Page 137 of For Your Own Good
“Thank you so much for coming,” Teddy says. “Especially since you’re no longer a Belmont student.”
Zach doesn’t blink. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
Teddy turns away from him and back to Mr.Ross. “Please, let me know if you need anything.”
“I will. Thank you again.” Mr.Ross nods at Teddy, who walks back up the steps to the podium. No one is going to ruin this day. Not even Zach.
It’s time to start the show.
84
WHEN CRUTCHER ISgone, Zach turns his head to look around.
The FBI is coming today.
When he met with Agents Pruitt and Roland, they listened to him. They asked questions—a lot of them. Just like before, Pruitt did most of the asking. Zach told them about the milk, about the plant book, and about Fallon. “She knew something. Maybe there’s information on her computer. I’m not sure. I didn’t get a chance to find out before she died. But please, check.”
“Of course we’re going to check this out,” Pruitt said.
“And the memorial is coming up. It’s a big event, and he’s the headmaster now, and... I don’t know if he plans to kill anyone else, but it would be a perfect time. A lot of people will be there,” Zach said. “For all I know, he wants to kill me.”
Pruitt reached out to him, not touching his hand but almost. “Are you afraid for your life?”
He shrugged her off, even though he was kind of scared. Just a little. “I won’t eat or drink anything at the memorial, that’s for sure.”
“You sure you want to go?”
“I have to. Because of Courtney.”
Pruitt nodded and looked over at Agent Roland, who had been taking notes. “You’ve given us a lot of good information,” he said. “We really appreciate you coming in.”
“Is there anything else I can do?” Zach asked.
“We’ll take it from here,” Pruitt said. “But please, for now, stay away from Teddy Crutcher.”
Up until today, he had. And he’d never mentioned anything about it to Courtney.
Because they’re sitting in the front row, he keeps turning his head to see if he can spot the FBI agents.
“Who are you looking for?” Courtney says.
“No one. Just checking it out.” He settles down, facing front again. “You okay?”
She nods, shrugs, shakes her head. That means no. And it makes Zach feel sort of guilty.
Up at the podium, Crutcher is greeting all the speakers sitting on the stage. Winnie is fussing around everyone, trying to fulfill her position as head of the Collaborative.
But what really catches Zach’s eye is the man straightening the chairs behind the podium.
“Is that Mr.Maxwell?” Zach says.
“Looks like it.” Courtney leans forward a little. “Wait, is he wearing a white collar?”
“Um... yeah. He is.”
“He’s a minister now?” Courtney says.
Zach doesn’t answer. He’d seen Frank Maxwell at Fallon’s funeral, but he never told Courtney about it. Didn’t even tell her he went.
