Page 132 of For Your Own Good

As headmaster, Teddy knows he has to pick and choose his battles, because he can’t fight all of them. He can fight some, though. After saying yes to everything else Frank has asked for, it’s time to say no.

“I respect your beliefs and support your right to have them,” he says. “However, your beliefs aren’t necessarily the same as mine.”

Frank reaches over and places his hand on Teddy’s shoulder. “Iunderstand that. I also think the best thing for us to do is pray for forgiveness for our past sins. Together. Only then will all of us, including Belmont, be able to move forward with a fresh, cleansed start.”

Teddy moves away, causing Frank’s hand to drop. “I think it would be better if you prayed with your fellow believers.” He stands up. Their time together is over.

Frank sighs.

They walk to the door, which Teddy is more than happy to open for Frank. Before leaving, Frank turns to him.

“I will pray for you,” he says.

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

As soon as he’s gone, Teddy goes back to his office. He probably has a hundred new emails to catch up on, not to mention the latest report on the school’s financial situation.

But first, the news. The website for the local newspaper is already pulled up on his computer, and he refreshes the page. He’s been watching the Metro section, waiting for news about Fallon.

ZACH HAS Aheadache. Not because he’s sick, but because he’s been thinking too hard about Crutcher. That must be it. The man is nothing but a headache—always has been.

And a dick.

But would the FBI believe Zach? After he’d presented himself as some lovestruck teenager willing to break the law to see Courtney, probably not. That alone could make him seem unbalanced. A good idea at the time. Not so much now.

Maybe he should’ve done what his parents and his lawyer said and kept his mouth shut.

Exhausted. He’s exhausted trying to figure out the best thing to do every minute of the day. He almost feels like giving up.

Maybe that’s what he should do: give up on trying to get Crutcher, give up on trying to do the right thing. Maybe he should just be a teenager and get high, eat junk food, and crash on the couch.

Which is exactly what he does.

He turns on the TV. All the local stations are talking about Ms.Marsha and Joe. Interviews with their neighbors and friends, pictures from their personal lives, all cobbled together into a story that ends with murder.

Click.

Zach turns on an action movie instead. He lasts ten minutes before flipping back to the news.

He surfs through the local news channels, looking for any glimmer of hope. Any sign that the FBI has figured out their mistake. But they’re done with Belmont, and someone gives the weather report, the sports report...

Then he sees a picture of Fallon’s apartment building.

“A twenty-three-year-old woman is found dead of carbon monoxide poisoning in her Hidden Palms apartment. Police say an old water heater may be to blame. Tonight at ten: how to make sure your...”

Fallon.

ZACH DOESN’T HAVEto think twice about who died, or about who’s responsible. When he saw Crutcher at her building, he should’ve known better.

Well, he did know better. He saw Fallon and spoke to her, and she was fine.

But he should’ve done more. Stopped Crutcher. Talked to him. At least taken a picture of him walking into the building. Anything other than just watch.

That almost makes him feel complicit.

Fallon knew the truth. She always knew. Otherwise, Crutcher wouldn’t have done this.

Zach paces around the room with his phone, googling more information about her death. Not much else is out there. Carbon monoxide, an old water heater, a terrible accident.