Foxe Hunt (31 page)

“I mean like a completely different name? First and last. And a lot of them. All different.”

“Why, Skyler?”

“Because…because Keith has those. A lot of them. And he has a gun.”

“What the fuck!” She leapt to her feet and came around the desk. “Did he hurt you? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I’m just a little shell-shocked.”

“So what happened?”

He told her and he couldn’t help wiping at his moist eyes again. She sat in the chair beside him and put her arm around his shoulders. Her expression warred between protectiveness and predator.

“Okay. Okay,” she said once he’d stopped talking. “This is what we’re going to do. You are going to go to my house. You aren’t going to go home. You will not answer his calls. I’m going to clear this thing up once and for all.”

“Okay.”

“You’re okay, Skyler. I won’t let him hurt you. I won’t let him near you. I want you to go to my house right now.”

He rose. “Okay.”

“And lock the door and don’t open it unless it’s me or Mike.

Understand?”

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“Yes. Thanks, Sidney.”

“You don’t have to worry.” But her face was etched with concern.

He left the station and started driving, but when he got close to Jeff ’s house, he made a u-turn and headed there.

When his car came close he could see that lights were on, at least in the front part of the house. He checked his watch. Two am? Should he bother them? He pulled his car to the curb in front of the house and looked in through the window. People were moving around inside. He took a chance and shut off the engine and got out of the car.

He reached the front door and tentatively knocked. The door opened. Light spilled out onto the darkened porch. Jeff smiled upon seeing Skyler.

“God, Jeff. I’m sorry it’s so late. I just…”

“Skyler.” He pulled him into a hug. “Come in.”

He followed his friend through the door and Jeff ’s sister Cindy was sitting on the sofa with a photo album opened on her lap. “Hi, Skyler,” she said without getting up. She was wearing a soft sweater and tight blue jeans. Her feet were encased in fuzzy slippers.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I really couldn’t wait to give you the good news.” They looked at him expectantly. “You’re in the clear, Jeff. They caught the guy. Well,
I
sort of caught the guy.”

Jeff burst into tears and Skyler enclosed him in his arms. The photo album fell to the floor as Cindy joined them in a group hug. Eventually, she pulled them both to the sofa and urged them to sit.

She ran to the kitchen and returned with a glass of water and a paper towel, both of which she handed to her tear-streaked brother. He wiped his face and took a drink before setting the glass on the coffee table. She sat beside him with her hands curled around his arm. “Tell me, Sky,” he said.

Skyler related all of it, and brother and sister both put hands Foxe hunt
259

to their mouths when Skyler told of his mortal struggle, though he tried to keep the drama out of it. Of course, he had to mention Keith, and his brittle emotions got the better of him, too. He wiped a few tears away. Fortunately, they took it for tears of joy at the outcome.

“Sidney said she sent the paperwork to the county and you should have a clean slate.”

“Skyler, I can’t tell you how grateful I am. I can’t believe
you
solved the case. You’re a regular Sherlock Holmes.”

“I’m not, not really. I was just lucky.”

“You’re lucky you weren’t killed. Good thing that boyfriend of yours was there to save the day.”

“He’s not my boyfriend. I don’t know what he is.”

For the first time, Jeff seemed to notice Skyler’s distress.

“Skyler. What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. It’s been a really long day and a lot of stuff has happened. I’d better get to bed.”

He rose and went to the door. They trailed after him and hung in the doorway when he opened the front door.

“Oh, Skyler. I forgot to tell you. I actually heard from my Congressman. He called me! He said that LGBT concerns are one of his top priorities and he’s taking my case. He said that he
will
get that dishonorable discharge re-evaluated to an honorable discharge. He said the wheels are already turning. I can at least get a decent job again.”

“Jeff, I’m so glad to hear it. You deserve something good for a change.”

“It was my good luck meeting up with you again. God bless you, Skyler. I hope…I hope everything works out for you.”

“Me, too,” he said softly.

§ § §

He finally made it to Sidney’s apartment and as soon as he got in the door, Fishbreath, her enormous tabby cat, made for his
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legs and rubbed his head at his shins.

He crouched down and picked him up, holding him close, feeling comfort from the warmth and purring of the furry beast.

