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Jared stood and squared off with her, his arms crossed over his chest. “I don’t appreciate Casey being dragged out of class and threatened without a shred of evidence. My brother suspended for theft based on another student’s word and he doesn’t even get to face his accuser? Does that seem fair?”
“This is a school, Officer Cross. Not a courtroom.”
“You’re right. And Casey is one of your students. Did you ask Casey if he did it?”
“Yes, I did, and he denied it. Something he’d do if he took the laptop as well.”
“Sound logic. Especially since he’s a troubled kid, right?” He didn’t give her a chance to respond, focusing on his stunned brother. “Casey, tell me what happened.”
Casey swallowed hard before he spoke, everything coming in a rush. “I swear, Jared, I was in class the whole time. I didn’t steal anything. I was sitting in History when Carol, the office aid, came and got me.”
Jared pushed back the doubt and did what he knew his mother would do. He advocated for Casey. “I believe you.” He turned his attention back to the Principal, scowling. “Principal Hastings, when you didn’t find the laptop in Casey’s backpack or locker, did you do a school-wide locker search?”
“No.”
“What about the student who accused my brother? You said that he admitted to waiting an hour to report the theft. Wouldn’t it make sense that he might have hid the laptop and then accused Casey to throw off suspicion?”
She scoffed. “I’m sure this student didn’t steal the laptop.”
“Really? How sure? Would you bank your job on it? Because the minute I leave here with Casey, I’m going to be on the phone telling the school board, the paper, the mayor…everyone who will listen that you suspended a student without physical evidence he committed the crime. I think they’ll have questions as to why, don’t you?”
Principal Hasting’s mouth flopped open and closed like a fish for several seconds, before she stuttered, “I su-suppose we co-could verify the student’s lo-locker is clear.”
“Excellent idea.”
When the Principal left the room, Jared turned in his chair. “Are you okay?”
“You really believe me?”
The look on Casey’s face hit him like a sock in the gut, so filled with hope, and any lingering doubt of his innocence washed away. “I know you, kid. If you did it, you’d be acting like a little turd right now. Besides, this isn’t my first run in with Hastings. She likes to use the easy scapegoats. Do you know who accused you?”
“Not for sure, but I would bet my Xbox it was Lane Shipman.”
“Shipman…as in Shipman Construction?”
Casey nodded. “He’s had it out for me since I got transferred. Karen tried to set up mediation with his parents, but they wouldn’t go for it. He lies about everything and all the faculty believe him. He’s just a dick.”
Like his old man.
Hank Shipman hadn’t appreciated Jared pulling him over for doing seventy-five in a forty-five several months ago and complained to Jared’s chief about Jared violating his rights. Thank God for dash-cam footage and the fact that Hank was abrasive as hell. No one could stand him or believed Jared overstepped.
Jared ruffled the kid’s hair. “I believe you, and I wasn’t lying about going to bat for you, Case. We’re family, and I’ll do everything I can to make sure they don't pin this on you, but you need to be as smart as Mom thinks you are. No more juvenile shit. Get me?”
“Yeah. I thought they were going to call the real cops and not just you.”
Jared smiled wryly. “Thanks, bro.”
Five minutes later, Principal Hastings came in and held her hand out to him.
“Officer Cross, I am deeply sorry for disturbing you. Casey is free to go back to class.”
Jared took her hand slowly. “Let me guess, your search turned up one lost laptop?”
Principal Hastings lips thinned. “Yes, your hunch was right.”
“Then I think you owe Casey an apology. Don’t you?”
“Absolutely.” She appeared constipated as she held her hand out to Casey with a strained smile. “I’m sorry for accusing you, Casey.”
