Hopscotch Homicide (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 16) (17 page)

“I’m excited for the meet and greet Zak and Zoe are hosting tomorrow. I think it was such a good idea to provide an informal setting where everyone can get to know one another before classes begin. I would think that having an informal social event before the beginning of the school year will ease first-day jitters for students and staff alike. Of course most of the staff already know one another, but it will be nice to give Mr. Danner, the new teacher of mathematics, a chance to get to know everyone else. He’s a widower, you know.”

Charlotte tilted her head as she watched me.

“I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not true. I don’t have a crush on Mr. Danner. Yes, he’s very good-looking, and we seem to share a lot of interests in common, but he’s five years younger than I am. Besides, his wife hasn’t been gone all that long. I’m sure the last thing he’s interested in doing is dating a sixty-two-year-old virgin.”

Charlotte rolled over onto her back. I sat down on the side of the bed and gave her stomach a scratch as I pictured the new math teacher. He did have a nice smile, and the creases in the corners of his eyes turned upward, indicating that he smiled a lot. And really, if you think about it, a five-year age difference wasn’t all that insurmountable once you passed the half-century mark.

“I’m just being a silly old woman.” I stood up. “A man with Mr. Danner’s looks and experience would never be interested in a dried-up old prune like me.”

I set my ridiculous fantasies aside and continued with my nightly rituals. After stacking the extra pillows on my white tufted chaise, I poured myself a cup of tea from the warming pot I’d already brought up and added a splash of brandy. I then slid between my 1500-thread count sheets and settled in.

“Are you ready?”

Charlotte indicated that she was.

After placing my reading glasses on the tip of my nose, I adjusted the light and opened the hardcover book I’d chosen from the bookcase. Charlotte crawled into my lap and began to purr as I began to read aloud. Reading aloud to Charlotte was an activity we both enjoyed immensely, and it was a rare occasion when we missed this ritual at the end of the day. Tonight I’d chosen to once again begin the story of
Emma
by Jane Austin. Emma had spunk. I liked that.

Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.

I paused and contemplated the sentence. Could a life with little to vex or distress truly be a life worth living? I smiled as I continued with the story. I had a feeling that my controlled and efficient life was about to get a whole lot more complicated, and for the first time I realized that I couldn’t wait to see how it all turned out.

Reader Portal:
To return to the main story, click on Zoe1, or continue on to Chapter 2 if reading as a short story.

#Zoe1

Having been involved in academia for most of my life, first as a student and then as a teacher, I’ve experienced the energy of the first day of school on many occasions. I will say that despite this familiarity with the rituals surrounding such an event, my first official day as a teacher at Zimmerman Academy was both as grand and as terrifying as any I had ever experienced. I have found that it is these seemingly routine events that, when captured in time, become the memories you cherish for a lifetime.

“What do you think?” I asked Charlotte.

“Meow.”

I’d dressed conservatively in a shin-length gray skirt with a matching jacket and an ivory-colored blouse. By the look on Charlotte’s face, she was more concerned about her breakfast than my attire. I studied my image in the full-length mirror. I doubted I’d win any beauty contests, but I’d done all right. I was certain the students wouldn’t care if I showed up in a gunnysack, but I did want to look my best for my first day working with Mr. Danner.

I fluffed the pillows on the bed one last time as I looked around the room. Everything was in order, which meant that the only thing left was to head downstairs and face the girls. We’d settled into a comfortable companionship over the past few days, but I knew it was important not to let on how very nervous I actually was. Charlotte followed me down the stairs and into the kitchen, where she headed straight to her empty bowl.

“Salmon or tuna?” I held up two cans of the gourmet cat food I bought for Charlotte.

“Meow.”

“Salmon it is.” I forked the chunky meal from the can and into her dish. “I’m going to be away for a good part of the day today,” I explained to my feline friend. “I know it makes you angry when you are left alone, but do try to behave yourself.”

Charlotte ignored me, but I expected nothing more. I’d spoiled Charlotte horribly since she was a kitten, and the fact that she ruled the house was something we both understood as true.

I had turned my back to make a pot of coffee when I heard a hiss, followed by a growl. Annabelle must have decided to join us.

“Do you think Charlotte will ever like Annabelle?” a concerned-looking Pepper asked as she walked into the room with the small cat Zoe had helped us pick out.

“I’m not certain she will ever actually like her, but I’m sure she will grow to tolerate her,” I answered honestly. “Your hair looks nice today.”

“Thanks.” Pepper fed Annabelle and then poured herself a glass of milk. “I wanted to do something fun for my first day. Should I make some eggs for us all?”

