in a timely manner, and I will, too. But I appreciate your concern. Now what can I do to get you out of here quickly?”
“Information,” Kendra said. “I’ve been told Dietrich probably knows every detail of the academy school and grounds, and there’s a possibility that he might choose to return here. I need to make sure I’m as familiar with it as he is. I’m going to the library after I leave you to go through all the books on the history and renovations of the school. But I thought I remembered you have books and pamphlets here in your office that the library might not have.”
She nodded slowly. “I have a few books that I’ve owned since I first came here to teach.” She frowned. “You’re setting yourself a huge task. This mansion and property were originally donated by a parent who had a special child and the funds to renovate it. The plans have changed and altered several times over the decades. It’s been a work in progress for the last seventy years.”
“A wonderful work in progress,” Kendra said. “And it makes me angry as hell that a man like Dietrich ever set foot on it.”
“Me too.” Allison got to her feet and strode over to her bookcase, selected four books, and crossed back to Kendra. “So let’s kick the son of a bitch off our property.” She handed her the books and turned back to the reception area. “Now get out of here and let me get back to work.”
“Right.” Kendra grinned and swiftly scooted out the door to the hall where Lynch was waiting. “Got them.” She gestured to the books. “But she made me feel like a kid again bothering the teacher.”
“What about me? I’m the kid you sent out in the hall for bad behavior. Why were those books important?”
“I ran across a few esoteric facts and quotes from them while I was on the computer. I called the county library this morning to ask to borrow the books and I found out that two of the ones I’d seen in Allison’s office couldn’t be found. The librarian put me on wait list for the books, but then I remembered these copies in Allison’s library.”
“Lucky break.”
“We deserve a little luck. Everything about this is a long shot. Do you know what kind of odds those kids have to overcome every day?” She looked out the window at the long line of cars driven by the parents waiting to pick up their children. “And what happened here made every one of those kids’ lives even harder. So don’t tell me about long shots. We’ll just check it out and then go on if it doesn’t get us to Dietrich.”
“Just a comment, Kendra,” he said quietly. “What do you want me to do?”
She grimaced. “Tell me to shut up. I’m a little overemotional right now after seeing all those children being yanked out of school. I know how I would have felt if I’d had to leave here when I was a kid. This place helped open up the entire world for me.” She’d reached the library and turned to face him. “But what I don’t want you to do is hover over me while I’m trying to find out how and why Dietrich is still here when he should be running like hell.”
“We talked about this.”
“No, you talked about it and I agreed. But I was very vulnerable at the time. I’m better now. Look, there’s security all around this place, and they’ll be here until all the teachers and children have left the property. You’re not going to be able to help me go through those references in the library. There are only a few that aren’t in Braille. You’d be of much more use to Metcalf and Griffin checking out the grounds. Metcalf said he was going to bring tracker dogs out here later today to see what they can find. You’re very good with dogs.”
“I’m better at getting rid of vermin.”
“Yes, you are. But go do it somewhere else. I promise I won’t leave this library until you get back.” She opened the door to the library. “And I have my gun even though I’m not about to pull it out with all these kids around.”
He hesitated. “I’ll have Metcalf assign an agent outside in the driveway.”
“What a good optic when Allison is trying to play down the thought of any present threat here.” She waved her hand. “Go ahead. Do