She shut her office door, went to her desk, and slumped into her chair. She powered on her laptop and checked the Facebook page. Nothing new about Shane. She called Cliff again from her cell phone. Her call rang once, then went to voice mail. Her messages over the weekend had sounded urgent, but she hadn’t made any threats. It was time to up the ante.
After the beep she said, “Good morning, Cliff. I hope you had a nice weekend. I was thinking about our little meeting in Hershey and those beautiful pictures I took. The ones with you on the bed, blindfolded and naked as the day you were born. I was wondering if you think I should send copies to your wife. I wasn’t sure, so I thought I should ask you first. If I don’t hear back from you, I’ll assume you want me to send them. I’m sure your wife will be thrilled.” Janet disconnected the call.
Five minutes later, Janet’s cell phone rang. She swiped right, a wicked grin on her face. “Cliff.”
“I haven’t been avoiding you,” Cliff said.
“Really?”
“The wife and I are in the Poconos. We’re on our way back now. I’m in the men’s bathroom of a goddamn Cracker Barrel.”
“Did you see what your son posted on Facebook?”
He exhaled. “I heard about it.”
“You need to tell him to get his story straight.”
He was quiet for a beat. “I don’t think you wanna go down this road. If the police talk to my son, which they might, he will tell the truth. Even if he backed Shane, too many other kids saw what happened. You’re not gonna contain this.”
“Then you leave me no choice but to send these pictures. They’re quite compromising.”
“I’m gonna level with you for a minute. I don’t want my wife to see those pictures, no doubt about it, but, if I have to make my son lie to the police to keep those pictures from my wife, I won’t do it. I’d rather deal with my wife than do that to my son. And here’s the other thing. If you do that, the repercussions won’t simply be me and my marriage. I’ll come after you with every ounce of influence I have in this town. I’ll make your life a living hell.”
“You don’t scare me.”
“I’m not trying to. What should scare you is the fact that there’s a locker room full of witnesses. If I were you, I’d concentrate on getting Shane a good lawyer, and I wouldn’t burn your bridge with me. You’re not the only one who knows how to play hardball.”
Janet gritted her teeth, her mind groping for another card to play but never finding it. “Fine, but I won’t be bullied.”
“You’re the one doing the bullying.”
“What about Pruitt? He has to go.”
“Pastor Goode’s reputation is pretty well destroyed at this point. He may withdraw from the election. If you want Pruitt gone, you’ll have a majority on the school board to do it, provided you still have my support.”
“Do I still have your support?”
“If you ever threaten me again, our relationship is over. Do you understand me?”
Her entire body tensed. “Yes.”
Cliff disconnected the call.
Janet picked up her empty coffee mug that read Kids First and whipped it across the room, the mug shattering against the wall.
CHAPTER 105
Gwen’s Priorities
“This is getting bad,” Rick said, sitting at the kitchen table.
Gwen turned from the stovetop, where she stirred the spaghetti noodles. “The posts about Shane?”
“Yeah, some of them are pretty brutal. I know this is good for us, but he’s still a kid. Maybe we should delete them?”
Gwen turned down the burner, walked over to the table, and read over Rick’s shoulder. There were a bunch of replies underneath Lance’s comment about Shane being the one who had sexually assaulted Caleb.
Lance Osborn: You people are stupid. Coach Barnett never even saw Caleb being bullied. Neither did Coach Schneider. Nobody did but the football players. I saw someone put his balls right on Calebs face and it wasn’t Drew Fuller like everyones been saying. Shane Wilcox did that. 47 Likes
Aaron Fuller: I knew my brother would never do that. Vice Principal Wilcox is a lying bitch and Shane is a fucking pussy. He had to have his mom get him a starting position. 22 Likes
Chris Shelton: I saw it 2 Shane did it 6 Likes
Angelo Lewin: That shit was so gay. Shane is a fag 8 Likes
Colton Weiss: Vice Principal Wilcox is biggest bitch ever. Everybody knows Shane did that shit 9 Likes
Eric Gorman: Jamar should have been starting all year. I heard Wilcox threatened Coach Barnett to start Shane. Remember that game when Shane started one play? Then Coach Barnett put Jamar back in right away. That’s why he got fired. Then she did the same thing to Coach Schneider. 15 Likes
Jamar Burris: I wasn’t in the locker room when that happened to Caleb, but everyone that was there says Shane did it, not Drew. I think Vice Principal Wilcox lied about Coach Barnett and Ms. Townsend. It’s so messed up. 12 Likes
“This is bad,” Gwen said, sitting in the chair next to Rick. “Do you think Shane’s seen it?”
