Chapter 5: The Witness Nobody Expected
For a few seconds, nobody moved.
The name hung in the air.
Maya Bennett.
The same girl who had accused Jordan.
The same girl Jordan had protected.
Now she was the witness in an investigation involving him.
I looked at Jordan.
His face was unreadable.
That worried me more than anger would have.
“Why didn’t Maya tell us about this?”” I asked.
Karen folded her hands.
“She gave her statement yesterday.””
“Without telling us?””
“She requested privacy.””
I looked at Jordan.
He didn’t react.
But I knew him.
Something inside him was hurting.
“Can we speak with her?””
Karen nodded.
“She’s on her way.””
The waiting was unbearable.
Five minutes.
Ten minutes.
Every second gave my mind more chances to imagine the worst.
Finally, the door opened.
Maya walked in.
She looked nervous.
The moment she saw Jordan, guilt crossed her face.
“Hi,” she whispered.
Jordan nodded.
That was all.
No anger.
No accusation.
Just silence.
Karen motioned for Maya to sit.
“We’re going to review what happened outside the gym.””
Maya nodded.
“I know.””
“Tell us what you saw.””
She took a deep breath.
“I saw Jordan talking to Ethan.””
“And?””
“They were arguing.””
My heart tightened.
“Was Jordan aggressive?””
Maya looked at Jordan.
“No.””
The answer came quickly.
“No, he wasn’t.””
Karen nodded.
“Then why did you report it?””
Maya looked down.
“Because I heard Ethan say something.””
“What?””
She swallowed.
“He said he knew where Jordan lived.””
The room changed.
“What?””
Maya continued.
“He said Jordan should be careful because people who make trouble sometimes have trouble coming back to them.””
My hands clenched.
“Did Jordan hear that?””
“Yes.””
“What did he do?””
“He stepped closer.””
I looked at Jordan.
He nodded slightly.
“I told him to leave Maya alone.””
Maya looked at Karen.
“He wasn’t threatening him.””
“Then why did Ethan say he was?””
Maya’s eyes filled with tears.
“Because Ethan was scared.””
Nobody expected that answer.
Karen leaned forward.
“Explain.””
Maya wiped her cheek.
“Jordan knows things about him.””
“What things?””
Maya looked at me.
Then at Claire, who had joined us halfway through the meeting.
“He wasn’t just sharing the video.””
The room went quiet.
“What do you mean?”” I asked.
Maya’s voice shook.
“There were other videos.””
My stomach dropped.
“Other videos?””
She nodded.
“Ethan and his friends recorded people at parties. They would embarrass them. Then they would threaten to share the videos if anyone talked.””
Claire covered her mouth.
“How long has this been happening?””
“I don’t know.””
“Why didn’t you tell us?””
Maya looked at Jordan.
“Because he told me I had to decide when I was ready.””
That answer hurt.
Because Jordan had respected her choice.
Even when it made his own life harder.
Karen opened another file.
“We have been investigating this since yesterday.””
She looked at us.
“Several students have come forward.””
I stared at Jordan.
“You knew?””
He nodded.
“Some of it.””
“Why didn’t you tell us?””
He looked away.
“Because I didn’t want Maya to feel like I betrayed her.””
There it was again.
The same reason.
The same impossible loyalty.
But this time I understood.
A month earlier, I would have been angry.
I would have said he handled it wrong.
I would have demanded to know why he kept secrets.
Now I saw something else.
A teenager trying to protect another teenager.
A brother carrying a burden too heavy for him.
Karen closed the folder.
“Jordan, I need to ask you something.””
“Okay.””
“Did you ever physically threaten Ethan?””
“No.””
“Did you ever plan to harm him?””
“No.””
“Did you ever intend to hurt him?””
Jordan looked at Maya.
Then answered.
“No.””
Karen nodded.
“I believe you.””
The relief on Jordan’s face lasted only a second.
Because then Karen added:
“But Ethan is not the only person involved.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
She looked uncomfortable.
“There is another issue.””
“What issue?””
She opened a new file.
Inside was a printed message.
A message sent from Jordan’s phone.
My heart sank.
“What is that?””
Karen looked at Jordan.
“Did you send this?””
Jordan looked at the paper.
His face changed.
“I…”
For the first time since we entered the room, he looked genuinely confused.
“I don’t know.””
I leaned forward.
“What does it say?””
Karen looked at me.
“The message was sent to Ethan.””
She placed the paper down.
It contained only one sentence.
“Everyone who hurts my family will pay.””
Silence.
Nobody breathed.
I looked at my son.
Jordan stared at the message.
Then slowly shook his head.
“I didn’t write that.””
Karen watched him.
May you like
“Then who did?””
And that was the question none of us were prepared to answer.
