She smiled. “It was during the Victorian era in British literature that the novel became the literary genre. The novels reflected the change in the times from scientific and economic to struggles of class structure and the role of religion. Dickens, Eliot, the Brontë sisters. In America during that time, it was when American novelists became more popular, as well. They no longer just focused on adventure and imagination but on daily lives and struggles.” She turned around in the room and shook her head. “It’s almost like as the literature became more stark, the architecture became more beautiful.”
“I never thought of it that way,” he admitted. Taking her hand again, he said, “Come on. Let’s keep exploring.”
For the next hour, they wandered through the house, and she listened intently as Griffin showed her all the work he and his crew had accomplished as well as the special designs he’d crafted. As they moved out onto the balcony leading from the owner’s upstairs bedroom, she looked across the backyard and street.
“Oh, you can see the high school from here!”
“Yeah, I noticed that the day I was waiting for you and Russ to arrive. When school let out, it was like an army of ants.”
Laughing, she nodded. “I can understand that analogy.” Seeing the faraway expression on his face, she moved in front of him. “What are you thinking about?”
“I remembered something about that day. There were a couple of guys that came out of the stadium locker room when everyone else was gone. No practices were going on down on the field and it made me wonder what they were doing there.”
Caitlyn nibbled on her bottom lip. “I worry about kids using certain areas at school as a drop-off point for drugs. Like lockers, for instance.”
“That seems really risky. They could easily get caught.”
She shrugged. “Halls are crowded. Kids are in such a rush to get to their next class or catch the bus at the end of the day that it wouldn’t be hard to have a designated drop-off place.”
“I remember in high school knowing whose locker was around mine because I saw them all the time. Wouldn’t it be obvious to others if there was a locker that different people were going to?”
“We tell kids they shouldn’t share lockers for the very reason that anything in that locker is the responsibility of the person who was assigned that combination. But, so often, kids share lockers anyway. Their friend might have a locker that’s a lot closer to most of their classes. Boyfriends and girlfriends share lockers.” She sucked in her lips, then added, “Even gym lockers. Or the ones down at the fieldhouse.”
They were quiet for a moment, standing side-by-side looking out toward the high school, lost in thought. Finally, she looked over and asked, “How is Russ doing for you?”
He dropped his gaze back to her, studying her carefully. “Fine. Why?”
“I just wanted to make sure. I was the one who recommended him to you, and I still stand by that recommendation, but I have to admit I pray he doesn’t do anything to make you regret hiring him.”
He wrapped his arm around her, pulled her toward his front. He kissed her forehead, then held her gaze. “You took a chance on a kid that had a lot of potential. So did I. But the choices that Russ makes are his own. He either builds something for his future, or he chooses a path that isn’t good. But if he does, that’s on him.”
Her arms snaked around him, her fingers gliding up his back. “You’re pretty awesome, you know?”
“I don’t know how awesome I am, but I have to admit that when I’m with you, we feel awesome together.”
23
“Ms. McBride, can you come with me, please?”
Her last class had just left as the assistant principal, Robert, stood at her door. “Sure, what’s up?”
“I’m afraid I can’t say right now. But I need you to come down to the office with me.”
Nervous squiggles hit her stomach as she smiled politely, opened her desk drawer and pulled out her purse, then stood and walked to the door. Her mind raced as to why she was being summoned. Student grades are all in. Student test scores are above average. All duties completed, as well as lesson plans. Just like with students who get summoned to the principal’s office, the sick anxiety that hits the stomach happens to adults, as well.
She’d heard the kids grumbling earlier about the drug-sniffing dogs in the parking lot but gave it little thought since on this trip they didn’t enter the school building. Not having to put a class in lockdown, her day had progressed as normal. Barbara had mentioned earlier that several students had been summoned by the administration due to the dogs’ reactions at their vehicles. She’d also heard a few rumors flying around about a couple of teachers. One of them had boots in his trunk that were covered in grass where he’d mowed his lawn, and it appeared the dogs reacted but nothing untoward or illegal was found.
Once they’d entered the main office, she followed Robert into one of the conference rooms, shocked to see her brother, Kyle, and brother-in-law, Carter. Gasping, she rushed forward, “What’s wrong?” The idea that they’d been sent to give her bad news about someone in the family almost had her drop to her knees.
“The family’s fine,” Kyle said, his lips tight.
Unable to read the expression on his face, she stood with her fingers gripping the back of the nearest chair. “Then… what’s going on?”
“We need you to sit, Caitlyn,” Carter said, his voice softer than Kyle’s.
Her gaze bounced between the two of them, still unable to discern the situation but following his direction. She walked on stiff legs around the chair and sat, perching on the edge, her hands clasped in her lap. Refusing to speak until they told her what was going on, she clamped her lips shut and stared.
“The dogs reacted to your car.”
Kyle’s voice clipped out each word, hard and unyielding. She blinked, not understanding. “The dogs reacted to my car?” she repeated.
Carter shot Kyle a glare and then turned back to her. “The drug dogs were brought in today but only for the parking lot. They were taken around and allowed to sniff all of the vehicles. The students’ cars in the student parking lot were done first, and some had to be searched. Occasionally, nothing was found, but in others, drugs or drug paraphernalia were discovered.”
Still not understanding what this had to do with her, she forced her body to remain still, waiting to see what they had to say.
“Near the end of the day, the dogs were taken around the building and also moved through the teachers’ parking lot. Where the dogs reacted, we asked teachers to allow us into their vehicles. The dogs reacted to your car, and we need to be able to do a search.”
“Okay.” She reached her hand into her purse and pulled out her keys, holding them out toward Carter.
“Thank you,” he said. Glancing down at Kyle, he then turned to another man in the room and handed them to him before turning his attention back to Caitlyn. “Because we're related, we can’t be in on the search.”
Trying to keep her voice from shaking, she forced her breathing to steady. “I can’t imagine what the dogs reacted to, but I have nothing to hide.” Looking over to the other side of the table, she held Kyle’s gaze, the McBride blue eyes staring back at her. “Kyle, talk to me. You can’t possibly think I have anything in my car.”