Chapter 4: The Answers His Mother Gave Him
For several seconds after the call ended, nobody in the Bennett kitchen moved.
David stood beside the counter, holding his phone against his ear.
Claire watched his face.
"What did he say?""
David slowly lowered the phone.
"Alex says his mother gave him the answers before the test.""
Mason looked up.
"I knew it.""
Claire turned toward him.
"Sweetheart, what do you mean?""
Mason pushed his sandwich away.
"Alex told me he had a paper with the answers. I thought he was joking.""
David pulled out a chair.
"Did you see the paper?""
"Yes. It was folded under his worksheet.""
Claire glanced at the video Tyler had sent.
The folded sheet was visible.
"Did you recognize the handwriting?""
Mason nodded.
"Some of it looked like Mrs. Hawkins's writing.""
David rubbed his forehead.
"This is getting bigger than a classroom incident.""
Claire picked up her phone.
"We need to preserve everything.""
She created a folder on her computer and began saving the photograph, Tyler's video, the disciplinary referral, and the messages Logan had received.
Then she called Patricia Price.
"Patricia, Alex just contacted David.""
"What happened?""
"He says Mrs. Hawkins gave him the answers before the quiz.""
There was a pause.
"Are you serious?""
"He also said there's something written on his quiz paper.""
Patricia exhaled.
"Claire, I think we need to be very careful now.""
"Why?""
"Because Dana Hawkins isn't just a teacher. She's been at that school for almost fifteen years. She's close with several administrators.""
Claire stared at the screen.
"That doesn't change what happened.""
"No, but it might explain why the school is already protecting her.""
Before Claire could respond, David's phone vibrated.
A text message appeared.
*Unknown Number: Please meet me at the public library at 4:00. Don't bring my mom. I have something to show you. —Alex*
David read it twice.
Claire leaned over his shoulder.
"Are you going?""
"Yes.""
"We should contact his father first.""
David shook his head.
"I don't know if his father knows what's happening. And Alex specifically asked us not to involve his mother.""
Claire considered that.
"Then we need another adult there. Patricia?""
David called her.
Patricia agreed immediately.
At 3:55 p.m., the three adults waited near the back windows of the Hawthorne Public Library.
Mason stayed home with Claire's sister.
David checked the entrance every few seconds.
Then a boy wearing a gray hoodie appeared.
Alex.
He looked smaller than he had in the classroom.
His backpack hung from one shoulder. His eyes moved nervously around the room.
David stood.
"Alex.""
The boy approached slowly.
"Is my mom here?""
"No," David answered.
"It's just us.""
Alex looked at Patricia.
"You're Logan's mom.""
"That's right.""
"Is Logan okay?""
"He's fine.""
Alex lowered his eyes.
"Good.""
David pulled out a chair.
"Sit down. You don't have to rush.""
Alex sat.
For a moment, he simply stared at the table.
Then he unzipped his backpack and removed a mathematics quiz.
The paper had a red mark across the top.
A large 98%.
David recognized the handwriting immediately.
Mrs. Hawkins's red grading pen.
Alex turned the paper over.
On the back, several lines had been written in blue ink.
*Remember: 12.5, 4.8, 1.25, 36.*
Beneath the numbers was a short instruction.
*If anyone asks, these are your independent calculations. Do not mention the practice sheet.*
David stared at it.
"Who wrote this?""
Alex's eyes filled.
"My mom.""
Patricia leaned forward.
"Why did she give you the answers?""
Alex twisted the sleeve of his hoodie.
"Because I was failing.""
"Failing mathematics?"" David asked.
Alex nodded.
"My last test was a fifty-eight. She said I couldn't keep getting grades like that.""
"Did she give you the answers to this quiz?""
"Yes.""
"Before class?""
"She gave me the practice sheet the night before. It had the exact questions.""
David looked at Patricia.
"Do you have the original sheet?""
Alex reached into his backpack again.
This time, he pulled out a folded piece of paper.
It contained ten mathematics problems.
The same ten questions from the quiz.
The same order.
The same numbers.
The same wording.
Patricia took a photograph of both documents.
"Alex, why didn't you tell someone?""
His face crumpled.
"Because she said I'd ruin everything.""
David kept his voice gentle.
"What would you ruin?""
"Our family.""
The answer came out almost immediately.
Alex wiped his eyes.
"She said if I failed, my dad would think she was a bad mother. She said everyone at school already thought I got special treatment because she teaches me.""
He swallowed.
"She told me I needed to prove I deserved my grades.""
David looked down at the quiz.
"And when Mason corrected his decimal?""
Alex nodded.
"I saw him write 1.25. I remembered it from the practice sheet.""
"So you copied him?""
"Yes.""
"Did Mrs. Hawkins see?""
Alex's expression changed.
"She saw me looking.""
"Then why did she accuse Mason?""
Alex looked toward the library windows.
"Because she said nobody would believe him over her.""
Patricia slowly folded her arms.
"What exactly did she say?""
Alex hesitated.
Then he reached into his backpack and removed another paper.
It was a printed email.
The recipient's name appeared at the top.
*Janice Bell — Assistant Principal.*
The message had been printed the previous afternoon.
Alex placed it on the table.
David began reading.
The first paragraph discussed his mathematics performance.
The second mentioned Mason Bennett.
The final paragraph contained a sentence that made David's stomach tighten.
If Mason questions the similarities in our answers, I will address the matter as a suspected academic integrity violation. His repeated competitiveness with Alex has become disruptive, and I believe a formal intervention is necessary.
David read it again.
Then he looked at Alex.
"Did your mother send this?""
Alex nodded.
"She printed it at home. I found it in the recycling bin.""
Patricia stared at the email.
"Why did she mention Mason before the test?""
Alex's voice dropped.
"Because she knew I was going to copy him.""
David looked at the boy.
"What?""
Alex wiped his nose.
"She told me to sit behind Mason. She said if I needed help, I could look at his paper.""
The words landed heavily.
"She planned this?"" David asked.
Alex nodded.
"She said if anybody noticed the answers were the same, she'd handle it.""
David took a photograph of the email.
Then he carefully placed the papers back on the table.
"Alex, I need you to understand something. You're not responsible for what your mother did.""
Alex began crying.
"But she told me Mason would get in trouble.""
David looked directly at him.
"And did you know she would hit him?""
Alex shook his head violently.
"No. I didn't know she'd do that.""
For the first time, his voice rose.
"I didn't want Mason to get hurt.""
Patricia placed a hand on his shoulder.
"We know.""
Alex looked at David.
"Can you please not tell my mom I gave you this?""
David didn't answer immediately.
He understood that the boy was frightened.
But he also understood something else.
The school had a responsibility to protect every child involved.
"We're going to tell the truth," he said gently.
"And we're going to make sure you're not left alone to deal with this.""
Alex nodded.
Then his phone vibrated.
He looked at the screen.
His face went completely white.
*MOM: Where are you?*
A second message arrived.
*MOM: Your father told me you weren't home. Call me immediately.*
Then a third.
*MOM: I know you've been talking to the Bennetts. Don't make this worse.*
Alex looked up.
"She knows.""
David stood.
"Come on. We're getting you somewhere safe.""
But before they could leave, another message appeared.
This one wasn't from Mrs. Hawkins.
It was from Janice Bell.
*Alex, please come to the school tomorrow morning. We need to discuss the documents you have taken from your mother.*
David stared at the screen.
May you like
The assistant principal knew about the documents.
And somehow, she knew Alex had them.
