Page 81 of Shelter for Morgan

Joanwaved off her concern. “Why worry about that, Morgan. Don’t invite trouble.” She finished pouring the coffee in the reservoir and looked up. “Are you saying that you want an issue?”

“It’s not about that,” she protested. “I’m just saying I feel like this is kind of charmed. He didn’t even bat an eyelash at the whole map of stretch marks I have from losing all of that weight I gained after my parents died. He just seems to love every inch of me.”

Joanleaned in with a wink as the coffee machine started to hiss with steam. “I bet you love all of his inches, too.”

The two laughed at that and Morgan went to wash out her cup.

“Not that I’ve measured or anything, but I can say there isn’t anything about his… inches that leave me wanting.”

The door opened up and Officer Munder walked in. “Morning, ladies.”

Immediately, Morgan’s whole mood dropped. She hoped that she caught her reaction before the officer did, and bolstered her smile. “Morning, Officer Munder.”

He grabbed up a cup and walked over to the machine, stepping in between the two. “What? No coffee?”

Joan who had been at the school for years was the one to speak. “It was out before we got in here. Morgan just started a new pot, so you should thank her.”

The school resource officer turned to her with a big grin and Morgan bit down on the inside of her cheek by accident.

“Thanks, Morgan. I think you’re fitting in here really well.”

She flickered a look at Joan who was cringing a little. Neither of them seemed to like the way he said her name.

“I was wondering,” he gave her a curious look and a strange tilt of his head, “I haven’t seen your truck around.”

“Oh that?” Morgan hesitated but tried to cover up her unease. “I haven’t been using the truck lately.” Not a lie, but not the full truth. She decided to reflect. “I was wondering…”

Officer Munder lifted the coffee carafe from the machine and filled his cup before setting it back again.

Morgan tried not to let it get her goat that he hadn’t offered to let them go first.

“Go ahead and ask.” He lifted his cup to his lips and took a sip leaving Morgan to wonder if his mouth was coated with metal that he could drink coffee right from the machine.

“I was wondering if you had anymore information about how Benji hurt himself. There isn’t any record in the school’s files.”

The smile in the officer’s eyes turned cold for a moment, changing back so quickly she was almost sure she’d imagined it, but before her coffee in the morning, there wasn’t a lot that she fantasized about… except Palmer.

“Well, I guess he hurt himself outside of school hours.” The officer took another sip, this time with his eyes focused on her. “Why all of this curiosity, Morgan? You don’t have enough to keep yourself occupied with your job?”

Morgan could see Joan’s eyes widening behind the officer’s back. “I think worrying about the health and welfare of my students is my job. Benji was obviously hurt badly enough to warrant medical treatment, but Palmer said he looked like he’d tried to treat himself.

“I’m not sure exactly what the guidelines are here in San Antonio, but I’m assuming it’s close enough to Center City that if I suspect that someone hurt him, I would need to reportit.”

“What exactly would you report?”

She saw the way the officer’s knuckles whitened where he held the handle of his coffee cup. Morgan also saw Joan tensing for her reply.

“I’m not reporting anything as of yet,” she explained. “I’m just looking into his injury. I know we all want him back at school.” Morgan looked at the officer expectantly. “He was badly hurt and I think it would be a good idea for you to see if someone at the school hurt him and that’s why his mother is so interested in protecting him by keeping him home.”

It seemed like it took an effort for him to speak. Unlocking his jaw with nearly an audible click, Officer Munder gave her a smile. “You’re one of those mother bear woman, right? The ‘don’t mess with my cub’ kind of thing?”

“I’m a teacher.”

She saw Joan nodding again.

“It’s what we do.”

Officer Munder narrowed his eyes at her and shook his head back and forth, an almost imperceptible movement. “I’ll look into it, but you should know, Morgan-”

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