“I’m sure he has,” Rick replied. “What do you think we should do?”
“I think we should screenshot everything, then delete the posts that are abusive to Shane. I’ll send the screenshots to Detective Strickland. Maybe it’ll help Drew Fuller.”
“Almost all of them are abusive to Shane,” Rick said. “If we delete everything, the kids will stop posting, which would be bad for us.”
Gwen deadpanned, “We have to do what’s right for our students first. Our needs are secondary.”
CHAPTER 106
Rick and Shattered
Rumors had swirled during the week about Shane and whether or not he’d be arrested for sexually assaulting Caleb Miles, but that’s all they’d been, rumors with no confirmation. Despite the controversies, everything stopped for football Friday. West Lake had home field advantage through the playoffs. They’d been 9-1, their only loss coming against a much bigger school and a 6A playoff team. Thankfully, through the postseason, West Lake would only be playing schools with similar class sizes.
Rick and Gwen sat on the hill, just off-campus, watching the first round of the playoffs. Jamar had been spectacular, running for three touchdowns and throwing three more. Halfway through the fourth quarter, content with a forty-two-point lead, Bob Schneider put in the second string.
The hill was a little more crowded than last week, but Rick and Gwen still mostly had their privacy. Initially, when they’d walked to their spot, a few townspeople had stared, but nobody had said anything. Now, with the game well in hand, people packed up their blankets and camping chairs, and headed for their cars. Gwen shivered and scooted closer to Rick, their thighs and arms touching.
“You cold?” Rick asked.
She wore a puffy jacket, gloves, and a knit cap, but they’d been sitting still for two hours, and the temperature had dropped into the thirties. “A little,” Gwen replied.
“We can get going if you want.”
“You don’t mind?”
Rick shook his head. “I’m getting cold too.”
He stood from the blanket with a groan and reached for Gwen. She took his hand, and Rick hoisted her to her feet. He grabbed the blanket, and they walked across the hill toward the roadside. Along the way, they passed a young man sitting by himself, wearing a dark jacket, his hood up.
Gwen stopped, looking up the hill toward the dark figure. She whispered to Rick. “I think that’s Shane.”
Rick glanced at the figure. “I think you’re right.”
“Should we say something?”
Rick retrieved his keys from his pocket and handed them to Gwen. “Why don’t you get the truck warm. I’ll go talk to him.”
Gwen nodded and kissed Rick on the cheek. Rick was stunned for a moment, wanting to ask Gwen what the kiss was for, but she was already walking to the truck.
Rick hiked up the hill to Shane. “You mind if I sit down?”
&nb
sp; “Free country unless you’re in prison,” Shane replied, his speech slurred.
Rick sat next to Shane on the cold hard ground. Shane held a bottle of something in a brown paper bag. The tip of his nose was red from the cold. His blue eyes were red-rimmed, probably not from the cold.
“You really think that’s the best idea?” Rick asked, glancing at the booze bottle in Shane’s hand.
“Doesn’t make a fuckin’ difference,” Shane replied. “My life’s over.”
“You have your whole life ahead of you.”
Shane wagged his head and tossed the booze bottle down the hill. Even drunk and from a sitting position, Shane had an arm. The bottle sailed through the air and shattered on the fence at the bottom of the hill. Beyond that fence was West Lake High School property. “I’m going to prison. Sexual assault.” He shut his eyes. Rick thought he might pass out, but Shane opened them and said, “It was a fuckin’ joke.”
