Chapter 7 - THE SCHOOL FILE
By 7:10 p.m., Detective Hale had three officers at Emmie's elementary school.
Principal Sandra Webb was waiting at the front office.
She looked terrified.
“I had no idea.”
Ethan slammed the forged authorization form onto her desk.
“You released my daughter yesterday to Vivian Mercer.”
“She was listed as an approved emergency contact.”
“No, she wasn't.”
Sandra stared.
“She was in our system.”
“I never added her.”
Detective Hale intervened.
“Let's keep this factual. Who modified the record?”
The principal logged into the student database.
Her fingers trembled.
“Emergency contact information was updated five days ago.”
“By who?”
“The parent portal.”
Ethan frowned.
“I didn't log in.”
Hale asked, “Was the password reset?”
Sandra checked.
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Five days ago.”
“What method?”
“Recovery email.”
Ethan's stomach tightened.
“Which email?”
Sandra turned the monitor.
The address looked like his.
Almost.
One letter was different.
Someone had created a fake version.
Hale took a photo.
“Daniel.”
Ethan stared at him.
“You think he did this?”
“He or someone working with him.”
Sandra covered her mouth.
“Oh my God.”
Ethan's anger finally turned on her.
“You sent my child away with someone because a computer screen said it was okay.”
Sandra looked devastated.
“Vivian had identification. She knew Emmie's teacher. She knew your wife's name. She knew details no stranger should know.”
“That should have scared you more.”
“I know.”
“No. You know now.”
Hale placed a hand between them.
“Ethan.”
He backed away.
Sandra suddenly remembered something.
“There was a man here today.”
Everyone stopped.
“What man?” Hale asked.
“He said he was from the district office reviewing student safety procedures.”
“Description?”
Sandra described Daniel perfectly.
“What did he want?”
“Access to attendance records.”
“Did you give it to him?”
“No. But he spoke with several teachers.”
Ethan's jaw clenched.
“Emmie said he talked to Mrs. Bell.”
Sandra nodded.
“Mrs. Bell left early.”
“Why?”
“She said she felt sick.”
Hale immediately called dispatch.
“Send a unit to the home address for Amelia Bell.”
Sandra looked confused.
“What is happening?”
Hale closed his phone.
“Someone has been building a detailed profile around this child.”
Ethan felt cold.
“Why Emmie?”
Nobody answered.
Then the front office phone rang.
Sandra picked up.
“Hello?”
Her face changed.
She slowly looked at Ethan.
“It's Mrs. Bell.”
Hale took the phone and put it on speaker.
“Mrs. Bell, this is Detective Marcus Hale.”
A woman was breathing rapidly on the other end.
“I didn't know who else to call.”
“Are you safe?”
“I don't know.”
“Where are you?”
“In my car.”
“Where?”
She began crying.
“Daniel told me if police came to my house, he would know.”
Hale signaled an officer to trace the call.
“What did Daniel want?”
“He asked questions about Emmie.”
“What questions?”
“Whether she talks about her mother.”
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
“What about Laura?”
Mrs. Bell went silent.
Then she said something Ethan would remember for the rest of his life.
May you like
“He asked whether Emmie still draws the red car.”
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