Novel Excerpts–The Boaz Schoolteacher, Chapter 44

The primary aim of the "Novel Excerpts" blog category is to showcase my creative writing, specifically from the novels I've written. Hopefully, these posts will provide a glimpse into my storytelling style, themes, and narrative skills. It's an opportunity to share my artistic expressions and the worlds I've created through my novels.

The Boaz Schoolteacher, written in 2018, is my fifth novel. I'll post a chapter a day over the next few weeks.

Book Blurb

In the summer of 2017, Katie Sims and her daughter Cullie, moved from New York City to Katie’s hometown of Boaz, Alabama for her to teach English and for Cullie to attend Boaz High School .  Fifteen years earlier, during the Christmas holidays, five men from prominent local families sexually assaulted Katie.  Nine months later, Katie’s only daughter was born.

Almost from the beginning of the new school year, as Katie and fellow-teacher Cindy Barker shared English, Literature, and Creative Writing duties for more than 300 students, they became lifelong friends.  

For weeks, Katie and Cindy endured the almost constant sexual harassment at the hands of the assistant principal.  In mid-October, after Cindy suffered an attack similar to Katie’s from fifteen years earlier, the two teachers designed a unique method to teach the six predators a lesson they would never forget.  Katie and Cindy dubbed their plan, Six Red Apples.

Read this mystery-thriller to experience the dilemma the two teachers created for themselves, and to learn the true meaning of real justice.  And, eternal friendship. 

Chapter 44

“Katie, I have to take this call.  Is it okay if I call you later tonight?”  Wayne said as Cullie walked in the back door from Youth Group.

I was thankful Steve had brought her home from church.  Earlier, I had dropped her there before making a midweek run to Walmart.  Cindy too had missed the Wednesday night services.  I was also thankful that Cindy had changed her mind from what she had described and promoted during our lunchtime.  Then, she had somehow convinced me to go tonight once again to Warren’s and spy on the Faking Five’s meeting in his basement.  Her phone call at 5:30 had been more than welcome.  I hated she didn’t feel well but I was relieved we were not going to crawl up the embankment after Prayer Meeting to the retainer wall and peer through glass windows risking being seen.  Maybe she had come to realize that it was over, what she called our Six Red Apples plan.  Monday’s cash windfall, even with my string of promises, had been an acceptable resolution.  When Wayne called at 7:15, I knew neither Cindy or I were even remotely satisfied.  Money was such a poor substitute for real justice.

Cullie and I were sitting in the den fighting over whether to watch The Pickers or CNN.  We were sharing, once again, our mutual disdain for TV and the piss-awful number of commercials when my cell phone vibrated.  I noted it was 9:54 p.m.

It was Cindy.  “Hey girl, feeling better?”

“Katie, it’s Steve.  I’m using Cindy’s cell.  She is in the Emergency Room.  She’s not doing well.”

“Oh my God.  It’s her blood pressure.  Right?”  I knew she and Dr. Ireland had been battling this since the beginning of her pregnancy.  He had already increased her Methyldopa dosage two times, now to the absolute daily maximum.  Dr. Ireland had also strongly cautioned her against stress, saying that too much could cause her to have trouble sleeping, headaches, loss of appetite, and a tendency to overeat.

“Correct, but that’s not the only problem.”  Steve said as I heard voices buzzing in the background.

“What’s wrong?  Tell me.”

“She’s been in a fight.  After leaving Cullie at your place, Alysa and I drove back to church to pick up Anita and Arlon.  They had an extended music practice.  When I drove into the parking lot I saw two women going at it on the back side, over next to the parsonage.  At first, I couldn’t tell who it was.  Stupid me had left my driving glasses at home.  Alysa saw them first.  Shocked me to death.  Cindy and Paula Wilkins were swapping licks.”

“Oh my God.  How bad is she?”  I asked.

“Nothing too severe from the fight.  She held her own.  Even with her left arm in a cast.  She has a busted lip and a few scrapes and bruises.  I think they hit the ground a time or two before I got there.  The real threat is Eclampsia, I think I said that right.  It’s a life-threatening complication of pregnancy.  The doctor said the first signs Cindy has this are seizures or coma.  It usually starts with severe headaches, blurred or double vision, seeing spots, or abdominal pain.  She’s been complaining about all this.”  Steve said.  I was surprised he was able to remember all this and said it so clearly.

“Okay, I’m heading that way.  Tell Cindy I love her and will see her in fifteen minutes.”  I said, wondering how Cindy had explained to Steve her fight with Paula.  The bitch.  The bitch had to be dealt with.  I knew Warren was even a bigger pile of shit when he had promised me on Monday that Paula had learned her lesson.

“No, Katie.  Cindy has ordered me to stop you from coming.  There is nothing you can do.  She wants you to stay home.  She’s a little out of her head so don’t read too much into this.  She said to tell you, ‘to bring six red apples to school tomorrow.’  I knew exactly what she was talking about, but I wouldn’t tell Steve.

