Chapter 2

Ally once again clamped her lips into a line and folded her arms. Brody recognized the mutinous look on her face as the one she gave him when he asked her to do anything that could be loosely constituted as a chore.

"Ally," Phoebe said, her voice now a degree warmer as she talked to Brody's daughter. "You should have come to me or someone of authority you feel comfortable talking to. If you have a problem with another student, then we will deal with it. What you did was wrong."

"I've tried that," Ally said, her tone defiant. "No one listens. Jack's mean, and so are his friends, and he gets away with it because of who his dad is."

Parents tended to believe the best in their kids, and he was no different, but he also knew his daughter's faults, and being mean wasn't one of them. Ally had a soft heart and would do anything for anyone, especially if they weren't able to defend themself.

"Who is his father?"

"That is not an issue here," Principal Tanner said quickly. Too quickly, to Brody's mind. The man's eyes were no longer meeting his but focused on his left ear. "We need to discuss consequences for Ally's actions."

"That's not fair!" Ally said. "Jack's the bad one, not me. Just ask some of the kids he bullies."

"Calm down, Ally. Yelling helps no one, and it's disrespectful to Principal Tanner and Ms. Stanway, who are trying to help you." Brody put a hand on her arm to let her know he was there. He then looked at the principal. "I have no problem with my kid receiving punishment if both parties involved receive it equally."

"Dad!"

"You did wrong with the dye, Ally, and you know it. Even if you were provoked." Her eyes dropped.

"Ally will do a week's worth of detention, and we will discuss the cost of the damage she did in Jack's locker," Principal Tanner said. "From now on, Ally, you need to inform a teacher or me if you have an issue with another student."

"I told Mr. Haddleback what Jack did last time he stole my lunch, and he told me I was a mean-spirited girl to lie like that," Ally said. "Then I went to Mrs. Roberts when Jack stuffed Bobby in a trash can, and she did nothing then too."

Brody thought the principal looked really uncomfortable now. Phoebe, however, still wore that emotionless expression.

"I think we're done here," Principal Tanner said quickly. "It's lunchtime, Ally, so you can go and have your meal. Mr. Duke, we'll send home word with the remuneration required when we've worked it out, but we thought it right to discuss the matter with you and Ally together."

In case she never told him was Brody's guess.

He rose with his daughter and kissed the top of her head. "You go have your lunch now, honey, and I'll see you after school. I want to talk to Principal Tanner and Ms. Stanway before I head back to work."

She left, reluctantly shooting him a last look before opening the door and leaving. Brody stayed on his feet when the door had closed again.

"I've never been one of those parents who thinks their kids can't do wrong, Principal Tanner, but Ally is not someone who retaliates without just cause. She's got flaws, but that's not one of them," Brody said.

"Children are different in a school environment when surrounded by their peers, Mr. Duke," Phoebe said.

"I can understand that, Ms. Stanway, but Ally is not in this alone. I want to know why, when she spoke to two teachers, something wasn't done or I wasn't contacted if she had concerns about this boy Jack before today?" He'd also be discussing with his kid why she hadn't spoken to him about what was going on. Brody had always thought they shared everything.

"The issue here is your daughter's behavior," Principal Tanner said.

"I disagree if it has bearing on the fact this Jack is getting away with bullying, and that is why Ally felt the need to retaliate as she did," Brody said. "How many times has he been in here? How many times have there been complaints about him being a bully that have been ignored? Further to that is why?" He was usually calm and easygoing unless it had something to do with his family, and especially Ally. He wasn't feeling calm right then.

"I understand your concerns, and I will look into them, but of course we cannot take your daughter's word alone for what has happened," Principal Tanner said.

"That doesn't answer my question. Have there been allegations about this boy that were ignored?"

The principal was now shuffling papers on his desk .

"I expect both parties involved in any situation to be treated equally, Principal Tanner, and would hate to believe that wasn't true because someone's parent held more weight for whatever reason."

"I'm not sure I like your allegations, Mr. Duke," Principal Tanner said stiffly.

"I'm not sure I like the fact that my kid asked two teachers to help her deal with a bully and neither of them did anything," he shot back.

Phoebe was listening quietly but had added nothing. The woman he'd known would have had a lot to say by now.

"You head back too, Ms. Stanway. Class will start again soon. Thank you for bringing all this to my attention," Principal Tanner said, clearly not wanting to continue with the discussion. "I'll be in touch, Mr. Duke. The matter is closed for today."

She rose, nodding, and walked out the door without another look Brody's way.

"This matter is not over, and I will expect your call, Principal Tanner," Brody said, following her to the door. "I need to know that favoritism is not at play here with this boy Jack—especially if he's a well-known bully. I expect you to deal with this fairly, or I will be back."

"I assure you I will," the man said, looking like a deer in the headlights now.

Brody walked out the door and saw Jack flanked by his parents, Connie and Leroy Little. Phoebe was talking to them.

Well, hell. He knew the bully's father.

"Your daughter is trouble, Duke," Leroy Little said, getting to his feet. He then pushed Phoebe out of the way, which just pissed Brody off more. "And I want an apology! "

"Of course he's your son," Brody said. "I should have guessed, seeing as he's got your manners. No man I know would have shoved a woman to one side like you just did to Ms. Stanway."

Little was one of those sniveling, self-important men who got under Brody's skin. He was an accountant who lived in a big house here in Lyntacky. Not born a local, he'd married one, and the Duke timber yard had supplied the materials for his house. The man had been a nightmare to deal with, and Brody and his brother Sawyer had gone a few rounds with him. When the deal was done, both parties disliked each other intensely.

"Clearly he's got all your personality traits too—even the good ones," Brody said. "Oh wait, you don't have any."

He couldn't be sure but thought Phoebe may have snickered at that, but when he shot her a look, her face was blank.

"You watch your mouth." Little got up in Brody's face, which wasn't easy because he was a foot shorter. The Duke brothers had called him slick when they'd first met him because of his appearance. That had soon changed to assface when he'd demanded a discount. "My boy is an angel. It's your daughter that's feral. She's?—"

"Be very careful what you say going forward, Little, because we both know I won't hesitate to rearrange your face if?—"

"Sit down, Mr. Little, and Principal Tanner will be with you soon," Phoebe said from his right in a hard schoolteacher's voice before Brody could finish his sentence. "This is a school, and we do not tolerate raised voices from anyone but the children."

Leroy Little gave Brody a last glare, which he returned, and then sat next to his smirking son .

"Goodbye, Mr. Duke," Phoebe added, shooting Brody a pointed look.

He badly wanted to flip Little the bird, but as his son and Phoebe were there, he just walked away. Once he'd turned the corner, he leaned against the wall and waited, knowing Phoebe would come this way soon.