Chapter 13 #3
“You will have to refrain from going to the school until I can get this solved. There will be a substitute to cover for you.”
How could he speak without any inflection at all? It was inhuman.
Cold spread through her. They wanted to take her job. Her livelihood. “There’s already a sub planned. I was taking family medical leave to look after Gus following her surgery.”
“I will contact you when I know more.” He ended the call abruptly.
Confusion twisted inside her. Was he berating her or standing up for her?
He had never defended her before. In fact, she had never been more afraid in her life than when she’d told him she was pregnant with Jackson’s child back in high school. As usual with him, it all came down to his reputation.
Conversations with Blaine Turner always left her feeling unsettled.
She pulled into the driveway. Finally, she was home. She planned to go inside, make dinner, and take a long shower instead of the quick six-minute one she usually allowed herself. Then she would read for a bit, and as soon as Gus was in bed, she would be too. She had had enough.
Jane met her at the door. Her curls were perfectly arranged and her lovely blue eyes expertly shadowed. Jane looked gorgeous—until Mia looked deep into her eyes. Sparks shot out of them, pinning her where she stood.
“Hey, is something wrong? Is Gus okay?” She’d expected her cousin to be annoyed, but this level of fury for a situation she’d had no control over didn’t make sense. “Let me through. I want to see her.”
Jane ignored the question, actively blocking Mia’s entrance. “I had a friend call me. She said something about you possibly getting fired for misbehavior.”
Great. The gossip had started. “No, no, nothing like that. Don’t worry about it.”
“You always act like you’re better than everyone else, but when it comes right down to it, you’re the one who causes the most trouble. I’m ashamed to call you family.”
Mia opened her mouth, but before she could tell her cousin she was full of it, her phone rang. Grateful for the interruption, she turned her back on Jane and answered.
Her hand shook. She was this close to losing her cool. She didn’t want Gus to see her that way.
“Hello?”
“Hi, am I speaking with Maria Turner?”
“This is she.”
“Miss Turner, we have a young lady here at the hospital who was in a coma. Andrea Parker. She just woke up, and she’s asking to talk to you. She insists it’s important. She says you’re family.”
Mia’s eyebrows climbed her forehead. She’d never met the woman—at least, not while Andrea was awake. She was ready to dismiss the claim but recalled the fact that they both had a widow’s peak and changed her mind.
“I can come and see her tomorrow,” she said, then she hung up and pushed her way past Jane to walk into the house, ignoring Jane’s complaints.
Gus greeted her, smothering a yawn.
Mia held in her own yawn. Exhaustion settled on her shoulders like a weighted blanket. She needed sleep. It could all keep until the morning. Tomorrow would be soon enough to figure out what to do next.
She heard the door slam when Jane left. She sat with Gus and held a quiet conversation until the older woman was ready for bed. Mia made sure her aunt was comfortable, then she got herself ready for bed and pulled down the covers.
Her phone rang. It wasn’t Shannon’s ringtone. Maybe it was Jackson. She really wanted to talk with him.
According to the clock on the wall, it was eight thirty. She glanced at her phone.
Astrid Mercy. One of the school board members. Her pulse thundered in her ears.
“He-hello?”
“Good evening, Maria.” Astrid’s chilly voice boomed in her ear.
“Astrid.” She swallowed.
“I am calling on behalf of the school district. It has come to our attention that you are a suspect in the disappearance of several of your students.”
The breath whooshed from her chest. “No! They wanted to know what I could tell them about the students, but I’m not a suspect.”
“Hmm.” Disbelief filled that one elongated note.
“We’ll see. Hopefully, you’ll be exonerated.
Until then, we have to act to protect the students and the reputation of the district.
This evening, we held a vote. You are on leave until further notice.
Please come tomorrow morning and collect your belongings. ”
“But—”
Astrid plowed on. “A security guard will walk you to your room and wait while you gather your possessions. You are not allowed on district property without an escort.”
A broken sob escaped Mia’s lips.
A dial tone rang in her ears.
That was it. She may as well have lost her job. Mia’s legs refused to hold her. She collapsed on the side of her bed, tears streaming down her face.
Who could she call?
She started to dial Shannon, then stopped. Shannon still worked for the district. She didn’t want to put her in an uncomfortable position, so she dialed Jackson instead. His phone went to voicemail.
She was alone.
With no one to pull her from the abyss, she reached out to the only One who could assist. Closing her eyes, lips trembling, she clasped her hands in her lap.
“Please, God. Please help.”