The List
Chapter Eight
Frank knocked on the office door and went inside. Katy Dolenz, the school secretary, was the only one there.
"Hi, Frank," she said, looking up from her desk as he walked in.
"Hey," he returned. "Where is Principal Dylan?" he asked.
"In the girl's bathroom," she answered him. Frank raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"One of the students committed suicide," Katy told him.
"That's why classes were canceled," Frank deduced.
Katy nodded. "Yeah. The police and the girl's father are on their way over."
"Who was it?" Frank inquired.
"I can't tell you," she replied. "The police have to know first."
"You just said they were on their way," Frank reminded her.
"True," Katy admitted. "But until the police arrive and give a verdict, it's not an official suicide, so I can't tell you anymore. Don't ask," she warned him.
"Okay," Frank said, holding his hands up in surrender. "Thanks." He left the office and went outside to the van.
"Well?" Callie demanded.
"Where's Joe?" he asked, his face wrinkling in concern when he never saw him.
"He hasn't gotten here yet," Biff answered, a frown on his face too as he wondered what was taking him so long.
Frank turned around and headed back towards the school. "Frank!" Callie shouted.
He turned and saw their expectant faces looking at him. "One of the students committed suicide in the girl's bathroom," Frank replied. "But keep it to yourselves for now," he added, starting for the school again.
The others joined him immediately. "We'll all look for Joe," Phil said.
"Wait," Frank said. "Callie, will you wait at the van in case Joe does come out?" he asked, worried.
"Sure," she replied and returned to the van.
"Why is everyone so worried?" Chet demanded as they reached the entrance. "What could happen to him at school?"
No one answered him as they all filed into the building. "Okay, I came from the office and didn't see him, so we'll start at Joe's locker and then break for a search," Frank said, starting up the hall.
They got as far as the Creative Expression classroom when the door opened and Joe came out. "I thought you were just going to your locker," Frank said, his tone vaguely accussing.
"I was, but I stopped off to see Amy," Joe replied, gingerly touching the back of his head. "She wasn't there, but someone else was."
Frank came over to look at Joe's head. "Ouch!" Joe shouted as Frank touched it.
"Sorry," Frank told him, frowning. "Did you see who it was?"
"No," Joe said. "But I wonder what he was after in there."
"He?" Biff demanded.
"Could have been a girl," Joe said. "I don't know. But we need to find Amy so we can find out what he or she was after."
"Not now," Frank replied.
"Why not?" Joe demanded.
"A girl killed herself in the bathroom," Chet informed him, cringing as his friends' eyes shot daggers.
"Who?" Joe asked in surprise.
"We don't know," admitted Frank. "We'll probably find out tonight on the news. But the staff are all busy. We'll have to atalk to Amy tomorrow."
"Shouldn't we at least report the attack on Joe?" Phil asked.
Frank glanced at Joe, looking back at Phil before Joe had a chance to see. "Not now," he said. "They've got their hands full."
"I've still got to go to my locker," Joe said.
"I'll go with you," Chet offered, and the two of them headed up the hallway.
"What's going on?" Phil demanded after Joe and Chet had gone far enough not to hear.
"There wasn't even a bump on his head," Frank said.
"You mean, he lied about being attacked?" Biff demanded, his eyes wide.
"I don't know," Frank replied. "I can't think of any reason for Joe to lie," he continued. "Maybe he's telling the truth. But if so, what could there have been in that classroom that was so important someone had to attack Joe in order not to be seen?"
"You never used to doubt Joe," Phis commented.
"I've never had a reason to," Frank retorted. "But with the way things have been lately," he stopped speaking for a few seconds and just shook his head a little as he ran a hand through his hair. He looked Phil in the eyes as he started talking again. "I'll do whatever I have to in order to keep Joe safe. Even if it's from himself."
"Including spy on him?" Phil demanded.
"If that's what it takes," Frank replied, not backing down.
"Ready," Chet yelled out as he and Joe got closer. Joe looked at Phil and Frank curiously as they neared, but never said anything.
"I wonder if they have any leads on the theft and murder at the jewelry store," Joe said after they had left their friends.
"Maybe there will be something in the paper tonight," Frank replied with a shrug. "What kind of take-out did you want to take to Vanessa's?" he asked, changing the subject.
