Page 10 of The Darkest Note

“I’ll call you back,” he says before setting the landline back in the cradle.

“Why the hell was Sol expelled?”

“Dutch, I was not aware you’d be back in school today. Let me call the teachers to adjust the schedule—”

I slam my hand on the desk. “Cut the bull, Principal Harris. Whythe helldid a suspension turn into an expulsion?”

He gapes like a fish. “Mr. Mulliez pushed for it. He said it wasn’t Mr. Pierce’s first time getting into trouble and we’d given him too much lee-way already.”

A thread of guilt tugs at my gut. Sol’s been a handful, sure. But he only got in trouble this time because he took the rap for us that night.

“You should have calledme.” I poke a finger in my chest.

“I don’t see what this situation has to do with you. It was Mr. Pierce who snuck into the teacher’s lounge and tried to steal—”

“He didn’t steal. My father’s camera was confiscated that day. It belonged to us. We were taking it back.”

He nabs a handkerchief and dots at the sweat on his brow. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“No, you did hear that,” I growl. “You’re a smart man, Principal Harris. You know Sol wouldn’t have broken into school alone.”

“Perhaps. That’s why I’m not informing your father about this incident.”

“Dad’s too busy to handle something like this. He’s on tour. Whatever you need, you deal with me.” I tilt my chin up. “I’m going to assume this matter is cleared up. I’ll tell Sol he can come back to school.”

“I’m sorry, Dutch. Someone’s already taken his spot.”

“Who?”

Principal Harris shakes his head. “I can’t tell you that.” He purses his lips.

Sensing that I won’t get any further with him, I storm out of the office.

In the hallway, I bump into Mr. Mulliez, the trash music teacher who’s had it out for us since day one.

He couldn’t make it as a professional musician, which is why he had to tuck his tail between his legs and slink back to Redwood. He’s got an obsession with my father’s success and he takes it out on the three of us.

“Dutch, you’re back.” He gives me a friendly smile that’s not enough to convince me of his intentions. “I guess we’ll be seeing you in class more often.”

I walk past, ignoring his words.

Finn and Zane are still outside.

Zane gives me a worried look. “What did Harris say? Is this about that night we broke in?”

I nod slowly.

My brother runs a hand through his dark hair and curses under his breath.

Finn gets pale. “I’ve been trying to call Sol. He’s not answering.”

“His mom probably took his phone and laptop.” I pace nervously. “Principal Harris is a dead end. When we weren’t around, Mulliez put his claws in and got him to kick Sol out.”

“That bastard,” Zane hisses.

Finn leans against the railing and crosses his arms. His eyes are narrowed in thought. “What are we going to do now? Sol’s parents are stricter than ours. There’s no way they’ll let him stay out of school until we figure this out. He’s probably enrolled somewhere else.”

I think about the night Sol stayed back to get the security guards off our tail.