Chapter 14 #2
From down the hall, the K-9 barked sharply, followed by the muffled voice of the handler. Mark came out of the room to talk with the other officer.
Jackson heard the words “…drugs found…crude derivative of Neurosync…”
“I knew it,” Elaine muttered.
Mark frowned and made his way to them. “Ma’am, you knew what?”
She grunted in pain. “My Reggie. He’s bought some new computer equipment recently. I asked, ‘Where’s the money from?’ He didn’t have a job.”
Mark’s eyes cooled. “You believe he was selling drugs.”
It wasn’t a question.
Tears slid down Elaine’s pale face. She seemed to have aged ten years. “I was too…embarrassed…to say anything. His father would sue…for custody. But yes…I think he was.”
“Was he dealing to high school students? His friends?”
Jackson stiffened at the implication. Dylan hadn’t been on drugs. At least, he didn’t think so. But he didn’t spend as much time with him as he’d like, so it was possible he was wrong. He hated to think his kid brother had been lured into dealing.
He shuddered. So many questions swam around in his head.
Swanny jerked his head. “We need to get her to the hospital.”
“If we have more questions, we’ll come to the hospital later.” Mark moved out of the way.
Swanny rolled the stretcher closer.
“On my count,” Jackson said. Together, they lifted her onto the cot, securing the straps. He adjusted the oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. “You’re safe now,” he told her as they wheeled her toward the door, though he wasn’t entirely sure it was true.
They loaded Elaine into the ambulance, and Jackson hopped in the back with her. Swanny slammed the door. A minute later, the ambulance shook to life. Jackson checked her vitals again. So far, so good.
“It’s okay, Elaine. It’s only a few minutes to the hospital.”
“So tired.” She drifted off to sleep. She remained asleep when the back doors swung open at the emergency room entrance. Swanny and Jackson gently lifted the stretcher down. The orderlies and hospital personnel took over.
“Let’s head back,” Swanny said.
Jackson nodded but stood for a moment, staring at where he’d seen Elaine last. “I just talked with her the other day, Swanny. Why would anyone want to hurt her?”
Swanny hesitated. “I hate to say it, but you know Mark was wondering if Reggie had come back for his drugs and shot his mom.”
Jackson had started to walk toward the ambulance, then halted and swung to face his best friend. The urge to yell caught him off guard. He muttered a prayer. “I can’t believe that.”
“I don’t know Reggie or his mom. But I think since she admitted he might be doing drugs, she’s worried about him. She never said Reggie was involved in her shooting.”
Jackson hopped into the ambulance and drove back to the station, his mind full, his spirit shaken.
He parked the vehicle in the bay and stalked through the station.
He waved at the greetings called to him but didn’t pause.
Instead of chatting with his team, he immediately sought out the chief.
He found him in the back office and rapped his knuckles twice on the doorframe.
The chief’s office was tidy, almost sparse.
The man himself sat at a desk positioned under the solitary window in the room.
The desk was clear except for a neatly stacked pile of reports, a computer monitor, and a mug that looked permanently stationed beside the keyboard.
Frames with pictures of his wife and children hung on the wall next to him.
A snapshot of a tabby cat curled on a sunny windowsill was tucked into the corner of the bulletin board and secured with a pushpin, among training schedules and shift calendars.
The air smelled faintly of coffee and spearmint gum.
Trent glanced up. A welcoming smile bloomed on his face, but it didn’t disguise the worried glint in his eyes. “Jackson! Come in. What can I do for you?”
“I have a conflict, Chief. Today we brought a gunshot victim to the hospital. Her son is the boy who is with my brother.” He stopped talking, emotion choking him. He blinked back the sudden tears.
Trent sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“There’s more,” Jackson ground out through his tight throat. He had never lied to this man. As his boss and his friend, Trent deserved the full truth. “They found drugs in his room, and it’s possible he was a dealer.”
“I didn’t expect that.” Trent stood and pushed his chair back. He walked around the desk and stood in front of Jackson. “How are you holding up?”
Jackson shrugged. “I’m angry. I’m sad. Prayer is the only thing keeping me sane right now.”
Trent put his hand on Jackson’s shoulder. “You have some vacation time. Take today. Go for a run. Or find a punching bag. Or take a nap. You know what we tell people. You have to take care of yourself before you can care for others.”
Jackson frowned. Somehow, taking time off seemed wrong.
“Don’t argue, Doc. You need time. Take it. I’ll put in the request.”
“What if I need more?”
The chief shrugged. “You have time accrued. Take it one day at a time. We’ll cover for you. You know that. The team always has your back.”
