by Geof Johnson
“Maybe. I think something is going on with her, and if I knew what it was, maybe I could help her with it.”
“I’m sure you’ll work it out, mom. You’re good with people, and you know a lot about teaching.”
“Well...I hope you’re right. Most people don’t realize that there is a lot more to teaching than just giving instruction.”
“Especially when you’re trying to do it on another planet.”
* * *
Duane Gundy wore his aviator sunglasses and his gray coveralls as he resumed his search for Sammi, confident that he looked innocuous enough to park on any street without raising suspicions.
He pulled the white van onto Cedarwood Drive, but his insides turned to jelly when he saw the police car driving slowly up the street toward him. I’m screwed. Totally screwed. What am I gonna do? Briefly, he considered making a run for it, but knew he had no chance of outracing a police cruiser in the clumsy, slow van. The Trans Am maybe, but not this hulk.
The cop flashed his blue lights momentarily and signaled for Gundy to stop. Gundy pulled over onto the shoulder of the road and the sickening feeling in his stomach grew and his head began to hum. I’m done for, he thought as he watched the policeman step out of his car and walk toward him.
Gundy swallowed hard and rolled down his window when the officer neared him. “Something I can do for you, sir?”
The man in the dark blue uniform gave Gundy a quick look, and Gundy was glad that he’d radically altered his appearance. He could only hope that it was enough.
“This your vehicle?” the cop said.
“No sir, it belongs to the company, Acme Services.” Gundy had used that name before, during his days as a bounty hunter.
“What’s your business here?”
“Uh, we’re looking to drum up some new customers. Things are kinda slow for us, you know, with the economy and all.”
“What kind of services do you do?”
“All kinds of stuff.” He swallowed hard again. “Gutters and roofing, and remodeling and whatever. We uh, also paint folks’ house numbers on their curb in reflective paint. That’s what I’m selling today.” He tried to smile, but his face felt stiff and he wasn’t sure if he was convincing or not.
The cop’s eyes were impassive as he regarded Gundy. Then the officer nodded. “Some of my neighbors had that done. Never thought it was worth it, myself.”
“Yeah, that’s the problem. But my boss sent me out today anyway. Who am I to argue? I need the work.”
The cop pulled up one corner of his mouth and nodded again. “You aren’t the only one. Things are bad all over.” Then he frowned and gestured at the van. “It would help your business if you had a sign on this thing, you know. Put your phone number on it in big letters.”
Gundy managed a laugh, more of a nervous grunt. “Yeah, uh, the company just bought this one at an auction. I’m sure they’ll have it painted, first chance they get.”
The cop rested his hands loosely on his hips and said, “The reason I pulled you over is to ask if you’ve seen a silver Camry cruising any of these neighborhoods.”
“Uh...nope. Not that I know of. Why?”
“We’re looking for a fellow named Duane Gundy. We think he might be driving one. He’s a guy about your age, with brown hair and a short beard. If you see anybody that fits that description, call us, will you?”
“Yes sir. Pronto.” Gundy bobbed his head. “Be happy to do it.”
“Thanks. Good luck with your business.” He gave a curt wave and walked back to his car.
Gundy took a deep breath and waited until the policeman had driven away before starting the van. Damn! That was too close. I gotta get some magnetic signs for this thing. If the cops are looking for me, I need to be invisible.I need to hide the Camry in a better spot, too, and steal a new license plate for it.
Chapter 26
Jamie returned to the school Thursday afternoon to bring his mother and everyone else home.
As he walked down the front hall, he paused when he heard whistling coming from the first room on his right, the makeshift library. He looked inside it to see Mr. Winston standing with his back to the door, a book open in his hands.
“Ah.” The tall, gray-haired man turned to see Jamie. “The master has come to inspect his minions.”
“Not quite,” Jamie replied with a smile. “You’ve got this place looking respectable.” Tall shelves lined every wall, and shorter ones were arranged in two rows in the middle of the room. Many of them were full of books. “I assume you have a system for this.”
