The doors opening.
Frank preventing Ellie from leaving.
His sudden warning.
My daughter’s tears.
Then came a question that sounded entirely unrelated.
“Was anybody else standing around the bus stop?”
“No.”
“Were there any other adults?”
“Only me and the driver.”
Silence followed briefly.
“All right, ma’am.”
“Why would you ask me that?”
“We’re checking the circumstances.”
I turned toward the deserted corner.
“I was standing right there,” I replied. “I witnessed everything.”
Back then, I truly believed those words.
But I had misunderstood everything.
Chapter 2 — I Demanded His Arrest
Six minutes afterward, the school contacted me.
I was already behind the wheel.
A woman identifying herself as Mrs. Shaw said she supervised school transportation.
“Mrs. Carter, your daughter is safe. The bus is heading back to Maple Ridge Elementary.”
My hands tightened around the wheel.
“Why?”
“An unexpected safety concern occurred along the route.”
“A safety concern? My daughter was right there in front of me!”