He did know that. Gratitude settled inside. “I will. Thanks, Trent.”
He spoke briefly with Swanny on the way out. His partner and best friend ordered him to call if he needed anything.
“Yes, sir.” Jackson gave him a mock salute and headed to his truck.
He didn’t feel like going home. He was restless.
I need to call Mia back.
He dialed her number.
“He-l-lo.” Her voice wobbled.
All thoughts of his morning fled. “Mia? What’s wrong?”
Sobs were the answer. “I—I can’t talk.”
“Mia! I’m coming over.” He disconnected the call and ran the rest of the way to his truck. One thought played in his mind as he hopped into the cab and started the ignition.
Mia needed him.
Mia wiped her tears and pasted on a smile when she heard Gus moving around. She walked to the living room. Gus had dressed in a comfortable pair of purple cotton pants and a loose short-sleeved yellow blouse with white daisies on it.
“Gus, what do you feel like for breakfast? I can get that for you before Jane gets here.” She’d texted her cousin last night and altered the time she needed her, although she hadn’t said why.
Gus’s wrinkled face puckered. “You’ve been crying, dear. What’s wrong?”
She started to deny anything was wrong, but her eyes filled with tears again. She’d thought she’d cried herself dry.
Then Gus was there, telling her to sit down. Mia sat on the couch, the overstuffed cushions cradling her.
The doorbell rang.
“That’s Jackson.” Mia started to rise.
“Sit.” Gus pointed a gnarled finger at her. Then she raised her voice. “Come in, Jackson.”
Jackson entered the house and immediately went to Mia’s side. He took her hand and settled in beside her.
Mia wiped her eyes. When she glanced at her aunt, she was surprised to see the older woman watching Jackson with approval.
“Jackson, Mia was just about to tell me why she’s crying.”
Mia sniffed. “Yesterday, Blaine said the school board wanted to suspend me because someone told them I was a suspect in Dylan’s disappearance. He said—he said he was fighting against it.”
Gus sucked in a breath.
“Well, that’s good, right?” Jackson asked. “I mean that he’s advocating for you.”
She choked back a fresh sob. “It didn’t work. They called me last night. I’m on administrative leave until I’m exonerated. Or until they decide I’m a liability.”
“They didn’t fire you?” Gus asked, her voice confused.
She sniffed again. “No. Not yet. But I need to go and clean out my personal belongings from my classroom. They’ll have someone walk me to my room like a criminal. I had planned to go to the hospital to see Andrea, since she woke up and wants to see me, but I need to get to school first.”
Jackson blinked and seemed to process that for a moment before speaking again. “Look, I’ve been ordered to take the rest of the day off. I’ll go to the school with you. You shouldn’t have to do that alone.”
She wanted to protest, but she couldn’t.
She needed him. This was one task she didn’t feel up to dealing with on her own.
Having Jackson beside her would help her face down the sneers and deal with the pain of knowing she wasn’t welcome in the school she’d poured her heart and soul into teaching at.
When Jane arrived, she surged into the room, her nose tilted at a superior angle.
Mia kissed Gus’s wrinkled cheek and avoided her cousin’s sneer.
After grabbing the small backpack she used for a purse, she darted out the door and climbed up into Jackson’s truck.
Only once they were out of the driveway did she sigh and look over at the man behind the steering wheel.
He smiled at her, but anger simmered behind his gaze.
When he reached out and took her hand, she relaxed. He was angry on her behalf. Warmth blossomed in her chest. It had been a long time since anyone except Shannon had reacted that way for her.
Sighing, she rested her head back against the leather headrest. “How did the school board know that I’d been questioned?”
“I don’t know.” Jackson squeezed her hand.
He pulled into the school parking lot. “Do you need a moment?”
She shook her head, already opening the door. “Let’s just do it.”
The longer they stayed, the more teachers she’d run into as they came to add finishing touches to their classrooms. Thankfully, she’d finished her meetings. She didn’t want to deal with parents today either.
She kept her head high and strode into the office.
The voices stilled as she entered the room, and the temperature seemed to drop.
She avoided looking at the two math teachers near the copier. Instead, she zeroed in on Joyce.
As usual, Joyce’s short red hair was brushed into a fashionable, breezy style. Her green eyes were outlined to make them pop. Even during the summer, she looked like a fashion model.
Joyce stood and dramatically gathered her keys. “I’ll open the classroom door.”
The other secretary, Beth, hit the loudspeaker. “Joe, Mia is here to collect her things. Please stay outside her door until she leaves.”