Page 152 of Maizy the Bear Charmer

Heath could hear Maizy out in the crowded hallway. “What happened?”

Overlapping voices explained in a rush and people scrambled to get out of his way as he approached the door, ready to release the snake into a safe receptacle of some kind. Maizy gasped and her face turned white as he came into view.

“Oh, dear God,” Mr. Ambrose said as he skidded to a halt outside the classroom next to her and then hurried on down the hall. Seconds later, Heath heard the sound of the back door slamming closed.

Chaos reigned as the custodian finally entered the room with a black trash bag opened, to receive the snake. Heath released the head and lowered it into the bag by the tail, after cutting off the rattle with his pocketknife.

Cody took it and counted rattles while Heath tied the bag in a knot. The snake was still moving inside it. Cody whistled softly. “Thirteen. That’s an old snake.”

Maizy and one of the other teachers worked to clear off the teacher’s desk and bundled up the sweater on her chair to rest her head on. Spencer laid her across her desk and said, “The bulldozers next door must’ve riled them up.”

Mr. Clark, the custodian, nodded and said, “I’ve already killed one and seen a couple of others around the school since this morning. It must’ve come in through the back door when I had it propped open while I took all the floor mats out back to shake the dirt from them.”

Mr. Ambrose said, “I noticed the door propped open some time ago.”

“Yeah,” Mr. Clark said, a little embarrassed. “I got that call about the broken waterline. Forgot about the mats…and the door. I’m sorry, Mr. Ambrose.”

The principal gave him an understanding look and said, “It could’ve been much worse. Let’s just make sure that the rest of the buildings are secure, and that the teachers know to be vigilant both inside and outside. All outdoor recesses are cancelled for now.” He carefully stepped over the still-unconscious receptionist and went to the three of them. Heath noticed he cast a glance at Maizy and then introduced himself to the three of them. He shuddered when he saw the rattle in Heath’s hand.

“Gentlemen, please accept my thanks for acting so quickly. Mrs. Dumphrey could’ve been seriously injured if you hadn’t acted so quickly.”

“Dumphrey?” Cody said, in a flat voice tinged with coldness that mirrored what Heath felt at that news. He cast a quick glance at Spencer and Spencer nodded at him. This was the woman who’d been giving Maizy hell.

Mr. Ambrose had a pained look in his eyes as he nodded. “Yes.”

Maizy slid her hand around Heath’s waist and pointed at the rattle. “May I have that?”

“Sure, baby,” Heath whispered as he laid it in her hand. She shuddered against him but closed it in her grasp.

“The kids all okay?”

Maizy nodded. “The volunteers stayed with them and are keeping them in the cafeteria until they hear otherwise from Mr. Ambrose. The screaming terrified some of the little girls,” Maizy added as she turned to the classroom door when the EMTs arrived.

Heath nodded at Eli Wolf when he cast an assessing look around the room. He checked the receptionist quickly, gave directions to the other two EMTs with him, and went to Mrs. Dumphrey.

As the flurry of activity continued and the EMTs carefully removed the receptionist from blocking the doorway, Heath and the others led Maizy and her teacher friend from the chaotic classroom.

In the hallway, Maizy gestured to the woman at her side and said, “Guys, this is Jan Gaylord. She’s the first grade teacher and a good friend of mine.”

Jan chuckled dryly and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard good things about you, gentlemen, Mrs. Dumphrey is lucky you were here and saw there was a problem. Exactly what happened?”

After they’d explained briefly, Spencer grabbed their now-cold lunches from the table in the hallway where he’d left them, and took Maizy by the hand. “Let’s get Maizy fed before the bell rings. Jan, it was a pleasure to meet you. I wish it had been under better circumstances.”

They left the professionals to deal with the women, who were both still unconscious, and got Maizy settled with her class in the cafeteria. She talked them into telling the tale to the class, with some of the gory details edited out. “While you do that, I’m going to find a paper towel to wrap this nasty thing in, and to sanitize my hands very, very thoroughly.”

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