up things too small for most to recognize, smile, and plant them in his coffee cup like precious jewels. One item, Jamison was sure, was a blue butterfly paper clip the man had often fingered while reading his texts.
Evans stood, and as if on cue the final chime signaled the end of the announcements.
“To quote a great contemporary writer, named Evans, ‘Life is short, people. Grab it by the balls.’” Raising his mug of drawer junk, he toasted the class, then Jamison, then walked to the door which was opened for him by the school truancy officer. “Piss off,” he told the uniform, and walked away in the wake of hoots and applause. He couldn’t have timed it any better.
“He’s right, Jamison.” Skye squeezed his hand and looked at his pocket where his phone had begun to vibrate. “Life is short. I’m so sorry.”
Somehow knowing he couldn’t stand to let go of her, Skye grabbed the back of his hoodie and held on while he answered.
“Mom?”
“Jamison. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have sent you to school. You need to come to the hospital.”
“Is he...gone?”
“No, but he won’t last much longer. Can you come?”
“We’ll be there in a minute.” He was already moving toward the door. His phone was back in his pocket and his hand wrapped around Skye’s again when the arrival of a delegation of excited office staff kept them from escaping. It took them a minute to realize they’d missed Mr. Evans.
Mr. Forbes, the principal, was the only body between Jamison and the door.
“Excuse me, sir.” Jamison nodded to the door.
“Not now, son.”
“Look, we’ve got to get to the hospital. My granddad—”
“I said not now. Take your seats.” The man leaned on the door handle and looked over Jamison’s tall head, his eyes wide.
Rachel Phillips was standing on her desk, reading a letter.
“To be read in the case of my dismissal. Since Mr. Forbes didn’t have my back on this one, I think it only fair to share with you, his students, that the young ladies of this school should avoid being alone with their beloved principal at all cos—”
Rachel was physically pulled off the desk by the truant officer. Not smart. Rachel’s dad was a suer.
The Principal flew across the room to take the paper from Rachel’s restrained arms, but Deidre Poulson, the secretary the students called Smiley only because she supposedly couldn’t, snatched the letter from his fingers before he could get a good hold.
Then she smiled.
Jamison realized the door was finally unmanned and seconds later he and Skye were running through the parking lot trying to focus on why they were leaving. It wasn’t easy, with KJFB’s news vehicles screaming into the lot and parking wherever they pleased. The biggest van, with the mini satellite dish on top parked behind Skye’s car, blocking it in.
A man climbed out of the passenger side and slid open the cargo door.
Jamison ran forward and stood in the guy’s way. “Look, dude. This is our car. We’ve got to get to the hospital. You’ve gotta move your van.”
“Sorry, kid. You’ll have to just walk to lunch.” The driver joined in, hauling out a camera.
“I said, we’ve got to get to the hospital.”
The camera man smiled. “What? Is she in labor or something? Those don’t get pregnant, dude, no matter what she might have told you.” His nose lifted on one side.
Jamison’s fist put it back where it was supposed to be.
The passenger was more interested in the camera not hitting the ground.
“Damn you, kid. You’ll go to Juvie for that.”
“And where will you go, sir, for kidnapping two minors?” Skye looked from the passenger to the cameraman, standing on his feet once again, and back to the passenger. “Forcing us to stay is considered kidnapping in torte law, is it not? Like when someone tries to tow away a car while someone is inside. Is the camera on?”
The passenger growled. “Move the van, Jake.”
Skye handed Jamison the keys. When they were blocked by yet another van pulling in, he chose to skip the negotiating and just laid on the horn. After ten long seconds of earsplitting noise, the van driver flipped them off and backed out of their way.
“I don’t suppose you can suggest that they leave Mr. Evans alone?”
“I could try, but it can’t be against their will, and they’re pretty set on getting to him.”
The hospital wasn’t far. In fact, when he looked down the hill from the parking terrace he realized they could have hiked up to