Denise Swanson - Murder of a Royal Pain

Still, they had a lot in common. Both of them had had to move back to small towns, and both worked in a helping profession. So what was troubling her? Skye bit her lip. Could it be that she felt displaced? First she had to share her office; now she was being told Jackie was taking over her duties. But they were tasks she didn’t want, so why did she care?

Skye resolutely pushed the negative thoughts away. She was happy Jackie had been hired, and she would do everything in her power to make her welcome.

Jackie interrupted Skye’s thoughts by asking, “How are we going to work this shared office deal?”

“Since we’re both responsible for the entire school district, we’ll set up a schedule that puts us at different schools most of the time,” Skye suggested. “I’m guessing we’ll be sharing offices in all the buildings.”

“Yes, that might work. But won’t there be times when we both have to be in the same school?”

“On those days, such as when the Pupil Personal Services teams meet, we’ll have to share the room. I guess we’ll have to think of it as having a college roommate. Someone to talk over our frustrations with. Let’s face it: The confidential nature of our jobs makes it kind of tough to socialize in the teachers’ lounge.”

Jackie nodded slowly.

“Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself, roomy?” Skye asked, hoping to help the other woman relax.

“There’s not much to tell.” Jackie shrugged. “I’m single, looking for Mr. Right, but usually end up with Mr. Right Now. No children. How about you?”

“About the same. Though I’m finally dating a very nice guy, Wally Boyd. He’s the police chief in town. I live in a big old money pit of a house that I inherited, I have a black cat named Bingo, and I’m related to most of the people in town. Are you living in Clay Center with your mom?”

“Uh, well, no.” Jackie pleated the material of her skirt. “She lives in that new senior housing and there’s no room for me, so I’m staying at the Up A Lazy River Motor Court while I look for an apartment.”

“That’s my uncle Charlie’s place.”

“Your uncle is the school board president?”

“Actually, he’s my godfather,” Skye corrected.

“You said you owned a large house. Are you interested in renting out a room?”

“Sorry.” Skye shook her head. “I like my privacy too much.”

“No problem.”

Feeling a little guilty, Skye joked, “At least at the motor court you don’t have to clean, since you get maid service.”

“No, I’d rather do it myself. I don’t like anyone messing with my things. I just pick up fresh towels at the motel office.” Jackie stood. “Shouldn’t we get over to the other schools?”

“Sure. Why don’t you tell Opal where we’re going while I rearrange a few appointments? I’ll meet you outside. Where are you parked?”

“I managed to snag a spot in the front row.”

Skye grimaced. “Was it, by any chance, the space right next to the handicapped slots?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Uh-oh. That’s Homer’s spot. In most cases his bark is worse than his bite, but not on the issue of parking. Let me fill you in on the facts of life at Scumble River High. Number one—don’t park in the front row. Ever. Those slots are unofficially reserved for administration and department heads. The chair of the English department will eat you alive if you’re in her place.

“Number two—be nice to Opal, the office secretary. She may look like a mouse, but she’s the real power at this school.

“Number three—the transportation department rules above all. Never mess with anything having to do with the buses.”

“How do I get on Opal’s good side?”

“Food. For a little thing, she has the appetite of a linebacker.”

“Interesting.” Jackie paused on her way out the door and gave Skye an enigmatic smile. “It looks like a lot of things around here aren’t what they seem.”

CHAPTER 3

Carried Away

Skye normally loved Fridays, but this one wasn’t starting out very well. She had slept through her alarm, stepped on Bingo’s tail, and broken the zipper on her new pants. All of which contributed to her running late. Now she couldn’t get into her office.

She checked to make sure she had the correct key, then attempted to reinsert it into the lock, but it wouldn’t go in. Great. Skye kicked the door, but it didn’t magically pop open. Too bad the master key she’d managed to acquire a couple of years ago had broken last spring.

Shoot! She didn’t have time for this. In fifteen minutes she was supposed to meet with Mrs. Idell, one of the district’s most difficult parents, regarding her son, Travis, one of Scumble River High’s most recalcitrant students.

Skye jiggled the doorknob and tried the key again, but it still refused to fit. She blew a curl out of her eyes. There was only one solution: Find the custodian and have him open the door. Of course, this meant Skye would be late for the meeting, which was a serious problem. Mrs. Idell’s Jekyll-and-Hyde personality was always tricky to deal with, and having to wait made her even more fiendish.

She’d have to have the janitor paged. Thank goodness the PA system had been repaired. A few more days without it and Skye would have been tempted to start breeding carrier pigeons.

Naturally, the school secretary was already swamped with three other emergencies. She tapped her foot until Opal hung up the phone, handed a frantic teacher a stack of photocopies, and ushered a limping girl into the nurse’s office. Then Skye said, “Can you call the custodian down here? There’s something wrong with my key and I can’t get into my office.”

Opal tensed as if expecting to be hit. “I tried all the keys myself before I gave them out. Are you sure you put it in the right way?”

“Yes,” Skye snapped. Had Opal slipped over the edge? Skye knew the secretary was strung tighter than a tennis racket, but she usually managed to avoid getting caught in the net. “Why would I suddenly not know how to use a key I’ve had for the past four years?”

“Well, there’s your problem.” Opal’s expression relaxed. “You need to use the new key. Remember, the lock has been changed.”

“When? Why?”

“Jackie said too many people had keys and her files were extremely sensitive, so she wanted to limit access to her office.”

“ Her office!” Skye screeched, feeling the last of her patience evaporate. “It’s my office, too. She hasn’t even been here two weeks and suddenly it’s her office? Why wasn’t I consulted?”

Opal flinched. “I’m sure I don’t know. Do you want to speak to Mr. Knapik about it?”

“Yes. No. I mean, I don’t have time right now. Just give me the new key.”

“We only made three. One to keep here in the main office, one for Jackie, and one for you. The custodians will use their master keys when they clean.”

“Fine.” Skye forced herself to take a deep breath. “Give me the one you had made for me.”

“Jackie took it. She said she’d give it to you.” Opal smiled fondly. “She’s so sweet. She said she’d save me the trouble, since she knew how busy I am.”

“Yeah, it takes a lot of time to hand me a freaking key,” Skye muttered under her breath, then said aloud, “Well, Jackie hasn’t given it to me yet, and now I’m late for a meeting with Travis’s mother.”

“Oh, my.” Opal’s pale complexion grew pastier. Everyone on staff knew Mrs. Idell’s reputation. The secretary hastily opened a flat gray metal box attached to the wall beside her desk and revealed row after row of keys. After selecting one in the middle, she handed it to Skye. “Be sure to bring it back when you’re through with it.”