“Why can’t I go to class?” Annabelle asked petulantly. “Katie’s the one who caused the problem.”
“You’ll go to class when we’ve gotten to the bottom of this,” Betty said. “And don’t even think about wandering off.”
Annabelle shot a withering look in Katie’s direction, then stepped outside. Betty made a point of speaking to one of the secretaries, to assure that Annabelle stayed put, before closing her office door.
When she sat back down, she looked from Katie to Laura. “What am I missing?”
“A lot,” Katie blurted, then clamped her lips shut.
“Maybe you should tell us,” Laura said gently. “Things have obviously gotten out of hand.”
“You have no idea,” Katie whispered. “But I can’t tell. I promised.”
Betty turned her attention to Laura. “Any insights you care to share?”
“I think there’s some bullying going on, but I haven’t witnessed it firsthand, at least not here at school,” Laura said, her gaze on Katie, hoping for even the tiniest hint of confirmation. Katie remained perfectly still, her eyes downcast.
Betty regarded Laura with dismay. “You believe Annabelle Litchfield is bullying someone?” she repeated incredulously. “Katie, is that true? Has she been attacking you in some way? Does this have anything to do with why you were caught skipping school earlier this fall?”
“Not Katie,” Laura said quietly, her gaze steady on Katie. “I think she’s bullying Misty Dawson, but as I said before, I can’t prove it.”
Betty turned back to Katie. “Is she right?” she asked, her tone far more gentle than anything Laura had ever heard from the tough-as-nails principal before.
Tears spilled down Katie’s cheeks. “I can’t say,” she insisted again.
“But whatever happened just now between you and Annabelle, it was because you were trying to stand up for Misty,” Betty guessed.
Katie did give a brief nod at that.
“Okay, then,” Betty said decisively as she jotted out a note. “Go on to your next class, Katie.”
Katie regarded her with surprise. “That’s it? I’m not in trouble?”
“Not unless I hear about another incident like this,” Betty told her. “I applaud you wanting to stand up for a friend, but there are better ways to do it. Leave the rest to Ms. Reed and me.”
Katie nodded, shot a grateful look in Laura’s direction, then practically ran from the room.
As soon as she was gone, Laura looked at the principal. “Now what?”
“Now we try to figure out what that girl out there has been up to. We need to have every single duck in a row before we accuse her of anything.”
“I assumed as much, which is why I didn’t come to you sooner. I’ve been trying to get to the bottom of it.”
“Oh, we will,” Betty said grimly. “For now I’m going to send Annabelle off to her next class. I know she’ll assume she’s gotten off scot-free, but it’s better that than stirring up a hornet’s nest before we have our facts straight.”
“Because of Mariah Litchfield,” Laura concluded.
“Precisely. Frankly, I look forward to tangling with her, if this turns out to be true. She’s cost this school system two great teachers. It’s about time we’re able to turn the tables and give that little entitled, spoiled brat of hers the boot,” she said vehemently, then looked chagrined. “Not that you ever heard me say such a thing.”
“Not a word,” Laura said, grinning.
Her view of Betty Donovan had just done a complete one-eighty. She might be a strict disciplinarian, perhaps a little overly zealous in certain situations, but it was apparent to Laura that when it came to her students and her teachers, Betty had the same sort of protective streak that J.C. had seen in Laura.
10
After she’d left Betty’s office, Laura went looking for Cal Maddox. She wanted him to know about the incident between Annabelle and Katie from her before he heard the talk likely floating around school already.
Thankfully she found him in his office between classes. He regarded her with surprise.
“You generally avoid this part of the building,” he commented. “To what do I owe this unexpected visit?”
“There was a problem at the end of my AP English class today. Since it involved Katie, I thought you should know.” She met his gaze. “Or would you rather I call Maddie and Bill? I never know quite what to do in circumstances like this.”
“Why don’t you tell me what happened and I’ll help you decide? Please don’t tell me Katie skipped class again.”