strap off her gun holster.
Paxton did the same. You could never be too careful with knife-wielding, mentally ill serial killers.
* * *
Cecilia stepped out of the way of her nearly stampeding classmates. Where did any of them have to go, except to third period? Helen caught her arm, though, and dragged her into the hallway.
“What did Father Fiefer eat for breakfast this morning?” The redhead gagged. “They can bottle it and use it for crowd control.”
As Francesca joined them, Cecilia looked out over the sea of blue, black, and white uniforms. “Have either of you seen Jeremy around?”
“No,” Helen replied. “But when do we ever?
Francesca shrugged as well. “He’s way too cool to hang with us now.”
Still, Cecilia searched the hallway. He should be heading to his math class, which was right across the hallway. Did something happen during his social studies class? She had reminded him three times to remember his book, but then she found her mom in the bathroom and had to give Jeremy the bum’s rush out the door. Maybe if Cecilia explained it was her fault that he didn’t have his book, Sister Morgan would go easy on him.
The other two girls continued toward the gym, but Cecilia turned in the other direction. “You guys go ahead.”
Helen frowned. “What do you mean? We’ve got PE.”
“I know, but I’ve really got to find Jeremy. Go on ahead. I’ll catch up.”
As her two best friends headed out to gossip and generally have fun, Cecilia searched the crowded quad for Jeremy. Where the heck was he? She dreaded answering that question. How many times could he miss school and avoid a suspension? Then what? The last thing her younger brother needed was time on his hands.
As the seconds ticked by, the crowd began to thin. No Jeremy. Cecilia rushed over to Building A, the social sciences wing, and made her way to Sister Morgan’s room. The older nun was carefully going through assignments.
No Jeremy.
Cecilia’s heart sank. If Sister Morgan didn’t hold him over, where was he?
Just as she exited the building, the warning bell rang. Across the quad, Sister Switzler knitted her very bushy eyebrows together tightly enough to make a Neanderthal proud. Cecilia tucked her head down and made for the gym.
If Switzler was on the prowl, she definitely didn’t have Jeremy, either. And if Sister Morgan did not keep him for detention, that meant only one thing. He had skipped school. Again.
She should have just left her mom sprawled out in the shower. Except for the fact that they could barely afford their water bill now, let alone after a day’s worth of “showering.” Cecilia put her hand out to open the gym door, when another hand covered hers. She had been so deep in the shame and blame game that she hadn’t even noticed John coming up from the breezeway.
“Just the girl I was looking for,” John announced, nearly caressing her hand.
Cecilia pulled her hand out from under his. “I’m late.”
“Don’t worry,” the wide-shouldered defensive lineman shrugged. “I’ll talk to Coach if he gives you any hassle.”
“I’d rather not get any hassle, whether you talk to him or not,” Cecilia answered as she tried to walk around John, but he blocked her way.
“How about you go out with the guys and me tonight?”
“You and the guys? Yeah, great way to make a girl feel special,” Cecilia retorted, but knew it was a mistake.
“Oh, I can make you feel special.”
Before John could lean any farther into her, Cecilia ducked out of the way.
“Thanks, but no.”
John’s stance stiffened as his hands balled up into fists. He did it so frequently that Cecilia didn’t even think that the guy realized he was doing it.
“I don’t like the word, ‘no.’ ”
Cecilia really needed to get around the football player without making a scene. “Sorry, then. How about ‘Gosh, not really’? ”
John slammed his hand into the brick wall. Cecilia jumped back a step, pulling her