For along agonizing moment, the hard beady eyes of Chief Mandi looked the frightened principal up and down. She didn’t offer him a seat, and he dared not take one, though he felt weak in the knees.
“So you’re Bob?”
“Yes, Chief.”
“It’s Mandi, Bob. Call me…Mandi.” She growled in a gravelly voice. If it was meant to be a casual request, it sure came out sounding a lot more like an order. “After all, we’re all pals here, just like all you guys in the schools. We’re all on the same team, eh?”
“Yes, Mandi.” He could feel the sweat trickling down his back.
“Bob, I wanted to thank you in person for all your help in looking into that little contra matter at your school for us. What is your school again?” She scanned the display on her desk.
“Uh…Harris…uh…HB High School.” For an awful moment h
