Ward stood stiffly in the sheriff’s office. Cole, a gray-haired man of fifty-five, with pale blue eyes and a thin mouth, rose. “Yes. You must be Captain Stuart.” He extended his hand. Ward shook it. Inside, he was shaking with humiliation and anger. This time, Kenny had done it. “I understand my son’s here.” Cole gestured to a chair. “Yes. Sit down, Captain.” He drew out the arrest report. “For over a year, we’ve suspected that there was a coke ring among the students of Danvers High School. With the aid of the Drug Task Force, we planted an agent who assumed the role of a senior in that school. She set herself up to buy coke and, over the last six months, has been able to identify everyone in the ring.” Cole pushed the report toward Stuart. “We busted the ring today. Your son wasn’t a dealer, but he was caught buying from the agent.” Great, Ward thought. That was Kenny’s luck. “And the charges against him?” “Possession of coke, Captain.” Cole gave the Coast Guard captain a measured look.