“Eve doesn’t eat eggs,” I reminded Pepper, “and Brooklyn doesn’t eat breakfast, but I wouldn’t mind some eggs if you are making some for yourself.”

That earned me a huge grin. I found that Pepper was the easiest of the girls to understand and communicate with, and she seemed to really enjoy doing things for others.

“Did you enjoy your evening with Chad?” I asked. Chad and Pepper had really hit it off when they met at the meet and greet, and he had asked Pepper to attend a movie the previous evening. Because Chad’s parents were going along I decided the outing would be harmless and encouraged her to go. I did so want the girls to have plenty of friends to ease the jitters I’d always associated with the first day at a new school.

“We had a really good time. Chad is superfunny, and he likes action flicks almost as much as I do. Mr. Carson invited me to go bowling with them on Thursday night. Would that be okay?”

“You like to bowl?” I asked as Pepper poured a bowl of beaten eggs into a hot pan.

“Sure. It’s a lot of fun. I’ve only been a few times and I’m afraid I’m pretty bad at it, but Chad said he didn’t care. He’s going to give me some pointers. His family plays in the family league. Can you imagine being close enough to your family to bowl with them once a week?”

I couldn’t, but it sounded nice.

“I’ll speak to Chad’s father, but as long as it is all right with him it is fine with me,” I answered.

“You aren’t going out with Chad again?” Brooklyn asked when she wandered into the kitchen just as our discussion was wrapping up.

“I am. Why?”

“He’s just so…” Brooklyn paused as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

“Perky,” Pepper supplied.

“Exactly.”

“What’s wrong with perky?” Pepper asked.

“It’s exhausting. Chad talks more than you do. I really don’t know how the two of you work out who’ll talk when.”

Pepper shrugged. “We manage.”

“And bowling? Really? Since when is bowling an accepted pastime?”

“Don’t be tiresome,” I scolded Brooklyn. “Bowling may not be your cup of tea, but Pepper seems to enjoy it, so don’t ruin it for her.”

Brooklyn sighed. “You’re right.” She turned to Pepper. “I’m sorry. I tend to be bitchy before I’ve had at least two cups of coffee.”

“Would you like some eggs?” Pepper held up the pan of eggs she was scrambling.

Brooklyn looked like she might vomit. I certainly hoped it wasn’t too late for those birth control pills she’d requested.

“Is the flaxseed gone?” Eve asked when she joined us and began preparing a bowl of whole grain cereal, which I knew she’d top with fruit and soy milk.

“It may be,” I answered. “Add it to the list and I will stop at the market this afternoon. If anyone else wants anything specific now would be the time to write it down.”

“We’re out of nonfat yogurt,” Brooklyn commented.

“Add it to the list,” I instructed.

“Is that what you’re wearing today?” Brooklyn looked at me as she jotted yogurt on the list.

Suddenly I felt like a self-conscious child again as I looked down at my outfit. “I planned to.”

Brooklyn frowned. “I don’t mean to be rude, but don’t you want to fit in?”

“Fit in?”

“To the twenty-first century. You have such nice features. Your hair is gorgeous, your skin is flawless, and you have an almost perfect facial ratio.”

“Facial ratio?”

“You’re a babe,” Pepper supplied.

“You just need a little makeup and some less stodgy clothing and you’ll have Mr. Danner drooling all over himself,” Brooklyn declared.

“Mr. Danner? What makes you think I’m interested in Mr. Danner?”

All three girls rolled their eyes.

“How about it, girls?” Brooklyn asked. “Should we help Ms. King out?”

Pepper and Eve agreed they should.

“Oh, I don’t know. I do have a certain reputation to uphold.”

“Nonsense.” Brooklyn took me by the arm as all three teenagers in my life escorted me back up the stairs. Brooklyn worked on my makeup and Eve took my hair down from its serviceable bun and brushed it out, while Pepper rummaged through my closet. The transformation from old maid to modern-day woman, amazingly enough, took only minutes.

“Wow,” I said as I looked again in the full-length mirror.

My makeup was lightly yet expertly applied, my conservative skirt and blouse had been replaced by dress slacks and a soft cashmere sweater that made me look professional yet approachable, and the conservative bun I’d worn for most of my sixty-two years had been replaced by soft curls trailing down my back that had been pulled back in a large clip at the back of my neck. I looked at least ten years younger.

“Wow is right,” Brooklyn agreed. “You look beautiful.”

I smiled. “Thank you. All of you.”

I could see the three teens were proud of what they had accomplished. It really was an amazing transformation. I almost didn’t feel like myself.

