Always a Gun by Terry Persun

Author:Terry Persun [Persun, Terry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-02-28T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

“What did Carley think about what Rainy told you?” Mae Belle asked.

“She didn’t even want to know.”

“Smart woman.”

Leslie had told Mae Belle about his conversation with Rainy as well as his disappointment that Henderson didn’t even make it look like he was trying to figure out the truth.

“Are you’re going to keep Rainy’s secret?”

“Of course.”

“What kind of trouble do you think he’s in? Toby, I mean,” Mae said.

“Henderson may not have been far off. He could have run off or he could have gotten hurt. Kids that age can get aggressive and if they thought something was wrong with Toby. If some of them believed the teasing. . .well, there are a lot of tough guys who might act out.” Leslie rubbed his chin. “What really pisses me, like I said, was that fucking Henderson wasn’t even looking for the truth. All he did was push one scenario after another at Mark Hilton until he bit on one.”

“You knew he’d do that. Look at how many people he didn’t even interview. I think he would have skipped your daughter, too, had you not pissed him off.”

“Asshole.”

“So, coffee for a half hour and then Principal Draper before the morning gets away from us?”

“Perfect plan. See, you’re learning already,” he said. “Coffee comes first.”

The school receptionist waved a hand toward the side door when they entered the building. She let them in and said, “You know where Mr. Frances is.”

“We’re here to see Principal Draper,” Leslie said.

“Oh. Eddie put up such a fuss, I was sure you were here to see him again.”

“A fuss?”

“He felt violated. Told everyone he could.”

“He used that term? Violated?”

She looked at Leslie and cocked her head, thinking. “Maybe not that exact word.” Then she shifted direction and led them toward the principal’s office.

He could tell she was lying but didn’t question her. The whole department appeared to be scared of something. Or someone. Perhaps it was Draper. Well, they were about to find out.

She knocked twice and, like before, opened the door afterward. “Deputies Fuller and Walker to see you, sir.”

“Why me?”

Leslie walked in. “Just a few quick questions.”

Fred Draper looked a lot like his brother Earl, only without the scraggly facial hair. Same narrow eyes and thin body. Leslie almost expected there to be a rifle leaning against the wall.

“I’m all ears,” Draper said. He didn’t stand, didn’t ask them to sit, and didn’t move his eyes from Leslie.

“Mind if we sit?”

“I thought you said a few quick questions.”

“Did you know that Toby Wilcox was being harassed regularly.”

“No. Vice Principal Frances takes care of discipline. I’m straddled with PTA, school mandates, and all sorts of other paperwork.”

“The vice principal doesn’t report to you?”

“He reports whether things are going well or not, and I hadn’t heard about any problems until this boy came up missing.”

“They were calling him a faggot,” Leslie said to see how Draper responded.

His eyes seemed to get narrower than they were. “You mean Eddie? That’s ridiculous.”

Leslie shifted his weight and glanced at Mae Belle.

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