Chapter 22

On Thursday, I was just sitting down for General Hospital when the phone rang.

"Hello."

"Tony Sims, please."

"This is Tony."

"Tony, this is Martin Mulino. I was wondering if you could come see me this afternoon?"

"Uh, Mom and Dad are both at work."

"Unless you think they'll object, I only need to see you."

"Uh, ok. When?"

"As soon as possible."

"Twenty minutes?"

"That would be fine. See you then."

I hung up, wondering what was happening now.

School was just over two miles from the park. It took me about fifteen minutes to get dressed and ride my bike there. The superintendent's office was in the high school, at the other end of the hall from the school office. I chained my bike to the rack in front of the school and went in the front doors.

It felt good to be back, though I couldn't admit that to anyone except Tami and Robbie.

I'd gotten three steps inside the building when...

"Mr. Sims. What are you doing here?"

I turned, Mr. Parker was coming out of a door down the hall.

"I'm..."

"When a student is suspended, the school is off-limits."

"I know but..."

"I realize that you think being a football hero frees you from all the rules."

"I don't think..."

"You need to realize that the rules are for everybody."

"I know the rules..."

"There are rules for a reason, and they have to apply to everyone, even football heroes."

I decided I had two options. Then I decided that option one. Killing Mr. Parker wasn't practical, it was messy. There was the body to get rid of. I turned and started walking down the hall.

"Mr. Sims, come back here. I was talking to you."

I ignored him and kept walking.

"Mr. Sims, you can't just walk away from me."

'Wrong again, ' I thought.

I turned and walked through the open door into the superintendent's outer office. The same old bat was sitting at the desk. I didn't know her name, and she didn't have a nameplate on her desk.

"Hi, I'm Tony Sims. Could you explain to Mr. Parker that I have an appointment."

"Mr. Parker?" she seemed confused.

Just then he burst into the room. "Mr. Sims, I will call the police," he bellowed.

"Mr. Parker, what is this about?" the secretary demanded.

"This student..." he started just as Mr. Mulino came out of his office.

"What's going on?"

"Mr. Parker thinks I shouldn't be on school property," I explained.

"Did you tell him, I asked you to come?"

"He never gave me a chance."

"Tony, would you mind waiting for a minute?"

I nodded.

"Charley, could you step in for a minute?"

Parker looked at me, then nodded and followed his boss into his office.

He came out two minutes later. He didn't look happy. He glared at me, then walked out into the hall. The phone buzzed, and a second later the secretary waved me into Mr. Mulino's office.

"Afternoon Tony," he greeted me. "I appreciate you coming down to see me on such short notice."

"Not a problem."

"Sorry about the mix-up with Mr. Parker."

I decided that silence was the best answer to that.

Mr. Mulino waited a few seconds for a response, then realized he wasn't getting one. "Tony, you're a problem for me."

"Sorry."

"You broke the rules, and got punished. But it's not ending there. I gather you've heard about the student council."

"Yeah. One of the council members is a friend of mine."

"Have you also heard about the baseball team?"

I shook my head.

"Your friend Roberta has been stirring things up. She and six other team members are planning to quit if you're not allowed to play."

"I don't know what to say. I'm flattered."

"You should be. I know Ricky Calloway. He wouldn't do that for just anyone."

I grinned.

"Coaches Calloway and Branson aren't very happy about you not playing, either. They seem to think a lot of you. You've left me in an awkward position."

"Sorry," I said again.

"Any suggestions?"

"The only suggestion I could make, you won't like."

"I assume it has something to do with Mr. Parker?"