Right. Because that was all teaching was—glorified arts and crafts hour.
“I just meant that if you wanted to move into something where you can actually have an impact, make some changes in the world—and maybe work with a few more men, am I right?”
Scott’s laugh was so just-between-us-boys that I wanted to vomit.
“As a matter of fact, I’m very happy with my job.” I forced a smile, but I couldn’t keep the edge out of my voice. “I can make enough of an impact from where I am.”
“Ah. Well. I suppose it takes all kinds. Still, if you ever change your mind…”
Scott’s eyes were already searching beyond me, mentally checked out of the conversation as soon as I’d made it clear I wasn’t going to be any use to him personally.
I was happy to let him go. As soon as he left the hall, I pulled out my phone and texted Connor.
JULIAN: Ready whenever you are
I had to mill around in the hallway for the next few minutes, waiting, until Connor texted me back.
CONNOR: Go
That meant Connor was in the house, and that he’d found Scott. I walked down the hall quickly and stepped into Scott’s study like I had every right in the world to be there.
The lights were off, but the twilight outside gave enough light for me to cross the carpet easily and move to the computer behind the desk. I wondered, suddenly, if I should be wearing gloves for this or something. Too late now, I supposed.
I jiggled the mouse, waking the computer up. Sure enough, it prompted me for a password. Holding my breath, I typed in Philippa042914.
It didn’t work.
Biting my lip, I tried it again, making sure I hit all the numbers correctly. Maybe my fingers had slipped. But no dice. I tried it again without the year. Then tried it with only the name and year. Then tried the name with no capital letters. Nothing worked.
Was Joey wrong? Had he lied? Or maybe he’d just been confused?
I decided to try Scott’s younger daughter, Georgina. I’d looked up her birthday, just in case. But that didn’t work either. I stared at the computer in frustration. Had we really gone to all this trouble just to come up empty handed?
I scanned the room, as though the password would be written on the walls or something. All I saw was a potted palm, a row of law books that I doubted Scott had ever cracked open, and a watercolor of sailboats in Adair’s harbor.
Nothing.
I wanted to scream. I hadn’t realized how invested I was in this plan until now. I wanted to make progress. To feel like all of this—the fight to save the beach, Connor coming home and messing with my head, my entire, sad little life—wasn’t in vain.
I still hadn’t gotten the results of my evaluation back, and I couldn’t shake the feeling Anne had been avoiding me ever since that morning in my classroom. Even though Katie was coming over tonight, I still wondered if something were wrong. And things with Connor were as infuriatingly confusing as ever.
I just wanted—needed—something to go right.
But there was nothing I could do to make things better. As usual.
Grabbing a tissue from the box on the bookcase, I swiped hastily at the mouse and the keyboard. It probably wouldn’t make much of a difference, but it couldn’t hurt to try. With a final, aggravated glance at the computer, I walked back to the door, cracked it open, and peered out into the hall. It was empty, so I slipped out as quietly as I’d come in.
I wanted to find Connor and tell him I hadn’t found anything, but the whole point was for us not to be seen together. He was supposed to come by my house later tonight to get any information I’d found. Right now, he was probably in the middle of telling Scott off somewhere.
Part of me wanted to stay and watch—but part of me always wanted to linger around Connor. I was learning not to listen to it.
I walked home slowly, at a loss. What were we supposed to do now? I pulled my phone out to text Connor when I turned onto my street.
JULIAN: It didn’t work. Couldn’t get in. No need to come by tonight
I paused before hitting send, wondering if I should say more. But as usual, when it came to Connor, my brain stopped functioning properly. I scanned the street in front of me,