New York Valentine Part 35

'Oh G.o.d!' Owen slapped his forehead dramatically, 'that's it! That's how it happened!'

Annie looked round at Owen in the back seat.

'What?' she asked.

'Well, I know all about Dad's suspension. I mean, I know you and Dad haven't told me the full details but it's all anyone can talk about at school. But that's it! That's how the viral stuff has ended up all over the school system and been traced back to Dad's computer. Dimitri and the guys said they needed more back-up, so I gave them the pa.s.sword ...'

When Owen saw the horrified look on his mother's face, he exclaimed: 'I didn't know they were copying p.o.r.n. Honestly, I had no idea.'

'Owen!' she hissed, 'you are grounded ... for the rest of the year! For the rest of your bloomin' life!'

'So, what's all this about Ed?' Harry wanted to know.

The more Annie told him about the situation, the more astonished Harry looked.

'I don't believe it,' he spluttered. 'I mean, yes, I can totally believe that Owen's dodgy Daves have managed to infect the entire St Vincent's system, but I can't believe you let Ed stew about under a simply horrendous cloud like this without phoning me immediately! The school has suspended him, without a single shred of evidence. That is outrageous! Good Lord, Annie, by the time I've finished with them, they will rue the day. They will jolly well rue the day!'

Chapter Thirty-Two.

Mr Ketteringham-Smith: White shirt (M&S)

Grey suit (Austin Reed)

Blue tie (same)

Black shoes (Jones)

Watch (Timex, gift from mother)

Total est. cost: 450

'I will be writing to your parents ...'

St Vincent's was an old-fashioned, traditional, private school. It was all about Victorian Gothic cloisters, lashings of wood panelling and children with regulation neat hair wearing woollen blazers.

So it was a little strange to see a bright yellow banner hanging over the school gates which read: 'Bring on Mr Leon.'

'That's nice,' Harry said from behind the wheel of the Bentley as he drove them smoothly into the courtyard. Whenever Svetlana went out in the family's car, she hired a driver for the day. But Harry wasn't flashy, he liked to drive the Bentley himself.

Ed, sitting in the front seat beside Harry, was blushing about the sign. Annie could tell even though she couldn't see his face, because his ears always went red when he blushed.

'Look, Dad,' Owen spotted the banner for the first time: 'someone's put that up there for you! There was talk of everyone wearing badges as well. I wonder if anyone made the badges!'

'You have got to be joking,' was Ed's astonished response.

'I should b.l.o.o.d.y well think so! After all they've put you through,' Annie said.

The Bentley glided to a standstill in the courtyard and immediately one of the sixth form prefects appeared to open doors and guide the party into the school's reception area.

'Time for me to split,' Owen announced and ducked out of the way to join the rest of his cla.s.s for the morning's a.s.sembly. 'Cheers for the lift, Harry!'

Not long after, the headmaster, Mr Ketteringham-Smith, appeared and shook everyone by the hand, including Ed, who looked increasingly awkward.

'Ms Valentine or do we call you Mrs Leon?' Ketteringham-Smith asked as he took Annie's hand and pumped it vigorously.

'I'm Mrs Leon today,' Annie told him, trying to make her smile genuine, but Kettingham-Smith and Annie had never quite seen eye to eye. There had been too many little awkward run-ins in the past. And as for the sight of the school bursar over there, Annie just about shuddered, remembering all the times in the past when she'd had to scrimp and save and pay the fees with a wing and a prayer and a totally over-extended credit card. How he'd looked down his nose at her then. She could never forgive him for that.

'I'm absolutely delighted we can put all this behind us,' Ketteringham-Smith was telling Ed. 'So glad you could all join us for our special a.s.sembly. Mr Roscoff, you included.'

Harry shook the head's hand brusquely.

'Well, just want to make sure it's all absolutely up to scratch, sir,' Harry said, smiling with charm, then adding lightly, 'otherwise I'll be advising my client to sue.'

'Oh, there will be no need for that,' K-S laughed nervously.

'I do hope not,' Harry said and smiled just as sweetly as if he'd ordered a Pimm's.

A bell rang, the sound of hundreds of footsteps thundering through the corridors followed and finally Harry, Ed and Annie were led in by the headmaster to take their seats up on the podium beside the other members of staff for this special a.s.sembly.

It was only after a hymn, a prayer and various notices for the day ahead that Mr K-S began his speech.

