Hopscotch Homicide (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 16) by Kathi Daley Page B

assistance. Most animals do fine on their own.”
    “Maybe I will be a veterinarian.”
    I hugged the small and fragile yet exceptionally brilliant little girl. “Sweetheart, I think you can be anything you set your mind to.”

Chapter 10
Tuesday, September 8
     
     
    “Remember, it’s important to show Miss Maxwell your best manners,” I said to Scooter as I drove him to school on his first day of fifth grade. He was my third delivery of the morning. I’d dropped Pi at the high school at eight and Alex at the middle school at eight thirty. Scooter began classes at nine.
    “And don’t forget that the other kids in the class are trying to listen to what the teacher has to say, so no talking out of turn,” I reminded the boy, who was dressed in brand-new jeans, a T-shirt, and tennis shoes.
    “I know all this,” Scooter complained. “You’ve gone over all the rules a million times.”
    “Maybe not a million,” I defended myself.
    “Yes, a million. Next you’ll tell me not to play tricks on either the other students or the teachers, and then you’ll tell me a quiet body leads to an active mind, and finally you’ll remind me that we really need this to work out so I can continue to live with you and Zak.”
    I sighed. “Okay, maybe I have gone over this a million times.” I pulled into the parking lot. “It’s just that I like having you living with us. Zak and I would both be sad if it didn’t work out and you had to go back to boarding school.”
    Scooter grinned. He leaned over and hugged me. “I like living with you and Zak too. I’ll be good. I promise.”
    “I know you will.” I leaned back and brushed Scooter’s bangs out of his eyes. He needed a haircut, but he absolutely refused to even consider it. I unbuckled my seat belt and Scooter did the same.
    “Do you have the pencil box I bought for you?”
    “Yes,” Scooter assured me.
    “And the binder with extra paper?”
    “Yes, even though the school probably has paper you can use.”
    “I know. I just didn’t want you to run out. Do you have the extra erasers I picked up at the five and dime last night? You can never have too many erasers.”
    “I have plenty of everything,” Scooter assured me.
    “Okay. Here’s your sack lunch. I’m not sure if they’ve replaced the lunch lady yet, but just in case they have and you prefer hot lunch here’s five dollars as well.”
    Scooter took the money and the paper bag from me.
    “Did you fuss this much with Pi and Alex?” Scooter asked.
    “No,” I admitted.
    “I’m not a baby.”
    “I know. I’m sorry. Do you want me to walk you in?”
    “No,” Scooter said firmly. “I’m old enough to walk in by myself.”
    “I know.”
    I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. He immediately wiped it off.
    “Have a good day, and I’ll be here to get you at three. We have soccer today, so don’t dawdle.”
    Scooter opened the passenger door and slid out. “I never dawdle. What’s dawdle?”
    “It just means come out to the truck quickly. Don’t stop to talk to your friends. We don’t want to be late for the last practice before your soccer game on Thursday.”
    “Okay. I won’t dawdle.” Scooter slammed the door closed. “And don’t forget to bring my cleats,” he called to me as he jogged into the front door of the elementary school.
    I looked at my watch. It was only eight fifty-five. The events committee meeting didn’t begin until nine thirty. Maybe I’d just sneak in, real quietlike, and take a peek, just to be sure Scooter had found the right room and had settled in with no problem. He was the same age as Alex, but he seemed so much younger. Alex was sophisticated and organized. She was more capable than I was in many ways, while Scooter didn’t seem to have as much control over his actions as he should. He reminded me of an energetic puppy who destroyed everything in its path while trying to maneuver his way through the most simple of tasks. I couldn’t help but