By lunchtime, the snow was really coming down. The atmosphere in the cafeteria was festive, with everybody expecting an announcement for early closing. Grace babbled as she waited in the lunch line, pretending she was cutting Gregory dead but making sure he noticed her at the same time. Daniel was surrounded by Gregory and Company. He’d suffer merciless teasing if he and Rose sat alone together. She could tell from his face that he wanted to. She gave him a smile over the sea of heads and put a plate of lasagna on her tray.

“Rosecleer Potter?” a low, modulated voice called from the end of the line. It was Mrs. Bursack, the school secretary.

“There’s someone here to see you, hon,” she said, gently taking Rose’s tray. “Why don’t we bring your lunch into the conference room?” Rose followed her neat, careful steps down the corridor, wondering who the visitor could be.

Mrs. Bursack nudged the conference room door open with her hip. Seated at the table, a black, fur-lined stormcoat pushed carelessly back on her shoulders, was Detective O’Hara. She looked a little disheveled, and her nose was red.

Mrs. Bursack put Rose’s tray down on the conference table and said, “Be sure you eat your lunch, hon.” She slipped out of the room, silent and efficient as ever. Rose sat down in front of the tray.

“Go ahead,” Detective O’Hara said.

“I’m not hungry.”

“We need to talk.”

“We do?”

“Relax, Rose, I’m not going to bite.” She reached into her big black bag for a tissue. She delicately wiped her nose.

“I don’t know anything.”

“About what?”

“About anything. About this .. . new girl.” “You’d tell me if you did?”

“Of course.”

Detective O’Hara laughed a little, and it was obvious that her lungs were congested. Rose could smell the odor of mentholated cough drops .

“Look. Rose… I…” Her words were drowned out by the sudden crackle and static of the PA system. The principal’s words came booming out above Detective O’Hara’s head. Early closing. Everybody back to their homerooms now.

Rose stood up but Detective O’Hara reached out and touched her wrist. “I’ll drive you home,” she said. “It’s okay, everything’s been checked out. Get your stuff from your locker and meet me out front.”

“No, thanks, I’ll take the bus.”

“I told you, Rose, it’s been arranged.”

“I don’t have to go anywhere with you. Unless I’m being arrested or something. Just what I need is to leave school in a police car.”

“It’s not a police car. It’s my gray Saab.”

They glared at each other, but O’Hara won. “We’ll drive over to Benny’s Diner,” O’Hara said, eyeing the mess of coagulated school lasagna on the tray. “Get some coffee and a burger; what do you say?”