My stomach tightened again.
Mrs. Benton was Ellie’s third-grade teacher.
My daughter absolutely adored her.
The identity of her classroom teacher wasn’t especially confidential information.
Still, knowing that an unfamiliar adult had mentioned those details to make himself appear trustworthy left me deeply unsettled.
“Did he explain where he learned that?” I asked.
Ellie shook her head.
“He said I needed to go with him.”
My heartbeat suddenly quickened.
“Go with him where?”
“I don’t know.”
Countless questions rushed into my thoughts.
Instead of asking them, I turned toward Deputy Reed.
“Did that man actually board the bus?”
“No,” Ellie replied before the deputy answered.
“Mr. Frank wouldn’t let him.”
I remembered Frank blocking the stairway.
The very driver I had accused of taking my daughter.
For the first time, that moment seemed entirely different.
Deputy Reed gently asked Ellie whether she might prefer spending a few minutes with the assistant principal.
