Free Theodore Boone: The Scandal by John Grisham Page B

finished. His career was over. He covered his eyes with his hands and tried to maintain his composure. After a long, painful silence, he asked, “And what if I refuse the polygraph?”
    The principal said, rather harshly, “You’ll be suspended and escorted out of the school immediately.”
    “And if I take the test and flunk it?”
    “I’m afraid this is one test you can’t change.”
    His eyes were moist, and he wiped them. With a quivering lip, he said, “I’m not going to talk.”
    The principal said, “Then you are suspended until further notice. I’ll follow you to your room to gather your things, and then to the parking lot. I’m sorry, Paul.”
    “So am I.”
    They left together, and as they walked down the empty hall, Mr. London asked, “What will I tell my students?”
    The principal replied, “For now, just tell them you’re not feeling well.”
    “That would be the truth.”
    They entered Mr. London’s classroom, where an aide was chatting with the students. Mr. London said nothing as he grabbed his jacket and backpack. He refused to look at his kids as he left. The principal walked with him out of the building without a word and watched him drive away. He then returned to the hall and went straight to the classroom of Emily Novak. He apologized for the interruption and asked her to come with him to the main office. When she walked into the conference room and saw the strange device on the table, she assumed her day was taking a bad turn. “What’s that?” she asked.
    An investigator, the same one she had met the week before, said, “We are asking you to take a polygraph exam.”
    “Regarding what?”
    The principal replied, “The standardized tests. We asked Paul London to submit himself to the polygraph. He refused and has been suspended. He just left. You’re next, then Geneva Hull, Tom Willingham, and Penn Norman.”
    “The whole gang, huh?” she said without emotion, as if something like this was expected.
    “Yes, Emily, the whole gang. We know what happened.”
    “Well, if you know what happened, then you don’t need me to tell you. I’m not taking a lie detector test. I don’t trust those things.”
    “Then you’re suspended immediately. I’ll escort you back to your class to gather your things, then to the parking lot.”
      
    As Paul London drove away from the school, he thought about either calling or texting Geneva Hull, who was not at school that morning. She was conveniently taking a sick day, as if she knew something bad was going down. Then he realized that his phone records might one day be examined. He wasn’t sure who might check them, but using the phone at that moment suddenly seemed like a bad idea. Instead, he drove to Ms. Hull’s apartment and knocked on her door. She was young, only twenty-nine, single, and lived alone. She answered the door, invited him in, and made a pot of coffee. For an hour they rehashed their mistakes and tried to think of what to do next. Mr. London had been teaching for twenty years and was beloved by his students. Ms. Hull had been at East for five years and was still uncertain if teaching would be her career. At that awful moment, it looked unlikely.
    Both were emotional and frightened. They were certain they would be fired and bewildered about what to do next.
    For what it was worth, Mr. London took responsibility for the cheating scandal. Three years earlier, he had begun, on his own and by himself, changing test scores. His reasons at that time made sense, at least to him. He hated the tests to begin with, and he did not want his students labeled as slow learners. There were many lower income kids at East, and they were as bright as the other eighth graders in town. They just didn’t have the same support at home and the same opportunities. He changed some scores, then he recruited Emily Novak and Tom Willingham, who were his good friends. They later added Penn Norman and Geneva to their little gang.
    It all seemed so