“See, Doc, it’s more about humiliation than pain, isn’t it?” Gravenow asked. “Take a look at him, son. Put that image in your mind, and you’ll never be afraid of him again.”
A camera flashed. Marvin raised his head, but Gravenow pushed it back down. “If you want a copy, I’ll get it to you,” he said, close enough that he could feel the hot breath on the back of his neck. The paddle rested on his ass and he jumped.
“My son took back what belonged to him,” Gravenow said. “And you beat him for it. You humiliated him. You tried to break his spirit.”
Marvin’s panicked, choking sobs filled a brief silence.
“Listen very, very closely to me, Headmaster. Touch my boy again, and your next beating will come with a baseball bat and a ball-peen hammer. It will last for hours. You’ll get a lesson in discipline that you will never, ever forget. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Marvin nodded, trying in vain to keep his snot from leaking onto the table. “I understand,” he said.
“I know you’ll be tempted to report our little chat to the police,” Gravenow went on. “I caution you that that would be a mistake. Of the many people in my employ, I assure you that I am among the most reasonable. Now, do you plan any further discipline against my boy?”
Marvin’s terror swelled like a foul balloon, all but squeezing out his ability to breathe. “No,” he choked.
“No what?”
“No sir.”
“Because he’s a nice boy, don’t you think, Headmaster?”
Marvin wanted to turn and look — wanted to demonstrate how truly committed he was to treating Jonathan Gravenow with the care of fragile china. “Absolutely,” he said. “I’ve always thought he was a nice child. And I swear to God that from now on, I’ll never—”
The front door closed.
They’d taken the paddle with them.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JOHN GILSTRAP is the acclaimed author of Damage Control, Threat Warning, Hostage Zero, No Mercy, Six Minutes to Freedom, Scott Free, Even Steven, At All Costs, and Nathan’s Run. His books have been translated into more than twenty languages. An explosives safety expert and former firefighter, he holds a master’s degree from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary in Virginia. He lives in Fairfax, Virginia. Please visit him at www.johngilstrap.com.