Brianna's Navy SEAL (23 page)

Elyse had opened her mouth to respond when a series of thuds outside were followed by the shriek of the alarm on one of their vehicles. Brianna jumped to her feet and ran to the door, yanking it open against her mother's admonishment that she didn't know what was out there.

"It's nothing, Mom.” She gave way against the push of bodies behind her, and the family all moved out onto the porch. The afternoon sun had begun to fade, but there was more than enough light to see the cause of the commotion.

Eggs. All over Brianna's Jetta. A few had hit Kira's 4Runner, setting off the alarm. Kira stretched out an arm and hit the button on her keychain to silence it. Nothing moved on the street, not a car at the stop sign two blocks away, or running figures between houses. No one had even come out on their own porches to see what was going on, probably because car alarms were set off innocently so often.

"I'll get that cleaned,” Brianna told Kira. “Even repainted, if it needs it."

"Don't worry about it. I'll do it now,” Jake said. He patted Brie's shoulder. “It's not a big deal."

But it was. The eggs might only represent a fraction of the sentiment against her, but the board wouldn't vote based on the majority of the testimony. They'd vote based on their own views of the situation.

Suddenly, she feared their strategy had been all wrong. They should have been talking to board members, presenting their side of the story before the meeting, when heated emotion would skew perspective.

She had a sudden sense that she'd lost before she'd even begun to fight.

Cable and Brianna had discussed whether or not to sit with each other at the meeting. It had turned into quite a debate, with each listing counterarguments to both sides. They didn't want to give any ammunition to the opposition by sitting together, but sitting apart would look too deliberate and calculated. So when they arrived at the high school cafeteria, half an hour before meeting time, they sat front and center, side by side.

Karen Plummer was already there. She pursed her lips and avoided looking at them while she shuffled papers. One of the other board members leaned to speak to her, and she nodded, her expression sour.

Brianna tried to still the butterflies in her stomach, but they'd have none of it. She'd taken half a dozen deep breaths when Cable stood.

"Be right back."

Part of her wanted to scream, “Don't leave me here alone!” but she managed to stay in control. She pretended to study her notes while people started filtering into the room.

Darcy Langlais entered her peripheral vision, and Brie turned to look before she thought. The woman shot her a glance that managed to be both venomous and triumphant. Brianna compared her own black pinstripe pantsuit to Darcy's linen slacks and crossover blouse, and figured it was a draw.

"Sorry we're late,” a voice whispered in Brie's ear. She turned, and realized the room had filled more than she'd realized. But most people were sitting four or more rows behind her. Her chest tightened. What if everyone had changed their minds in the last few days? They were treating her like a pariah, except her family, who'd filled in the row behind her. Even Sophie and Parker had come from Boston. Brie squeezed her sister's hand, grateful.

She scanned the crowd, anxious for a friendly face, and calmed when she got a few. The bus-chasing mother even gave her a thumbs up. There were a couple of scowls, too.

"Here you go.” Cable sat on Brianna's left. He handed her a bottle of water. “All that heavy breathing will make your throat dry."

"Thank you.” She smiled at him, but it froze when she saw Officer Downey sitting behind Darcy. She'd forgotten about him. About his snide remarks when Cable's house had been broken into.

About him catching them in the park.

"Shit shit shit."

"What's the matter?” Her mother had settled on her right. “Don't let anyone hear you cursing like that. You know how people pick up on any negative when their initial argument fails."

"It's not going to fail,” Brie said through gritted teeth, her eyes closed.

"What?"

"I said, it's not going to fail. They do have evidence. Dammit."

"What evidence!” Elyse looked indignant, and Brianna felt terrible. All their hard work for nothing.

"Not evidence, exactly. An eyewitness.” She told her mother about the evening in the park on their first “date,” and about the break-in when he'd been the officer on scene and had definite beliefs about what he'd seen.

"Pfft. Don't worry about it. He's a prig."

"He's a cop. And his kids are in our classes, or will be. Whatever he says will carry weight.” She exhaled slowly. “What time is it? I'm going insane."

"Fifteen minutes to start."

She really would have gone insane over the next quarter hour, if it hadn't been for the people who came up to her and Cable and offered their support. That heartened her, despite the two who felt they needed to balance things.