“Oh yes.” He gestured toward one side of the room. “This area will be for fiction, and the other side will be for non-fiction and reference works.” He nodded and surveyed the shelves. “We have room for many more, still, but it is a respectable collection for a small school, is it not?”
“We’re going to be ordering more, soon. We’ll have some extra money because my grandfather has managed to get some of his rich friends to stay at the inn this weekend.”
“Yes. Tourists, as you call them, spending a fortune to visit a nice but unremarkable town.” He wrinkled his brow. “I don’t understand their motivation, but if it helps raise money for the school, I am all for it.” Jamie started to turn away, but Mr. Winston cleared his throat. “Um, I have something I’d like to bring to your attention, but I am not sure how to broach the subject.”
Jamie stopped in the doorway. “Is it about the school?” Mr. Winston nodded again and Jamie said, “Should my mom and grandmother hear this?”
“I believe so. At least one of them should. Sammi probably should not.”
“I’ll get my mom.” He called Rachel into the room and she joined them a couple of minutes later.
Mr. Winston looked at both of them gravely before saying, “I had to wait until Miss Duffy had left for the day before bringing this up.” He rubbed his nose with the knuckle of one hand and cleared his throat again. “Nearly every day when we leave school, I offer to escort Miss Duffy back to the boarding house. It is the gentlemanly thing to do, but she always declines. I assumed that it was because she feels uncomfortable in my presence. I have noticed a certain unease about her whenever I am near her.”
“She can be uncomfortable around the rest of us, too,” Rachel said, “so don’t take it personally.”
“Yes. Well, she usually leaves a little before I do, and sometimes I can see her ahead of me as we make our way back to the boarding house. Strangely, though, she doesn’t go inside it. Instead, she continues on her way. At first I thought nothing of it, but one day I followed her out of curiosity, and saw her make her way to the neighborhood of the rich residents, the so-called big houses.”
“She used to work for one of those families.”
“She went directly to one of the largest mansions, which I found curious. The next day, I followed her again, and she returned there. I made a few inquiries and found out that it is the home of the Fuller family.”
“That’s who she used to work for,” Rachel said and knitted her brow. “Why would she be going back there?”
“My question exactly,” Mr. Winston said. “I also discovered that Mr. Fuller is a very close friend and business partner of Mayor Duncan. I know that you have had some difficulties with him concerning this school, so I thought you might want to know this.”
“Maybe she’s moonlighting,” Jamie said. “Making some extra money by continuing to tutor their kids.”
Rachel shook her head. “She told me she had resigned. She said she had no further business with them, and that she was happy with what we’re paying her.”
“Your pay is generous,” Mr. Winston said. “She should have no complaint about that.”
“Well, thanks.” Jamie pulled at his earlobe and narrowed one eye. “Has Sammi overheard anything about this with her magic?”
“Miss Duffy knows about Sammi’s power,” Rachel said, “so if Miss Duffy were saying something she wanted to keep secret, she would
avoid the shadows.”
“You think Miss Duffy could be spying for the town council?”
“That would explain a few things,” Rachel said. “She certainly seems curious about the school’s finances and other stuff. I thought it was because she was worried about her job security, but maybe not.”
Jamie locked eyes with his mother for a long moment. “What are we gonna do?”
“Let’s confront her about it. We’ll give her a chance to tell her side of the story.”
“Maybe we can get Nova to come. She can tell us if Miss Duffy is telling the truth or not.”
Rachel drew in a long breath and shook her head slowly. “I have a bad feeling about this. I feel betrayed, all of a sudden.”
“Don’t judge her yet,” Mr. Winston said. “I have learned a few things about this town in the short time I’ve been here, and I know that the mayor and his fellow councilmen are most devious and controlling. But they are still afraid of you, Jamie, because of your immense power. Their memories of Renn’s vengeful ways are still fresh in their minds, so perhaps they are looking at more subtle ways to subvert your influence over this community.”
