“Why would she be in a conference room?”
“Mrs. Carter—”
“Where. Is. My. Daughter?”
A doorway opened farther along the hallway.
Ellie stepped out beside the assistant principal.
Her cheeks were flushed and tearstained.
Her purple schoolbag brushed against her leg as she walked.
“Mom?”
I hurried toward her.
She let her backpack fall and rushed straight into my embrace.
I hugged her so firmly that she made a quiet sound.
“Sorry, sweetheart. I’m sorry.”
She pressed her face into my shoulder.
I gently kissed her hair.
“Are you alright?”
She nodded quietly.
“Did he hurt you?”
She shook her head.
“Did he touch you?”
“No.”
“Then why didn’t he let you leave?”
Ellie glanced toward the office doorway.
“He told me to sit down.”
“Did he explain why?”
She hesitated.
“He said it wasn’t safe.”
I turned toward the assistant principal.
“Unsafe? But I was standing right there.”