“She’s okay.  It’s just a little joke we have between us.  I’m still coming.  Cindy is the world to me.  You know that.”  I said.

“Katie, do me a favor and stay put.  I truly think it’s what Cindy wants.  So, do it for her.  One other thing, another favor for me.  What in the hell is going on between Cindy and Paula?”  I knew this question would surface sooner or later.

“Shouldn’t that be something you ask Cindy?”  I didn’t know how to respond.  I wanted to tell him the fucking truth, but I had promised my best friend I would keep quiet.  Damn promise.

“She won’t tell me anything.  When Alysa and I pulled up at church and got out of our car, I heard Paula screaming.  It didn’t make any sense.  I think I heard her right because Alysa said she heard the same statement.  Paula said, “I’ll kill you and Patrick’s baby.  You bitch.”

For better or worse, I had to respond.  “Steve, it’s a rumor.  Ever since Patrick went missing Paula has been accusing him and Cindy of having an affair.  When she found out Cindy was pregnant she assumed it was Patrick’s.  None of this is true.  You know Cindy.  She didn’t have an affair with Wilkins or anyone else.  I swear to you I know this for a fact.  She loves you with all her heart and is faithful to the end.”  I knew I had to tell Steve something.  Everything I said was the gospel truth.  I regretted not being able to tell him the full truth. 

“I believe you, but apparently the truth doesn’t matter to Paula.  She was madder than hell.  I’d say she’s dangerous as a wildcat.”

“I assume you broke up the fight.  What happened then?”  I had an incomplete visual of what Paula did.  Had she simply walked away?

“Just as I got the two of them separated, Warren showed up.  It was like he appeared from nowhere.  He calmed Paula down.  I saw them walk over to the back side of the parsonage as I was helping Cindy get into our car.” 

It finally dawned on me to ask myself the question, ‘what was Cindy doing at church, at the back side of the parking lot, over next to the parsonage?  No doubt, she had changed her mind and decided to go alone to do her spying.  Someway, Paula had seen her and started the fight.

I couldn’t quite assess the fact Warren had shown up.  I sensed it wasn’t just a coincidence.  His basement is quite a way from the spot Steve had described.  Furthermore, the basement is in an obvious hole, and behind a thick hedgerow.   I figured I better say something else.  “I agree, Paula is dangerous as hell.  Steve, you deserve to know just how dangerous she is.”  I couldn’t believe I had turned down this road.  I wasn’t being unfaithful to Cindy, but she was incapable of protecting herself.  I owed it to my best friend to get her some real help.

“Know what?”

“This isn’t the first time Paula has attacked Cindy.  The car accident.  Paula caused it.”  I said feeling like a traitor even though my mind said I wasn’t.

“So, Cindy lied to me?  Why?  Why on earth could she not tell me what was going on?  She should know, absolutely know, that she can trust me.”

“She was afraid you would believe the rumors, that she had an affair with Wilkins and now was pregnant with his baby, especially knowing that you had the vasectomy.”  I had now crossed the line.  There were no splitting hairs.  I was violating my promise to Cindy.  Was I justified? 

“God damn.  Forgive me Jesus.  I can’t believe I said that.  It’s been years since I said that and have had such horrible thoughts.”

“Steve, you are human.  Just stay calm and talk to Cindy when she is well enough.  I think you need to report Paula to the police.  Maybe they can put the fear of God into her and get her to back off.”  I said.

“I can put more than God fear in her.  Katie, I’ve changed my mind.  Can you come stay with Cindy?”  This was not what I needed to hear.

“No.  You can’t do anything.  The last thing you need to do is go see Paula.  You can’t go ballistic on Cindy.  She needs you to take care of her and you can’t do that from jail.”

“Why did you say ballistic?  Have you and Cindy been talking about me?  What happened nearly twenty years ago?”

“Please don’t put me in this spot.  Please.”  I was no longer half safe and half slipping.  I was now falling into the abyss.  And, there was no one to catch me.  Cindy would hate me forever.

“Tell me Katie.  I deserve to know the truth.”

“This is exactly why Cindy hasn’t told you.  She’s afraid you will do something that will ruin the beautiful life you all have.  Please don’t prove Cindy right.  Please don’t take matters into your own hands.  Promise me.  For Cindy’s sake, promise me you won’t go see Paula.”  I doubted my words would have any affect, but I had to try.

“Okay.  I promise.  I’ll wait on Cindy to tell me the truth.  I won’t do anything to damage what we have.  Thanks Katie, for being here for Cindy and me.  We’re blessed to have you in our lives.  I need to go now.  They’ve just brought her back from X-Ray.”

“I’m here.  Call me if there is any change.  Again, tell Cindy I love her.”

After the call ended I walked to Cullie’s room.  When I answered the phone, she had left me and The Pickers.

