any. Then she brought out the tea to the dining room table and motioned for the senator to sit down. Just like we’d all discussed.
“Thank you,” Teddy said, as he took a sip and grimaced.
“What is your daughter planning on doing to make up the time she missed?” Marlowe asked as she twirled her hair.
“We already got her caught up with a private tutor. You don’t have to worry your pretty little head about that. She told me you were a very conscientious teacher. I’m sure it must bother you to think that as you rightfully press your suit against Principal Sykes, you might also be spotlighting a child’s innocent prank and opening her up to ridicule.”
I heard Roan stifle a laugh. God, this tool was unbelievable. I’d seen the video and his daughter was a little snake.
“Your daughter was filming a girl being beaten. The girl was being repeatedly kicked, over and over again. Your daughter did nothing to stop it. She stood there, filming the whole incident, giggling the entire time.”
“You must be mistaken.” He sat up straighter in his chair. “My daughter is a good girl. She would never bully another girl.”
“She continued to laugh as this girl was pulled down the school hallway by her hair. What do you think about that?”
“I’d say you’re lying,” the man sputtered.
Marlowe pulled out her cell phone and slammed it down on the table. “Here, let’s see the footage, and then you tell me who’s lying. Your daughter, or me.”
Sounds of a young woman giggling filled the room. You could also hear the faint sound of someone saying, ‘Please stop.’
“Do you know who’s giggling? Your daughter.”
“You can’t prove that,” the senator said.
Marlowe picked up her phone and fiddled with it.
“Here’s the good part. Let’s listen to your daughter, Cindy. The girl who filmed this. Shall we?”
* * *
“No way. This is my phone and I’m not giving it to anyone. Just wait ‘til I put this up on the internet. I’ll get so many likes.”
“Give this to me, now.”
“You don’t have the right to take it from me. I’ll tell my parents. You’ll lose your job.”
“Give that back to me, that’s my property.”
* * *
“That’s not your daughter’s finest moment.”
