Page 59 of Wicked Scandal

The hall is fairly empty, aside from a few students lingering. I put my back to the wall beside the door and kick my foot up as I glance at my phone in my hand. She should be here by now.

Mr. Hargrove, the principal, comes down the hall and I immediately push myself off the wall. “Hey, Mr. Hargrove.” I wave as I make my way toward him.

“Good morning, Wilder. You’re here early.”

I walk by his side down the hall as he sorts through some keys in his hand. “Yeah. I was hoping to get some help from Mrs. Jenkins on something. Have you seen her yet this morning?”

“Actually, I have. I’m headed to unlock her classroom now for the substitute. Mrs. Jenkins is out sick today.”

He stops at her door and sticks the key in the hole while I try to rationalize what he just said.

“What kind of sickness?” I ask, speaking manically. “A cold? A stomach bug? The flu? What is it?”

He turns the handle and pushes the door open an inch, only to close it again before putting the keys in his pocket. “I’m not the one who spoke with her. There’s no reason to worry, though. I’m sure she’ll be back tomorrow.” With that said, he walks back the way he came.

My whole world stops, time standing still as I try to think of why she would be out today, but nothing makes sense.

Something’s wrong.

I can feel it in my gut. Cat is in trouble.

Without a second thought, I jog down the hall. As soon as I reach the front doors, I shove them open and I take off running to my car.

I should have hurried and helped her clean up the guesthouse. She was so scared her husband was coming home and my immature ass just pouted because I wanted more time with her. I should have done so much more to help her.

Students are beginning to arrive and the parking lot is filling fast so I waste no time getting in my car and driving straight to Cat’s house.

Repercussions be damned, I pull right up to her front door. With the engine still running, I get out hurriedly, leaving the driver’s side door open.

Walking briskly to the front door, I immediately begin knocking on it. “Cat,” I holler. “Are you here? I need to know you’re okay.”

I pound a few more times, the intensity of each one growing louder and louder. “Mrs. Jenkins!” I shout. “Please answer the door.”

Taking a step back, I look up at the camera pointed at me, noticing the steady greenlight. “Where is she?” I raise my voice even louder. “I know you did something to her!”

“You have some nerve coming here again, young man.” His voice cuts through the speaker, making me grit my teeth. Of course he won’t face me like a man. I knew he was watching. He’s always watching.

My jaw tics in fury as I scream with balled fists at my sides. “I’m not leaving until I see her with my own eyes!”

The greenlight stays on, but he doesn’t say anything else, so I resume beating on the door, hoping she’s well enough to get up and answer.

A few minutes later, I lean over with my hands to my knees, unsure what to do next. I could break in, but that’ll just get me arrested. Then again, it might be worth it just to know Cat is safe.

Or I could find her beaten to a pulp on the floor and then what? Just give Troy the opportunity to blame me, or worse, hurt her more.

Fuck! There’s no right answer here.

The sound of an engine roaring down the driveway at full speed has me shooting up. I see Troy’s truck—a black Toyota Tundra.

Fuck.

He pulls up right behind me and the next thing I know, he’s rounding the front of the truck, shaking a stern finger at me with his keys clenched in his fist. “Get the hell off my property before I call the cops and have your ass arrested!”

Taking a safe approach, I keep my tone low. “I just need to know she’s okay. She was helping me with an assignment and she’s been ghosting me. If you think no one pays attention to her then you’re wrong. I’m not the only one who’s concerned,” I bluff, hoping it will at least get him to let me see her.

The space between us is closed in two seconds flat and he’s in my face. “I could kill you right now for trespassing and get away with it, you know that, right?” He is furious, like a man I have never seen before. How did he become the mayor with a temper like this?

“Is that what you did to her? Did you kill her, Troy?” I put emphasis on his name because I’ve never called him anything but Mayor, or Mr. Jenkins.

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