The Word of a Child Read Online Free Page A

moment, so near rebellion that she
trembled. Nostrils flaring, she stared at Detective McLean, knowing what was
coming, hating it and him. He could have rescued her, could have said in that
quiet voice, "I don't think we need Ms. Stavig to be here."
    But he said nothing of the kind, and after an intense inner
battle Mariah went back to her seat and waited, head bowed.
    Noreen Patterson raised her voice. "Come in."
    "You wanted to see me?" Gerald Tanner looked wary.
    The principal asked him to take a seat. The remaining one
was right beside Mariah. She stared down at her hands.
    "Mr. Tanner, one of your students has accused you of
trading a passing grade for sex."
    His body jerked, as though he'd been struck by a bullet. "What?"
    Sounding calm, nonjudgmental, Noreen Patterson summarized Tracy's story.
    "Who is the student?" he asked, strain making his
voice shake.
    "Tracy Mitchell."
    "God." He bowed his head and squeezed his eyes
shut. "I've had conferences with her—I know she can do the work if only
she'd try—but I've never…" He drew a breath that was painful to hear.
    Unable to prevent herself, Mariah turned her head to see the
bewilderment and shock on his face.
    "You don't seriously think I…" He looked from face
to face and saw that they did. "Oh my God. This can't be happening!"
    "I'm afraid it is, Mr. Tanner." Detective McLean spoke quietly. "Any accusation of this magnitude has to be taken
seriously."
    "But she's thirteen years old! A … a child!" His
Adam's apple bobbed. "I have never been interested, would never be
interested…"
    They began to ask questions, and Mariah watched his
horrified disintegration.
    "You're going to take her word over mine?" He
shoved his chair back. His frenzied gaze encountered Mariah. "Why is she
here?"
    Mariah opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
    "The student chose to confide in Ms. Stavig," the
principal said coolly. "Since she's involved this deeply, I asked her to
stay."
    He looked at her with deep hurt. "You couldn't have
come to me?"
    "I…" Her voice stuck, unstuck. "You know I
have to…"
    "Set up an ambush?" He shot out of the chair as if
he couldn't bear to be so close to her.
    "Ms. Stavig did nothing but what she is required by law
to do, and you know it," Mrs. Patterson said sharply.
    "This is unbelievable!" He paced, his agitation
making his gait jerky and his bony limbs look like sticks strung together.
"Do I even get a chance to answer these charges? Does anybody care if I'm
innocent?"
    "Of course we care…"
    He swung to face Detective McLean. "Are you going to
arrest me?" he shouted. He stuck out his arms. "Here! Handcuff me
now. Let's get it over with. Apparently we can skip the trial, too. The judge
and jury are right here!"
    He had passed the point of listening to reason, and Mariah
couldn't blame him. They had ambushed him, and she understood his terror as the snares
whipped shut on his ankles.
    No matter the outcome, his life would never be the same
again. Rumors would start, whispers would follow him. Even his best friends
would feel doubt. Everyone would wonder: Did he do it? Even if Tracy Mitchell
eventually recanted her story the doubts wouldn't be completely erased. Maybe
she was afraid of him; maybe that's why she says it never happened. Maybe…
    "I'm sorry," Mariah whispered.
    The only one who seemed to hear her was Detective McLean,
whose mask slipped briefly to reveal a flash of—what? Compassion? Some inner
anguish?
    Or was it pity, because twice she had been fooled by
monsters who walked as men?
    The next moment he looked back at Gerald Tanner and said in
that quiet, steadying voice, "Mr. Tanner, I have every intention of
hearing your side. Teenagers do make up stories like this. You will not be
railroaded, I promise."
    Mariah stood up and left, not caring whether the principal
would be annoyed.
    God help her, she would never look at Gerald Tanner again
without hearing the whisper of doubt.
    Already those doubts murmured in her ear as she made