CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
(part two)

Friday afternoon — 2:11 P.M.

Aden cursed himself. He’d been so sure Nash would be able to return to school. After all, the assistant principal was in jail. The boy who Nash fought with all year was arrested for sexually assaulting at least four girls at school. Nash and his friend Teddy should get back into their classes.

He’d been so certain.

And he was so wrong.

He glanced over at Teddy’s father Zack Jakkman. Captain Jakkman was speaking to the principal in a near deadly tone. The principal was firm. The boys would not be allowed to go to school there this year and possibly never again.

“Let me get this straight,” Aden interrupted Zack. “You have a pedophile working here as an assistant principal and my son is still expelled?”

“Sir, these boys have had a lot of problems this year,” the principal said. “They’ve been in numerous fights. They were appropriately suspended for their behavior.”

“Nash got in fights after being harassed by a boy,” Aden said. “The boy who was arrested for sexually assaulting your students! Here! At school!”

“I’m not sure where you or Mr. Jakkman…”

“That’s Captain Jakkman, ma’am,” Teddy’s father said.

“Captain Jakkman. We are not here to talk about other children’s tragedies. We are here to talk about your out of control sons and their use of excessive use of violence. Is it possible Captain Jakkman that your son’s violent behavior is designed to get the attention of his absent soldier father?”

“I’m an Air Force pilot,” Zack said. “And no, it’s not possible. I can assure you if my son used violence, it was absolutely necessary.”

“That’s true for Nash too.”

“What do your surveillance videos show for the last fight?” Zack asked.

Zack Jakkman leaned back in his chair. Aden saw the confident look on the man’s face. Zack must have already seen the surveillance video.

“Unfortunately, the camera for that area is dysfunctional. We are looking into why it didn’t work during the fight.”

Zack shifted forward with surprise. He turned his head to look back Aden and shook his head.

“Come on Norsen,” Zack stood from his chair. “Our kids deserve better than this.”

“They will not be able to attend Denver Pubic Schools for at least the rest of the year,” the principal said.

“What? Because of a pedophile?” Aden gulped back his rage.

“Because of their inappropriate behavior.”

“Come on, Norsen.”

Zack pushed Aden out of the room.  Before Zack closed the principal’s office door, Aden said, “You’ll hear from us.”

Denver Cereal continues tomorrow….