Page 122 of For Your Own Good

LittleBirdie

What are the chances a man would choose that name?

Fallon. Of course she’s the first one he thinks of. She already has a bad habit of emailing him, though it’s always been from her real address.

But why hide now?

Furthermore, how would sheknow? Impossible. She wasn’t even in town when Ingrid Ross died.

As he starts to think of other possible senders, a knock at the door interrupts him.

Teddy freezes, sitting up straight in his chair. Maybe it wasn’t the door at all. Maybe it was the pounding of his heart.

The doorbell rings. Not his heart.

He walks out of the office, toward the door, bracing himself for whoever it might be. The police. The FBI. Both.

Deep breath. He can handle it.

Teddy doesn’t even glance through the window. He wants his reaction to appear normal. Natural. As if he didn’t expect this at all. He opens the door without hesitation. The surprise is immediate, and very much real.

Not the police. Not the FBI.

It’s Frank.

75

“FRANK,” TEDDY SAYS,his heart slowing a bit. “What a surprise.”

Frank smiles a little, looking embarrassed. “I know this is probably a bit strange, showing up like this. I should’ve called.”

“No, no, this is a wonderful surprise.” Teddy opens the door wider, motioning for Frank to come inside. He hasn’t seen Frank since he went on medical leave from Belmont, which feels like it was a hundred years ago. So much has happened since then. “Come in and sit down,” Teddy says.

He leads Frank into the formal living room, which is the cleanest area of the house. Frank sits on the edge of the couch. Teddy sits in a chair next to him, getting a good look at his colleague.

Frank looks thinner, yes. But healthy. The dark circles under his eyes are gone, and there’s a glow about him. He also appears calm. Before, Frank was always so hyper. Now he sits so still, he looks like a statue.

Then Teddy sees what he’s wearing. Under his jacket, Frank has on a black shirt with a white collar.

A clerical collar.

Frank sees him notice and smiles.

“You’ve... joined the clergy?” Teddy says.

“I have,” Frank says. He pulls an envelope out of his pocket and hands it to Teddy. “I’m an ordained minister.”

Teddy pulls out a certificate stating just that, signed by Touchpoint Ministry. It looks like it’s been printed off the internet. “Congratulations. I’m... well, I’m very impressed. It must have been a difficult choice.”

“Actually, it was the easiest decision I’ve ever made,” Frank says. He still has that smile on his face. “And congratulations to you, on being headmaster.”

“Thank you. Unfortunately, it happened under such tragic circumstances.” Teddy’s mind goes back to that email. Frank may have changed his life, but he still has bad timing. Some things never change.

“Yes,” Frank says. “The events at Belmont have been... Well, they’ve been evil. And I don’t use that word lightly. No one in the clergy does.”

Teddy nods, bristling at the word. “So I expect this new life of yours means you’ll be resigning from your teaching position?”

“It does, yes. And of course I wanted to tell you in person.”