Judging Joey (14 page)

A baffled expression crossed her face. “Ah, Derrick. You, of course, know I know that because he’s one of my students.”

“No, her other son.” Joey waited for her reaction, but all he noticed was her confusion.

“I don’t know. All I know is what Sabrina told me. She said she had a boy with her first husband and he doesn’t even speak to Vanessa. He’s much older than Derrick. That’s all I know.”

“You’re right he is much older. In fact, he’s our age.”

Joey watched her entire body tense. She began to wring her hands together again.

“What are you saying, Joey? That I know him? Who is Vanessa’s son?” she demanded.

He could have softened the blow, but he resisted lightening the impact. He had to judge her reaction. If she already knew, she was giving an award-winning performance. If she didn’t, well . . . He needed to see her raw response. Maybe for himself more than anyone. “Scott. Scott is Vanessa’s son, too.”

Madeline’s body sank back in the chair. Her pale skin turned ashen. A fine sheen of moisture appeared on her face. From past experiences on the job, he knew she was about to faint. He grabbed her arm before she fell out of her chair. “Put your head between your legs and breathe. Roger, get some water, juice, cookies. Whatever you can find. She may be dehydrated or she may need some sugar. Call the nurse.”

Roger leaped up and went to a compact refrigerator obscured in the corner of his office. “Here’s water. I have a stash of Halloween candy in my drawer.” He brought out a bag filled with an assortment of chocolates and sweets. Then he called the school nurse’s extension. Joey heard part of the conversation and then Roger hung up.

“She’s giving a student an asthma treatment and said she’ll be here as soon as possible. Meanwhile, she said to do what you’re doing.”

Joey helped Madeline sit back. He lifted the water to her lips. “Take small sips.”

As she held the water bottle, he broke a chocolate bar in pieces and brought it to her mouth. “Open and let it melt.”

She closed her eyes for a moment as she savored the chocolate and then took another sip. When she opened them again, he saw them filling up with tears.

“Better?” he asked.

She nodded and took the rest of the chocolate bar he offered. “I don’t understand. How can she be Scott’s mother?”

Joey began to fill them both in. He didn’t think even Roger knew all of it. “My dad was close friends with Scott’s father, Trent. Dad met Trent when he was a public defender and Trent had had a few scrapes with the law. Dad thought he had gotten involved with the wrong crowd and needed a break. He was a lot younger than my dad and not much older than my brothers. So Dad became kind of a mentor to him. And then Trent met Vanessa. She was barely eighteen when she was pregnant with Scott. They got married and Trent and my dad stayed close.”

Roger nodded. “Yes, Vanessa has told her friends about her first husband. I vaguely recall how friendly he was with your family. That marriage didn’t end well according to her.”

“No, it didn’t,” Joey agreed. “My parents didn’t think Vanessa was a positive influence on Trent, but they tolerated her until Trent promised to house-sit when we went on a family vacation. He was going to bring in the mail and newspapers, water the plants, that sort of stuff. Scott took advantage of our house being empty and threw a party and thrashed my parents’ house.”

Joey went on to explain about the missing jewelry and how it inexplicably turned up. He also explained how Scott’s parents tried to make it up by hiring a cleaning crew and buying them a new couch. But that event broke the friendship. “My parents thought Vanessa allowed Scott too much freedom and he was heading for trouble. Trent must have felt the same way. My parents always felt that Trent and Vanessa had bigger problems than Trent ever let on because soon after that he divorced Vanessa, gained full custody of Scott and moved to Florida.”

“You left out a big piece of the story,” Madeline said, her color returning.

“It’s not my story to tell,” Joey said simply.

Madeline took another sip of water. “Okay, I will.” She filled Roger in on her version of that night. “Scott told everyone I stole that brooch. I’ve never stolen a thing in my life. But because my mother chose drugs over me, they easily believed my moral compass was off, too.”

As Roger stared at her with sympathy, she waved him off.

