Page 161 of Depraved Boys

“Thank you,” said the sergeant. “That was very brave. We’ll do everything we can to bring your case to the Crown Prosecution Service. May we have your parents’ contact details?”

Sebastian’s face paled. “It’s just my grandfather, and I don’t want to get him involved.”

Sergeant Modal glanced at his colleague, then at Sebastian. “Would you be willing to testify against Miss Claymore in court?”

“Only if it’s needed to secure a conviction for attempted murder,” Sebastian said.

“I see…” the detective said in a tone that meant he didn’t.

I turned to WPC Dobson. “Miss Claymore is still obsessed with Sebastian. Now that Sebastian has chosen me to be his girlfriend, she’s been trying to get rid of me with all the recent attacks.”

The sergeant flipped open his notepad. “I see a number of incidents you’ve reported. Are you suggesting they’re all related to Wendy Claymore?”

“Not the first one.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “At least not to my knowledge.”

“Well, thank you very much.” He stood. “Where can we find Miss Claymore?”

“Same room, but directly upstairs.” Mrs. Benazir sounded both exhausted and defeated.

Sebastian stood and gestured to the door. “I’ll show you the way.”

He and the police officers stepped into the hallway. As soon as the door clicked shut, I turned to Mrs. Benazir.

“You asked me to return, but you didn’t divulge anything about the bullying until after I had signed the contract. What do you think the Elite Register will say about that?”

Her eyes narrowed. “What do you want?”

“I want to feel safe while studying here.”

She nodded. “I suppose you have a list of demands.”

“Fire Miss Claymore.”

“I already planned to do that when I heard Mr. Garraway’s statement and his evidence. If that’s all—”

“I want my room swept for recording devices, the locks changed, and Mr. Byrd banned from the premises.”

Mrs. Benazir’s mouth flapped open. “But he’s a governor.”

“I can always get in contact with Mrs. Brunswick and explain how one of the board members snuck into the residential wings to grab a student from behind and threaten her.”

“There’s no need.” She rubbed at her temples. “Anything else?”

“Geraldine Hill and Bianca Byrd. They’re—”

Mrs. Benazir raised her hand. “I will not expel two fee-paying students who have yet to be proven guilty.”

I ground my teeth. It shouldn’t have surprised me that she wouldn’t let go of nearly two-hundred thousand pounds worth of tuition fees. “If they attack me, I’ll fight back with equal force.”

“Physical altercations are against the school charter.”

“So is bullying and sexual assault, but you’ve done nothing to stamp that out.”

Mrs. Benazir’s dark eyes burned with so much fury, I thought she would expel me for being rude. Instead, she asked me to return to my classes and wait for the announcement at dinner.

Strangely, none of my teachers seemed to notice that I had been asked to leave the school, and I wondered if Miss Claymore had demand for my resignation because she lacked the authority to expel me. Perhaps she hadn’t anticipated the duration of Mrs. Benazir’s absence and thought that the headmistress would accept my leaving without a fight.

In Software Systems Development, Cormac, who I had informed of my forced resignation, settled into the computer station next to mine.