“What happened?” Rick asked.
“You know.” He laughed, but he didn’t sound happy. “Everybody knows.” Shane collected mucus in his mouth and spat down the hill.
Rick looked at Shane, dubious. He hadn’t even heard Shane was arrested. There’s no way the justice system works this fast. “Were you arrested?”
“Not yet. My lawyer said they might soon. Cops have witnesses, … lots of witnesses.” Shane hung his head. “They used to be my friends.”
“I’m sorry, Shane.”
“Lawyer said I could get ten years.”
Rick gasped. “Jesus. Ten years? That can’t be right.”
Shane raised his head. “If I go to trial. If I plead guilty, maybe a year and the registry, like a fuckin’ rapist.” Shane leaned over, turned his head and retched, vomiting in the grass. He spat, his breathing labored. “Fuck.” He spat again and held his head in his hands. He began to cry, quiet at first, trying to contain it, then harder, his body racked with sobs.
Rick put his hand on the boy’s back.
Shane didn’t pull away.
“A year will go by in the blink of an eye,” Rick said. “Keep your head down and your mouth shut, and you’ll be fine. You’re a tough kid, Shane. You’ll get through this.”
CHAPTER 107
Janet and the Election
“We have nineteen witnesses prepared to testify,” District Attorney Blake Drummond said.
Shane sat in his seat with a deer-in-the-headlights look on his face. The plea deal sat on the table in front of him, unsigned. He was flanked by Janet and his attorney, Jacob Byers. His attorney was a bald man, compact and sturdy. He looked like he could’ve been a fullback twenty years ago.
DA Drummond sat across the polished table, his fat fingers steepled. Drummond looked like a cop-turned-lawyer, complete with an ill-fitting suit and a gray mustache.
Janet put her hand on top of Shane’s. “It’s a good deal.”
Shane removed his hand from hers. “I can’t go to prison.” He pushed the plea deal and the pen away from him. “It was just a joke. I wasn’t assaultin’ him. This isn’t fair.”
“Stop talking, Shane,” Byers said.
“Listen to Mr. Byers,” Janet said.
“I can’t do this.” Shane put his face in his hands and cried.
Janet scowled at her son, embarrassed by his behavior.
“I thought we had a deal,” DA Drummond said.
“We do,” Byers replied. “Can I have five minutes alone with my client?”
Drummond stood from his chair. “I’ll be back in five.” He left the room.
As soon as the DA shut the door behind him, Janet leaned into Shane’s personal and said, “Stop your crying.”
Jacob Byers raised his hand to quiet Janet. “Shane. This isn’t going away.” Byers spoke softly, trying to be the good cop to Janet’s bad. “A trial will take longer than the six months they’re offering, and, if we lose, you could get ten years. This is a great deal. I know prison is scary, but it’ll be over before you know it.”
Shane sniffled and lifted his head from his hands. “It’s not fair.” He wiped his eyes with the side of his index finger. “You know how many kids grab drunk girls at parties? That’s sexual assault. What I did, … it was just a joke.” He trailed off into a whisper.
Janet glowered at her son. She wanted to punch him in the face. At every turn, she’d tried to help him, yet he continued to throw it all away.
“I know, Shane,” Byers said. “If Caleb hadn’t killed himself, we probably wouldn’t be here, but he did. It’s bad luck, no question. But we are where we are. You have to play the hand you’re dealt.”
“But wouldn’t, like, a jury or whatever, see that it was just a joke?” Shane asked. “I could tell ’em what happened. They’d understand. I didn’t mean nothin’ by it. It was a mistake.”
“Maybe, but it’s a gamble.”
Shane looked at his mother. “I think we can win.”
Janet shook her head. “If you make this decision, there’s no we.”
“What are you talkin’ about?”
“I won’t waste any more money cleaning up your messes. If you want to fight this thing, you can pay for it yourself.”
Shane’s face reddened. “I don’t have any money.”
“That’s what public defenders are for.”
“You don’t think I can win?”
