Foxe Hunt (27 page)

What? Ed Fallows was going to be here tonight? That sucked.

“Also, I have asked the DJ to keep the music to an acceptable intensity, but I’ve been to enough of these to know that the DJs prefer a decibel level that inspires leaves to fall off of trees.” He laughed. Sounded like the guy at Trixx. “So keep an eye—or I suppose rather an ear on that.”

Her attention was caught by something across the room.

“Oh. Please excuse me, Skyler. I think you’ve got the gist of it.”

He saluted. “No problem, Alice. Well in hand.” When he turned around to survey the room he saw Ed Fallows enter. He was wearing a regular dark suit and tugging at his tie. His eyes locked on Skyler’s for a moment before he sneered and turned away.

“Dickhead,” muttered Skyler and wandered near the crepe-swagged tables, checking out the decorations.

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223

It was getting close to the witching hour and still no sign of Alex or Keith. Skyler joined the kids outside the cafeteria at the checkin table and students from his classes whistled and catcalled upon seeing him.

“Mr. Foxe! Check him out!” cried Drew O’Connor from his fifth period class. He was one of the nicer football players and had taken Alex under his wing.

“And check you out, Drew. Slick.”

Drew pulled at his labels with his thumbs. “This old thing? I make it look good.”

His date clutched his arm and chortled. She was a slim girl in a frilly layered number. She had braces but didn’t seem to mind and smiled a big toothy grin. Skyler didn’t know her name.

It was fun to see his students all dressed up, like little ladies and gentlemen. This was all part of the ritual, part of the long path to adulthood. Soon enough they would have to start thinking of careers and which colleges to go to in order to make that happen. Lots of grown-up decisions ahead, not the least of which involved sex. Skyler was well aware that many of the students had already had sex before they even got to high school.

But this mating dance was all a part of the socialization of their tribe. Even if that tribe had zits on their faces and braces on their teeth.

Alex finally showed up. He looked stiff in his tux with his collar tight around his barrel-shaped neck. “Hey, Alex,” said Skyler, checking him off the list. “Your date’s already in there.”

“Huh?” His panicked face broke out in a sweat.

Chill, dude
. “Amber.
Your date
. She’s inside.”

“Oh! Yeah. She’s in there.” He threaded his way through the crowd at the door and squeezed in.

Skyler rolled his eyes. This was going to be a long night.

The music had begun, thumping so loudly through the base of the speakers that everyone lining up at the checkin table in the corridor felt it in their guts.

Skyler checked his phone, hiding it in the palm of his hand, when one of the girls at the table beside him tapped his arm.

“Uh…Mr. Foxe, we aren’t supposed to have cell phones on.”

“Oh, sorry, Jessica. You are absolutely right.” He set it on vibrate and stuck it in his pants pocket. Sidney still hadn’t gotten back to him and it was pissing him off.

And where the hell was Keith? He didn’t want to be stuck with just Ed Fallows all night. And just as he thought of sneaking away and giving Keith a call, he saw the man coming around the corner down the corridor.

Damn. Did he look good.

Some men with broad shoulders looked too buff in a suit, as if their seams would rip if they moved. Either his tailor was superb or he was just the right size—or both—because Keith looked elegant and graceful in his black tux. He wore a white band-collar shirt with no tie and a high-cut vest in black. His dark hair was shiny with product and his beard stubble on that square jaw was neatly trimmed to form a precise curve under his cheeks.

He came right up to Skyler and smiled. It was all Skyler could do not to drool.

“Hey, Mr. Foxe.”

He wanted to effuse on how good he looked, but he knew that would not be a good idea in front of the students. It was bad enough that his voice cracked when he said, “Hi, Mr. Fletcher.”

“Sorry I’m late. What are we supposed to be doing?”

“I was just helping out with checkin. I guess we can patrol the corridors and such.” He stepped away from behind the table and walked with Keith down the corridor away from the students.

226 Haley Walsh

“You look absolutely edible,” muttered Keith.

“God, so do you. And only two hours to go till it’s over.”

Keith groaned. “Want to jump you
now
.”

“Stop it. Don’t even think that. My dick is not behaving as it is.”