“Don’t feel sorry for me. I’ve come to terms with it as best anyone can. I’m private about my upbringing, and not many people know even that much about me. Some around here remember from knowing me in high school and I’m sure some have continued to spread gossip now that I’m back. I just ask that you keep my personal business private,” she said.

Roger shook his head. “I’m not sure what to do with this information, but I’m glad you told me about it, Miss White.” Roger contemplated this for a few moments, his fingers steepled together on his desk, his brow furrowed. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. Miss White, you are to keep your theories about Vanessa to yourself, and if you should see anything out of the ordinary, report directly to me. I will speak discreetly to Vanessa’s husband, Bill. I’ll find out if she has had any history of mental disorders. It is odd that her first husband got full custody of Scott.”

Madeline started to protest, but Roger sliced his hand through the air again, and she clamped her mouth closed.

“I said discreetly. Not to worry. I’ll also inquire as to whether or not an upsetting event may have started this. Joey, I’ll make an announcement about the Safety Bags over the PA system, and then send my custodians and maintenance crew and anyone else who is free with you and your partner to locate those bags. Hopefully, the pranksters will return them.”

Joey stole a glance at Madeline. He could see her skin flush and her jaw tighten. She didn’t think it was pranksters at all.

There was a knock at the door, and the school nurse flew in. She assessed Madeline’s condition and determined she was fine. After the nurse left, Roger said, “Miss White, you can return to your classroom. I’ll have the nurse continue to check in on you. Please send Mrs. Gallo up here.”

Madeline stood up and gave a cautious smile before she left.

“Officer O’Neill, would you mind giving me a few more minutes? I’d like to hear what Mrs. Gallo has to say. She’s been friends with Vanessa for years.”

Joey didn’t miss the fact that Roger suddenly called them all by their professional names, insinuating this meeting was far from a casual one.

While they waited for the teacher who had been covering Madeline’s class, Roger called the nurse and then the office. He ordered all custodians and maintenance workers to check for the missing boxes of bags. He also made an announcement over the PA system. “Excuse the interruption, but some boxes were on the stage and now they are missing. If anyone knows of their whereabouts, please bring them to the office, or put them back on the stage ASAP.”

“Mr. Denby?” an older woman’s voice called out.

“Oh, come in Mrs. Gallo. You know Officer O’Neill.”

A short, dark-haired woman in a flowery dress came in and sat down in the empty chair that Roger pointed to. She folded her hands in her lap.

“Mrs. Gallo, have long have you known Vanessa Booth?”

“Oh, a number of years now. I had her oldest son, Scott, in my second grade class. I hope to have Derrick next year.”

“Would you consider yourself friends?”

“Oh, yes. Vanessa and I are quite friendly. We even do lunch now and then. Why do you ask?”

Roger ignored her question. “Mrs. Gallo, what is discussed in this office stays here.”

She nodded and shot a look at Joey. Joey didn’t like where Roger was heading. The man was far from being subtle as he promised Madeline he would be.

“Has she been acting strangely to you? Does she have any mental disorders I need to be aware of?”

Mrs. Gallo nearly shot out from her chair. Her eyes narrowed. “Mr. Denby, what’s this about?”

“Odd things have been happening in the building and when they do, Vanessa seems to be around or in the building. For example, Officer O’Neill’s Safety Bags are missing. He had them on the back of the stage. Vanessa was spotted near the stage door. Lurking.”

“That’s the craziest thing I ever heard. No disrespect.”

“But it’s true.”

“Lots of people were around the stage. What about Miss White? She nearly toppled off it. What was
she
doing back there?”

“I’ve already questioned her. Please answer my question. Vanessa is often around the children here. I need to know if she has a mental problem that I should be aware of.”

Mrs. Gallo formed fists in her lap. “I can’t imagine what or who even gave you such a ridiculous notion, but I assure you Vanessa Booth is as healthy as you and me. And since we are good friends I take offense at these questions. No disrespect again, but I can’t tolerate a good woman’s name being tarnished. If that’s all, my prep is nearly over and I have to pick up my students from art.”

