Catching Fireflies (22 page)

Misty heaved a resigned sigh. “I guess.”

“You know your mother’s right,” her dad said, regarding her mother with approval for the first time in months. “And on Monday morning we’ll be right there with you while the principal decides how to handle all this. And your mom says Helen Decatur-Whitney called earlier, and she’s handling all the legalities of getting this nonsense taken down from the internet. It could take a little longer than we’d like, but she assured your mom it will be done. Your teacher got her involved.”

“Ms. Reed’s been really great,” Misty said. “Even when I wouldn’t tell her what was going on, she let me know she was on my side. She believed in me from the beginning.”

“Then I guess we owe her,” her dad said.

He stood up then. Misty regarded him hopefully. “Couldn’t you stay here tonight?” she pleaded, knowing that now she was the one who was delusional. Staying wasn’t an option, even under these conditions.

He gave her a sad look. “It’s not a good idea, sweetie. But you can reach me on my cell anytime you need me.”

“You’re never coming back, are you?” she concluded. She glanced at her mother. “I know I’m the one who said that before, but I was still kinda hoping…”

Her dad swallowed hard. “Sorry, kiddo. I can’t do it. We’ll still spend lots and lots of time together. Your mom and I will work all of that out.”

Misty wanted to hate him for leaving, but how could she? Hadn’t she recognized for months now that the marriage was over? It was her mom who’d been living in the dream world. Her mom and maybe Jake, though he didn’t say much about it. She was sixteen. She shouldn’t act like a baby about it.

She stood up and hurled herself into his arms. “I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you more,” he whispered back.

When she looked into his face right before he turned and walked away, she saw that his cheeks were damp with tears.

Then she dared a glance at her mom and saw that, though her cheeks, too, were damp, she no longer looked devastated. She looked resigned and, despite that, stronger somehow. She reached for Misty’s hand.

“It’s going to be okay,” she assured Misty. “We’re all going to be okay.”

As desperately as she’d wanted to, though, Misty couldn’t entirely believe her.

* * *

Laura’s briefing to Betty Donovan when she reached her by phone on Sunday drew immediate outrage.

“You say there are seminude pictures of this child online, pictures that Annabelle somehow doctored to put Misty’s face on them?”

“There are,” Laura confirmed. “Helen Decatur-Whitney is working to get everything removed, so I made sure we got copies of every single post and every picture just in case that happened before I could fill you in. Helen has her own copies, and I’m almost certain that she’s spoken to Carter Rollins to ensure that the police have whatever they might need in case the Dawsons want to file charges. Helen mentioned something about invasion of privacy, fraud and libel when I spoke to her earlier today. She’s discussed that possibility with Misty’s mother, too.”

“But no one’s gone to Annabelle’s family at this point?” Betty asked.

“That ball’s in your court, at least from the school perspective,” Laura confirmed. “Helen suggested we have a meeting tomorrow morning to determine the next step. She thinks we ought to have a plan that takes all aspects of this into account.”

“Yes, that would probably be wise,” Betty said. “I’ll ask Hamilton Reynolds if he wants to be there. As chairman of the school board, he should know what’s going on. We’re not going to be able to keep a lid on this.”

“And J. C. Fullerton has asked to attend,” Laura said.

“I’m not sure what he could add at this point,” Betty said. “Was including him your idea? I understand you’ve been seeing him recently.”

Laura heard a hint of judgment in Betty’s tone. She seemed to have a particularly jaded outlook on the social lives of her teachers.

“J.C.’s involvement has nothing to do with me. Misty went to him to try to get out of school when things first started getting out of hand. She wasn’t forthcoming about her reasons, so he and I have been trying to get to the bottom of this for a few weeks now. He’s very concerned about the situation and feels he has a vested interest in the outcome. He takes his responsibility as her physician very seriously.”

“Okay, then,” Betty said, apparently resigned. “Sounds as if we’ll have a full house tomorrow morning. Nine o’clock, my office.”

“I’ll let J.C. and Helen know,” Laura said. “You’ll alert the Dawsons, or would you prefer that I do it?”

“I’ll call them. I want them to know I’m all over this.”

Laura hated to bring it up but felt she had to. “What about the Litchfields?”

