Holding back a smile of triumph, Rachel did a mental fist pump.
When the bell rang signaling the end of lunch, Jennifer stood, a satisfied smile on her face.
“I finished,” she announced. “And I think I got them all right.”
“Very good,” Rachel said proudly. “I knew you could do it.”
“Thank you, Ms. Kelly. For giving me another shot at it. I won’t let it happen again.”
“See that you don’t,” Rachel said crisply. But she softened the statement with a genuine smile. “Go ahead and take your seat. The others will be coming in soon. Do you need a bathroom break before the next class begins?”
Jennifer shook her head. “No ma’am. I’m fine, thank you.”
The kids began to noisily file in, the roar from the hall invading the classroom as well.
Rachel stood to clean the blackboard from the previous class so she could begin anew for this period. After wiping it down and drawing up her outline, she turned and was startled to see a man standing in the back of the room.
“Sir, you can’t be in here,” she said.
He had no visitor’s badge. She’d received no call from the office to suggest a parent was arriving. Alarm bells immediately went off, and she reached underneath the desk for the panic button that had been installed the year prior.
Maybe she was jumping the gun, and maybe she was being stupid and overreacting. But when it came to the safety of her kids, she didn’t really give a damn if it turned out to be a false alarm.
The silent alarm would immediately send the school into lockdown. The local police would be notified and would converge on the campus with astonishing speed. Everyone took the safety in schools seriously here. And, well, everywhere. School shootings had become so commonplace that no leeway was given, and police were swift to stamp out any threat.
The students swung around to see whom she was addressing. Jennifer went pale.
“Dad! What are you doing here?” she hissed.
But her father didn’t look at her. He didn’t even acknowledge her. Rachel’s heart plummeted when he lifted his hand to reveal the pistol he carried. Her instincts hadn’t been wrong.
“Everyone get down!” Rachel yelled. “Under your desks!”
There was a series of screams and desks scraping across the floor as the students scrambled for cover.
“Everyone be still!” Jennifer’s father roared.
He waved the gun precariously, and Rachel’s heart nearly stopped for fear the gun would discharge and one of the children would be caught in the crossfire.
Only Jennifer remained where she was. She was terrified, completely pale, and staring at her father in utter disbelief.
“Dad, what are you doing?” Jennifer asked in a shaky voice. “Why are you here? Where did you get that gun? You’re scaring me!”
For a moment, the man’s face softened as he looked at his daughter, and then his expression hardened, and he waved the gun in Rachel’s direction.
“Everything will be just fine once she makes a call for me,” he muttered.
In the distance, sirens could be heard, and Jennifer’s father froze. Then he rushed to the window to peer out and let out a string of obscenities.
Sobs rose from several of the children, but most huddled under their desks too petrified to make a sound.
“What did you do?” he raged at Rachel. “Did you call them? How did they know so fast?”
“Someone must have seen you through the window,” Rachel said calmly. “You’ve had your eyes on me the entire time. I’ve made no phone calls.”
He glared suspiciously at her and then waved the gun in her direction.
“Close the blinds. Do it now!”
Rachel hurried to do as he asked, her heart stuttering like a jackhammer in her chest.
“Daddy, don’t hurt her,” Jennifer pleaded. “She’s nice. Please don’t hurt anyone. Let’s just go home, please .”
“Your mother won’t allow that,” he snarled. “She’s issued a restraining order. Stupid bitch is refusing to allow me to see you. Says she’s going to get full custody in the divorce. That ain’t going to happen. I aim to make sure of that.”
“Sir, please listen to your daughter,” Rachel said in a soft, appeasing tone. “You’ll never be able to see her if you’re locked in a jail cell, and if someone gets hurt today, you’ll go away for a very long time.”
Her words seemed to further infuriate him. He advanced as though he’d strike her, but Jennifer flung herself in front of Rachel, spreading out her arms in an effort to protect Rachel.
Rachel hugged Jennifer to her and then thrust her behind her back. “Stay there, honey,” she whispered. “Don’t move. Just stay quiet and let me talk to him.”
Jennifer let out a whimper but did as Rachel said.
“What’s your name?” Rachel asked in an easy tone, almost as if they were exchanging ordinary conversation or that he was a parent who’d come in for a conference.
He looked befuddled and answered automatically. “Kent. Kent Winstead.”
“Mr. Winstead, you have an extremely bright daughter. She excels in all her classes. I’m sure you’re very proud of her.”
He seemed confused by the change in direction of the conversation.
“Well of course I’m proud of her. Inherited my brains. Her mother is as dumb as a brick.”
Behind her, Jennifer let out a pained gasp, and Rachel’s heart ached all the more for her.
“Work with me on a solution to this,” Rachel said calmly. “Tell me what it is you want so I can help you. The children are frightened. Your daughter is terrified. I’m sure the very last thing you want is to scare the students.”
He looked torn as he surveyed the kids all huddled under their desks, many of them with tear-ravaged faces.
“I don’t want to scare them,” he muttered. “But I have to do what I have to do.”
“And what is it you plan to do?” she asked.
His brows furrowed as if he hadn’t considered exactly what his plan was, but then it was likely he had no clear plan. He’d acted in desperation, and now he’d ruined any chance he ever had of being with his daughter. Not that she’d tell him that now. It would send him right over the edge.
“I want you to call the police,” he said firmly.
She nodded. “I can do that. Will you allow me to reach for my cell phone? I assure you I’m not armed. They don’t allow weapons in the school.”
He raised the gun, pointing it at her, and then he nodded. “Get the phone but don’t call anyone yet. I need to tell you what to say. Don’t try anything stupid. I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I will if you make me.”
“We both want the same thing, Mr. Winstead. I assure you that you have my full cooperation.”
She reached slowly for her purse, making sure he could see inside the entire time as she retrieved her cell phone. She pulled it out and simply held it so it was in clear view, and then she looked expectantly at him.
“What would you like me to tell the police?”
He rubbed his chin with his free hand, all the while holding steady aim at her. It struck fear in her heart the way his hand shook. He was running on adrenaline, and one wrong move could mean her death. The deaths of her precious babies.
She swallowed hard, refusing to give in to the rising panic. She’d withstood the very worst and survived. She would survive this. Her babies were counting on her. Ethan was counting on her. She wouldn’t put him through the hell of her dying all over again.
“Please lower the gun,” she said, allowing her voice to shake. “I can’t think when I’m terrified that you’re going to shoot me. Just lower the gun. I’ll do whatever you want.”