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“That sounds horrible,” Lolo said, sounding like she was already rethinking her choice of profession. “What happened?”
“What happened to make him be suicidal?” I asked curiously. “Well, the start was how people treated their animals. He didn’t like how they didn’t take care of them. He had a lot of dumped puppies and kitties at his door. Then there were the ones he couldn’t save, that he thought he could save. Or the putting down of animals that are old and in need of that kind of thing. People that just dropped them off at the door and didn’t turn around and look back. I don’t know. There were a lot of things that were a catalyst for him. Needless to say, this might be something that you’ll have to love, and I mean, at the bottom of your heart, you are so passionate about this choice that it’s all you want to do. For you to actually succeed at this profession it has to be that way.”
“Hmm,” she said. “I love animals. But I don’t think I love them more than my life.”
I grinned as I slowed to take the turn into the school.
“You could park right there,” she said as she pointed to the drop-off area. “That won’t be used until this afternoon at two when they start picking up kids again.”
I did as she said and narrowly missed the school’s mailbox.
“Whew,” I said. “I’m gonna be so happy when I don’t have to drive this thing around anymore.”
Lolo was giggling as she got out.
I followed shortly behind and we walked into the school, my mind already on other things that had nothing to do with good thoughts.
“This way,” she said. “I have to check in at the office first.”
I followed behind her toward the office and was three steps behind her the entire way.
Once she got the check-in note from the front office lady, she headed toward the computer lab with me not far behind.
“This is where I leave you.” She pointed at a couch in the corner of the room. “That good?”
“Perfect,” I said as I took a seat. “I’ll just read until you’re done.”
She walked into an office with two other teachers, both of which looked ecstatic to see her, and she was directed to a computer in the corner of the room.
I took my seat in the dark alcove in the corner of the hallway, tucked my legs up beside myself, and played a word game on my phone.
I was so engrossed in it, in fact, that at first I didn’t register the talking until there was a very hushed and harsh ‘be quiet.’
I looked up to find a teacher across the room.
“What?” another asked, sounding miffed.
“I said, did you hear about Annalise?” the whispering teacher asked.
“No, what?”
“She’s retiring. The sheriff came in yesterday and told her to gather her shit. She was quitting,” the whisperer whispered. Though, not very well. “It was the weirdest thing. Then the principal came into my room after school yesterday and said that I would be taking over all of Annalise’s classes until further notice.”
Holy shit.
That was news.
Did Sheriff Graydon know what was going on? Did he know that we were concerned? Did he know that his sister was fucked up?
Hell, maybe it ran in the damn family for all I knew.
Maybe that was what was wrong with the sheriff. He didn’t like Wake because he was a threat. A threat to the depraved things that he did.
Or maybe, it was just the depraved things that his sister did.
I felt better knowing that we had a lot of people on this investigation.
Absently, I leaned over and put my elbows onto my knees, then looked at Lolo as she worked away in the computer lab.
I couldn’t wait for this to all be over, and to go back to having a normal life again.
Though, I wasn’t sure how normal it would ever be again, now that I had Wake in my life.
Yeah… maybe I didn’t want it to be normal, now that I thought about it.
CHAPTER 29
Balls.
-Text from Dutch to Wake
DUTCH
“Let me know if you need anything,” I said to Lolo. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
Lolo rolled her eyes, and Dayden laughed as he waved.
Together, they pulled out of the school parking lot, and I headed to the beach.
Hopefully, I could find an extra amount of spots to pull into, otherwise it would be street parking for me.
Fifteen minutes later, I was awkwardly squeezed in between a minivan that’d taken up two spots, and a very large, very yummy smelling food truck.
That food truck might save me today since I’d gone and done the dumbest thing ever by promising I wouldn’t make the short hike to the taco shop down the street.
Though, I could see where Wake was coming from with his desire to keep me safe.
