And I was blowing it.
“Well,” Rankin said decidedly, “we can’t have you falling behind in your community service. It’s deeply troubling, and I know it’s hard, but try not to let this loss distract you for long. You’ve worked hard, and I’d hate to see you lose your momentum so close to the end of the year.” He patted my shoulder gently. The touch was unexpected and I bit my lip trying not to jerk it from his hand, grateful for the barrier of fabric between us. I didn’t want to feel his disappointment in me. Or his pity. “I’m late for a faculty meeting.” He checked his watch, and lumbered to his desk. “I took the liberty of making other arrangements for you today . . .” He paused, raising an eyebrow. “. . . if you feel you’re up to it.”
I nodded again.
“Good. Your new mentee will be here shortly. He needs basic chemistry.” He bent to scoop up a stack of books and muttered, “Very basic . . .”
As Rankin shuffled out the door, another figure shuffled in. They exchanged polite hellos in an awkward dance, Rankin clasping his disheveled stack to his chest and a short, squarefigured boy squeezing in around him. I tutored Teddy Marshall on Thursdays and I was surprised to see him so early in the week. His special ed class was in a small wing on the other side of the school, and we rarely saw each other outside of our weekly lessons. He beamed, his small eyes shining behind thick corrective lenses, his tongue peeking through the gaps in his teeth.
“Hey, Leigh!”
I forced a small grin, but wasn’t able to make it stretch further than that. “Back at you, Teddy,” I said, trying to be cheerful for his sake.
He extended a stubby fist in my direction, leading me through a complex handshake involving a lot of knuckle thumps and hand slaps that had him laughing as I struggled to keep up. Teddy was a toucher, but I’d never tried to dissuade him. His joy was pure and sweet, like honeysuckle blooming, the sun-warmed taste of it on my tongue.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, feeling a cloud lift. “I thought you were my Thursday date?”
“Yeah, I’m your man on Thursdays all right. But my mom says I have to go to the cardiologist this Thursday, so I won’t see you.”
“Oh.” I scratched my head, remembering Rankin’s comment about “very basic chemistry.” “So you’re here today instead?”
“Nope.” He tucked his thumbs under the straps of his backpack and rocked on his heels. “I’ve got soccer practice today. We’ll need to find another day for our date.”
“Soccer?” I paused, sensing an opportunity to ask the question I hadn’t been able to ask Jeremy that morning in his car. Teddy was the water boy. He probably knew everyone on our team. Anh said the police thought Emily’s number might have been connected to the soccer team. That maybe it tied to a jersey number. “Do you know who number eighteen is?”
Teddy scratched his head and blinked. “There is no eighteen on the team.”
“How about North Hampton’s?”
He thought for a minute. “They don’t have an eighteen either.”
So much for the police’s theory on jersey numbers. Better luck next time. I hated to think there would be a next time, or that I’d have to wait until Friday to find another clue.
“Everything okay, Leigh?” Teddy frowned.
“Everything’s fine.” I pulled out a calendar, shaking off an image of Marcia on the bottom of the pool. “We can’t meet this Friday. It’s the junior class trip to the amusement park, and you and I have a date to ride the carousel instead. How about the Friday after that?”
Teddy stripped off his backpack, reached inside, and handed me a permission slip bordered with stars and space shuttle clip art. The bottom portion for his parents’ signature of consent had already been cut away, leaving only the flyer for a field trip to the National Air and Space Museum. “Mrs. Smallwood is taking us to the Smithsonian next Friday. I asked if I could bring a date, but she said it’s just for the special ed kids.” He blinked both eyes in lieu of a wink. “I think you’re special, but she says you can’t go.”
I ruffled Teddy’s hair, soaking him up. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll talk to Mr. Rankin and see what we can figure out. I’ll see you at the carousel.”
Teddy flashed an enthusiastic thumbs-up and raced off, leaving behind his field trip flyer.