Janet deadpanned, “I know you can’t.”
* * *
The school board meeting took place in the library. Two long tables were set up at the head of the room and covered with a red-and-white tablecloth, matching the school colors. The nine school board directors and the superintendent sat behind the table, with name plates in front of them. Plastic chairs were set up for the sparse audience. Janet took her customary seat in the back.
Today’s newspaper was on her seat, turned to the article about Shane’s guilty plea. Janet looked around the room, searching for the culprit, but nobody dared make eye contact with her. He’d signed yesterday, and he was already in the paper. Perfect. Just fucking perfect. Thankfully, Jacob Byers had convinced Shane to take the deal. A trial would’ve been a lot more press. Besides, it was the smart play. And, even if it wasn’t, Janet didn’t have the money for a trial. She barely had enough to pay Byers for negotiating the plea. They’d given Shane a week to get his affairs in order before he had to report to prison, but Janet had secretly wished they’d taken him right away. She’d grown tired of dealing with his entitled attitude. Janet tossed the newspaper in the trash can and returned to her seat. Fortunately, Shane’s quiet little plea was overshadowed by the US presidential election.
Rachel sat next to Janet. They whispered back and forth, gossiping, while the school board talked about budgetary items and approved a kid’s request to help the local food pantry by setting up a donation table at this Friday’s football game.
“How’s Shane?” Rachel asked, her face braced for bad news.
Janet scowled and shook her head. “I’d rather not talk about it.”
Rachel nodded and changed the subject. “I’m still in shock over the election. I was so upset that I cried.”
“I can’t believe people voted for that fucking orange clown.”
“Those darn deplorables. At least Heather won.”
Janet glanced at Heather Miles, who sat behind the long table with the rest of the school board directors. “She won’t even talk to me. The media portrays Caleb as this meek victim, but that wasn’t the case. He dished it out too. He was staring at Shane’s penis. What kind of person does that?”
“A disturbed person.”
Janet nodded.
“Don’t worry about Heather,” Rachel said. “We still have her. She still listens to me. She doesn’t have to know if something’s from you.”
Janet pursed her lips. “If she doesn’t do what she’s told, I’ll fucking ruin her. It’s her fault that Caleb killed himself. She’s an awful mother. Caleb did all the cooking. All the chores around the house. He even did the
grocery shopping while Heather waited in the car. No wonder he killed himself. He didn’t have a father or a mother. Yet she has the audacity to point her finger at Shane.”
Cliff Osborn’s voice boomed from his microphone. “That’ll conclude this school board meeting. Thank you for attending.”
Much of the audience filtered out of the library. Janet made her way to Cliff Osborn, cornering him against the magazine racks.
Janet said, “When will you deal with Pruitt? The community needs change, so it can heal.”
Cliff’s expression was neutral, cognizant of the fact that others may be watching, even if they were out of earshot. He wore a bulky tan suit over his stocky frame and paunch. “Five of us are ready to pull the trigger now. The wheels are already in motion.”
“What does that mean?”
“He can retire, or we can fire him. It’s his choice. I think he’ll be smart and move on without a fuss.”
“When will this happen?”
“I already have a meeting scheduled with him tomorrow.”
“Good. I expect to be named principal immediately, and I’d like to choose the new vice principal.”
“How’s Shane holding up?”
“I’m not discussing it. I need to go.” Janet turned and walked away.
CHAPTER 108
Gwen and TNSILF
“Someone posted on the Watchdog that Pruitt retired,” Gwen said, looking up from her phone. “It says Janet’s the new principal.”
Rick was near the door, bent over, lacing up his boots. “They pushed him out so Janet can have his job.”
Gwen exhaled, shaking her head. She stood next to Rick, her puffy coat zipped tight, her knit cap covering her head, and her purse slung over her shoulder. “She gets the principal experience she needs, and then she’ll be the superintendent when Matthews retires.”
Rick stood. “Maybe. Heather Miles is a wildcard now. She may hate us, but she hates Shane too, and Janet’s guilty by association.”
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