New York Christmas by New York Christmas

now this. I’ve been physically assaulted.”
    Daniel physically took a step back. Left his school? Because of that? No. That was not true. There had to be another reason.
    “I need your name, officer,” Whitman ordered. “I want to press charges.”
    “Daniel Bailey,” Daniel said. His chest tightened and he looked horror straight in the face. He was a cop in uniform, still on duty. He had a responsibility to serve the community, whoever they were. He shouldn’t be dealing with this situation any less than completely impartially. He pulled his cell from his pocket and dialed the first name on the list.
    “Alex?”
    “Daniel, hey.”
    “Can you get to that coffee shop on Grand Street? There’s a situation.”
    Alex paused. His partner would be home by now with his wife and kid, but Daniel had never asked for anything before, and god help him Chris needed help now.
    “I’ll be there in ten,” Alex answered. Daniel ended the call and encouraged Whitman back into the coffee shop to sit at the table closest to the door. He began to take notes as Whitman explained. Words like inappropriate communication, homosexual, kids, school, all twisted in his head until he got them down on paper.
    Frankly he wasn’t sure how he wasn’t pushing this arrogant ass to the floor and beating on him. Alex arrived just as he finished taking the statement.
    “Daniel?” Alex asked from the door.
    “Can you escort Mr Hamilton-Keyes outside? I’ll be with you in a minute.”
    To his credit Alex was icily impassive. “Of course.”
    Whitman stood and glanced to the back of the coffee shop. He looked tired, and if Daniel wasn’t mistaken, a little angry.
    “Daniel?”
    He heard Ame’s voice and turned on his heel. She was hugging herself and looking drawn.
    “Is Chris okay?” Daniel asked immediately.
    “I left him upstairs. He needs to know where you are.”
    “I have to go, Ame,” he started. “I have to file the complaint.”
     
     
    Ame nodded sadly. “You know none of what the school said is actually true?”
    She was asking for Daniel to make a decision there and then. The facts he had been given, the evidence he had seen with his own eyes, and the emotion he had in his own heart had to be weighed. There was no other decision he could make.
    “Of course I do,” he said. “But I have to go. I have to do this right so I can help him.”
    “I know.”
    “Tell him goodbye for me.”
     
     

Chapter 11
     
    Monday, December 17th
     
    Daniel kept his cool as the principal’s secretary dialed the number and connected.
    “Sir, there is a policeman here to see you. One Officer Daniel Bailey… I’ll send him in.” She hung up the phone and raised her eyebrows as she raked a glance up and down Daniel in his uniform. Clearly a beat cop wasn’t really acceptable to be standing at the entrance to her domain. “The Principal will see you now.”
    Daniel nodded. He wasn’t here officially, far from it. Although the uniform came with a whole set of responsibilities along with things he could and would not do, one thing he would unashamedly do is use his position as a cop to find out more information to help Chris. Not to mention throwing the weight of his family name around if came to it. He knocked on the door and entered before he heard a “come in”.
    The principal was standing with a frown on his face.
    “Edmund Voegleson, Principal at Sacred Heart,” he introduced himself, holding out a hand. Daniel shook it firmly. “How can I help you?”
    “I’m here about an incident, sir,” Daniel began. He laced the words with fake respect. This was a dangerous game he was playing but he needed this done.
    “An incident at the school?” Voegleson looked nervous but the instant reaction was soon covered by an icy control. “Officer, I think you need to talk to Danvers; he is our department liaison and deals directly with local police.”
    “I’m not local police, sir. I’m out of New York.”
    “The