Chapter 25

When they were back on the bus and on their way Frank looked at his back pack and then opened it up and pulled out his note pad and a pencil.

"Do you need a wee bit of light, lad?" asked Willie as he looked down at his split knuckles. Frank nodded. Willie reached up and turned on the overhead light and pointed it in Frank's direction.

Because of the delay they had missed the connector bus and had to wait an hour before they were able to get onto the next one, and then it only could drop them off two blocks from where the school was. Jessica looked at her watch. "Oh dear…"

Frank took a breath. "Don't worry Aunt Jessica, I can go on ahead. Take your time getting there, okay? I have a feeling this report will take a while for them to hear," he said, then sprinted off down the block.

Frank set his papers down into the folder and let out a long breath. For a few seconds there was only silence, then the scrape of a chair as the principal stood. "That is the most preposterous fabrication I have ever heard. Leprechauns, murder, and shootouts? Young man, you have taken enough of our time. My decision stands."

"Well, yeah, I guess it would, seeing how you think you know the truth," said Frank, digging through the papers in his folder.

"I beg your pardon?"

Frank came forward and laid several sheets on the table in front of his English teacher. She flipped through them and then looked up at Frank, who was backing away from the table.

"I don't understand," she said softly.

"His ring … look at his ring!" gasped Ms. Shellie as she pointed to the photograph that was underneath the article regarding the young girl's death.

"It's just a ring," he said, shrugging. "And it changes nothing. Leprechauns, indeed."

"It's nae just a ring, it is a symbol for all that is evil in the world today, starting with the killing of innocence," said Willie Mac from the doorframe. He strode forward carrying Frank's back pack. Opening it, he pulled out a book and put it down on the table.

"The silly part of it all is most ha nae read the book at all, or bothered to think about what it all meant. There is no wealth or power that could be granted by wearing the crest of that family. All that they have ever gained was through murder, and trickery."

Jessica came up to the table where the principal was and asked him softly, "Did you know that Kent Fordham has been recaptured this morning? He has but a month to live before he is executed for the murders he committed, and for the distribution of illegal narcotics to young people. I have to ask, if I might - why did you let him know Frank was coming here? You had to have known he would be on the bus."

The principal looked at Jessica and scoffed. "It wasn't that stupid idiot they were after, it was you. You were on his list of people to – take care of – one way or the other. If you hadn't been so nosy, he never would have been caught. If something happened to him, the others have orders to deal with those who were involved as well."

Willie saw Frank flinch at the principal's words. Several of the teachers moved away from him, not sure what he was capable of at this point. He regarded the principal. "You don't get it, do you? All of what you believe in was made up by Fordham. You were a puppet and he pulled the strings. His family and he have been lying about things for decades, just so that they wouldn't have to deal with the responsibility of their actions - blackmail, theft, rape and murder. One of your group was responsible for telling someone to try and kill Anthony, and many people innocent of it all, including a boy named Cal, were in the way. He was five. His parents died on impact. The seat belt that is supposed to save lives ripped up his insides and snapped his ribs as if they were toothpicks. What sort of a man is worth following who brings that upon children?"

The principal smirked. "In war, there are always sacrifices, and the death of innocents."

There were footsteps in the hall, then into the classroom as several state police entered and went to where the principal sat. "Would you come with us, sir, to answer some questions?" asked the sergeant politely.

Frank looked at Ms. Peters as she shifted in her seat and saw something that glistened in the sunlight. Clearing his throat he interrupted the sergeant as he began to read the principal his rights. "Um, you may want to talk to Ms. Peters as well," he began. Willie caught her hands as she suddenly tried to reach across for her purse. Somehow Frank knew there wasn't just lipstick in it.

When the two of them had been led away leaving the stunned assembly of teachers behind, Willie stepped up to the table and placed his hands on it, leaning towards Mr. Murphy. "Right now, Frank's Aunt an' I stopped in your classrooms and turned on the air. Couldna hear a word from where the ones in the back like Frank were sitting the whole term. Did ye never sit back there yourself, lad, or wonder why Frank was squinting so at the board?"

Frank saw Miss Shellie look at Mr. Murphy. "I did. You were there, Carol, when I reported to both of them that I had my concerns about Frank's vision." She turned to Frank. "I even tried to have a letter sent to your parents in regards to it, but that didn't pass approval by Wally. I am sorry, Frank, that we failed your needs."

Shrugging, Frank said softly, "It's okay. If I hadn't failed myself, I never would have had the summer that I have had already, now would I?"

Carol cleared his throat. "Well, then, the next thing that we have to do is arrange follow-ups weekly visits, and note your progress with the program."

Scrunching up his face but not saying anything, Frank looked at Jessica.

"Mr. Murphy, I understand your concern regarding Frank's summer English classes, but are weekly visits back here really necessary? Wouldn't written progress reports be better? It's a ten hour trip here, then another ten hours back by bus, and would become a great expense to continue over the next eight weeks, unless the school board is going to pay for that cost?"

"The school board has been very firm regarding the tutoring of students by teachers who are not board certified by the district. We can't have just anyone taking over there education."

"Aunt Jessica isn't just anyone!" said Frank, trying very hard not to shout. "Nor is Willie Mac," Frank continued as he pushed the book Belladonna at Mr. Murphy.

Carol Murphy looked down at the book and sighed. "Being a writer isn't quite the qualifications that the school board would approve of," he said gently.

