Kent Conwell - Tony Boudreaux 06 - Extracurricular Murder by Kent Conwell

replied, handing me the list.
“As close as I can remember, this was all who went into that
wing. Mr. Birnam had us sit in front of the first stairway in that
wing. No one could have gone in or out without passing in front
of us”
    I took the list. I couldn’t help noticing the expensive gold
watch on his wrist and the matching gold ring on his other
hand. “Hey, nice looking ring.”
    Both boys held out their hands, showing the massive gold
rings on their ring fingers. Marvin grinned at me. “Yes, sir. Our
senior rings. Twelve years we worked for them.”
    The setting was blue, one of the school colors. I chided the
boys. “I’m surprised your girlfriends don’t have them.”

    Both boys laughed. Tim nodded. “My girl’s hinted at it. I
might give it to her.”
    Marvin snorted. “Not me, man. At least, not now. Maybe
after we switch them.”
    “Switch them?” I frowned. “What’s that?”
    Tim explained. “A Safford High School tradition, Mr.
Boudreaux. When we graduate, we shift the ring from the left
ring finger to the right one as a symbol of graduation.”
    “Yeah,” Marvin echoed. “Just like switching the tassels on
our mortar boards.”
    I grinned. “Well, boys. Good luck.” I held up the list. “Tell
me, Do you know Fred Seebell or Frances Holderman?”
    Marvin Handwell wore a mushroom haircut. “I know Mrs.
Holderman, but, ah, you know, not that guy.”
    “Did you see her that night?”
    “No, sir.” Marvin shook his head. He leaned back and
crossed his heavily muscled arms across his broad chest.
    “I did,” replied Tim. “She was in the lobby.”
    “But, in the hall, Tim. Did she come down the hall?”
    “No.” He indicated the list of names in my hand. “Only the
ones on that list went down the hall.”
    The boys looked at each other. Marvin nodded.
    “You boys still monitor the halls?”
    Tim nodded. “Yes, sir. Whenever Mr. Birnam asks. You see,
some of the PTA parents bring their children. Mr. Birnam, he
just wants to keep the kids out of the halls.”
    “So, he gets you football players, huh?”
    The boys blushed. Marvin shrugged. “Well, not exactly
because of football. We play football, but, we’re both in the
National Honor Society. That’s the group Mr. Birnam uses to
monitor the halls.”
    “One more question. Iona Flores and Linda May. How long
were they in the wing?” If the two had just entered the wing to
pick up Dorothy Saussy, they should have returned shortly.
    Tim frowned. “It’s been a long time, Mr. Boudreaux.”

    “I know. But, think. Give it a try.”
    Marvin chewed on his bottom lip. “It wasn’t long before they
came back out with Mrs. Saussy. She teaches algebra too.”
    Tim agreed. “Yes, sir. Mrs. Flores was my Algebra Two
teacher. She’s a real good teacher too. Marvin never had her,
and while they were gone, I told him about her. They were back
before I could finish.”
    I studied them. Maybe if the kids in my English classes back
at Madison High School had been like these two, I’d still be
teaching. “Thanks, boys. You can go on back to class now.”
    Turning down Howard Birnam’s offer for lunch in the cafeteria, I left the building and headed for my pickup, not once
regretting my refusal of his offer. I reminded myself that with
public school, college, and then six years teaching behind me,
I’d had enough school lunches to last me a lifetime. But the
truth was, I was anxious to get back to the apartment to check
on Stewart.

     

I hesitated when I reached my pickup. A folded slip of paper
was under the windshield wiper. Glancing around, I retrieved it
and popped it open. The note inside was succinct: BACK OFF.
    I whistled softly and glanced around. I already had someone’s attention. Slipping the note into my shirt pocket, I
climbed in and slammed the door. I was anxious to check on
Stewart.
    Less than three blocks from the school, the rear of my pickup swayed, and then I heard the