“We’d better go,” Eve said. “I wouldn’t want to be late.”

After Pepper and I made sure Charlotte and Annabelle were settled, the three girls and I gathered backpacks and supplies and headed out to the garage where I kept Lizzy, my 1955 Cadillac.

“You’ve heard about the hole in the ozone layer,” Eve scolded as she surveyed the car my father left me.

“I am aware of the fragile nature of our environment and I don’t often take Lizzy out for a spin, but my father used to take me to school in this car and I’ve taken myself to school in it on the first day of the new school year every year since he passed and left it to me. It is a tradition.”

“Well, I love it.” Pepper hopped into the front seat before any of the other girls had a chance to respond.

“It’s a convertible,” Brooklyn commented.

“Yes, dear. It is a nice morning, so I thought we’d arrive for our first day in style.”

“I spent twenty minutes getting my hair just so. Riding in that thing is going to destroy everything I worked so hard to accomplish. Why can’t we take your Volvo?”

“Because it is the first day of school,” I insisted. “I always take Lizzy on the first day of school.”

Brooklyn just looked at me.

“We can put the top up if that helps.”

Brooklyn climbed into the backseat as I raised the top.

I looked at Eve, who was still staring at Lizzy like she was going to singlehandedly prove to be responsible for the downfall of mankind.

“It’s just for today,” I encouraged.

Eve shrugged and climbed in beside Brooklyn.

I slowly backed out of the driveway.

“So how exactly is this going to work?” Pepper asked.

“You will each attend classes at the public high school in the morning. I will pick you up after third period and we will all head into town, where Mr. Zimmerman has rented a building to temporarily house the Zimmerman Academy. Mr. Zimmerman, Mr. Danner, and I, along with some part-time staff, will provide additional classes catered to your individual needs.”

“What about clubs and afterschool activities?” Brooklyn asked.

“We will try to accommodate any extracurricular activities you might have,” I promised. “I know Dezil plans to join the football team. Is there something in particular you are interested in?”

“Nothing particular, but I like to keep my options open. You never know when a hot guy is going to ask you to hang.”

“I want to be a cheerleader,” Pepper stated.

“You’d be a wonderful cheerleader, with all your energy. I’m sure Mr. Denton can tell you how to go about trying out. How about you, Eve? Are there any afterschool activities you might be interested in?”

“I’d like to be on the school newspaper, if they have one.”

“I’m certain they do. I believe there is a new staff adviser this year. Be sure to ask about it when you pick up your schedule.”

I pulled into the parking lot. Normally, I’d just be dropping the girls off, but I wanted to be certain they received their class schedules without any problems, so I pulled into a parking space.

“You don’t need to come in,” Brooklyn announced when she realized I was parking.

“Are you sure?”

“We’re sure,” Eve answered.

Pepper opened the passenger side door and the three girls climbed out.

“We’ll meet you in front of the school after third period,” Brooklyn declared, slamming the door behind her.

I watched as the girls walked toward the entrance. I hoped they’d have wonderful first days. They seemed so confident and unaffected by their new situation. I was nervous for them, but they didn’t seem nervous at all. I realized I could learn something from these remarkable young women.

After I dropped the girls off I continued on to the building that would house the Academy temporarily. Zak, Will, and I planned to have a staff meeting to discuss the division of labor for the first few weeks of school. Zak was going to teach a seminar in technology, Will planned to teach several accelerated math classes, and I was to handle literature and composition. While all of the students would be scheduled into all of the core subjects in any given week, Zak wanted to tailor each student’s curriculum to their own interests and needed.

Pi, Dezil, Abby, Dex, and Hacker had been admitted to the program based primarily on their strength in the area of technology, while Alex, Brooklyn, Pepper, Eve, and Chad showed overall intelligence in a number of subjects. Both Alex and Eve shared my love of literature and writing, so my plan was to spend extra time with the two of them in that area.

I took a deep breath after pulling up in front of the Academy. It was one thing to let the girls “sex me up,” but it was another to walk into a building where two of my male peers were waiting. Suddenly I was very sorry Zoe had been otherwise detained. Another female to divert the attention from the sweater I was suddenly convinced hugged my body much too snuggly would have been welcome indeed.

No guts, no glory
, I whispered to myself.

I opened the door and prepared to exit Lizzy.

“This your car?” Will Danner suddenly appeared beside me.

“Yes. This is Lizzy.”

This is Lizzy? Smooth, Phyllis

“She’s really fantastic. I love old cars, especially old Caddies. Are you the original owner?”

“My father was.”