Rebecca Hartley sat in the private conference room of her defense attorney, Bradley Shaw.
She wore a modest gray cardigan, her brown hair pulled into a tight bun, but the cold arrogance in her eyes remained intact.
Shaw spread three newspaper clippings across the wooden table, shaking his head.
“The media is calling you the Barber of Westfield, Rebecca,” Shaw said bluntly.
“The public perception is catastrophic.”
“The public is ignorant, Bradley,” Mrs. Hartley snapped, crossing her arms defensively.
“I was an educator for twenty-three years. I brought order to classrooms where other teachers quit within six months.”
Shaw leaned forward, tapping the still frame of her holding the heavy shears above Lily’s head.
“How do you justify cutting four inches of a minor’s hair off down to the scalp?”
Mrs. Hartley did not flinch.
“It was symbolic corrective intervention,” she stated without a trace of remorse.
“The child had become vain, arrogant, and constantly defied classroom authority by questioning administrative documents.”
“I warned her repeatedly that superficial pride had no place in an academic environment.”
Shaw rubbed his temples, staring at his client in utter disbelief.
“Do you honestly believe a jury of twelve parents is going to accept ‘symbolic intervention’ for physical assault with a weapon?”
“They will when you present my instructional record!” she argued, her voice rising.
“I produced thirty-two state scholars! Lily Vance was an unruly, emotionally damaged girl who couldn't accept her mother’s death!”
The door opened, and Shaw’s junior associate stepped inside, handing him a fresh fax from the county prosecutor.
Shaw scanned the document, his face falling into an expression of grim defeat.
“What is it?” Mrs. Hartley demanded.
“The prosecutor just added federal wire fraud and aggravated child abuse charges,” Shaw whispered.
“And Laura Vance’s personal investigative files were submitted to the grand jury an hour ago.”
Mrs. Hartley’s mouth opened, the color completely vanishing from her face.
For the first time since the scissors had closed, she looked truly terrified.