Chapter 4

“Uh huh,” I said, “We’re supposed to meet her ... tomorrow.”

“We?” Alice said. “Like ... you and me?”

“Uh huh, at 9 in her chambers.”

“I have school.”

“Miss a day,” I suggested.

Alice got a haunted look. “I can’t.”

“What?”

“If I miss another day, they’ll arrest my mom.” The confession like to tore her vocal cords out of her throat.

“Alice Li! Have you been skipping school?”

“Erm...”

“You get great grades ... you’re popular ... Why?”

“I get good grades because I did the work ... all of it ... at the beginning of the year.” She said, “My teachers don’t mark me absent because I’m bored and I’m a “distraction.” If I’m not there, the ‘less than’ kids don’t get distracted.”

“If your teachers don’t mark you absent ... how did you get caught?”

“You’re at the mine so I come home.” She said, “The lovely old lady across the way calls the Attendance Officer. When she called his boss ... I don’t come home now.”

“What do you do?”

“I go read in the library.”

“All day?”

“I’m running out of books.”

“Well ... I know what to do,” I said, and marched across the way yo the ‘lovely old lady,’ and banged on her door.

“Hi ... I’m...”

“I know who you are ... what do you want?”

“The phone number of the Attendance Officer’s boss.”

“How would I know that?”

“You called him and reported my sister for skipping.”

“Who told you that?”

“The Attendance Officer.”

“Oh ... just a second ... it’s on my phone.”

“Your phone is in your pocket.”

I had my foot in the door and wasn’t moving. Eventually, I got the number. I had to endure aspersions about my race and statements about foreigners and how ‘your kind’ aren’t wanted here. But I got the number.

I called.

“Yes ... Alice Li and I are appearing in court tomorrow at 9 ... just so you know. By the way ... have you been subpoenaed?” That’ll give him something to worry about.

I rang off.

“All set,” I said to Alice. “What would you care to wager he shows in court tomorrow?”

“What did you do?”