“Not until we’ve determined a course of action. I’ll make an appointment with them for tomorrow afternoon.”

“Will you want me there for that?”

“Let me give that some thought and let’s see how tomorrow morning’s meeting goes. I’m torn between facing them on my own or bringing in all the backup I can muster,” she said grimly.

“I know you didn’t ask for my opinion,” Laura said, “but I’d opt for the backup.”

“Much as I hate to say it,” Betty said ruefully, “I’m leaning that way myself. We know Annabelle’s going to deny everything, and Mariah’s going to leap to her defense. The only thing not certain is whether Mr. Litchfield will prove to be more reasonable.”

“All the more reason to have voices of reason right there with you. I’ve witnessed a few things myself. Helen has the proof in black-and-white. They won’t be able to deny that.”

Betty chuckled, though there was little humor behind it. “Have you seen the size of Mariah’s blinders? None of the designers make sunglasses that big or that dark.” She drew in a deep breath. “Not to worry, though. I think we have Annabelle dead to rights on this. If I have my way, tomorrow will be her last day at Serenity High School for a very, very long time.”

* * *

“Do you think they’re going to throw Annabelle out on her sorry behind?” Katie asked Misty in a whisper when she met her outside of school on Monday morning.

Misty shuddered. “A part of me almost hopes they don’t,” Misty admitted.

Katie regarded her with shock. “How can you say that? Jail’s not good enough, if you ask me.”

“Because you’re just a little bloodthirsty,” Misty said, grateful to have such a loyal friend.

“No, because it’s what she deserves after everything she’s done to you,” Katie countered. “I can’t believe you still think she should be let off the hook.”

“Not because I’m not mad,” Misty said. “Or because I think she doesn’t deserve it. I just can’t help thinking about what her friends are going to do. They could make my life hell for getting her kicked out of school.”

“Only if they’re idiots like her,” Katie said.

“Don’t you think they probably are?” Misty said. “Come on. Who else would fawn all over her? Just idiots who think she’ll remember them when she’s some big pop superstar.”

“As if,” Katie said. “She probably won’t even admit she came from Serenity. It’s not high-class enough for her. I’ll bet she even dumps Greg the first chance she gets. He might be the big man on campus here, but he’s still from a farm outside of town. She’s gonna wake up one day and decide that he’s not nearly good enough for her.”

“I just wish she’d figured that out because he’s a liar and a cheater, not because of who his dad is. There’s nothing wrong with being a farmer or a farmer’s son, just with being a total jerk.”

“Agreed,” Katie said. “I guess I’d better go to class. I wish I could come to the meeting with you.”

“I wish you could, too. I’m gonna need a friendly face.”

“Hey, everybody in there is going to be on your side,” Katie reminded her. “You’re not on trial. Annabelle is, and she won’t even be there this morning, right?”

Misty nodded. But even though she might not have to face Annabelle this morning, she knew there was bound to be a confrontation before the day ended. It scared the daylights out of her.

* * *

“I want that girl out of this school and far away from my daughter,” Les Dawson declared before Betty could even say whatever comments she’d prepared before the meeting.

Laura regarded the principal with sympathy. She finally had a better understanding of the difficult role of being caught between outraged parents, teachers and the rules. Not everyone always had the same agenda or the same balancing act to achieve.

“Believe me, I totally understand your anger,” Betty told Misty’s father. “If my child had been a victim of these unconscionable rumors online, I’d be out for blood, too. But there are procedures we have to follow.”

“As long as one of them includes kicking Annabelle out of school, I can live with your procedures,” Les said. “Otherwise, I’ll pull Misty out of school and raise a stink that will tear this school district apart.”

“Dad, no,” Misty protested.

“Les, I don’t think we need to resort to threats,” school board chairman Hamilton Reynolds said. “Everyone in this room understands what’s at stake.”

It was J.C. who interceded, “Maybe we need to find out what the next steps are. Betty, do you have a plan? What has to happen next?”

“Since the majority of the bullying took place online and under a screen name—” she began.

“It happened here, too,” Misty said, speaking up so softly it was almost hard to hear her. “In the halls. The stuff she posted was thrown in my face by Annabelle and her friends and Greg Bennett and his buddies.”

