Roses Are Red

Chapter Thirty

As I drove there, I was thinking, Don't let this be happening. Not again! Please, God, don't do this to her. You can't do this. You wouldn't.

I parked near the school and dashed out of the car. Then I found myself running down the hall to Christine's corner office. My heart pounded dully in my chest. My legs were unsure. I could hear the clicking of the word processor before I reached the door.

I peered inside.

I was relieved to see Christine there in her warm and fuzzy, thoroughly cluttered office. She was always intensely focused when she worked. Not wanting to startle her, I stood and watched for a moment. Then I knocked gently on the door jamb.

"It's me,” I said in a soft voice.

Christine stopped typing and turned. For just an instant, she looked at me like she used to. It melted me. She had on a pair of navy-blue trousers and a tailored yellow silk blouse. She didn't look as if she were going through a bad time, but I knew that she was.

"What are you doing here?" she finally asked. "I already heard it on CNN this morning," she continued. "I saw the glorious murder scene at the market in London." She shook her head, closed her eyes.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

Christine snapped out an answer. "I'm not all right! I'm a million miles from all right. This news doesn't help. I can't sleep nights. I have nightmares all the time. I can't concentrate during the day. I imagine terrible things happening to little Alex. To Damon and Jannie and Nana, and to you. I can't make it stop!"

Her words cut right through me. It was a terrible feeling not to be able to help. "I don't think he'll come back here," I said.

Anger flashed in Christine's eyes. "You don't know that for sure."

"Shafer considers himself beyond us. We aren't that important in his fantasy world. His wife was. I'm surprised that he didn't murder the kids too."

"You see, you're surprised. Nobody knows for sure what these insane, pathetic maniacs will do! And now you're involved with more of them: Depraved men who murder innocent hostages for no reason. Because they can."

I started to walk into the office but she raised her hand. "Don't. Please stay away from me."

Christine then rose from her chair and walked past me toward the teachers' washroom. She disappeared inside without looking back.

I knew she wouldn't come out not until she was sure I was gone. As I finally walked away, I was thinking that she hadn't asked about Jannie.