He rubbed his cheek on his velvety head. “Hi, Fishbreath. Are you lonely? Me, too.”

Just wanting the sound of something in the house, he flipped on the TV and sat with the cat on the sofa. The tabby was soon bored with sitting on his lap and wandered up to the top of the sofa back where he settled again, wrapping his long fluffy tail around Skyler’s neck. Sklyer scooped up the remote and tuned in the old movie channel.

He grabbed a pillow and hugged it. Fishbreath softly purred by his head on the back of the sofa. He watched the images flicker in front of him, not really absorbing what his eyes were watching. His anxious mind jumped from here to there, never stopping, never resting. Briefly he thought about sleeping, but he didn’t seem to feel tired enough.

The hours crawled by. When Fishbreath allowed it, he cuddled him, stroking down the soft fur between his ears. The cat head-butted him when his petting slowed. Sidney called and said that she would be there a little while longer.
She sure works late
. He looked at his watch again and saw, to his surprise, that it was five in the morning. He ran a hand over the sandpaper on his jaw and wondered how he looked. Probably had bags under his eyes. He sat for a while, listlessly watching the images on the television flicker by without really seeing them. What was Monday going to be like? Shit, it was going to be the longest weekend of his life.

Things were bad. He would bet anything that a special school board meeting got called. He might still lose his job, he certainly lost a boyfriend, and he might even be in danger from him. And what about the kids at school? Was Keith a hazard to them? He had saved Skyler a couple of times from trouble, but he had a pretty volatile personality. And did he carry his gun to school?

Who knew what could happen? It was insane letting him come back to school to deal with kids. He couldn’t let that happen. The whole grade fixing thing, one of the coaches turning out to be Foxe hunt
261

a murderer. Hell, maybe
Fallows
pushed Julia down the stairs. It would all come out in a few days or weeks.

But he couldn’t in all good conscience let Keith back into the school. He had to talk to Mr. Sherman and he had to do it now.

§ § §

Skyler got in his car and headed to Mr. Sherman’s house. He couldn’t help but recall the last time he’d been to the man’s house.

It was with Sidney to tell him that his son was murdered. And this trip was no better. It was to tell him that one of his teachers— no—
two
of his teachers were dangerous. One was locked up but maybe the other one should also be.

The sky was still dark, with only the merest tinge of color at the horizon. Saturday commuters were beginning to hit the streets, but store fronts were still dark. So were most of the houses down the quiet neighborhood street where Mr. Sherman lived.

He remembered the way and parked across the street under a large date palm. Five o’clock on a Saturday morning was far too early to call on someone, but he couldn’t wait till later. He had to tell Mr. Sherman, had to warn him.

A light went on upstairs and after a few minutes he could hear someone approaching the front door. It opened a crack behind a chain and an eye peered at him. The door closed again and opened to reveal Mr. Sherman clad in a bathrobe. His hair was mussed and he had a sleepy and perplexed look on his face. “Mr.

Foxe? What are you doing here? What’s wrong?”

“I know it’s early. And I’m so sorry. Can I come in?”

“Certainly.” He opened the door wider and Skyler slipped in. Mr. Sherman walked into the living room ahead of him and turned on a lamp. Skyler turned at the creak at the stair. He saw a pair of feet in slippers. “It’s all right, Valerie,” Sherman called up the stairs. “It’s one of my teachers.”

The footsteps retreated and Skyler ran his hand over his neck.

It was still a little sore.

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“I thought I’d be hearing from you, Mr. Foxe. Skyler. I got a call earlier in the evening from Alice Goodwin. And a school board member.”

“It’s such a mess. I’m so sorry, Mr. Sherman. I just don’t know what happened.”

“Young love,” he said. It wasn’t something he expected his stodgy principal to say but at least the man didn’t seem that upset.

“You and I both know it wouldn’t have gotten the attention of the school board if it hadn’t been two
gay
teachers dancing. But such is our present situation. You and I both can appreciate this particular case in this particular venue.”

Boy, had he misjudged Wesley Sherman. He was a pretty savvy fellow after all. Skyler was liking him more and more. He only wished it hadn’t taken these extreme circumstances to bring it out of him.

