Riot School by Robert Rayner

Author:Robert Rayner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: James Lorimer and Company Ltd., Publishers
Published: 2016-11-25T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Police Raid

Barlow

Halfway through the morning, on his way back from the washroom, Barlow sees movement on the other side of The Meadows. Police are scattered among the trees. He counts six, one of them Sgt. Hansen. He’s easy to recognize. He’s six and a half feet tall and built like a pole. His round, rosy face and mop of ginger hair sticking up all over the place make him look like he should be in school instead of in charge of the Savage Harbour police. But he’s been in the job for as long as Barlow can remember so he must be a lot older than he looks.

Barlow calls down to the classroom, “Hey, kids. Get this.”

The others join him in the hallway. They watch the police move through the trees until they’re as near the school as they can get without breaking cover. At a signal from Sgt. Hansen they charge. Barlow hides among the lockers. The others do the same. Peeking out, he sees Sgt. Hansen arrive at the door. He grabs the handle and tries to open it. But Lettie locked it after they had all arrived. Sgt. Hansen puts his face to the glass, peering in. The other police stand behind him, looking around. He points to each side of the door and they set off around the building.

“W-will they see the b-broken latch on the window?” Lettie whispers.

“No way,” says Barlow. “Not unless they get real close to it.”

Sgt. Hansen paces before the door. He peers in again. Looks all around. Looks at his watch. The other police return, shaking their heads. Barlow is trying to stifle his laughter. Lettie and Bilan, hearing him, start to giggle.

“Better put them out of their misery, eh?” says Barlow.

He strolls to the door while the others go back to class. He enjoys watching Sgt. Hansen’s face when he sees him. Barlow waves through the glass.

Sgt. Hansen calls, “Open the door.”

Barlow cups his ear, pretending not to hear.

Sgt. Hansen shouts, “Open the goddamn door, Barlow.”

Barlow opens the door and makes a sweeping gesture with his arm, inviting the police in. “Good morning, gentlemen. Welcome to St. Isaac’s. How can I help you?”

“You can stop playing the fool and tell me what’s going on. We got a call from the superintendent saying there was a break-in in progress at the school. I might have known you’d be involved.”

“I didn’t break in,” says Barlow.

“So how’d you get in?”

“Just opened the door. The superintendent was here yesterday. He must have left it unlocked when he left. ’Course we locked it behind us when we came in. You know how important safety and security are.”

“We?”

“Just me and a few friends.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Studying, of course. It’s what you come to school for, you know.”

“Don’t get smart, Barlow. The only studying you do is of places you think you can break in to. Is your brother here?”

“Haven’t seen him since early this morning. I think he was going over to the church to help arrange flowers for next Sunday.

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