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Truth be told, I don’t either, but it’s cheap and these kids like to have what they think is a good time. “I guess I’ll go inside and make sure his parents are called.”
“You seen anyone acting suspicious around here lately, Rina?” he asks as he crowds up into my space. “Anyone give you a weird feeling, make you uncomfortable? This shit is coming from inside this school, and we’ve got to figure out who and where before another kid dies.”
The thought of something happening to any of the kids I think of as mine is enough to threaten tears falling. Immediately I tell him the one person who’s always made me uncomfortable, in one way or another, since I came here. “Mr. Cartwright, the science teacher. We started around the same time together, and anytime I’m with him, I feel gross.” I shiver. “There’s no explanation for it, other than the fact he’s asked me out a number of times and I’ve always said no. Sometimes he’s more aggressive than others, but once in a while, he crosses a line.”
“How does he cross a line?” Mason’s voice is tight, his glare is intense.
“I just don’t like the way he casually touches people around him. He did it to me a few times when he first moved here, and I just didn’t like it,” I’m at a loss to explain the way this man makes me feel. There are certain people who give off a vibe. Mr. Cartwright is one of them.
“Know where I might find him?”
“He tutors after school. Do you want me to take you to his classroom?”
He’s got thatfuck shit uplook on his face, and I almost feel bad for Mr. Cartwright, but I also love when my man looks so fierce. “Lead the way baby, I have a few things I wanna talk to this guy about.”
Menace
When she mentions the same teacher that Jess had mentioned to me, and the same person I had a talk to the principal about, I want to rage. There’s no way in hell this guy should be allowed to do the things I think he’s doing. Since that first day when the dog hit on his classroom, I’ve had a bad feeling; have wondered if this man is hiding something.
“Here’s his room.” Karina walks us in. “Mr. Cartwright?”
The son of a bitch pops up from behind the counter where the K-9 had indicated.
“I’m Officer Harrison,” I walk over, introducing myself. “There’s been an incident out on the front quad and I’d like to ask you a few questions.”
When the guy gets a good look at me, I can tell he hates my guts. Call it intuition or whatever you want to, but immediately I can tell he doesn’t like me. Maybe it’s because he wanted Karina, maybe it’s because he wanted to be a cop at one point in his life and couldn’t swing it. Either way, he’s not impressed.
“I don’t know what I can do to help you. You’re Caleb’s dad, right?”
“That’s right.” And in my head I adddon’t even think that you’re going to be fucking up his scholarship, asshole.“Have you noticed anything going on around here, anything out of the ordinary?”
“Can’t say as I have.” He shakes his head. “Kids are ready for Spring Break just like us. Right, Karina?”
She called him Mr. Cartwright, and now he’s using her first name. This shit doesn’t sit well with me at all. “You sure?” I bring his attention back to me. “Are you still waiting for the cheerleaders after they get done with practice?”
His eyes widen and I think I’ve shocked him. He opens his mouth, closes it, and then adjusts the sport coat he’s wearing. “They aren’t practicing right now, Officer Harrison, I have no idea what you’re speaking of.”
Now I’m getting a creepy feeling from him, an intuition that’s never steered me wrong before. Walking over to where he is, I hook my thumbs in my utility belt, looking down at him. “You know exactly what I’m talking about, so don’t play dumb with me. I can’t prove anything, and I can’t put my finger on it, Cartwright, but I think you know more about all of this than you’re letting on. There’s a reason that dog hit on your room, and there’s a reason you were in the girls locker room. I don’t have the answers yet, but I will, and when I do? You’re gonna go down for this.”
“You have a very active imagination Officer, but I can assure you, I’m innocent of what you’re accusing me of.”
“I’m not accusing, only stating facts as I see them. I’ll be watching, Mr. Cartwright.”
“Do whatever you feel like you need to.” He gives me a smile that raises the hairs on my neck.
I’ve been doing this long enough now that I trust my gut, and my gut is telling me to watch this guy.
“Will do, sir.” I hold my hand out for Karina. “C’mon, let’s go to the hospital and make sure Maddox is okay.”
As the two of us walk out of the classroom, I pull my cell from my pocket. “I’m calling Caleb; make sure he doesn’t hear about this through the grapevine. That’s the last thing he needs.” I tap my fingers on my gun belt as I wait for him to answer. When he does, I lean against a locker. “Hey, I got some news, don’t freak out on me…”
CHAPTER 20
MENACE
“I swear to God,Mason, if you spray me with that water hose, it’s on.” Karina gives me a menacing (no pun intended) look. It’s almost enough to make me want to spray her, just to see what she may do. Sometimes she’s all talk, other times she’s a force to be reckoned with.
A smile plays on the corners of my lips, as I hold my finger off the trigger of the hose we’re using to wash her car. My tone, and look, is innocent. “Would I spray you on purpose?”
