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Worse than he’d expected.

Josh turned slowly. “Miss Miller…. Let me understand this.” His anger started to unfold and spread inside him like a terrible black bird, but since the incident with Myra, he’d learned to take a breath. “You went through my personal belongings? By accident.”

Cilla laughed nervously. “I’ve absolutely no clue why she’s lying. Your underpants? Ew, no. I’m a journalist.”

“Ask them.” Elise pointed to the cops.

Officer Vasquez held up a plastic evidence bag containing Josh’s jockstrap. His brand, his size, his initials on the waistband.

Made no sense. Why had she wanted a jock? His jock. What had she planned to do with it?

Elise smirked. “Stuffed in her blouse, along with a folder of medical records, employee reviews, and coaching files. She picked this place clean.”

“I resent the insinuation. I would never stoop so low.”

“You don’t need to stoop… because you’re a snake. And I’m not insinuating anything. I am an expert eyewitness. You’re on camera, bone-bag.” Elise pointed up at the ceiling. “The only reason we don’t have a camera inside this office is because there’s a shower. I’m going to come visit you in prison just so we can compare bite marks once you start your own collection.” She held up her bleeding arm.

“What is it with reporters?” Josh widened his eyes at Cilla. “You people are psychotic.” He shook his head, disgusted that some pushy stranger would violate his school and his privacy like this. Gross. He needed to stop her, but he couldn’t risk stirring up the media hornet’s nest. Tricky.

Cilla gave a sad sniff. “You’re holding me here against my will. This is kidnapping.” She raised her cuffed wrists.

“No.” Principal Carver scrutinized Cilla Miller with disbelief. “Those are police officers who just restrained you for your own safety, ma’am.” The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. “You’ve already committed several crimes here tonight. Felonies.”

“Says her. She almost killed me.”

“Trust me. Not difficult if I wanted to.” Elise snorted and rolled her eyes.

“Do you have any idea—? There is something wrong with you, Ms. Miller.” Carver folded his arms across his chest. “The officers have already downloaded the recordings. Trespassing, stalking, breaking and entering, burglary, harassment, assault, faculty belongings, children’s belongings.”

Cilla opened her mouth to protest, but Elise cut her off. “Don’t even think it, missy.” With pursed lips, the coach lifted her forearm to reveal a bloody oval of teeth marks. “Perfect set.”

Josh goggled. “Jesus, Elise.”

“I can’t wait to call your dentist. Better than a fingerprint right here.” Elise pointed at her bloody arm. “And if I have to amputate a limb ’cause you have some tabloid sex disease, I’m going to sue your whole crappy channel into the poorhouse.”

Cilla started to look a lot less sure of herself. One of her knees bounced rapidly.

“I tried to stop her from running off, and she bit me with her fake Chiclet teeth!” Elise said. “Broke the skin and everything. Blood all over. Probably infected. Soon as they book her, I’m going to the hospital to get rabies shots. And penicillin.”

“You grabbed me,” Cilla cried, her voice echoing shrilly off the hard walls. “I was just… surprised is all.”

Josh couldn’t believe the gall. “With my jockstrap in your bra. And my records.” The creepiness of this was off the charts. He wanted to tell Tyler, and at the same time he was deeply grateful that Tyler was in San Diego, blissfully ignorant of this stupidity.

Cilla’s face flushed nearly as red as her hair. Her lips moved as she sputtered for a response, but none came.

Carver raised an eyebrow. “When you sneak into private property to steal items and assault people, you get arrested.”

“Says who?”

Elise got in her face now. “The law. The law says. And I, for one, cannot wait to testify, skin-tag. I think I have a new hobby. Making your life miserable.”

Cilla stared at each of them in turn, imploring them, her face a baleful mask. “I am almost completely innocent.”

Josh felt a swell of gratitude for Carver and Elise having his back. His friends. The one thing fame hadn’t stolen from him. Josh breathed a little easier knowing they were on his side against the Cillas of the world. No matter how far he and Tyler came, these media parasites would intrude and try to dredge up dirt.

Josh turned to Elise. “She grabbed you in the dark?”

“Yeah. When I caught her arm, she elbowed me hard in the gut, but I dropped her with a sweep. Next thing I know we’re rolling around in the dark, she’s yanking out my hair.” Elise grinned. “But I am no dummy. I got my pepper spray, and I gave her a good long spritz.”