"How about subs?" Joe suggested. "I could use a break from pizzas."
"Me too," Frank agreed with a grin, driving on down the street to the Sub shop.
The boys picked up subs, sodas, and chips, then got back into the van and drove to Vanessa's. "Hey!" she greeted them, coming out onto the porch as they started up the steps. "I didn't expect you two."
"We wanted to stop in and see how your mom's doing," Joe replied. Vanessa led the way inside and the boys sat the food and sodas on the coffee table.
"I was sorry to hear about your ankle," Frank told Mrs. Bender as he sat down.
"Me too," Mrs, Bender replied, her hazel eyes sparkling. "It was nice of you boys to bring dinner."
"And homework," Joe added. He still hadn't sat down. "I've got it in the van," he told Vanessa.
"Well, go get it," she said, shooing him out of the door.
"Valerie's folks were at home when Joe took her back to pick up her clothes," Frank told Vanessa after Joe had gone outside.
"No wonder you didn't know what I was talking about when I called," Vanessa said with a little laugh.
"Here we go," Joe said, coming back inside with his backpack. He opened it up and pulled out two books and a notebook which he handed to Vanessa. Then he gave her a slip of paper with her assignments written on it.
"Thanks, Joe," she said. "I really didn't want to get behind with school just starting." She paused and wrinkled her brow as she looked from Joe to Frank. "What are you two doing here so early?" she asked. "School isn't even out yet."
"Afternoon classes were canceled," Frank said. "Someone committed suicide in the girl's bathroom."
"Who?" Vanessa asked, her eyes going wide.
"We don't know," Frank answered. "We weren't allowed to see and they wanted her family and the police there before they would tell."
"Maybe it will be on the news," said Mrs. Bender.
"But it doesn't come on until six," Vanessa reminded her mother.
"It comes on in fifteen minutes on the local readio station," Mrs. Bender said.
"You're right!" Joe said. "I'd forgotten about the radio."
"That's because you only ever play CDs," Frank told him playfully.
"Yeah, well, what's your excuse for forgetting?" Joe demanded, grinning over at his brother. Frank made a face at him but never answered.
"Vanessa, go get some plates. Joe, turn on the radio," Mrs. Bender ordered. "We'll eat while we listen."
It wasn't too long after they had begun eating that the news came on. "And locally, a tragedy struck at Bayport High School when a young girl, Paula Michaels, died in the girl's restroom today. Afternoon classes were canceled and students sent home while the girl's father and the police were called to the scene. The police have labeled the death to be a suicide."
Joe got up and flipped off the radio when the broadcaster moved on to another topic. "I can't believe it," he said, sitting back down.
"You knew her?" Mrs. Bender asked.
"We have--had a class together," Joe answered. "She just didn't seem the type to do something like that."
Vanessa exchanged a look with Frank then reached over and hugged Joe. "What was that for?" he asked. "Not that I'm complaining," he added with a grin.
"Just because I'm glad you're here," she answered him.
Frank and Joe stayed awhile longer, then drove home. When they got there, Mrs. Hardy met them at the front door. "Joe, could you do me a favor?" she asked.
"Sure," he replied. "What?"
"I've been cleaning in the attic and I need your help moving some things," she said.
"No problem," he said. "Just let me dump my backpack in my room and I'll go on up," he promised, heading upstairs.
Frank moved to follow, but Mrs. Hardy put a hand on his arm preventing him. "Vanessa called," she whispered as she heard Joe go into his room. "She said she had to see you but not to let Joe know."
"I'll go now," Frank said and turned to leave, wondering what was wrong.
"Frank," Mrs. Hardy said before he had left. "She sounded hysterical."
Frank gave his mom a quick hug. "I'll hurry," he promised. "Keep an eye on Joe." She nodded as he left.
When Frank arrived at Vanessa's, she was waiting on the porch steps. As he pulled to a stop, she came running down the steps and threw herself at him. "Easy," Frank soothed her, holding her tight until she had calmed down enough to talk. "Now, what's wrong?" he asked softly.
"I...I found this in my Algebra book," she told him, holding up a torn sheet of paper. "It must have gotten stuck in there somehow when Joe had it in his backpack."
Frank took the paper from her and read it, his face growing white. He sank to his knees and started crying. Vanessa, also crying, joined him.