Keith was breathing hard. “Did you have to say ‘dick’?”

They paused and looked back down the corridor. There were fewer kids in line. Most had gone inside. Skyler looked up at Keith. “We’re supposed to check the boys’ bathroom.”

“Skyler!”

“No! I mean
really
check the boys’ bathroom. No way would I do anything here.”

Keith nodded, running his finger nervously around his collar.

The bathroom was just ahead and they pushed the door open and took a look inside. It smelled like urine, urinal cakes, and the lingering stale smell of cigarette smoke.

Nothing there.

They slowly made their way back toward the cafeteria.

“I don’t know about you,” said Skyler, reaching for a safe topic, “but I’ve been looking forward to this.”

“You have?”

“Yeah. I like all this teacher stuff. And it’s my first year, you know?”

Keith smiled. “Yeah, I remember. I was pretty psyched about all that, too, when I first started out.”

“And when was that exactly?” asked Skyler with a brow waggle.

“Back in the Jurassic period, of course. Somewhere around 1998.”

“Did they have paper back then?”

“No. We chiseled our essays on rocks and played football with a T-Rex egg. Made for messy tackles.”

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227

Skyler chuckled. They made their way back into the noisy cafeteria. Students were dancing in couples and sometimes in groups of three or more. “Shall we do the obligatory check of the punch?”

“Sure,” Keith shouted over the music. “I’m a little thirsty.”

They headed to the drink table and a student volunteer behind the table ladled them each a cup. Skyler sipped and nearly choked. Too sweet by far. He discretely poured it in the potted plant by the door.

Keith followed his lead. “Not spiked, but jeez!”

Skyler spotted Ed Fallows chatting up some of the female chaperones across the dance floor. “Ugh. Fallows.” He shivered.

Keith looked in the direction Skyler was scowling and leaned in. “What’s your beef with him?”

“He’s a bastard, that’s what. He was yelling at one of my kids, calling him all kinds of unacceptable names.”

“Coaches do that all the time.”

“
Gay
names?”

“Well, yeah.”

He stared at Keith aghast. “Surely
you
don’t find that acceptable.”

“No, and believe me, I try to curb it when I hear it but it’s part of the culture.”

“Well it needs to stop being part of the culture. I’m surprised at you. And a little dismayed.”

“Look, Skyler. You don’t understand—”

“You’re damned right I don’t understand. It’s hurtful. I had to listen to that crap enough when I was a student here and I damned well don’t want any more kids to have to suffer it.”

“I think you’re overreacting.”

“Overreacting? He caught Alex Ryan, your newest player, in a clinch with his
boyfriend
. He laid into him, threatened to throw
228 Haley Walsh

him off the team just because he was gay.”

“Ryan is gay?” He looked around for the boy.

“Yes.”

“He can’t kick him off the team for that.”

“I know, but he’ll find another way. Like maybe adjust his grades the
other
way for a change?”

Keith’s gaze jolted toward Skyler’s and their eyes locked.

“What do you know about that?”

“Enough to know that football’s in a lot of trouble.”

Keith’s whole demeanor changed to something slightly menacing. Skyler took a step back as Keith loomed over him.

“Look, Skyler. I want you to keep out of it, okay? I have it covered.”

“I will not keep out of it! One of my students needs me!”

“I’m warning you—”

“Gentlemen,” said Ms. Goodwin, coming up behind them.

They parted for her and she situated herself between them, giving them each a stern expression. “Could you save your heated debates for another time? I suggest you break it up and patrol the dance floor. I need a male presence out there.”

Skyler turned a sheepish expression on her. “Yeah, sorry, Alice.”

She nodded and moved along, touching shoulders to make her way through the crowd.

“What do you mean you’re ‘warning me’?” he said, leaning in close to Keith. “What kind of attitude is that?”

Keith passed a hand over his eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say it like that. I just… Skyler, I know it’s a stretch, but could you just trust me on this?”

“How can you stand it trying to stay in the closet over there?

It’s so ingrained with those coaches to be anti-gay.”

“I know, I know.” Keith took a deep breath. His gaze drifted Foxe hunt
229

and he seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

“And anyway,” said Skyler quietly. “I think the man’s a criminal.

