Chapter 9: Locker 214
The brass key had three numbers engraved into it.
214.
Detective Alvarez sealed it inside an evidence bag.
Then he looked at Mrs. Hayes.
"What does it open?""
She said nothing.
Her attorney had finally arrived.
A thin man in a dark suit hurried through the gate.
"Elizabeth, don't answer another question.""
Mrs. Hayes folded her arms.
Madeline stood behind her uncle.
She looked terrified.
Detective Alvarez showed the attorney the evidence bag.
"Your client's granddaughter says Mrs. Hayes knows what this key opens.""
The attorney glanced at Mrs. Hayes.
"Do you?""
"No.""
Madeline whispered, "Grandma.""
Her grandmother didn't look at her.
"You told Dad to use it.""
Mrs. Hayes's attorney closed his eyes briefly.
"Madeline," he said, "you shouldn't—"
Her uncle cut him off.
"Don't tell a child what she should say.""
Detective Alvarez turned back to Madeline.
"When did you hear them discussing the key?""
"Christmas.""
"Where?""
"Grandma's house.""
"What did she say?""
Madeline squeezed her uncle's hand.
"She told Dad to put the papers somewhere nobody at school could find them.""
Mrs. Hayes stared at the ground.
"What papers?""
"I don't know.""
"Did she mention a place?""
Madeline nodded.
"The club.""
Principal Whitmore looked up.
"What club?""
Madeline pointed toward her grandmother.
"Her country club.""
Mrs. Hayes finally spoke.
"This is insane.""
Detective Alvarez ignored her.
"Does the club have lockers?""
Principal Whitmore answered.
"Yes.""
Mrs. Hayes's attorney stepped forward.
"You do not have permission to search my client's property.""
"We don't need her permission if the locker belongs to someone else.""
He looked at Madeline.
"Whose locker is 214?""
Madeline swallowed.
"My dad's.""
Mrs. Hayes's expression changed.
Detective Alvarez saw it.
So did everyone else.
Two officers left.
The rest of us were finally told to go home.
This time Mom didn't argue.
Neither did Mrs. Carter.
Before we separated, Noah walked over to me.
"Emma?""
"Yeah?""
"Do you think Ms. Parker hates me?""
I didn't know what to say.
At ten years old, questions like that felt enormous.
"I think she hated that you couldn't be made smaller.""
Noah looked at me.
I wasn't even sure where the words came from.
He gave me a tiny smile.
Then his mother took him home.
I thought that was the end of the night.
It wasn't.
At 10:17 p.m., our doorbell rang.
Mom was downstairs before me.
I stood halfway down the staircase.
Detective Alvarez was outside.
"Mrs. Collins.""
Mom opened the door.
"Is something wrong?""
"I need to speak with Emma.""
Mom immediately stiffened.
"About what?""
"The investigation.""
"At ten o'clock?""
"It's important.""
Mom looked back and saw me.
"Emma, come here.""
I walked down.
Detective Alvarez stepped inside.
He looked exhausted.
"Remember the thirty-seven camera shutdowns?""
I nodded.
"We've identified students connected to thirty-four.""
"Okay.""
"Two involved meetings between adults.""
I remembered the recovered recordings.
"And the last one?"" Mom asked.
"That's why I'm here.""
He took out a notebook.
"Emma, on September eighteenth, the camera in your classroom was switched off at 2:36 p.m.""
I tried remembering.
September felt like years ago.
"Do you remember anything unusual that day?""
"No.""
"Think carefully.""
I closed my eyes.
September eighteenth.
School had only been in session a few weeks.
Then something came back.
A cupcake.
Blue frosting.
"Tyler's birthday.""
Detective Alvarez nodded.
"Anything else?""
"We had cupcakes.""
"After that?""
I thought harder.
Then I remembered being sent outside.
"Ms. Parker told everyone to go to the playground early.""
"Everyone?""
I stopped.
No.
Not everyone.
"Wait.""
Mom leaned closer.
"What?""
"Madeline stayed.""
Detective Alvarez's pen moved.
"Anyone else?""
"Ms. Parker.""
"Hayes?""
I shook my head.
Then another memory returned.
A man in a suit standing outside the classroom.
I'd seen him through the glass.
"Mr. Hayes came later.""
Detective Alvarez wrote that down.
"What happened when you returned?""
I could suddenly see it.
Madeline sitting alone.
Her cupcake untouched.
Her eyes red.
"I asked if she was okay.""
"What did she say?""
"She said she wanted her dad.""
Detective Alvarez looked at Mom.
Then back at me.
"Anything else?""
"She had papers.""
"What kind?""
"I don't know.""
"Did you see writing?""
I concentrated.
One word floated back.
Hamilton.
"I think it said Hamilton.""
His expression sharpened.
"You're sure?""
"No.""
"That's okay.""
Then his phone rang.
He checked the screen.
"I need to take this.""
He stepped onto the porch.
Mom put her arm around me.
"You're doing great.""
"I don't feel great.""
"I know.""
Outside, Alvarez said, "You found it?""
Silence.
Then:
"How many?""
Another pause.
"What else?""
He turned and looked through the doorway at us.
Something in his face made Mom stand.
Alvarez ended the call and came inside.
"They opened locker 214.""
Mom swallowed.
"And?""
"Twelve missing student files.""
The ones that hadn't burned.
"They also found copies of scholarship records, financial information on families, disciplinary drafts, and correspondence between Hayes and his mother.""
"Is that enough to arrest them?"" Mom asked.
"We're getting there.""
He looked at me.
"But there's something else.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
"A flash drive.""
Mom frowned.
"What's on it?""
"We don't know yet.""
He hesitated.
"But the label is why I'm here.""
"What does it say?""
Detective Alvarez looked directly at me.
"Emma Collins.""
My name.
On a hidden flash drive.
Inside Mr. Hayes's locker.
Mom's face went white.
"Why would he have something with my daughter's name on it?""
Detective Alvarez didn't answer.
His phone buzzed again.
This time it was a message.
He read it.
Then looked at me.
"They've opened the drive.""
I couldn't breathe.
"What was on it?""
He turned the phone toward my mother.
A single video file had appeared.
The date was from September.
May you like
And underneath it was a title.
*COLLINS GIRL — CAMERA TEST.*
