Gwen and Rick gave each other an uncomfortable look.
Mr. Ziegler smiled. “Provided you wish to hire me of course. My apologies for jumping the gun. I can step out of the room if you’d like to discuss it alone.”
“We don’t have much money to pay you,” Gwen said.
“I wouldn’t worry too much about that. My fees are reasonable. Eighty-dollars an hour. Sending two letters would only incur three or four hours of my time. I’m happy to give you a payment plan that fits your budget. If everything goes like I think it will, the school district will pay my bill, and you’ll be back at work in no time.”
Gwen and Rick looked at each other again and nodded.
“We’d like to hire you,” Rick said.
CHAPTER 115
Rick and Intertwined
Rick sat with Gwen on her couch, a polite distance between them. They streamed the modern version of Vacation on Gwen’s laptop. It was a funny distraction, not as good as the original but funny nonetheless. Rick watched her laugh. That perfect smile, the tiny dimples, the sparkle in her eyes. She was already in sweats. It was only seven, but they’d had dinner earlier, and it’s not like they were going anywhere. It was still hostile outside of their bubble. Gwen had grinned and said it was too early for pajamas but not for sweats.
Her left hand rested on the couch next to her thigh. Her hands were small, her fingers delicate. His heart pounded so hard; he thought maybe she could hear it. He reached and placed his hand on top of hers. She fixed her gaze on him, her face expressionless. Rick felt the sting of embarrassment and removed his hand from hers.
“Don’t.” She turned her hand over and motioned with her eyes.
Rick placed his hand back into hers. Gwen turned her body toward Rick and squeezed his hand, not hard but enough to know she meant it. Her dark hair hung past her shoulders in loose waves. She had a heart-shaped face with high cheekbones and big blue eyes. Rick turned his body, intent on kissing her, but Gwen’s phone chimed.
She turned her head, reached for her phone on the coffee table, and checked the number. “I don’t know who this is.” Gwen sent the call to voice mail. She paused the movie and shut her laptop, making her intentions known. A blush ran across her cheeks, and she dipped her head. Rick’s cell phone chimed. They both looked at his phone sitting on the coffee table.
“I wonder if it’s the same person who called me,” Gwen said.
Rick grabbed his cell phone and swiped right. “Hello?”
“Rick?” the man asked.
“Yeah?”
“This is Dr. Matthews.”
Rick sat up straighter. “Dr. Matthews. What can I do for you?”
“I think you have that the wrong way around. I was calling to let you know that we have a hearing scheduled for December 5th at 7:00 p.m. You’ll have a chance to present whatever new evidence you have for the administration and the school board.”
“I’m not sure I understand.”
“Given recent developments, we’re giving you a chance to plead your case for reinstatement.”
“What about Gwen Townsend?”
“I can’t discuss her situation with you.”
“She’s right here, if you wanna talk to her.”
Matthews paused. “Uh, yes, I’d like to talk to her.”
Rick handed his phone to Gwen, and School Superintendent Matthews told her the same thing he’d told Rick, with a few added details. They had a hearing in less than three weeks to determine whether or not they should be reinstated, and their cases would be decided by Matthews and voted on for approval by the school board that night. Gwen disconnected the call with that sparkling smile. They reached at the same time, embracing and hugging each other tight. Her body felt firm and soft in all the right places.
“We did it,” he said.
After a moment, she let go and pulled back. He did the same, wondering if the moment was gone, if he’d crossed into the friend zone, never to return. They stared at each other, silent, their eyes wide open. Gwen made her move a split second before Rick, pressing her body and her lips against his. Her mouth parted, their tongues twisted together. His hands dropped to her hips, pulling her closer. They were breathless, their movements urgent. She straddled him, Rick sitting on the edge of the couch, his feet on the floor, her legs wrapped around him, their lips still locked together. She tasted like the strawberry ice cream they’d had for dessert. Her hands moved from his upper back to his belt. She tugged, grappling, but getting nowhere. He undid his belt, the top button of his jeans, and his fly.
Her lips moved to his neck. His hands dipped under the waistband of her sweatpants, pulling them down a few inches, exposing the top of her black bikini underwear. She stood abruptly. Rick wondered if he went too far. She answered that by removing her sweatpants and her underwear. She stepped from the pile of clothes at her feet, now naked from the waist down.
CHAPTER 116
Janet and LIAR
“A fucking hearing? You can’t be serious,” Janet said into her cell phone.
“We’re trying to avoid a nasty wrongful termination suit,” Cliff said. “Burks thinks they have a case. If we give ’em a hearing, we’ll get a good look at their case, and, if they lose the hearing, they’ll be less likely to waste money on a lawyer fighting the same case in court.”
“And if they win?” Janet paced in her bedroom.
“They’ll be reinstated, and I hope to God they don’t sue.”
“This is bullshit, Cliff. Townsend was negligent, and Barnett only pushed Ashlee Miles away because he saw the camera.”
“That’s for the hearing to determine.”
“Cancel it. Let them sue. They don’t have the money or the balls.”
“You’re lucky we’re not investigating you for wrongdoing. That video is compelling.”
