Love's Cruel Redemption (The Ghost Bird #12)(71)

They’d be working with a school board they all knew was corrupted. The superintendent was in on Hendricks’s schemes.

Mr. Hendricks avoiding the place made it all worse.

As he walked, he heard someone coming from the other direction. Voices in an otherwise empty section of hallway. He caught a blue uniform turning a corner.

He ducked into a nearby restroom, pushing himself against the wall. He waited for whoever it was to pass, ready to leave if someone came in. He didn’t need to hide, but he didn’t want to be the lone student out of class during a time like this.

The footsteps seemed to slow down a little. The voices continued.

“I don’t understand,” a voice said, and Nathan was pretty sure it was Ms. Wright. “What are you asking me?”

“You’ve been in contact with Mr. McCoy,” the other person said, and Nathan guessed it was the officer. Female. Her voice gravelly. “Your records show you’ve been getting texts and emails from the phone we picked up on him when we brought him in.”

“He was giving me information about the school,” Ms. Wright said. “About operations...But I thought it was Mr. Hendricks. That’s the phone number I was given.”

“Mr. McCoy had a missing person’s report filed for him for months,” the officer said. “And you’re telling me you had no idea that was him?”

There was a long pause from Ms. Wright. “I’m pretty sure this is where I talk to a lawyer. I’m not answering any more questions.”

“You aren’t in trouble,” she said but she sighed. “But you’ve the right to one. Probably best you make your call and get one out here.”

Nathan remained where he was after they had walked on. He breathed in, held his breath for a few seconds before letting it out between his lips.

It’s all going down. There was too much happening for the Academy to contain. Too many people. Extended too far.

Maybe they shouldn’t be here. They should get Sang away from here. There was a risk her name could be brought up.

Nathan brushed his palm against his mouth and chin, wiping at his lips with his fingers. When he was pretty sure the area was clear, he left the restroom and returned to the music room.

They had a few minutes left of homeroom still. Sang was by the piano, hovering over a phone with Dr. Green.

The phone was on. A voice was coming from it. Nathan crossed the room quietly until he was close enough to hear what was being said.

Kota was speaking. “Police are at Mr. Hendricks’s house, too, but it looks like he hasn’t been here. Neighbors don’t recall seeing him.”

“Is there one of us in the squad?” Dr. Green asked. By us, he meant someone in the Academy.

“Yeah,” Kota said. “It’s where I’m getting the information. After all this, Hendricks might have flown the coop.”

“You don’t think he’s going to bother showing back up?” Dr. Green asked.

“Would you?”

Sang picked up her head, looking to Dr. Green. “Maybe it’s good he doesn’t.”

Dr. Green blinked a few times and shrugged. “It’ll keep the police here longer to wait for him, but it does buy us time to figure out what to do.”

“We need time,” Kota said. “We’ll stay here just in case, but we should open the search net. We need to find out what happened to him.”

“Do it,” Dr. Green said. “Get word out. We’ll be here.” He hung up.

“Ms. Wright is being questioned,” Nathan said as soon as Kota was off the phone. He explained what he overheard quickly.

Dr. Green inhaled sharply and then let it out slow. “This is getting nuts. Okay.” He clapped his hands together and then brought his fingers to his lips, pressing against his mouth quickly. When he released it, he spoke. “Okay, Nathan. Stay here with Sang. Get Danielle on that test. You don’t leave, don’t let them leave with anyone but us. I’m going to the main office. My turn to butt in with Mr. Blackbourne.” He shook his hands off and then picked up his phone. “I’m calling in...hmm...Let me think.” He rambled off a few more incoherent syllables as he crossed to the music room door. He pressed it with his back to open it, completely involved in whatever he was thinking, and disappeared.

Nathan turned to Sang, his shoulders dropping. “Crazy day, huh?”

Sang nodded. She had an arm crossed over her body, her hand holding to her elbow. “I wish I could do more.”

“Maybe it’s good timing,” he said. “We’ve got Marie and Danielle here with us and out of the way?”

She nodded again, although slowly.

Nathan moved to her, close. He cupped her face in his hands and urged her to look at him. “Are you scared?”

“Yes,” she said, and her voice shook as she spoke. She swallowed quickly. “I’m worried about North. About Mr. Blackbourne... About us...”

Nathan leaned in, and he kissed her forehead gently. He left his lips there, brushing against her skin as he whispered, “Would it make it better if I said don’t? We’re not the ones in trouble. Mr. Hendricks is.”

Sang’s arms moved up around his neck. He dropped his hands to her waist and looked down at her.

Her smile was strained. “I’m worried about North being framed for something. I’m trying to figure out how we won’t be involved.”