“Will they call for a special meeting of the school board and will I be required to attend?”

“I have no doubt there will be a special meeting called and that parents will wish to express their opinion on the matter.”

“I’m doomed.” He plunked his chin on his hand, his uncombed hair cascading over his eyes.

“Not so fast, Mr. Foxe. Though you are a new teacher, I’m certain there will be a gathering of the clan, so to speak. You have made a lot of friends among the faculty who will happily speak up for you.”

“I…I didn’t know that.”

“Didn’t you? I would be one of them.”

“Thanks, Mr. Sherman. I appreciate that. But I hope you won’t be in trouble. They’ve arrested one of the football coaches tonight. Last night, I guess. For murder.”

He stiffened. “Yes, I’d heard that, too.”

“A completely non-school related crime, though. However, he did confess that…well, that there was grade fixing going on.”

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Sherman nodded. This he also seemed to know. “By my son.”

He swallowed, seeing the raw pain still in the man’s eyes. “I’m afraid so.”

He sighed. “Yes, well. I knew about the rumors. It had to come out, of course. It does create a very troubling problem for the students. The entire season will have to be scrapped. The football program will have to be suspended pending a complete investigation.”

All he could think of was Alex. “But there are innocent kids involved, too, I’m sure of it.”

“I know that, Skyler. You’re thinking of young Mr. Ryan, aren’t you? So am I. But it can’t be helped. A lot more blood will be spilled before this is over. There will undoubtedly be some firings.”

With a feral growl in his soul, he hoped one of them would be Scott Carson.

But the ache in his heart told him he needed to tell Sherman one last thing.

“There’s more,” he said, locking his gaze with his principal.

“Keith Fletcher.”

“I understand you two are probably close and—”

“No, it’s not that. Mr. Sherman, something is going on at the school. Something unsavory and I don’t know what it is. It’s more than the grade fixing, I can feel it. Julia wasn’t pushed down the stairs because of grades. I’m really scared, Mr. Sherman, and I think that Keith is part of some dangerous conspiracy at the school. I know it sounds crazy but—”

“Let me stop you right there, Mr. Foxe.” His face lowered and he studied his hands, long fingers sliding one over the other.

Finally, he looked up at Skyler with calm eyes and locked gazes.

“Mr. Foxe, I know all about him.”

“No, you don’t. Mr. Sherman—”

He raised a hand to silence Skyler. “I assure you, Mr. Foxe, I do. You really have nothing to worry about. Keith Fletcher is
264 Haley Walsh

definitely not a criminal. He’s FBI.”

To be concluded in OUT-FOXED
.

AuthoR’s AFteRWoRd

We’ve come to the end of another Skyler Foxe Mystery and what do we get but a cliffhanger! Again! I hope you’ve been following the series and started with FOXE TAIL, because that would have explained more about what’s going on. As I said in that Author’s Afterword, I think of the first three books in the series as a sort of TV pilot to get you started into the rest of the books. Each of the first three books has its own mystery to solve but there is a greater mystery overarching the trilogy, sort of the Veronica Mars effect. I know it’s a long time between each book but I hope you’ll hang in there for the conclusion. I think you will find it worth the wait.

On another note, I wrote this book before Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was repealed. It was too much a part of the story to rewrite it, and besides, since we are moving along in a timeline, all these events happened
last
November, so we’re okay.

People have asked me about my approach to writing the Skyler Foxe Mysteries, and I like to think of these as romantic comedies with a little bit of murder thrown in. I hope you find it as much fun reading it as I had in writing it. I know these guys.

Been there done that. And maybe you know guys like that, too.

Or, the greatest compliment of all, you
want
to know guys like that. I can totally see hanging out with them at the Taquito Grill and knocking back a margarita or two. In fact, I have!

In this book, the students start a Gay-Straight Alliance or GSA. This is a student organization
for
the students and run
by
the students. Anyone can start a GSA at a high school. They have to follow all the rules of that particular school when it comes to starting a club. In other words, they must find an adult advisor like a teacher, coach, or librarian. Sometimes they will be required to create and submit a constitution with their application. Students should check their school manuals for instructions on starting a club. If all the rules are followed, then the administration
has
to
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