Without Mercy - Lisa Jackson [189]
“Wow. I’m surprised, but I guess that it’s all good,” Jules said, though Shay’s release, considering everything that had happened in the last forty-eight hours, seemed a little premature.
As if reading her thoughts, Shay added, “Dr. Hammersley wants me to see someone, a counselor up in Seattle, maybe do some out-patient stuff and, of course, I’ll have to deal with the judge.” She was talking fast now. Excited. Ready to finally get out of the school she considered a prison. “I figure Edie will straighten all that out, you know, because of everything I’ve gone through. Being a hostage, seeing people killed.” She shuddered and Jules noted both Trent and Father Jake were watching her sister, as if trying to understand Shay. Which, of course, was impossible.
“I’m sure Edie will try. I’ve talked to her, explained that I was coming to get you, but I haven’t admitted to working here yet. I thought that would best be said face to face.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Shay wasn’t really listening, too keyed up. “If Edie has to, she can talk to Max. There has to be a way to convince the judge to let me go home.”
“You’ll need a counselor’s recommendation, I would think, and a letter from someone here at the school as well as a good attorney,” Father Jake said.
Shay shrugged. “Then it should be no problem.”
“We’ll work on it.” Jules said, still not wholly convinced. That was the problem with Shay; she thought if she believed something strongly enough, she could make it happen by the sheer force of her will. “Why don’t you get something to eat until all the paperwork’s ready?” When she saw Shay about to argue, Jules said, “You know the drill. Everything takes time.”
“Fine.” Shay rolled her eyes. “But I’m not hungry. I’ll just get something to drink and take it back to the dorm. I really want to pack and get out of here.”
“Wait a sec. Are there any special forms that need to be signed, so that you can leave with me? Since I’m not your mother.”
“Hammersley said you have to go prove who you are. That you’re my sister, or something like that. She said that the secretary, Ms. King, has all the release forms.” She turned her eyes on Father Jake. “And then someone in authority has to sign them.”
“We’ll see,” Father Jake said.
“Without a judge’s release, or your parents’ say so?” Jules asked. “The school will let you out of here?” Boy, Shay was pushing it!
“Of course not, but we’ll get that, right? Since the phones are working, we can call Edie and Max and the attorney can find the judge and convince him. Right? I asked Detective Baines during my interview.”
Jules glanced at Father Jake.
He nodded, though he didn’t crack a smile. “That’s basically how it works and everything’s amped up because families are clamoring to get their kids out of Blue Rock.”
Jules wasn’t convinced. “I don’t know, Shay, you’ve been through a lot and—”
“And I’m fine!” Shay rolled her eyes as if Jules were thick-headed and couldn’t see the obvious. “Really. Everything’s okay!”
Jules still had trouble with the concept that everything could easily be forgotten and swept under the rug, but maybe this was Shay’s way of dealing with trauma. She was also dead tired and didn’t want to argue. “All right. But whatever Dr. Hammersley advises and what ever the judge orders, you’ll do, right? Promise.”
“Scout’s honor!” Shay said, “Yeah, okay, ‘I promise.’”
“I’ll hold you to it.” Jules wasn’t going to be buffaloed.
Shay was smiling. “I know, I know. Okay?”
Jules gave in. “Then I’ll meet you in your room in a little bit and we’ll wade through the paperwork together,” she said.
“Just hurry. I am soooo outta here,” Shay said, then was off to snag a can of Coke from the cooler before heading outside.
As if nothing had happened.
Weird.
But that was Shay. Unpredictable.
Jules turned to Father Jake. “Does this really sound legit to you? It seems all too easy somehow.” She glanced at Trent whose gaze was fastened to Shaylee as the doors shut behind her.
Father Jake said, “It’s a little fast but we’re not exactly on real time, not after everything