I dialed. A woman answered. A wife? A daughter? Mother? Housekeeper? She called him to the phone.

He said “Yes?” instead of hello.

I didn’t tell him my name. But I told him I had some information that he was interested in. He asked if this was some kind of joke. I said no. I asked if it was true that Sarah Collier’s punishment would end as soon as the person who supplied her with the test was named. He said he wasn’t interested in random accusations. “I need to know the correct name of the actual person,” he said.

I explained that the person he was interested in was me. Then I said I’d tell him all about it, and give him my name, in exchange for a promise.

He stuttered and blustered but didn’t promise.

I told him that a bunch of students were going to boycott his school tomorrow. He didn’t gasp. I’d hoped he would. I told him why they were boycotting. Then I told him that if he swore on his word of honor that he wouldn’t punish any of them for boycotting, I would turn myself in.

“This is blackmail,” he said.

I said, “Actually, it’s funny that you should say that, because that’s precisely what the boycotting students are accusing you of. They say you are blackmailing Sarah Collier.”

He grunted.

I asked if that was a grunt of agreement. I told him I knew that he could pretend this call never took place, that he could go ahead and suspend the boycotters and it would be his word against mine. But I reminded him that he and I would know the truth. “Plus, I’m taping this call, of course,” I said, which wasn’t strictly true.

He grunted again. Which I suspected was as close as I was going to get to a promise.

So I told him my name. And he sounded surprised to learn that I was me. Then I told him that I stole the test from my sister Beth. He remembered her, of course. She was probably the best student he ever had in his school.

I hung up.

I stared at the phone. Had I done something here? Was it brave or cowardly? I had hot flashes and cold chills. Fear—relief. Fear—relief. My hands were freezing and soaked with sweat. I had done something.

Epilogue

Dan

So it was Jake Broder! That’s a shocker, man. Jake is one of the smart kids. I never would’ve figured him to get mixed up like this. Then again, who can blame the guy?