“I was supposed to meet privately with Detective Mitchell at nine thirty.”

“My appointment’s upstairs, Superintendent,” Mitchell said, her tone staying completely businesslike.

“I take it you’re here about the ethics complaint filed with your office at eight fifteen this morning.”

“Ethics complaint?” I asked, stepping forward on the concrete walk.

“An hour ago your mother dropped off a sworn packet at the school district office,” Mitchell told me quietly.

“She filed a formal ethics charge claiming emotional instability and child neglect and asking for your summer teaching contract to be suspended immediately.”

Superintendent Miller pushed up his wire-rimmed reading glasses and held the black folder tighter to his chest.