A real one.”

Keith snapped out of his reverie. “What do you mean by that?”

Skyler wanted to spill the whole thing about the pot farm, Evan, murder—but he felt Alice Goodwin’s demanding gaze on him. “Look, I’ll tell you later.” He moved onto the dance floor, looking back once at a perplexed Keith before turning away.

Maybe that was too heavy a conversation for tonight. Keith was doing that hot and cold thing again. What was with the guy?

And anyway he didn’t want to spoil the mood of being at his first school dance. He mentally shook his head and tried to get into the spirit, checking out some of the dance moves he saw and storing them away in his head for the next time he was at Trixx.

He caught up to Alex, Amber, Rick, and Heather. They were all standing by the folding chairs, moving to the music but not actually dancing. Skyler waved and they all perked up.

“Hey, why aren’t you guys dancing?”

Rick rolled his eyes and jabbed his thumb at Heather. “Leather Munson doesn’t dance. Should have thought of that when you invited me to a…wait for it…
dance
,
tonto
!”

“I’m just your beard,
Enrique
. I’m not your dance partner.”

Skyler blew out a breath. These guys. “What about you, Alex?” The boy had already loosened his tie and unbuttoned his jacket. His shirt was untucked on one side.

“I don’t dance,” he sneered.

Amber crossed her arms and blew a lock of her hair off her forehead. She looked more annoyed than disappointed.

Skyler stated the obvious. “I have a solution. Rick, why don’t
you
ask
Amber
to dance?”

The Hispanic boy turned to Amber. “But I came with Leather Girl.”

230 Haley Walsh

“And I applaud your chivalry. But you
can
dance with other people. It seems a shame to waste that tux.”

“Totally.” He shrugged. “You want to dance, Watson?”

Amber smiled her most beguiling toothy grin. “Yes, please.”

The complete gentleman, Rick took her hand, kissed it, and escorted her to the dance floor.

Alex thrust his hands in his pants pockets and fumed.

“Alex,” said Skyler out of the corner of his mouth. “Cool it.

You look like you’re ready to kill her.”

Heather moved toward Alex and threaded her arm through his. Alex looked at her like she was crazy. “So now I’m
your
beard, sweetheart. Try to look a little less constipated and let’s get some water.”

Alex must have succumbed to the wisdom of it and relaxed his face. He walked with her to the table with the drinks and Skyler watched them go with amusement.

He loved his job.

“Love the little game you’re playing, but it’s not going to work.”

Skyler whipped around to the voice at his ear. Ed Fallows.

The man gestured toward Alex, looking uncomfortable with Heather hanging on his arm. “Maybe you can fool these guys, but not me.”

“I’m not interested in getting into it with you here, Fallows, so take a hike.”

“We’re not done, Foxe. Not by a long shot.”

Skyler turned to him and with his best sneer said, “Please
do
take this the wrong way:
fuck off
.”

Fallows frowned. “I know about you, too, Foxe. It could get mighty uncomfortable here for you once everyone finds out you’re a homo. Just what is it you do with your male students that makes them so attached to you? Sherman would like to know that.”

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231

“You bastard. Get away from me, or so help me—”

“What? Just what will you do? I heard about that punch you missed.”

“You mean on your boss? James Homophobe Fischer?”

Fallows eyes widened almost comically.

“Didn’t know I knew that, did you? I know more than you think. About all kinds of off campus…
stuff
.”

Fallows paled, tightened his lips, and whirled away. Okay, maybe that wasn’t the smartest of moves but that guy really pissed him off!

He snatched his phone from his pocket and looked at it again.

No messages. Where the hell was Sidney? What kind of public servant was that?

§ § §

Hour three. Hardly any of the students showed signs of leaving. Heather and Amber obligingly stuck around Rick and Alex so the two boys could hang out. That was nice of them.

Skyler caught a kid smoking outside and confiscated his cigarettes. The punch ran out and the committee made a quick run to buy sodas, which promptly ran out, too. Skyler broke up no less than three heavy make-out sessions with teens hiding in doorways, niches, and even behind some holly bushes out in front of the school. Ouch.