Free Girls Can't Be Knights: (Spirit Knights Book 1) by Lee French Page A

see Drew again at lunch more than she wanted to run away. When she reached the office, a man in a tan suit stood chatting with the elderly secretary and Mr. Gary. All three turned to look at her.
    “You’re not in trouble, Claire.” Mr. Gary beckoned her closer. “Detective Avery just wants to talk to you.”
    The middle-aged man in the unremarkable suit offered his hand to her, and she took it, finding him attractive for some reason. The attraction had nothing to do with romance; it felt like kinship, brotherhood, trust. He smiled at her, and, despite having no reason to, she smiled in return.
    “Hi, Claire. I just want to ask you a few questions. Do you want Mr. Gary to be present?”
    “She’s a minor, Detective, I’m afraid that’s required by law when a guardian can’t be here. There’s also the small matter of your conflict of interest here.”
    Claire’s head turned from one man to the other, and she frowned at the principal. “Can you just leave the door open and sit out here?” She had no idea why it mattered, but somehow knew Mr. Gary’s presence would make the experience less pleasant.
    “I can get the school counselor. That would be more proper.” Mr. Gary waved a hand to the secretary.
    “It’s alright,” Detective Avery said. “This won’t take that long.”
    Mr. Gary echoed Claire’s frown. “That’s not really…”
    “It’ll be fine. I’ve already told you it’s not about Brian.” Detective Avery put his arm around her shoulders and guided her inside the principal’s office. He left the door open, as she suggested, and nudged her into one of the chairs. She sat obediently and watched him. “So, Claire.” He sat in Mr. Gary’s chair.
    “Yes, Detective?” She sat up straight, eager to help him.
    He smiled at her again, and she beamed. “According to a police report, you were found yesterday in the company of this gentleman.” He pulled a picture out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket and set it in front of Claire. The image showed Justin from a distance, looking to the side with his face in focus. She recognized his short black hair, the shape of his shoulders, and, of course, the brilliant green cloak.
    It struck her that his cloak had been in such good condition when everything else in his life, from his work boots to his couch to the towels in the bathroom, seemed faded and worn and frayed. The cloak could have been made yesterday and resisted the mud he tromped through around his house.
    Avery continued. “The officer noted you were, quote, screaming and hysterical, end quote. This man is also noted as admitting to killing a cat, though he claimed it to be accidental.”
    Claire’s smile faltered and she slunk into a slouch. None of that had really happened. Her sanity depended on all of it being a weird fabrication designed to shield her from whatever other awful thing had happened Wednesday night.
    When she remained silent, Avery put a hand over Justin’s picture and leaned in. “Claire, I’m really not here about you beating my son up. You were suspended, and I’m sure that losing your parents has made things hard for you. The only thing you really damaged was his ego and pride, and in all fairness, he probably deserved that.”
    “What?” She squinted at him, confused.
    Avery blinked and sat back. “Did you not know Brian’s last name?”
    “Uh, no. I just transferred here on Monday.”
    “Then what’s the matter? You look like you think you’re in trouble.”
    She reached out and touched the picture with one finger. If all that had really happened, then she freaked out because the nicest person she’d met since her family died had killed a cat that had clawed and bit her. From the way it had launched itself at her yesterday, it must have intended to kill her.
    “I…don’t know.” She brushed her fingertips across the image. None of this made any sense. She wanted to believe in the possibility of people like Justin and Marie existing. Time and