Eventually she headed his way.
“You okay?” she asked him. “I know what you said today couldn’t have been easy, but I think it had an impact, J.C. I really do. I saw the shock on people’s faces when they realized the sort of consequences this behavior can have. There’s a tendency to dismiss it as childish mischief, but we both know it’s a lot more than that.”
“Obviously it didn’t faze those boys,” he said ruefully.
“Because they’re young and stupid,” Helen said succinctly. “Just wait till Greg Bennett and his cronies figure out they’re about to be suspended from the football team for the rest of the season over this. Betty can hardly wait until Monday morning to haul them into her office for that announcement. Amazingly, the coach is backing her up a hundred percent. I knew Cal would have, but the football coach is usually a lot more focused on winning than he is on what’s right.”
“Some things are more important than a winning season,” J.C. said grimly.
“Unfortunately, not being able to play is likely to kill Greg’s chances for a college scholarship,” Helen said. “I have little to no sympathy for the boy, but that’s going to be tough for his folks to accept. They were so proud that he’d be their first to get into college.”
“What’s next?” J.C. asked. “Is there anything I can do here?”
Helen shook her head. “Carter has things under control and the prosecutor will be here shortly to do all the official paperwork and determine the charges. I’ll also be conferring with him about bringing criminal charges against the person who posted the latest pictures online. I’ll be in court first thing Monday to file a civil case, as well.”
“Do you know who did it?” J.C. asked. “You’re a hundred percent sure?”
Helen nodded. “It was Greg. It was his way of standing up for Annabelle, if you can believe that. He thought it might take the heat off of her. I’m not entirely convinced that Annabelle herself didn’t put him up to it. That is one twisted relationship. If I were Mariah, I’d get those two as far apart as possible.”
“Do you think the Litchfields will transfer Annabelle to another school after this?”
Helen nodded. “I don’t think they’re going to have a choice. Betty and Hamilton Reynolds were talking about a formal expulsion hearing earlier. The school board will hold an emergency meeting on Monday.”
“That could be best for everyone,” J.C. said.
“Only if Mariah accepts it graciously,” Helen warned. “I’m not convinced she’s capable of that. If anything, she’s going to be more furious than ever with Laura and Betty.” She met his gaze. “That reminds me, Laura said to tell you she’d be at home. She’d like you to come by.”
J.C. nodded. “I want to see the Dawsons first, then I’ll head over there.”
Or not, he thought. He wasn’t sure he was quite ready to see the pity in Laura’s eyes when she looked at him. It had been there after he spoke. It was the same look he’d seen time and again after Stevie had died. It was usually accompanied by a bunch of platitudes that didn’t mean a thing, that his brother’s death was a terrible tragedy, but that none of it was his fault.
Nonsense. He’d known what was happening to his brother and he hadn’t stopped it. If that didn’t place the blame squarely on his shoulders, then what would?
Laura was beside herself. There’d been no sign of J.C. on Saturday afternoon. Nor had she heard from him that evening or today. When Helen had called to give her an update on the charges pending against the various students involved in the previous day’s debacle, she made herself ask about J.C.
“He didn’t come by?” Helen asked, clearly surprised. “I passed along your message and he said he was going by the Dawsons first and would head to your place after that.”
“I haven’t heard a word from him,” Laura admitted. “Maybe I should go over to his place to check on him.”
Silence greeted her words. “Maybe not,” Helen said eventually. “Yesterday was obviously very emotional for him. He laid himself bare before the entire town, told something he’s apparently never revealed to anyone in town before, an obviously painful part of his past. I spoke to Bill briefly, and he said J.C. had never even mentioned it to him. He probably needs to regroup.”
“But what does it say about us that he doesn’t want my support while he does that?” Laura said wearily. “Maybe I’ve been kidding myself that we’re actually building a strong relationship here.”