The 'Cousins'

Part 102 (Delta) - Armstrong's Plan.

He picked up a photograph of his late wife from the desk and smiled ruefully at the young, vibrant face looking out at him with love in her eyes.

"Why can't you be here with me Ellie? I've made a real mess of things today. Mitchell's the wrong one, not me; damn the man and his money for lawyers. He's the one who's seduced the White boy for his own gratification and there's nothing I can do to protect the youngster except warn him of the dangers he's facing while he's under Mitchell's influence. Darn it Ellie, the boy readily admitted to me they're engaging in those despicable practices, right here today, in this office. Now Flik says Mitchell could sue me for banning the boy from seeing him because they've probably not done anything illegal. ...I was only trying to protect the boy from evil. That's all. How come the law allows that Ellie? Since when did the law work for the wrongdoers?"

Chuck brushed his fingertips lovingly across the image of his wife with a wider smile as hope crept into his psyche to bring him some relief. "Maybe it won't come to that Ellie. I told Leon Druce after Flik's call to tell Jesse White the bans were lifted so Mitchell's rights won't be impaired by my actions. He won't have anything to sue me for, just as long as Leon Druce passed on my message."

His smile and sense of well being was short lived, however, as the worry of Mitchell's rumor of a vice ring operating out of the school caused him to shudder.

"Flik said he'd call me after speaking to Gleitner about it tonight. But darn it Ellie, he ain't called me back." Armstrong brushed back his cuff to look at his wristwatch. "I don't suppose he will call me at the college now. He'll think I've gone home, but I need to be here to think and ...and...be here to talk to him if he does make a call."

Armstrong pushed away the whisky bottle, replaced the photograph on his desk to continue pacing across the office, stroking his chin and thinking out loud.

"It's not the threat of this so-called vice ring that bothers me, Ellie, which I cannot believe is happening. If there is one operating, there's not anything I can do to hide it. If it is for real and the story comes out, that will be the end for me in Bamptonville for sure. But I really cannot believe such a notion is anything more than a figment of Mitchell's depraved imagination. ...Flik said I'm to do nothing until after he's talked to Ross Noble on Sunday and there lies the real worry for me, Ellie. I am pretty close to the big five running this town, but I'm not one of them, not yet. ...Ross Noble gets his way here and it was him who engineered the dismissal of my predecessor for a minor default in the school's accounting. As you well know, keeping the Community College accounts in balance has been my main concern since I took up the post, just to make sure I don't fall into the same hole. ... But If Ross Noble hears rumors of these other happenings here on my watch he'll start moves to get rid of me as a first step and start over with a new principal. And he'll do it the second Flik tells him about it on Sunday. I can't expect Donovan or the other big wigs to stand and fight my corner with me. They'll do what Ross wants them to do and the easy option for them is to put the blame on me and bring in a new principal for a fresh start on a cleaned slate."

Armstrong wiped beads of fresh sweat from his brow and flopped down into his chair, grasping the tumbler of whisky and turning his head to gaze on his wife's picture.

"What do I do Ellie? If Ross even hears about this I'll be done for in Bamptonville. I'll be leaving with a record that will stop me getting a position in education anywhere else in the country. This is our home Ellie. We built our future here. You lie at rest here and I'm not about to leave you. Flik told me to sit tight and he'd call me after he's talked to Ross Noble on Sunday I dare not sit here and do nothing. I have to do something before they have that conversation. It'll be too late for us then if I do nothing. I must have this mess cleared up before Flik meets Ross on Sunday."