Read Online Carrie by Stephen King - Free Book Online Page B

hardly the most scholarly or unimpeachable source, but there is a great deal of other documentation, and I think that the point of familiar witness-ship is served.
    In the case of Carrie White, the only witness to any possible prologue to the final climactic events was Margaret White, and she, of course is dead. . . .

    Henry Grayle, principal of Ewen High School, had been expecting him all week, but Chris Hargensen's father didn't show up until Friday—the day after Chris had skipped her detention period with the formidable Miss Desjardin.
    â€œYes, Miss Fish?” He spoke formally into the intercom, although he could see the man in the outer office through his window, and certainly knew his face from pictures in the local paper.
    â€œJohn Hargensen to see you, Mr. Grayle.”
    â€œSend him in, please.”
Goddammit, Fish, do you have to sound so impressed?
    Grayle was an irrepressible paper-clip-bender, napkin-ripper, corner-folder. For John Hargensen, the town's leading legal light, he was bringing up the heavy ammunition—a whole box of heavy-duty clips in the middle of his desk blotter.
    Hargensen was a tall, impressive man with a self-confident way of moving and the kind of sure, mobile features that said this was a man superior at the game of one-step-ahead social interaction.
    He was wearing a brown Savile Row suit with subtle glints of green and gold running through the weave that put Grayle's local off-the-rack job to shame. His briefcase was thin, real leather, and bound with glittering stainless steel. The smile was faultless and full of many capped teeth—a smile to make the hearts of lady jurors melt like butter in a warm skillet. His grip was major league all the way—firm, warm, long.
    â€œMr. Grayle. I've wanted to meet you for some time now.”
    â€œI'm always glad to see interested parents,” Grayle said with a dry smile. “That's why we have Parents Open House every October.”
    â€œOf course.” Hargensen smiled. “I imagine you're a busy man, and I have to be in court forty-five minutes from now. Shall we get down to specifics?”
    â€œSurely.” Grayle dipped into his box of clips and began to mangle the first one. “I suspect you are here concerning the disciplinary action taken against your daughter Christine. You should be informed that school policy on the matter has been set. As a man concerned with the workings of justice yourself, you should realize that bending the rules is hardly possible or—”
    Hargensen waved his hand impatiently. “Apparently you're laboring under a misconception, Mr. Grayle. I am here because my daughter was manhandled by your gym teacher, Miss Rita Desjardin. And verbally abused, I'm afraid. I believe the term your Miss Desjardin used in connection with my daughter was ‘shitty.’“
    Grayle sighed inwardly. “Miss Desjardin has been reprimanded.”
    John Hargensen's smile cooled thirty degrees. “I'm afraid a reprimand will not be sufficient. I believe this has been the young, ah, lady's first year in a teaching capacity?”
    â€œYes. We have found her to be eminently satisfactory.”
    â€œApparently your definition of eminently satisfactory includes throwing students up against lockers and the ability to curse like a sailor?”
    Grayle fenced: “As a lawyer, you must be aware that this state acknowledges the school's title to
in loco parentis
—along with full responsibility, we succeed to full parental rights during school hours. If you're not familiar, I'd advise you to check
Monondock Consolidated School District vs. Cranepool
or—”
    â€œI'm familiar with the concept,” Hargensen said. “I'm also aware that neither the Cranepool case that you administrators are so fond of quoting or the Frick case cover anything remotely concerned with physical or verbal abuse. There is, however, the case of
School District #4 vs. David.
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