I filled her in on what had happened to Cindy.  I still didn’t know if my commitment to being open with her about everything was the best route to follow.  I was shocked with her response.  “Mom, that kind of explains what Riley said the other day.  She had asked Alysa, in front of me, how she felt about having a step brother or sister.  At first neither of us had a clue what she was talking about.  Then, she asked Alysa, ‘how does your Dad feel about your mother banging Principal Wilkins?’  I thought Alysa was going to claw Riley’s eyes out.”

It took me nearly thirty minutes to convince Cullie that Riley was horrible for spreading rumors and that’s all they were. 

I finally lay down at 11:30, disappointed my Walt Longmire hero had broken his promise.  It was 3:30 a.m. when I learned he had been delayed.  I knew immediately that something was wrong.  He had always greeted me with, “Katie, is now a good time to talk?”  This morning, it was “Katie, I have some horrible news.”

“Wayne, you don’t sound like yourself.”

“Katie, there’s been a shooting.  Brace yourself.”  He paused just slightly, long enough for my whole body to know something horrific had happened.  “Steve Barker and Paula Wilkins are both dead.”  He stopped there, with no explanation.

“Oh my God.  Tell me this isn’t true, that it’s a mistake.”  My body was literally shaking.  A clamminess engulfed my hands like a pair of gloves.  This can’t be happening.  This has got to be a dream.  But, it wasn’t.  Once again, Wayne repeated the horrible news.  Then, I knew I had awakened to a living nightmare.

“Dispatch received an anonymous call a few minutes after midnight that there was an altercation at 1565 Lindo Drive in Boaz Country Club.  When officers arrived, they found the bodies inside the living room.”

“You’re positive it is Steve, Cindy’s Steve?”  I said, my heart literally beating out of my chest.  I was standing beside my bed trying to maintain my balance.  My world was spinning.  All I could think about was Cindy and the three children.

“No doubt.  I’ve just left there.  I’m heading to tell Cindy.”

“I’m not sure she’s at home.  At 8:30 she was in the Emergency Room.  Wayne, I need to be with you when you tell her.  We are best friends, and this is going to destroy her.”

“Okay, can you meet me at the hospital?  I’ll swing by and we’ll tell her if she’s there.  If not, we’ll go to her house.”  I had not changed into my gown before I had laid across the bed.  I kept Wayne on the line as I wrote Cullie a note, hoping she wouldn’t wake up to read it.

As I started my car and drove onto Sardis Road I asked Wayne, “what really happened?  It’s hard for me to understand how they both died.  Seems a little strange.” 

“You are perceptive.  I thought the same thing when the first deputy on the scene called me.  When I arrived, our crime team was already there.  It’s not official but Ted, the lead tech, said both Paula and Steve were killed with the same gun.  Their wounds were almost identical.  The other thing that seems odd is that Steve had many facial wounds, like he had been in a fight.  You know Paula wasn’t a big woman.  It’s hard to figure.  Steve probably outweighed her a hundred pounds or more and was at least a foot taller.”

“Were the guns recovered?”  I said.

“No. That’s another thing that has us puzzled.  Katie, right now I’m thinking there’s a lot more going on here than a two-person argument that got out of hand.”  Wayne said, not knowing how right he was.

Wayne and I continued to talk as we both drove to the hospital.  I was glad Cindy had been admitted.  If there was a good place to tell someone the love of her life was dead, that he had been shot, it was a hospital.

Cindy took it better than I expected.  Wayne let me deliver the news.   Of course, she cried.  I had been fully open with her, not withholding anything other than the unusual nature of the scene.  She never shouted or burst out with any words, harsh or semi-unpleasant.  No doubt she was in shock.  No normal person would hear and digest such horrible news and not immediately fall apart.  She was even kind and respectful when she asked Wayne to leave.  Before he walked out I asked Cindy what she wanted to do with the kids.  Steve had apparently left them alone at home when he went to Paula’s.  I needed to go to them, but I also needed to stay with Cindy.  Ultimately, we decided for Wayne to get Cullie and have her go with him to deliver the news to the three fatherless children.  I called Cullie and was amazed at her strength and courage.

The remaining time before daylight crawled by.  And, it was filled with heartbreak.  Wayne and Cullie brought Alysa, Anita, and Arlon to Cindy’s hospital room and the screaming and sobbing barely subsided before the first rays of sun came through the lone eastward-facing window.  I was glad Cindy had allowed her emotions to spill forth.  Surely, it hadn’t been just an act for the kids.  For some reason I had trouble fleeing the thought that she was now hellbent on revenge.  What I couldn’t figure out was why.  Paula was dead, as was Patrick. 

Cullie and Wayne stayed all day at our house with Cindy’s three children.  I spent the same time in Room 333 with my best friend, a woman who had lost the love of her life, a woman who, at thirty-nine, was a widow pregnant with a child fathered by her rapist.