The mother of a former student of Brianna's, a two-year-old on her hip, strode around the side of the rows of chairs and across the front, and stopped dead center in front of Brianna.

"You're a disgrace to your profession."

"Hello, Mrs. Abruzzi,” Brianna replied. “How is Nicholas doing in middle school?"

"I don't know why you haven't been fired already. Trash, that's what you are. You and your entire family.” She swept her censure around the people in front of her, and Brianna stood.

"Hey.” She ignored her mother's hand on her wrist. “You can think whatever you like about me. I don't care if it's based on lies and misinterpretations. But you have no cause to say that about my family.” She kept her voice low, but let her anger blaze in her eyes. “None of them have done anything but good in this town, and you know it.” She glanced at the baby, who looked very different from his mother. His orange hair contrasted sharply with her raven-black mane. “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone, Mrs. Abruzzi."

She gasped, narrowed her eyes, and turned on her heel to stomp back to her seat. Brianna sat and looked at Cable.

"How come I'm the trash in this situation? No one is picking on you."

She'd barely finished speaking when another woman paused at Cable's shoulder.

"Mr. Addison?” She looked miserable, and at first Brie thought she was going to offer support, like so many other parents had.

Cable turned, then smiled. “Ms. Dalish."

"I'm sorry, I just have to ... well, I have to apologize. I know you've done a great job getting Melissa to read better, and I really do appreciate it. But...” She flicked her eyes toward Brie. “There are just some things that can't be tolerated. I'm sorry,” she whispered again, retreating.

"There you go,” Cable said, smiling. “I'm intolerable."

"But she was apologizing! I—"

Karen's voice, amplified by the microphone she'd just turned on, interrupted her. “Let's get started, please."

The murmur in the room died, and Brianna held her breath for a second. This was it.

Except it wasn't.

First, they did Special Reports. The high school principal gave a long-winded report about charitable fundraisers and a bit of trouble they had at a dance, and what they'd be doing to prevent it in the future. Then a representative from the local school-focused foundation provided final numbers from their winter ball, and preliminary information on the fall festival.

Then was new business, and Brie figured they'd be the top item. But no. Curriculum changes, athletic and teacher appointments, resignations, facility purchases, and changes to policy all came first.

They'd been there an hour and a half with no mention of Brianna and Cable. She'd practically fallen asleep when Karen cleared her throat for the first time. Brianna straightened and glanced at Cable, who looked encouraging.

"We have had several complaints filed against Brianna Macgregor and Cable Addison, teachers at the elementary school.” She cleared her throat again and looked down at a paper. When she spoke again, she was reading robotically.

"Official complaints have been received describing inappropriate behavior of an intimate nature between kindergarten teacher Cable Addison and first-grade teacher Brianna Macgregor, who have been engaged in a personal relationship since last fall. The complaints assert that such relationship and resulting behavior violate the morality clause in the teacher's contract and call for the immediate dismissal of both teachers. Reasons cited are corruption of minors, distraction from the educational environment, and role modeling inconsistent with the mandate and mission of the school district."

It was all Brianna could do not to shout her indignation. She wasn't the only one, judging by the murmur behind her.

Karen looked up, but didn't meet either Cable or Brianna's eyes. Instead, her first glance landed on Darcy, bounced off, and then skimmed back to her. Brie looked at Darcy, who was smirking and nodding slightly at Karen.

Who scowled.

Interesting, thought Brie.

"We will take comments from the floor,” said Karen. People surged forward toward the floor mike. “One at a time,” she hastened to add, raising her voice. “Each person can speak for one minute. If the board has questions, an additional minute will be added. No one may speak a second time until everyone has had a chance to speak a first time. State your name and relevance to the topic. Please also write your names on the pad.” She pointed to a pad on a chair next to the microphone, then glanced at the clock. “Discussion will be limited to one hour.” She looked at Brianna and Cable. “Do you want to go first?"

Grateful, Brie shook her head. “No, thank you, I'll speak at the end."

"So will I,” Cable added, sounding much more assured and confident than she had.

Mind over matter. Believe it, and you will become it. In other words, get a spine, Brianna Macgregor.