Janet clenched her jaw. “That video doesn’t show anything.”
“It doesn’t show anything conclusive. That’s why you still have your job.”
“If the board tries to fire me, they’ll be in for the fight of their lives. I’ll own this district before it’s over.”
“Relax, Janet. Nobody’s trying to fire you.”
“The hearing better be public. We need to build trust with the community.”
“It’ll be public.”
“What are their chances of reinstatement?”
“They’ll have to have very compelling evidence and a supportive public.”
“You’ve seen what they have. Is it enough?”
“If it were only up to me, no, but it’s not.”
“You better get your people on board.”
“You’ll catch more flies with honey than vinegar.”
Janet blew out a breath. “What do you want, Cliff?”
“Another night in Hershey.”
“Then make sure the vote goes the right way.” Janet disconnected the call. She tapped the Rachel contact on her cell phone.
“Hi, Janet,” Rachel said, answering on the first ring, always at Janet’s beck and call.
“There’s a hearing to vote on reinstating Rick and Gwen based on the new evidence.”
“Oh, my word. I can’t believe it.”
“Believe it because it’s happening in three weeks.”
“What can I do?”
“We need to get as many community members as possible to speak against them at the hearing.”
“I can do that. I’m sure Heather will bring her people too. She has quite a following now.”
“Good. Just keep my name out of it. She still hates me because of Shane.”
“I think she’s softening.”
“We’ll see.” Janet paused for a beat. “We should invite Rick’s ex-wife to the hearing.”
“I heard he cheated on her,” Rachel replied.
“Which is why she’d be a perfect guest.”
“Maybe it was with someone young. I’m sure she’ll have the dirt.”
“Do you have her number?” Janet as
ked.
“No, but I know someone who does.”
“Definitely invite her then and make sure she shows.”
“I will. And what about the kerfuffle with Gwen’s husband and that student and all those nasty rumors?”
“Unfortunately, we can’t convict her based on what her husband did, and I can’t talk about the rumors. She’ll sue me for slander. They’ll probably have their lawyer at the hearing.”
“I bet the rumors are true,” Rachel replied. “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
“I agree, but I have to be careful how it’s presented. It could backfire and lead to a lawsuit or, even worse, sympathy.” An idea flashed into her mind, and a wide smile spread across her face. “I know exactly what to do. I can invite—” Janet stopped midsentence, listening to an odd sound coming from outside her home.
Shhhhhh, shhhhhhh, shhhhhhh.
“Hold on, Rachel. I think I heard something.” Janet went to her window and looked into the darkness. She saw the outline of a figure running away and disappearing into the black. Janet picked up her phone again. “I think someone was trying to break into my house.”
“Oh, my word.”
“I’ll call you back.” Janet disconnected the call and stepped downstairs. She peered from the bay window. Nothing. Nobody. The front door was locked. She checked the back door and the side door. Also locked. She returned to the front and stepped onto the stoop, listening, and looking off into the distance for the person she’d seen running for the woods. A cold wind whistled through the vinyl siding. She cinched her robe, feeling a chill. She looked at her concrete walkway, and that’s when she saw it. The concrete had been defaced with a single spray-painted word, in all caps, CUNT.
“Fuck. Fuck. Fucking Aaron Fuller!” She turned around to go back inside, to call the police, and she saw more red spray paint. She surveyed the front fascia of her two-story colonial. In four places, the white vinyl siding was defaced with another four-letter word, LIAR.
Janet stepped inside and slammed her door. She reached into the pocket of her robe and retrieved her phone. She dialed 9-1-1.
“Nine-one-one, what is your emergency?”
“My home’s been vandalized, and I know exactly who did it.”
CHAPTER 117
Gwen and Good News
Gwen kissed Rick, soft and slow, her stomach fluttering. They stood next to the door, Rick in his cold-weather running gear, Gwen still in her pajamas.
“Be careful, okay?” Gwen said.
“I’ll be quick. It’s too cold to be out there for too long,” Rick replied.
They kissed again and he left the apartment. Gwen locked the door behind him, a smile plastered on her face. She fed Buster, the cat purring as she filled her bowl. She went to her bedroom and changed into a pair of jeans and a fleece. As she dressed, her mind flashed back to last night … and this morning. For the first time in a long time, she felt hopeful, happy even. Her phone chimed in the living room, waking her from her daydream. She hurried to the coffee table, grabbed her phone, glanced at the number, and swiped right.
“Mr. Ziegler,” Gwen said.
“Good morning, Gwen. Is Rick with you?”
“No, he went out for a run, but he’ll be back shortly.” Gwen sat on her couch, the cell phone pressed to her ear.
“Well, I’ll let you deliver the good news. Heather Miles has dropped the lawsuit against you two. I think the prospect of a countersuit scared her. Her attorneys probably told her they needed a retainer that she couldn’t afford.”
“That’s great to hear. Rick’ll be thrilled. Thank you so much, Mr. Ziegler.”
“I’m glad I could help, but we’re not out of the woods yet. This school board hearing is a positive development, but it’s high stakes. I don’t know whether they wanna reinstate you or they’re simply going on a fishing expedition to see what we have.”
