Run to Ground(11)

“Thank you,” she told the SRO as she stepped through the office door he held open for her. He dipped his head to acknowledge her thanks and then left. Mrs. Juarez was behind the high counter, just as she’d been for the four years Jules had attended Lincoln High School, and probably twenty years before that.

“Hi, Mrs. Juarez.”

Recognition lit the older woman’s face. “Juliet Young! How good to see you again.”

“You too.” Despite the circumstances, Jules felt a flicker of nostalgia. “How are you?”

Mrs. Juarez rolled her eyes. “It’s the usual zoo here. There are always those few troublemakers, but I suppose they make life interesting. Not that you would know anything about being a problem child, since you were always an angel. What brings you in here?”

It wasn’t hard to put a quaver in her voice. “My dad…isn’t doing well. Courtney is with him, so I told her I’d pick up the kids and take them to the hospital.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Mrs. Juarez hurried around to the front of the counter and enveloped her in a hug, sending a wave of guilt crashing over Jules. “You poor things.”

“Thank you.” She forced a smile, feeling like the worst scum in the universe. The thought that Mrs. Juarez might be blamed for releasing the kids to her occurred to Jules, but she forced the fresh surge of guilt from her mind. “Could you get the boys out of class?”

After a final squeeze, Mrs. Juarez released her and bustled behind the counter to sit in front of her computer screen. “Of course. Let’s see…Sebastian is in Mr. Hendrick’s class first period, Horatio is with Ms. Garnett and…sorry, dear, what’s your other brother’s name?”

Jules was impressed she knew two out of three off the top of her head. “Titus.”

“How could I forget that little scoundrel?” Mrs. Juarez chuckled, tapping at the keyboard. Ty must not have done anything too bad, though, judging by her amused tone. “Those twins are smart ones. Only thirteen and already freshmen. Very impressive.”

As Mrs. Juarez made the calls to the three classrooms, Jules caught herself before she could start to fidget, to shift from foot to foot and tap her fingers against her leg. She forced herself to be still, not wanting her twitchiness to give away her nervousness. If her father really had been hospitalized, it would be understandable for Jules to be upset, but there’d be no reason for her to be nervous.

It was just a few minutes before Tio arrived, quickly followed by Sam and Ty. Only Tio opened his arms for a hug, but Jules wasn’t surprised. Sam didn’t like to be touched, and Ty was at the stage where he found public hugs embarrassing. She squeezed Tio, pulling his lanky body close and getting a momentary release from the tension that gripped her insides.

“Thank you, Mrs. Juarez,” she called over her shoulder as they left, trying to resist shoving the boys out the door. Their presence made the plan seem suddenly plausible, and she wanted to grab all three and tear out of the school.

“Of course, dear. Please tell your father I’m thinking of him.”

“I will.” Giving the receptionist a final, forced smile, Jules closed the office door behind them and hurried after her brothers. They obviously felt the same need to flee, since she had to jog to keep up with their long strides. That could’ve also been because even the twins, at thirteen, were already significantly taller than she was.

All four of them were quiet as they pushed through the exterior doors and stepped into the muggy heat. When Ty opened his mouth, Jules shook her head. Even outside the school, she felt the creeping sense of being watched. She wondered if she’d feel secure when they were in her car, or when they had left Florida, or maybe when they were ensconced in their new lodgings. Something told her she’d never feel completely safe again, but she quickly slammed the door on that thought. This was getaway time. She had to concentrate on that.

She opened the trunk with a press of the key fob button, and the guys tossed in their backpacks. Tio grunted as he swung his off his shoulder, and Jules’s eyebrows rose as she looked at his overstuffed pack. The zippers looked like they were straining to stay closed. As she shut the trunk, she just hoped he’d included a change of clothes along with whatever other must-brings he’d packed.

The silence continued until they were loaded into the car, the twins in the back, and Jules had turned out of the parking lot onto a quiet residential street.

Sam’s voice was the first to break the silence. “T-thanks, Ju.”

Unable to resist, Jules reached over to squeeze his arm. She released him quickly, before he could get uncomfortable and pull away. “Sorry I couldn’t get y’all sooner.”