Betty sighed. “I was afraid of that, but at least there’s little question then of who’s behind it.”

Helen spoke up then. “I’ve been working with Carter Rollins and a judge. We should have confirmation very soon of who that screen name is registered to. I would be very surprised if it turns out to belong to anyone other than Annabelle. Once that link is established, there will be no way for her to deny that she was behind this campaign to go after Misty.”

“I’d like to have that proof in hand before we call in the Litchfields,” Hamilton Reynolds said, then held up his hand to fend off an immediate protest from Misty’s father. “I know you want this settled immediately. So do I. I also want us to make sure we’ve covered every legality.”

“He’s right,” Helen said. “Better to take a little extra time now, because once this ball starts rolling, it’s going to pick up speed. Mariah Litchfield won’t sit by and watch her daughter be tossed out of school quietly, not if she thinks there’s even a tiny hint that we haven’t crossed every
t
and dotted every
i.
She’ll fight like a grizzly to protect her daughter and somehow spin it so it looks as if this is some trumped-up vendetta by a jealous classmate.”

“That’s absurd,” Diana Dawson said indignantly. “She wouldn’t dare to try to turn this around and make Misty the one at fault.” She winced, shaking her head. “What am I saying? Of course she will! She’s already called me once to protest Misty’s treatment of Annabelle at the fall festival.”

“That’s exactly what she does,” Betty said, her tone resigned. “And that’s why this poor child’s behavior is so abominable, because her mother’s never held her accountable for a single thing.”

“I told you it was going to get worse,” Misty said in a small voice. She whirled on J.C. “You should have just given me a note to get out of school.”

J.C. gave her a sympathetic look. “We’ve established that I couldn’t do that. And, though it might not seem like it right this second, this situation is going to get a whole lot better. I imagine by Christmas break, you’ll have forgotten all about this.”

Misty gave him a disbelieving look. “Are you kidding? By Christmas I probably won’t be able to show my face here at all, note or no note.”

J.C. winced under her scathing scowl. “I’m sorry. You’re right. Making things better will take time, but maybe it will help a little if you just remember how many people are on your side. Everyone in this room is here to help you get through this.”

“And Katie Townsend has been a rock for you through all of this, too,” Laura reminded her. “She won’t let you down. I’m sure you have lots of other friends you’ll be able to count on.”

“Who?” Misty retorted. “Katie’s the only one who hasn’t been scared off by Annabelle and her crowd.”

Betty regarded her sympathetically. “I know it must seem that way, Misty, but it’s only because none of us understood what was happening. Every teacher in this school will be on full alert from now on. If anyone tries to retaliate because of what’s likely to happen to Annabelle, they will be stopped. You’re going to be safe here.”

Laura could see that Misty was still skeptical. How could she not be? Up to now the system had failed her miserably. Even she, though she’d been more attuned to the problem than most, hadn’t put the pieces together for weeks.

“Misty, what can we do to reassure you?” she asked. “What would you like to see happen?”

“I want us to forget all about it,” she said miserably. “Please.”

Les Dawson clearly saw his child’s unhappiness, but he was already shaking his head. “Not a chance,” he muttered. “Helen, I want every action in the book taken in this, here at school, in the courts, whatever it takes. Nobody is tormenting my child and getting away with it.”

“Not even if it’s what I want?” Misty pleaded.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” he said, his tone gentle. “Not even then.”

J.C. stood up. “Maybe Misty and I could take a walk, while you all sort this out.” He glanced at her. “Would that be okay?”

Looking relieved to have an excuse to escape, she nodded at once. He glanced at her parents and both nodded, Diana’s expression full of relief.

“We’ll be back in a bit,” J.C. said, opening the door and showing Misty out.

Laura looked around and saw exhaustion on every face in the room. She figured her appearance was no less haggard.

“Whatever we decide,” she said, keeping her gaze on Betty, “we have to be sure that child is protected from more bullying. I think she’s had just about as much as she can handle.”

“Agreed,” Betty said at once.

“Should we take her out of school?” Diana asked hesitantly. “I know it sounds extreme, but maybe she’d be happier someplace else.”