'I would like to welcome back Mr Ed-'

He was interrupted by a cheerful round of applause punctuated with several whistles and whoops.

Annie had always known that Ed was a popular teacher, but such a vivid demonstration brought a lump to her throat.

'I'm sure everyone here has heard all sorts of gossip and rumours about why Mr Leon has been away from school for a brief period. There was a computer virus which spread through the school's system. I'm afraid this virus was, mistakenly, linked to Mr Leon's computer.'

Mr K-S paused, looked up at the school then continued to deliver the difficult speech which Harry had thoroughly vetted.

'I took the decision to suspend Mr Leon. I realize now that this was entirely the wrong decision. Mr Leon is a valuable member of staff who has given us many years of devoted service. There has never, ever been the slightest question as to his conduct or character. So when he told me he was entirely innocent, I should have believed him.

'I am truly sorry that he has had to endure any gossip, rumour or hint that he behaved inappropriately. We should all hold Mr Leon in the highest regard and I will be writing to your parents to explain this situation fully. Thank you.'

As Mr K-S drew to a close, loud applause broke out, accompanied once again by whistles and cheers. Ed, shy and overwhelmed, blushed deeply pink and gave his audience a smile and wave of acknowledgement. Annie reached over to hold his hand in hers and to whisper in his ear: 'Fantastic! You're going to be the school star for a week or two.'

'Looks like it,' Ed whispered back. 'Thanks for being here.'

The pianist struck up a jaunty tune and as the staff got up to file out of the room, the pupils clapped along in unison.

'Well, that's the liveliest a.s.sembly we've had in a while,' one of the teachers told Ed and Annie once they were out of the hall. Then Ed was surrounded by staff wanting to shake his hand and welcome him back.

Annie landed a quick kiss on his cheek, told Harry she'd meet him back at the car as soon as she could, and went off in the direction of the headmaster's office.

Right outside, she could see Owen already sitting waiting on one of the chairs set out for this purpose. 'Hey there,' she greeted him and sat down in the chair beside his, 'not feeling too bad about this, are you?'

'The only thing I feel bad about is that it caused Dad so much trouble,' Owen replied, then he ruffled a hand through his hair slightly nervously.

'He knows. He knows how bad you feel,' Annie a.s.sured him, 'so you don't have to worry about that. He knows you wouldn't have done any of this on purpose. You just made some very silly mistakes.'

'So what do we tell the headmaster?' Owen wondered.

'We tell him everything, just as simply as we can. We explain it all. He's heard it from Harry and from Inspector Williams, now he wants to hear your version ...'

'And give me a great big telling off,' Owen added glumly.

'Well, I think you better expect that. He suspended a member of staff over this.'

'Hmm.'

The door opened and Mr Ketteringham-Smith was standing in front of them, pushing his gla.s.ses up to the top of his nose. 'Mrs Leon, Owen, time for the high jump, I'm afraid.'

Chapter Thirty-Three.

Micky and Minnie on the motorway: Matching denim dungarees (Baby Gap)

Matching tops (one pink, one blue) (Pet.i.t Bateau)

Matching white socks (Baby Gap)

Total est. cost: 55

'Waaaaaaaah!'

On Sat.u.r.day afternoon, the car wound through busy roads out on to the clogged up motorway towards Annie's mother's house in Ess.e.x.

Minnie and Micky were tired and reluctant backseat pa.s.sengers, gurning and whingeing despite the relentlessly cheerful Sesame Street songs blaring from the iPod. Annie turned from the pa.s.senger's seat and stroked their feet, suggesting things to look at out of the window. Finally Minnie fell asleep, and then Micky.

The Muppets sang on, until Ed reached over and pressed the stop b.u.t.ton.

'So Owen is playing at a school football match,' Annie whispered to Ed, 'then he's going over to Pete's house and Pete's mum knows there is to be no cinema trip, no outings and we'll collect him at 9p.m.'

'Correct,' Ed confirmed quietly.

'Silly old Owen how's he going to spend his weekends now that there's no market stall?'

'Oh, you've not heard his new plan then?' Ed glanced over at Annie. 'He's suggested the pupils run a weekly bring and buy sale at school secondhand stuff, games kit, uniform, toys, DVDs and so on, a percentage of profits to charity. He's going to run it. The headman's OK-ed it. It's quite a good idea, really.'

Annie couldn't help smiling. 'He's going to go far. A born salesman.'

'A chip off the old block, you mean.'