“Do you think we have enough evidence to be reinstated?”
“Yes, but you never know how these things’ll go. School boards can be very political.”
Gwen sighed. “I think Janet Wilcox has a lot of influence with the board.”
“She very well may, but our case isn’t wholly dependent on this hearing. Speaking of Janet Wilcox, that’s the other thing I wanted to talk to you two about. I did a background investigation on her, and I made a few phone calls. This woman’s been married twice and has a child from each marriage. That, in and of itself, isn’t unique, but I spoke to her exes, and they both had similar stories. She bled them dry in the divorce, and she plays dirty. Real dirty. She used her kids as pawns. She signed over her parental rights to her first husband in exchange for $200,000. I spoke with the daughter. She’s twenty-six now, a kindergarten teacher. She hasn’t spoken to her mother since the divorce. Janet tried to do a similar deal with the second husband, but the settlement was $500,000, and he couldn’t raise the money. He’d been paying $2,000 a month in alimony and child support until Shane’s eighteenth birthday. He’ll still pay one thousand for the alimony, which he’s stuck with unless she remarries. To add insult to injury, he said Janet made it impossible to see or to have any contact with Shane whatsoever. This doesn’t help us, mind you, but it does give us a glimpse into the type of person we’re dealing with.”
“What type of person is that?”
“The type who’ll do anything. The type who’ll dig into your past and throw it in your face at the hearing. I think we should talk about your husband some more. I don’t wanna be blindsided.”
Gwen’s stomach churned. She felt like she might be sick. “You know what happened.”
“I’m really sorry, Gwen, but I have to ask you about the rumors,” Mr. Ziegler said.
Gwen hesitated for a moment. “They’re totally false.”
CHAPTER 118
Rick and the Big Game
The school parking lot was lit with streetlights. School employees and community members parked around them and hurried into the building, dipping their heads into the wind and holding their coats closed. Rick and Gwen sat in his truck, parked near the rear of the lot.
He reached over the bench seat and placed his hand on top of hers and squeezed. “You okay?”
“I’m fine, … just nervous I guess,” Gwen replied.
“Me too. We’ll be fine. Mr. Ziegler will present the evidence. We’ll back him up during the public comment.”
“I don’t know if I can do it.”
He squeezed her hand again. “Your statement’s perfect. You’ve practiced. You’ll be great.”
She nodded, but her expression was one of uncertainty.
“When I was a kid, I used to get really nervous before football games. So, I started doing things to distract myself. I’d joke around with the guys, listen to music, anything to keep my mind off the game. I found that, if I was prepared, I could just go out and play, and, once I started playing, the worry was gone.”
Gwen forced a smile. “I guess I need a distraction.”
“Jamar’s had a helluva run through the playoffs. It’s amazing how he’s carried the team on his back, even after losing Drew.”
Gwen nodded.
“They’ll be in Hershey for the state championship on Friday. What do you think about booking a hotel room in Hershey on Thursday? We could go out to dinner on Thursday night, then we’d be down there for the game on Friday.”
“Sounds like a few hundred dollars that we don’t have.”
“We’re gonna win the hearing, and we’re gonna get that back pay. It’ll work out. You’ll see.”
“What happened to the distraction?”
“Sorry, you’re right. What do you wanna talk about?”
Gwen took a heavy breath. “I don’t know.”
Mr. Ziegler’s Range Rover parked in the lot.
“There he is,” Rick said. “You ready?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Whatever happens, you have me.” Rick leaned over the seat and kissed her on the c
heek, lingering long enough for her to know he was serious.
They stepped from the truck, the wind whipping her hair in front of her face. Rick took her hand, and they hurried across the lot. Mr. Ziegler stepped from his SUV, wearing a suit and a long dark coat. His laptop bag was over his shoulder. He smiled as his clients approached. Rick grabbed the cardboard boxful of files for Mr. Ziegler, easily carrying it under his arm. They walked in together, prepared to take on the school board, the administration, and the community.
CHAPTER 119
Janet and Her Guests
Janet carried two Cokes and some chips from the vending machines to her office. She had stashed her guests in her office because she didn’t want anyone to know that they were here. She’d bring them out at the right time, like a sneak attack. Other than her guests, the main office was empty, the lights turned off, only the glow from Janet’s back office lighting her way.
She smiled at the middle-aged woman and the young man as she entered, both still sitting in the seats across from Janet’s desk. “Here you go,” Janet said, placing the Cokes and the chips on the edge of her desk.
“Thank you, Ms. Janet,” the woman said.
The young man lifted his chin in acknowledgment.
Janet wished they’d dressed differently. The middle-aged woman wore a Looney Toons shirt and a Philadelphia Eagles jacket. People here preferred the Steelers. The young man looked like a thug. Baggy pants hanging off his ass, a huge puffy jacket, a do-rag, neck tatts. It didn’t help that they were black. It’s not that this town was racist. Well, maybe a little, but not sixties Mississippi racist. The residents didn’t trust people who were different, and black was definitely different in this town.
“It’ll probably be about an hour until I come for you,” Janet said. “Please don’t wander around the school. We’ll have a bigger effect if nobody knows you’re here.”
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