Chapter 8 - THE PRICE OF SILENCE
The next morning, three black SUVs were parked outside Westbridge before school opened.
Not police.
Lawyers.
Peter Mercer had arrived with the foundation board’s attorney, a crisis consultant, and two parents whose names were on buildings.
Dad received an email at 7:05 a.m.
Emergency board meeting. Friday. Agenda: leadership confidence.
I read it over his shoulder.
“They’re trying to fire you.”
“They’re trying to scare me.”
“Is it working?”
He poured coffee.
“Yes.”
That surprised me.
Dad always looked fearless at school.
“What happens if they fire you?”
“I find another job.”
“You built Westbridge.”
“I helped lead a school. I didn’t marry it.”
Then he looked at me.
“You matter more.”
That should have made me feel safe.
Instead, it made me angry.
“I don’t want you to lose everything because I couldn’t handle three girls.”
Dad set down the mug.
“This is not about three girls anymore.”
He was right.
By lunchtime, two former students had contacted Helen Lang.
Ava Reyes agreed to meet us at a coffee shop across town.
“My mom begged me to report them,” she said. “I did.”
“What happened?” I asked.
“Crowe told me I misunderstood.”
Ava laughed bitterly.
“She said Sloane was under pressure because her father expected perfection.”
Dad asked, “Did she document your complaint?”
“She typed something.”
“Then what?”
“Two days later, I got accused of threatening Chloe.”
Helen leaned forward.
“Did you?”
“No.”
Ava’s eyes filled.
“My scholarship was placed under review. My mother panicked. We transferred.”
She reached into her backpack.
“I kept this.”
It was a printed email from Crowe.
AVOID ESCALATION. THE MERCER AND VANCE FAMILIES ARE STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS.
Below it was a reply from someone identified only by initials.
P.M.
Peter Mercer.
The message read: GOOD. MOVE THE GIRL OUT BEFORE GALA WEEK.
Dad stared at the paper.
Ava looked at me.
“You think the bucket was bad?”
I said nothing.
She swallowed.
“They put me in the maintenance freezer for eleven minutes.”
My stomach dropped.
“And the camera outside that door?”
May you like
Ava looked at Dad.
“Vice Principal Crowe said it malfunctioned.”
