“No, that’s the nanny’s job. I’ve got too much to do.”
“Does she ever talk about school?”
“Not much. She just says it’s all going okay. Why? Did she say something to you?”
“I think she might be being bullied.”
His face turns to thunder, and I realize at once I’ve made a mistake. It clicks in my head why she hasn’t told him. She’s afraid of his temper, the same as I am. “Name them,” he says. “I’ll have them screaming by the end of the day.”
“Listen, I’m not sure. Don’t go off half-cocked. I just wanted to let you know something might be going on.”
“Are you guessing, or do you know?”
“When I dropped her off, these two girls were laughing at her. She looked like it’s not the first time it’s happened.”
He takes a deep breath, the anger still visible on his face. “I’ll kill them if they tease my daughter.”
“That would look great, wouldn’t it? You’re in prison for murdering children, and Alicia visits you monthly. Is that what you want for her? For you?”
“I wouldn’t go to prison for doing what’s right.”
“Murder isn’t right, you absolute psycho.”
“Are you telling me what to do?”
“I’m telling you that you should talk to her when she comes home. Get her side of the story and be gentle with her. Girls clam up if you get angry, trust me on that one.”
“Be gentle? She’s being bullied. Do those kids not know who I am? What I can do?”
“They’re kids, Hunter. They don’t care who you are.”
“They soon will.”
“Stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“This aggression. Do you think that’s what Alicia needs right now? She gets picked on, and what do you do? Offer to kill the bullies.”
“Am I supposed to ignore this? Why did none of the other nannies tell me about this?”
“Maybe because they’re scared of you. You can be scary when you’re angry.”
He takes another deep breath, letting it out slowly. “We need to finish this meeting. When Alicia comes home, we will talk to her and find out exactly what’s happening.”
“Let me lead, will you? Trust me, you go in all guns blazing, and she won’t tell you a thing.”
“She’ll talk to me. I’m her father.”
“She didn’t tell you this before, genius. You ever wonder why?”
“She will tell me. I’ll make her.”
“Let me talk to her first. Please.”
I touch his arm, and it seems to calm him. “Fine, but I decide what the outcome is.”
“We’ll see about that later.”