The familiar helpless, flailing feeling flooded Bree. Her instincts told her he needed to know she had faith in him—no matter what. But what could she do if he wouldn’t talk to her? She gave his forearm a quick squeeze. His mouth twitched. Then he shifted his eyes over her shoulder again and resumed glaring at his opponents.
Bree stood and crossed the floor to the counter. She gave her name to the woman with the bun on the other side. The woman eyed her uniform. “I know who you are.” She picked up the phone and pressed a number. “Sheriff Taggert is here.”
A few seconds later, a door opened, and the principal emerged from an office. A sturdy woman in her late fifties, she wore a navy-blue pantsuit and radiated an air of no nonsense. Bree had interacted with her only a few times. Most of their discussions about Luke’s emotional health and schooling had been with the guidance counselor.
She hated to leave Luke there alone, facing his opponents. But she had no options.
Bree rounded the counter.
Principal Newton held out a hand. “Sheriff Taggert. Thank you for coming.”
They shook hands, and the principal gestured to her doorway. “Let’s talk in my office.”
Bree entered the office. With cinder block walls and no windows, the space reminded Bree just a little of the county jail.
Principal Newton closed the door, rounded her desk, and sat down. She tossed her glasses on the blotter and rubbed her forehead.
Bree sat in a chair facing her and waited.
The principal dropped her hand to her lap and sighed. “I don’t even know what to tell you. None of the boys will talk.”
“Do you have the fight on surveillance video?” Bree asked.
The principal shook her head. “We don’t have a hundred percent coverage of the school. We have the entrances covered, along with most of the hallways and the cafeteria. The fight happened in the locker room. We obviously can’t have cameras in there.” She leaned forward and rested her forearms on the desk. “The gym teacher who broke up the fight said he saw Luke throw the first punch at Bobby. Bobby came back swinging, then his two friends joined in. From there, the situation deteriorated into general melee, with usual encouragement from the crowd.”
“But the teacher has no idea what started the altercation?”
“No.” The principal lifted both hands in the air. “I tried grilling them each individually, but none of them will say what started the fight. Not that it matters from a punishment perspective. I have no leeway when it comes to dispensing punishment for fighting. Regardless of the cause of the fight, all four boys will be suspended for three days.”
Exasperation heated Bree’s belly. She wanted to defend Luke, but how could she? She had no idea what had happened. “Zero-tolerance policies aren’t the answer.”
The principal nodded. “It’s a district decision. My hands are tied.” But deep, disapproving lines bracketed the principal’s mouth. “It’s no secret that I’ve been lobbying to change the guidelines. But until that happens, I have no option. You should contact the school board. I expect your arguments will garner more respect than the average parent.”
Frustration welled in Bree. “Suspension seems like the least appropriate punishment. Some kids will view it as a vacation. Others will feel like outcasts. Either way, you haven’t changed behavior, and taking them out of the classroom makes them fall behind in their studies, which is the opposite of the goal of education.”
The principal flattened her palms on her desk. “I can’t change the penalty, but I would very much like to know what made Luke lash out. He’s a junior, and he’s never been in my office before.” Her tone suggested the other boys might have.
Bree nodded. “So would I.”
The principal frowned. “I also have to tell you that an additional infraction could jeopardize Luke’s eligibility for the baseball team. I don’t want to see that happen.”
Baseball was one of Luke’s passions. Right now, he played fall ball with a regional travel league. But in the spring, he’d try out for the school team. He would be devastated if he couldn’t play. He was hoping for a scholarship.
The principal wasn’t at fault, but Bree couldn’t bring herself to thank her. “Please keep me informed.”
“I’d ask the same of you.”
With a nod, Bree left the office. In the lobby, a man in a suit stood at the counter glowering at everyone, including the tall blond boy. From his irritated expression, she assumed he was the boy’s father. The man’s brows shot up as he took in Bree’s uniform. He pointed at the blond boy. “Did you get yourself arrested?”