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“Heather and Rylann became best friends after high school.”

Kamryn jerked her head up at that. “What? How do you know that?”

“Windermere’s a small school, Kam. And because I run into a lot of the admissions and records questions, I’m aware of where most students end up post-school. It took a few years, but they’re best friends now.” Mrs. Caldera was shaking, her entire body trembling. “I suspected when Heather was elected to the board that Elia’s past might come up. It was horrible the first time. She doesn’t deserve to relive that again.”

“So you altered her personnel file?” Kamryn bit the inside of her cheek. She wanted Mrs. Caldera to give a full confession of what she’d done, but at the same time it was better to live in ignorance some days. At least ignorant, she wouldn’t have to fire Windermere’s longest standing employee.

“And a few others to not put the blame on her.”

Premeditated.It was the word that came straight to Kamryn’s mind and bounced around like a pebble stuck in a shoe.

“Do you have those records as well?”

Mrs. Caldera nodded. “In my desk.”

Kamryn pressed her lips together hard. “Just…why? Because not having these has proven to be a bigger issue than if we’d just had them.”

“I gave them back.”

“But why?”

“Because you and Elia…” Mrs. Caldera stopped speaking. “You two deserve to be together. I think you’re a good match, and Elia has never truly been happy since she and Yara broke up. You can see it in her face how happy she is with you.”

Kamryn would disagree. Especially with the way their last conversation had gone.

“I know it doesn’t seem that way now, but she’ll come around.”

Kamryn sighed heavily. Even if Elia decided to be in a relationship with her, that didn’t mean the board would approve or that it would end up with a happily ever after. They still had a lot of problems to work out in the meantime.

“I appreciate you giving me these files,” Kamryn started, pointing to the paperwork on her desk. “Especially since I’m about to walk into a board meeting. But this goes beyond what a reprimand can do.”

“I know,” Mrs. Caldera answered. Her lip quirked up, the same bright red lipstick that she’d worn twenty years ago. She laid her hands flat on the table. “I know you have to fire me. And I still believe it was well worth the intervention.”

Kamryn was speechless. No words formed on her tongue. She’d fired people before, and she’d never had an experience likethis. What was she supposed to even say to that? She shook her head as Mrs. Caldera stood up.

“I wrote out a letter, explaining what I did, so you can have it for the board meeting tonight. I’ll print a copy for you, and I’ll start cleaning out my desk. I’ve also written up notes and procedure books for my replacement.”

“Is this how you wanted to leave?” Kamryn frowned. “Have you been planning this?”

“Planning for the possibility.” Mrs. Caldera nodded. “It’s time for me to retire, Kam. And it’s time for you to step up to the plate. This school needs you. Don’t let the board tell you otherwise.”

And she walked out.

Kamryn watched in utter bewilderment as she started to pull things out of her desk. What the hell had just happened?

Mrs. Caldera was gone with one small box of personal items before Kamryn had to walk into the board meeting. She held the folder that contained everything she needed to prove that Elia was innocent, and this was all a witch hunt against her. Because some people just couldn’t move on from the past.

Sitting down at the table, Kamryn waited for the ethics team to be called up to give their report. Yara started, explaining everything they’d done so far and the restrictions they’d put onto Elia. She was just about to start down the road of adding more when Kamryn jumped in.

“I’m going to stop you there.”

Yara seemed surprised, along with Susy and Heather. Kamryn slid the copies she’d made to each person sitting in the room. “This is Elia Sharpe’s personnel file, along with the records from the investigation that happened eighteen years ago. I’ll get to where I found these in a minute, because that’s an issue that’s been dealt with but needs to be on the record.”

Kamryn sat back down. Her heart was racing and in her throat, making it so hard to talk. She was nervous and breathy, and she fucking hated it.

“As you can see, all the accusations against Elia were recanted and then disproven. I want it on the record that there have been many conflicts of interest in this case.” Kamryn looked around the room. “Yara Cole and Elia Sharpe dated for two years prior to the accusations. Heather is best friends with Rylann, the initial complainant about Elia’s behavior.”

“And you…” Susy added, giving Kamryn a pointed a look.