Page 91 of For Your Own Good

“So he lied to his wife?”

“Yes, he did.”

BEFORE FRANK HADeven left the bar, Fallon’s mind started to spin. It was like she had just won the lottery and had to figure out the best way to spend the proceeds.

Spend them, she did.

Finding a fertility doctor named Tobin wasn’t hard. Dr.Leo Tobin, fertility specialist, had an office just a few miles from Belmont. She called the office, and a nice woman named Sandra answered.

“Hi, Sandra. My name is Mary. We’d like my husband to get a vasectomy, and I’d like to know how much Dr.Tobin charges for this procedure.”

“That depends on your insurance.”

“I work at Belmont Academy. We have insurance through them.”

“Ah, well, in that case, hold on a moment.”

When Sandra returned, she gave Fallon the approximate price, which she said could vary depending on extenuating circumstances or needs.

Fallon thanked her, hung up, and created a fake bill on her computer. The only “mistake” she made was on the envelope.

Mrs.Theodore Crutcher

Whoops.

56

ON THE COLDESTmorning so far this year, the roads are slick. Teddy hits a patch of black ice and skids right off the road, almost ending up in a ditch. A man in a checked coat and matching hat stops to see if he’s okay.

“You’re lucky you didn’t go in,” he says, pointing at the ditch.

Teddy grunts. “Not so lucky I hit the ice in the first place.”

The man scurries away, and Teddy continues on to school. No reporters in sight. Too early, even for them. The sun isn’t even up yet.

As he gets out of his car, he notices dirt on the cuff of his pants, no doubt from when he got out of his car near the ditch. An annoying start to the day. If he had come to work at the normal time, some of that ice might have melted. But that wasn’t an option. He had to arrive early to check the cameras.

They still aren’t fully functional. Not until after the weekend check. Today is Friday, his last chance to take note of where they’re located without being recorded.

The halls are still quite dark—the daytime lights haven’t turned on yet—and the only sound is Teddy’s footsteps. But it’s not scary. It’s comfortable.

Cameras have been placed in every hallway, recording in both directions. They’re over every door leading into the building, inside and out—including the teachers’ lounge, given that’s where Sonia’s salad was kept. But they aren’t inside the classrooms, the lounge, or the meeting rooms. And there is no camera outside the headmaster’s office, either.

Finally, the dining hall. He swings open the door, looking up at the ceiling. No camera right inside the door. He walks around the entire room, corner to corner, and doesn’t see anything.

Maybe no one wants to see the kids eating. Can’t blame them for that.

Next, the kitchen.

He sees the light too late.

Joe is in the kitchen, standing at the counter, with a plate of eggs and toast. When he sees Teddy, his fork freezes in midair.

Caught.

How fortuitous.

“What a surprise to see you in here,” Teddy says, glancing down at the plate of food and the frying pan next to it. “Eating breakfast.”