"My name is Sara Peterson,” came a clear voice from the microphone. “My daughter is in Mr. Addison's class. She has never mentioned Ms. Macgregor to me in any context. He is a superb teacher, and I'm part of the active campaign to get him a permanent position in Brook Hollow elementary education. The accusations are baseless. Thank you."

The next person to step up was a short man Brie didn't know. “Steven Zimm, my father is the custodian at the school. He mentioned several times that he thought something was going on between the K and first teachers."

He started to retreat, but one of the board members called him back. “Mr. Zimm, why did your father think that?"

"Uh, he's kind of a matchmaker, always looking for who should go together and stuff, and he thought from the beginning of the year they made a good couple."

The board member, a man her father's age, frowned. “Is your father here?"

"No, sir, he's working."

"And did he witness anything that would lend credence to his feelings?"

Mr. Zimm's brow wrinkled. He leaned up to the microphone, but didn't open his mouth.

"Did he witness any inappropriate behavior?” the board member clarified.

"Oh. No, sir. He just said they looked comfortable together. They had the same break period, so he saw them walking in the hall a lot."

The board member sighed. “Thank you, Mr. Zimm."

A tall woman in an ankle length denim skirt and button-down shirt stepped up. “Well, I did. I work—sorry, Alice Johnson. I work at the movie theater, and they were in there together every week.” Her voice got more strident and accusatory on the last two words. “Our children should not be subject to the depraved actions of their teachers."

She was just getting started, but another board member, this one a young woman, interrupted. “Ma'am, what is your interest in this topic?"

"I beg your pardon?” She blinked from behind large eyeglasses.

"Do you have children in the school?"

"No. But that doesn't matter. I speak for all children—"

"Ma'am, you can only speak for yourself. Can you elaborate on the depraved actions to which you're referring?"

"I—I just told you."

"That they went to the movies every week?"

"Yes."

"Going to the movies is depraved?"

"It better not be!” someone from the back yelled, making the crowd laugh.

Karen shook her head. “Ladies and gentlemen, we will be here all night if you are going to voice opinions based on hearsay. Please sit if you have no actual evidence to present to the board."

Half the line sat, grumbling. Brianna scanned the remaining people, recognizing most of them. She guessed it was three-fourths in their favor, and the questions so far encouraged her. She spotted Ken in line, about halfway back. He gave her a little hand signal that she didn't get, then looked away. Darcy, she noticed, was not in line. But Officer Downey was, near the back.

For forty-five minutes testimony went on. Clumps of people said they'd never seen anything but exemplary behavior. Other clumps said they stood too close together, or had kissed at a restaurant, or held hands walking down the street. A couple of their neighbors testified, to Brianna's annoyance, that she and Cable spent a lot of time at each other's houses, and a few mentioned the night of the ball, when they'd been outside half-clothed and had been clearly sharing a house, if not a bed.

Karen and the board did a good job of keeping the testimony fact-focused, though they allowed opinions on those facts. Opinions that ran fifty-fifty.

Principal Dvorak and most of the teachers spoke to their utmost professionalism. The woman from the educational supply store claimed Cable had hit on her, but when asked how that was relevant to his behavior with Brianna, she sputtered.

Ken approached the microphone standing taller and straighter than Brianna had ever seen him. Still dressed better and wearing his contacts, with his hair trimmed and with no comb-over, he looked almost handsome.

"Many of you know Brianna Macgregor has worked for me for a few years, doing bookkeeping.” His voice was low, but calm. She was really impressed, and never would have believed it after this winter. “I have also been interested in Brianna for a long time. This year I finally got up the guts to do something about it. I was too late. She told me she was seeing someone else. But I kept trying, kept pushing, because I never saw her with anyone. Finally, she told me she was dating Cable.” A murmur ran through the crowd. “We served on the holiday ball decorations committee, and until the night of the ball, I didn't believe it. Even on that night, I still thought I had a chance.” His voice faltered for the first time. “I did some things I'm not proud of, and invoked some well-deserved ire. But both Brianna and Cable treated me with much more respect than I had treated them. I think they belong together, as hokey as that may sound, and have heard nothing tonight to make me believe they should be punished for it."