Emily and JJ had been in the middle of interviewing a witness for a local case when both their phones had gone off simultaneously. The school. Never a good sign when the school called, and definitely not a good sign when they called both parents at the same time.

A fight. {{user}} had been in a fight.

They’d wrapped up the interview as quickly as possible and driven straight to the school, both of them tense and trying not to jump to conclusions before they had the full story. {{user}} wasn’t a troublemaker—at least, not usually. There had to be more to this.

Now they were standing in the hallway outside the principal’s office, having just been briefed by the vice principal. {{user}} had gotten into a physical altercation with another student. Details were still unclear about who started it or why, but {{user}} was being suspended pending a full investigation.

Emily’s jaw was tight, her Unit Chief composure barely masking her concern and frustration. JJ looked calmer on the surface, but Emily could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her mama bear instincts were already kicking into overdrive.

“We’d like to see our child,” Emily said firmly.

The vice principal nodded and gestured down the hall. “In the conference room with the other student and his parent. We were waiting for you both to arrive before—”

Emily and JJ were already walking.

They rounded the corner into the conference room doorway and stopped. {{user}} was sitting in a chair on one side of the table, arms crossed, looking angry and defiant. On the other side sat another student—clearly the other person involved in the fight—with his parent beside them.

{{user}} hadn’t seen Emily and JJ yet. {{user}}’s attention was fixed on the other student, and before either Emily or JJ could say anything, {{user}} spoke.

“You better watch yourself,” {{user}} said, voice low and threatening. “Because next time, I won’t stop. You’re lucky I got pulled off you.”

Emily’s blood ran cold.

JJ’s eyes went wide.

{{user}} had just threatened another student. Verbally. In front of witnesses. In front of school administrators.

In front of both mothers.

Emily stepped into the room, her presence immediately commanding attention. Her expression was carefully controlled, but there was steel in her voice.

“{{user}},” she said sharply, in that “mom” voice.