Chapter Eight
Frank knocked on the office door and went inside. Katy Dolenz, the school secretary, was the only one there.
"Hi, Frank," she said, looking up from her desk as he walked in.
"Hey," he returned. "Where is Principal Dylan?" he asked.
"In the girl's bathroom," she answered him. Frank raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"One of the students committed suicide," Katy told him.
"That's why classes were canceled," Frank deduced.
Katy nodded. "Yeah. The police and the girl's father are on their way over."
"Who was it?" Frank inquired.
"I can't tell you," she replied. "The police have to know first."
"You just said they were on their way," Frank reminded her.
"True," Katy admitted. "But until the police arrive and give a verdict, it's not an official suicide, so I can't tell you anymore. Don't ask," she warned him.
"Okay," Frank said, holding his hands up in surrender. "Thanks." He left the office and went outside to the van.
"Well?" Callie demanded.
"Where's Joe?" he asked, his face wrinkling in concern when he never saw him.
"He hasn't gotten here yet," Biff answered, a frown on his face too as he wondered what was taking him so long.
Frank turned around and headed back towards the school. "Frank!" Callie shouted.
He turned and saw their expectant faces looking at him. "One of the students committed suicide in the girl's bathroom," Frank replied. "But keep it to yourselves for now," he added, starting for the school again.
The others joined him immediately. "We'll all look for Joe," Phil said.
"Wait," Frank said. "Callie, will you wait at the van in case Joe does come out?" he asked, worried.
"Sure," she replied and returned to the van.
"Why is everyone so worried?" Chet demanded as they reached the entrance. "What could happen to him at school?"
No one answered him as they all filed into the building. "Okay, I came from the office and didn't see him, so we'll start at Joe's locker and then break for a search," Frank said, starting up the hall.
They got as far as the Creative Expression classroom when the door opened and Joe came out. "I thought you were just going to your locker," Frank said, his tone vaguely accussing.
"I was, but I stopped off to see Amy," Joe replied, gingerly touching the back of his head. "She wasn't there, but someone else was."
Frank came over to look at Joe's head. "Ouch!" Joe shouted as Frank touched it.
"Sorry," Frank told him, frowning. "Did you see who it was?"
"No," Joe said. "But I wonder what he was after in there."
"He?" Biff demanded.
"Could have been a girl," Joe said. "I don't know. But we need to find Amy so we can find out what he or she was after."
"Not now," Frank replied.
"Why not?" Joe demanded.
"A girl killed herself in the bathroom," Chet informed him, cringing as his friends' eyes shot daggers.
"Who?" Joe asked in surprise.
"We don't know," admitted Frank. "We'll probably find out tonight on the news. But the staff are all busy. We'll have to atalk to Amy tomorrow."
"Shouldn't we at least report the attack on Joe?" Phil asked.
Frank glanced at Joe, looking back at Phil before Joe had a chance to see. "Not now," he said. "They've got their hands full."
"I've still got to go to my locker," Joe said.
"I'll go with you," Chet offered, and the two of them headed up the hallway.
"What's going on?" Phil demanded after Joe and Chet had gone far enough not to hear.
"There wasn't even a bump on his head," Frank said.
"You mean, he lied about being attacked?" Biff demanded, his eyes wide.
"I don't know," Frank replied. "I can't think of any reason for Joe to lie," he continued. "Maybe he's telling the truth. But if so, what could there have been in that classroom that was so important someone had to attack Joe in order not to be seen?"
"You never used to doubt Joe," Phis commented.
"I've never had a reason to," Frank retorted. "But with the way things have been lately," he stopped speaking for a few seconds and just shook his head a little as he ran a hand through his hair. He looked Phil in the eyes as he started talking again. "I'll do whatever I have to in order to keep Joe safe. Even if it's from himself."
"Including spy on him?" Phil demanded.
"If that's what it takes," Frank replied, not backing down.
"Ready," Chet yelled out as he and Joe got closer. Joe looked at Phil and Frank curiously as they neared, but never said anything.
"I wonder if they have any leads on the theft and murder at the jewelry store," Joe said after they had left their friends.
"Maybe there will be something in the paper tonight," Frank replied with a shrug. "What kind of take-out did you want to take to Vanessa's?" he asked, changing the subject.
