The Scandal

by John Grisham

  lesser classes for lesser students.

  He went to find April.

  Elsa put together the party with little effort. She called a deli and it delivered a tray of finger sandwiches, another of brownies and cookies, two gallons of punch, and three bottles of champagne. She called the defendants and invited them to stop by for a small celebration.

  Theo knew that every schoolteacher was starving by late afternoon. They were on their feet all day with little time to eat. The offer of good food and something to drink was irresistible. By 4:30 Friday, all five of the former East Middle School teachers were in the conference room—four with their spouses. Geneva Hull brought her current boyfriend. Every member of the Boone law firm was there.

  Though their futures were unknown, and certainly not promising, they were in the mood to celebrate, if only for a short time. They were no longer considered criminals and would not face the nightmare of being prosecuted. For hard-working educators who had little or no dealings with the criminal justice system, the prospect of going to jail had been terrifying. Now that had passed. They could pick up the pieces and try to get on with their lives. For a short time that Friday afternoon, they were happy and wanted to unwind. They also wanted to thank their lawyers.

  Theo and April sat in a corner and sipped punch. They were relieved, too. The scandal was finally over, and they could talk about something else.