Roger nodded and dismissed her. After she left, he turned to Joey. “I have to agree with her. I’ve known Vanessa for years. This whole idea of her stealing from children is hard to swallow. On the other hand, I’ve known Miss White a couple of months. Maybe she’s the one with mental health issues. Either way, I’m determined to get to the bottom of this.”

Joey stood up, thanked Roger, and left. He ran into Alex on the way back down to Madeline’s classroom and filled her in on what he knew so far.

“My money’s on Madeline and her story,” Alex offered. “That Vanessa Booth gets under my skin. I’ve seen the way she sticks her nose in everyone’s business here. You believe Madeline, don’t you?”

He thought about that for a moment. His gut told him Madeline was telling the truth. His head said otherwise. Vanessa didn’t fit the typical profile of a petty thief. And the stolen items were petty. She had money, so there went motive. She had opportunity, but so did everyone else in the building.

“I want to,” he admitted. “Back in high school, she didn’t fit in. She told me this incredible story about a prank some of my friends pulled that ruined her life and all these years she blamed me. Come to think of it, she can’t prove that story either. It could have happened, but I’ll never really know because we’ve both lost touch with all those people.”

“Guess you’ll have to take her word for it.”

“We’ll see.” He left Alex and found his way to Madeline’s classroom. He poked his head in. The kids were having a blast, still painting. Some of them had more paint on themselves than on the pumpkins.

“Is it all right if I speak to the class for a few minutes?”

Madeline nodded, and the three women encouraged him to come in. “We were just about done here anyway.”

The women began to clean up as Joey spoke to the class about respecting other people’s property. The phone rang near the end of his speech, and Madeline picked it up.

She held out the phone. “It’s for you.”

He ended his speech and took the receiver.

“Officer O’Neill?” Roger’s curt voice streamed through the phone. “One of my custodians found your boxes of Safety Bags. They were right where you said you left them. Are you certain someone took them in the first place?”

“Oh, I’m certain.” Infuriated, Joey focused in on Madeline and Vanessa. One of them was a liar. And although his head said one thing, his gut told him another. And he always went with his gut. Someone wanted Madeline to look guilty. “Thanks, Roger. Would you have the custodian bring one box to me and the other to Officer Skillman? I’ll start handing them out here.”

He walked past Christopher and ruffled his head, and then he whispered to Caitlin, “Can I speak to you privately?”

“I’ll wash these brushes in the custodian’s slop sink.” Caitlin grabbed the paintbrushes and the plastic containers the children used and followed him into the hallway.

Together, they went into the custodian’s utility room, and Caitlin ran the water to let the brushes soak. She washed her hands of paint then turned around. “What’s up?”

“Did Vanessa leave the classroom at any point while you two were painting with the kids?”

“You mean while I was painting with the kids? She and Mrs. Gallo yapped together the whole time.”

His gut twisted. “What about when Mrs. Gallo left? Did Vanessa leave then, even for a minute?”

Caitlin pressed a finger to her lips. “Hmm, she got a phone call on her cell before you got here. She went into the hallway to talk.”

“Thanks, sis.” He surprised her with a bear hug.

“What’s that for?” She eyed him with suspicion.

“You made my day.” He turned to leave, thrilled to know that Vanessa could have used the few moments when her phone rang to slip away and return those boxes. He’d bet his badge that the phone call was Mrs. Gallo warning her friend of the confidential discussion in the principal’s office. That meant Vanessa was aware they were on to her. Joey was concerned about how she would react. She could easily put two and two together and figure out Madeline ratted on her.

He raced out of the utility room, with Madeline’s welfare on his mind, and bumped into two hundred pounds of flesh carrying buckets of water mixed with paint and paintbrushes.

Cold liquid seeped through his uniform and dripped down his chest. The excitement he felt minutes before evaporated.

Joey looked into the face of the man who’d broken his partner’s heart and swore under his breath.

“George! What are you doing here?”