Chapter 9 - The Last Night on the Street
Amanda called at six the next morning. Eli had given his permission for another meeting, but he wanted no surprises and no cameras. I respected that. He wasn't a secret to expose. He was a child trying to decide whom he could trust.
He told us about the nights after June died. A placement had ended when the household's adult caregiver was hospitalized. A contractor then listed Eli as transferred, but he said no one ever took him to the new home.
“I waited in the lobby,” he said. “They said somebody would come. Nobody did.”
“Where did you sleep?” Amanda asked gently.
“First at the bus station. Then outside the old laundromat. A lady there gave me socks.”
I held my hands together beneath the table so he wouldn't see them shake.
He looked at me. “I found your mom's name on June's papers. She was at the school when I asked. She said you were dead and I should quit bothering rich people.”
Daniel made a sound like a chair scraping. He turned away, breathing hard.
Eli's shoulders rose. “Don't get mad. It was dumb to ask.”
“It wasn't dumb,” Daniel said, kneeling beside him. “And I am not mad at you.”
For the first time, Eli studied him.
After the meeting, Amanda confirmed a safety review had begun at Horizon. She could not share protected records, but she said the billing discrepancies were being referred to investigators.
Then Mrs. Torres called. Her voice shook.
“Claire, Principal Hale told the students' parents that Eli lied about the bullying. One of the boys has a video. I heard them planning to delete it tonight.”
“Can you get it?”
“I already did. And Claire?”
May you like
“Yes?”
“The video captured someone else at the gate. Someone standing behind your mother.”
