Page 9 of Don’t Say a Word (Angelhart Investigations #2)
Chapter Six
Lena Clark
“Melissa,” Dwight said, “there’s no need to blow this out of proportion.”
Dwight, dear man, was trying to mediate the situation. He’d been here far longer than she had, longer than Melissa, but Lena didn’t want to cause waves with the administration. Melissa was already difficult to work with as it was.
“You were talking about students with a private investigator,” Melissa said.
“You both know better. Dammit, our school has been run through the wringer over the last five years. The student who attacked Ms. Lorenz, who is now suing us for millions. The planning commission delays over our new building. A school board that is demanding weekly reports because our test scores have dropped. Not to mention the scandal with Coach Bradford! And now we have a private investigator asking questions about a simple overdose.”
Lena was well aware that the administration had been under a lot of pressure. “I understand, but—”
“Kids do drugs,” Melissa interrupted. “It’s unfortunate, and I’m sorry it happened to one of our students, but Elijah Martinez is not the first or last teenager who made a poor decision and paid for it with his life.
The officer I brought in to speak to the assembly did a good job.
I’ve also been pushing the school board to give us the resource officer they promised.
But just this morning I had an irate call from the school board president who claims faculty and students are harassing a police detective. Was that you?”
Lena cringed. “I didn’t—”
“You didn’t call Detective King and criticize how she investigated the Martinez kid’s OD?”
Lena’s face heated. “That was not my intent. She took my questions the wrong way.”
“It ends here. The police did their job, you do yours. Stay out of it.” She turned to leave, then glanced back at them. “The staff meeting is postponed until tomorrow.”
Lena watched her leave, listening to her crisp footsteps fade along with the jingle of her keys.
She closed the door, jaw clenched. “That woman!”
Dwight put his hands on her shoulders, gave her a light kiss. “You’re shaking.”
“She makes me both nervous and mad.”
“Don’t let her make you nervous.”
“Easy for you to say,” she mumbled.
Dwight pulled her into a hug, which relaxed her.
She had never expected to fall in love again after her failed marriage, but then came Dwight: comfortable, kind, with many shared interests.
It had been eight months and they spent most weekends together, and she’d introduced him to her daughters when they were home from college this summer.
Lena stepped away from Dwight. “I’m worried about Angie.”
They sat down at the table, holding hands. “So am I,” Dwight said. “Do you think she might have been with Elijah when he died? Maybe they got high together and she panicked?”
Lena vehemently shook her head. “Angie is the last person who’d do drugs.”
“She comes from a troubled home, she’s angry and cutting classes.”
“Angie has been angry for years,” Lena said. “And her troubled home stems from her mother’s drug use—I don’t see Angie following that path.”
“Cutting classes is new. She’s a straight-A student, but if she keeps cutting, her grades are going to slip.”
“It’s only been the last week.” Lena had always felt protective of Angie. She’d achieved so much academically even with no support at home. “If Ms. Angelhart finds something, the police may reopen the case.”
“Do you think that’s likely?”
“I don’t know,” she said honestly. “At least someone is looking for answers. Angie needs to know that we support her, that we’re here for her.”
“She’s lucky to have you on her side,” Dwight said.
“I’ll connect Angie with the PI,” Lena said. “And we really need to push the school to implement the Silent Witness program.”
“I thought you were trying to avoid getting on Melissa’s bad side,” Dwight said.
He had a point, but on this subject Lena was willing to fight for what she knew was right.
Dwight kissed her lightly. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”
“Do you really think I should?”
“If it’s important to you, I’ll back you with the faculty.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I really appreciate it.”
“You can make me dinner as a thank-you,” he said with a mischievous gleam in his eye.
She laughed. “I have some work to finish up. Do you want to wait? Or we can meet at my house around—” she glanced at the clock “—five-ish?”
“I’ll wait. There’s a volleyball game,” Dwight said.
“I haven’t been to one this year, and I hear the team is play-off bound.
” Dwight touched her cheek. The warm affection always made her grateful for this man and what they had together.
“I know you care about Angie, but remember, she has to meet you halfway. At least part of the way. You can’t fix everyone.
I know, I know—I do the same thing with some of the kids who need that extra push.
But if she doesn’t refocus on what’s important, she’s going to lose opportunities. Text me when you’re wrapping up.”
“Enjoy the game,” Lena said and closed the door behind him.
Lena responded to dozens of emails, which took nearly an hour.
Then she proofread her proposal about the Silent Witness program.
It wasn’t the same program that law enforcement had, but instead was modeled after several successful school programs in major cities to provide a portal for students to report on serious campus crime.
Before she could change her mind, she sent the proposal to the administration.
They needed to be proactive.
Lena sent the email and hoped the idea took hold.
For all her issues with Melissa Webb—and Lena had many—the vice principal was an effective administrator.
Thus, Lena focused her argument on how the program would save time and money, plus reduce disciplinary actions.
The principal deferred everything to his three VPs, so Lena had to convince them before Principal Borel would sign off.
Lena didn’t enjoy school politics, but she understood how they worked.
Her cell phone rang; it was Dwight.
She hit Speaker as she started filing reports. “Fifteen minutes. Maybe I can catch the last match.”
“Angie’s here in the gym,” he said.
She slammed shut her file cabinet. “I’ll be there in five.”