Chapter 8 - WHERE IS MAISIE?
Leah was out of her chair before the call ended.
"She left school at three-ten. Your program is two blocks away. What do you mean she never arrived?"
The director repeated that Maisie had not checked in.
Rafael was already grabbing his keys.
Dr. Shah called school security.
Within minutes, they learned Maisie's dismissal record showed something impossible.
Picked up by parent designee: 3:14 p.m.
Leah stared at the screen.
"I didn't designate anyone."
The electronic signature underneath read L. Carter.
Her lawyer said, "That's not your signature, is it?"
"No."
Rafael drove straight to the school while police were notified. The office doors were locked, but his old employee badge still opened the exterior maintenance entrance because nobody had disabled it correctly.
He moved through the empty building calling Maisie's name.
Nothing.
Then he heard a thump from the second floor.
He ran.
The sound came again.
Room 214 was open.
Empty.
The supply closet beside it was closed.
Rafael reached for the handle and stopped.
A folded chair had been wedged under the knob from the outside.
"Maisie?"
A tiny voice answered.
"Mr. Ortiz?"
Rafael kicked the chair away and pulled the door open.
Maisie rushed into him so hard he nearly fell.
"She said Mom didn't want me anymore."
"Who said that?"
Maisie pointed down the hallway.
At the far stairwell, a door slammed.
Rafael ran after the sound.
By the time he reached the parking lot, a silver sedan was speeding through the staff exit.
He caught only three things.
A dent over the rear wheel.
A district parking sticker.
And Ms. Kendrick in the passenger seat.
May you like
But the person driving was not Principal Bell.
It was Assistant Principal Dana Mills.