“But I’m only trying to help.”
“Yes.” Mr. Winston nodded firmly. “Most of the common folk see that. You are well-respected in this town, and for good reason, in my opinion. But the councilmen are politicians, after all, and they will behave as politicians will.”
Rachel sighed deeply and frowned. “It might be a different world, but people are still the same, aren’t they?”
“We need to remember that,” Jamie said. “Okay. Tomorrow, first thing. I’ll try to get Nova here, and we’ll have a talk with Miss Duffy.”
* * *
The next morning, Rachel waited with Jamie and Nova in the school office for Miss Duffy to arrive. When they heard her come into the front hall, Rachel called her into the room.
Rachel introduced Nova, then gestured at an empty chair. “Can we talk to you for a minute?”
Miss Duffy nodded hesitantly. “What...what is this about?” she asked as they sat down.
“It’s about the Fullers.” Rachel took a deep breath while she chose her next words. “We know that you’ve been going to their house after school every day, even though you said that you had ended your relationship with them. Do you mind telling us why you’re doing that?”
Her mouth tensed immediately. “I...I am continuing to teach their children on a part-time basis. They are not entirely satisfied with their new tutor.”
Rachel glanced at Nova, who gave her head a small shake.
She’s lying. “Miss Duffy, I should tell you that Nova is a witch, a Reader. She knows when you’re telling the truth or not.”
Miss Duffy’s eyes flared and her face turned red, but she didn’t respond.
“We know that Mr. Fuller is a close friend of Mayor Duncan, and that the mayor and the town council are uncomfortable with this school.” Rachel waited a moment before saying, “I’m going to ask you a blunt question, and we need for you to give us an honest answer. Are you reporting to them on the situation here?”
Miss Duffy wet her lips with the tip of her tongue, and then, in a small, pitiful voice, said, “Yes.” She lowered her chin to her chest. Rachel looked at Nova again, who nodded.
She’s telling the truth. “So, you’re a spy, in other words?”
Miss Duffy didn’t answer. She squeezed her hands together in her lap without raising her head.
“But why?” Jamie asked. “Aren’t we paying you enough?”
Miss Duffy sniffed. “You pay me most generously.”
“Don’t you like it here?”
Miss Duffy lifted her chin for a moment and Rachel could see that the young woman’s eyes were wet and her face looked stricken. Rachel reached behind her and pulled a tissue from the box on the desk and handed it to Miss Duffy.
“Thank you,” Miss Duffy said, her voice cracking, and she wiped her nose and turned her face back to her lap. “I like working here. I love the children.”
“Then why are you spying for the mayor?” Jamie asked.
“Because...because they forced me to.” She sniffed again and took a halting breath. “When word got around that you were looking for another teacher, the mayor and Mr. Fuller thought they might be able to fill the position with someone who is beholding to them. Then they could find out everything about the school and perhaps discover a way to wrest control away from you.”
Jamie frowned and narrowed his eyes. “Why do they feel like they need to do that? I told them to leave us alone!”
“They don’t trust you, because you are an outsider to them.”
“But...I’ve got two hundred years of memories of this town.”
She gave a small shrug and dabbed at her nose again with the tissue. “I think they feel powerless and impotent where you are concerned. They are not comfortable with that. They are too afraid to confront you directly, so they seek to undermine you in other ways.”
“She’s telling the truth,” Nova said.
Jamie scowled. “But I only have the best interests of Rivershire in mind! Those meddling fat cats certainly don’t, at least when it comes to these kids’ education.”
Miss Duffy looked up, her cheeks pale and her eyes red, “They can’t help it. It is the way they are. They are used to having control, and since you’ve built this school, and the clinic, too, they feel that is slipping away.”
“Dang!” Jamie crossed his arms and turned his head aside.
“I’m disappointed to hear that, Miss Duffy,” Rachel said. “That leaves us with a problem now. What should we do about you?”