"How about subs?" Joe suggested. "I could use a break from pizzas."
"Me too," Frank agreed with a grin, driving on down the street to the Sub shop.
The boys picked up subs, sodas, and chips, then got back into the van and drove to Vanessa's. "Hey!" she greeted them, coming out onto the porch as they started up the steps. "I didn't expect you two."
"We wanted to stop in and see how your mom's doing," Joe replied. Vanessa led the way inside and the boys sat the food and sodas on the coffee table.
"I was sorry to hear about your ankle," Frank told Mrs. Bender as he sat down.
"Me too," Mrs, Bender replied, her hazel eyes sparkling. "It was nice of you boys to bring dinner."
"And homework," Joe added. He still hadn't sat down. "I've got it in the van," he told Vanessa.
"Well, go get it," she said, shooing him out of the door.
"Valerie's folks were at home when Joe took her back to pick up her clothes," Frank told Vanessa after Joe had gone outside.
"No wonder you didn't know what I was talking about when I called," Vanessa said with a little laugh.
"Here we go," Joe said, coming back inside with his backpack. He opened it up and pulled out two books and a notebook which he handed to Vanessa. Then he gave her a slip of paper with her assignments written on it.
"Thanks, Joe," she said. "I really didn't want to get behind with school just starting." She paused and wrinkled her brow as she looked from Joe to Frank. "What are you two doing here so early?" she asked. "School isn't even out yet."
"Afternoon classes were canceled," Frank said. "Someone committed suicide in the girl's bathroom."
"Who?" Vanessa asked, her eyes going wide.
"We don't know," Frank answered. "We weren't allowed to see and they wanted her family and the police there before they would tell."
"Maybe it will be on the news," said Mrs. Bender.
"But it doesn't come on until six," Vanessa reminded her mother.
"It comes on in fifteen minutes on the local readio station," Mrs. Bender said.
"You're right!" Joe said. "I'd forgotten about the radio."
"That's because you only ever play CDs," Frank told him playfully.
"Yeah, well, what's your excuse for forgetting?" Joe demanded, grinning over at his brother. Frank made a face at him but never answered.
"Vanessa, go get some plates. Joe, turn on the radio," Mrs. Bender ordered. "We'll eat while we listen."
It wasn't too long after they had begun eating that the news came on. "And locally, a tragedy struck at Bayport High School when a young girl, Paula Michaels, died in the girl's restroom today. Afternoon classes were canceled and students sent home while the girl's father and the police were called to the scene. The police have labeled the death to be a suicide."
Joe got up and flipped off the radio when the broadcaster moved on to another topic. "I can't believe it," he said, sitting back down.
"You knew her?" Mrs. Bender asked.
"We have--had a class together," Joe answered. "She just didn't seem the type to do something like that."
Vanessa exchanged a look with Frank then reached over and hugged Joe. "What was that for?" he asked. "Not that I'm complaining," he added with a grin.
"Just because I'm glad you're here," she answered him.
Frank and Joe stayed awhile longer, then drove home. When they got there, Mrs. Hardy met them at the front door. "Joe, could you do me a favor?" she asked.
"Sure," he replied. "What?"
"I've been cleaning in the attic and I need your help moving some things," she said.
"No problem," he said. "Just let me dump my backpack in my room and I'll go on up," he promised, heading upstairs.
Frank moved to follow, but Mrs. Hardy put a hand on his arm preventing him. "Vanessa called," she whispered as she heard Joe go into his room. "She said she had to see you but not to let Joe know."
"I'll go now," Frank said and turned to leave, wondering what was wrong.
"Frank," Mrs. Hardy said before he had left. "She sounded hysterical."
Frank gave his mom a quick hug. "I'll hurry," he promised. "Keep an eye on Joe." She nodded as he left.
When Frank arrived at Vanessa's, she was waiting on the porch steps. As he pulled to a stop, she came running down the steps and threw herself at him. "Easy," Frank soothed her, holding her tight until she had calmed down enough to talk. "Now, what's wrong?" he asked softly.
"I...I found this in my Algebra book," she told him, holding up a torn sheet of paper. "It must have gotten stuck in there somehow when Joe had it in his backpack."
Frank took the paper from her and read it, his face growing white. He sank to his knees and started crying. Vanessa, also crying, joined him.