"Even if that writer graduated from Cambridge and is a doctor or that my Aunt Jessica has taught English longer than Ms. Peters has been alive?" asked Frank, exasperated.

Jessica laid her hand on Frank's shoulder. "It's all right, Frank."

Willie shook his head. "Nae, it just won't do. Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Fletcher is quite capable of overseeing her nephew's quality of education throughout the summer, an' has been certified by the State of New York to teach at their universities for both English an' criminology. If your board does not recognize the tri-state's certification over a district one, then your rules need to be changed a bit, an' he won't be available to be coming back here next week or the weeks to follow He has another matter to attend to. You will be getting a report of his progress by mail, and seeing him in the fall."

"Won't be available?" asked Shellie, curious.

Jessica looked at Frank, then at Willie. "He will be traveling to visit relatives."

Something in the way her eyes twinkled and the look that she gave Willie caused Carol Murphy to sit back in his chair. For the longest time he looked at Jessica. "Forgive me, but have we met before?" he asked, perplexed. "I keep thinking I have seen you before."

Frank giggled. "Well, um, you do like mysteries." He turned and saw Willie giving Jessica a curious look.

Carol Murphy looked at the remaining teachers, waiting for his decision. Miss Shellie gave a nod to him. He would have to speak with her later, but by the look she was giving Jessica, it was clear she felt Frank would exceed the requirements for the course.

"Well, visiting relatives won't be an answer that I can give the school board that they would accept. Where exactly do they live? Perhaps a review at one of their schools would suffice…"

"Across the big pond," said Jessica, her eyes twinkling as she saw Franks confusion over the reference.

"Well, there you go," said Miss Shellie. "There is no way they can expect him to come back for a half hour review, and I for one don't see a problem with his tutors, do you?" she asked directly.

Carol Murphy sighed. "All right. I will inform them of the change, and I expect a full summery when it arrives, as well as a written presentation of your report. Is that understood, young man?"

Frank nodded. "Yes sir. Thank you." He looked down as his belly grumbled loudly, then up a bit sheepishly

"Well, I can see by the clock on the wall that it's time for lunch. Would you care to join us?" asked Mr. Murphy as the rest of the teachers began to stand and stretch a bit.

"Um, is it cafeteria food?" asked Frank, screwing up his face as if he had stepped in a pile of wiggling worms.

Miss Shellie laughed. "Oh, no. We had it catered."

Willie looked at Jessica and Frank, then back to the teachers. "Thank you for your offer, but we will decline - we have some things to discuss before we are to catch the bus for the ride home." He looked at Frank. "Gather your things, that's a good lad."

Frank walked alongside the low wall musing that the summer, as short as it had been, was proving to be a bit more than he expected. He listened as Willie made a brief call to Mort informing him about the developments, and to keep an eye out for any activities. Jessica had spoken to Mort as well, telling him of two people she knew that may have had a connection to Fordham that were still in Cabot Cove. Frank insisted on stopping at the flower shop and it didn't take long for him to pick out and pay for the flowers to be sent off to Miss Shellie. Once that was done, they walked to the bus station and checked the schedule. It was a bit late for the lunch crowd at the neighborhood deli that was next to the bus station.

Frank stood and looked at the menu and said "Anything that moo's" to Jessica.

Unwrapping his double cheese burger, Frank regarded Willie. Something Jessica had said earlier had startled Willie, and Frank could tell that either it was a slip, or that there was something bigger that was happening. He glanced at the clock. They still had half an hour to go before they needed to get in line to board the bus home.

"I know you have a lot of relatives Aunt Jessica, but what state is the town of Big Pond in and who lives there?" he asked her, but kept his eyes on Willie.

Jessica opened her purse up and pulled out a small cardboard envelope that contained a photograph in a plastic evidence bag. She placed it on the table as she looked at Willie. She saw that the photo didn't bring any emotion to his face, and realized he had never seen it before. Taking a slow breath she said to Willie, "When you first claimed the sword, you showed Mort what was in the chamber of the sword and this happened to fall away. It wasn't until later that Mort found it, and made the connection. He gave it to me in the hospital after verifying that the photo was genuine. It's how he knew Frank would be in good hands." She turned it over revealing the words on the back. Frank could tell by Willie's sharp intake that it was something important. Craning his neck he tried to read the upside down writing.

What he could make out was a year, and the scrawl, "Mac…" Taking a bite of his cheese burger Frank chewed it slowly. "But how does that involve me? 'Mac?' She's your mum? But she looks like Aunt Jessica," said Frank before he noticed that Willie was gripping the table to prevent from falling over.

"Short for MacGill," said Jessica softly. "Most of us look alike, and there is no doubt in my mind that your mother is one of the clan MacGill."

"Oh, well, I've told Taylor that I will be marrying her and tha' I would have you as my best man, an' Jessica for a witness. Tipper, if she would come, will be her maid of honor," said Willie, still distracted by the photo he now held in his hands.

"You told her you're marrying her? You didn't ask her first?" gasped Frank.

"I didn't want her to say no… Finish tha' like a gentleman, and let's go home," said Willie helping Jessica up. "We've packing to do," he said, slipping the photo in his coat pocket.

AN: Yes the story will be continued. If you have reached this point, please take a moment more and review the story!

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" The Definitive Guide to Murder, She Wrote"

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