Miss Duffy dropped her chin again and said, “I shall tender my resignation from this school immediately.”
“Is that what you want?”
She hesitated for a moment before shaking her head.
“Then why did you agree to spy for the mayor?”
“Mr. Fuller did not give me much choice. He said if I wanted to keep my position as a tutor, I had to do this.”
“But we offered you a permanent job,” Rachel said.
“They convinced me that the school would eventually fail, and that tutoring the Fuller’s children was my only real option.”
“Do you feel that way?”
She shook her head again. “At first I did, but now I think that the school will continue.” She looked up again and nodded. “I think it will thrive. I think it is the best thing for this town. I want to work here. I don’t want to be a tutor for the rest of my life!”
“I’d like for you to keep working for us,” Rachel said and glanced at Jamie, “but you have to stop spying for the council. That is, if you want to be a teacher at this school.”
“I do. I really do.”
“She’s telling the truth,” Nova said. “I feel it strongly.”
“Well....” Rachel leaned back in her chair. “If you stay on, it would nice if you could be more congenial. Talk to us once in a while. Be a part of the group. Can you do that?”
“Yes. It has been hard for me to be so duplicitous. You are so nice to me, and I feel like a traitor, like a...like a rat.”
“Well, like I said, I’m disappointed, but I think I understand why you did this.” Rachel leaned over and patted Miss Duffy’s arm. “I want you to know that we’re on your side, though. But we need you to always be on ours. Talk to us whenever you have a problem. We can help.”
“All right,” Miss Duffy said and wiped her eyes again.
“That still leaves us with the problem of what to do about the town council,” Jamie said. “This may be something that a witch can handle better than a wizard.” He turned to Nova. “You think Momma Sue and Mrs. Malley would know how to handle this?”
“I don’t know,” Nova said. “I can ask them when I see them this Sunday.”
“Good.” Rachel stood and nodded firmly. “Miss Duffy, I want you to continue as you’ve been doing. Go meet with the mayor and Mr. Fulle
r today, but don’t tell them anything important. Lie, if you have to. Maybe we’ll be able to end their meddling soon, once and for all.”
* * *
Saturday was boring.
Sammi had to stay inside all day and wasn’t even allowed to go across the street to play on Jamie’s swings because he wasn’t there to make an invisibility shield for her.
Sammi saw a couple of girls riding their bicycles on the sidewalk in front of the house, but Mrs. Callahan wouldn’t let her go out to say hello to them. “We don’t want anybody to see you right now,” Mrs. Callahan said. “Not until the police catch Mr. Gundy.”
So Sammi stood at the front window and watched the girls ride away. They look like they’re my age, too. I know we could be friends. Then she plopped on the couch, crossed her arms and poked out her lower lip. All my friends are in Rivershire. There’s nobody to play with here. Even Fred’s gone. She’s working all day. “There’s nothing to do!” she whined to nobody in particular — the walls, the floor, the furniture, any grownup within earshot who might take pity on her and entertain her.
That night, Fred had her friends over, and she let Sammi hang out with them.
Sammi sat on the couch in the living room between Fred and Nova. Rollie was squeezed in next to Nova on the end. Bryce was sitting a few feet away in the wing chair, looking bored, but Jamie and Melanie were standing, talking about fate. Or as Rollie called it, the Big Cosmic Scheme.
Jamie was gesturing broadly with one arm, trying to make a point, while Melanie watched him with her hands on her hips. Nobody else was engaged in the discussion at the moment.
Sammi was happy to be included in their group, but the conversation was over her head and she felt lost. “I wish I knew what they were talking about,” she said.
“Me, too, Sammi,” Fred said and eyed Jamie and Melanie. “Half the time, those two are so far into geek-speak that it sounds like another language.”
“Bryce?” Nova said. “Does Melanie talk like that when you go out on a date?”
Bryce shook his head. “Only when she and Jamie get talking about this esoteric stuff. She’s normal most of the time.”
