Chapter 13: The Missing Tablet
I drove back to the school before I told Nova anything.
The principal was waiting in his office.
When I placed the photograph of him beside the tablet on his desk, his face changed.
“You've been watching me,” I said.
“No.””
“You're in the reflection.””
He stared at the photograph.
Then he slowly sat down.
“I can explain.””
“Then explain why you had Nova's final removal recommendation.””
His mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
I placed the forged transfer form beside it.
“Explain this too.””
He rubbed both hands over his face.
“Mrs. Adams, you don't understand the pressure we were under.””
“My daughter was nine.””
“I know.””
“She was bullied.””
“I know.””
“She was locked in a storage room.””
“I know.””
“And you helped build a case to remove her.””
His eyes filled with something that looked like shame.
“Yes.””
The word landed harder than I expected.
“Why?””
“Because Marcus told me the district wanted the problem resolved.””
“The problem?””
He looked at the floor.
“He never called her a problem.””
“What did he call her?””
“An exposure.””
I felt sick.
“An exposure to what?””
“Complaints. Lawsuits. Accommodation disputes. Parent dissatisfaction.””
I laughed bitterly.
“So you decided the easiest solution was to remove the child.””
He didn't answer.
“Who forged my signature?””
“I don't know.””
“Who accessed my file?””
“I don't know.””
“Who sent the threats?””
“I don't know.””
“You seem to know nothing.””
He finally looked at me.
“I know who started it.””
“Who?””
“Marcus.””
I expected the answer.
What I didn't expect was what came next.
“The tablet was his.””
I frowned.
“What tablet?””
“The classroom tablet. The one with the meeting recording.””
“Where is it?””
His expression tightened.
“Missing.””
“When?””
“Yesterday.””
“Who checked it out?””
He hesitated.
“Mrs. Carter.””
My heart pounded.
“She's suspended.””
“She still had access to the building until this morning.””
I stood.
“Where is she now?””
“We don't know.””
I called Denise.
She answered immediately.
“I heard.””
“You knew the tablet was missing.””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“We were trying to locate it.””
“Find it.””
“We're working on it.””
“No.””
My voice hardened.
“You're going to help me find it.””
An hour later, we had a location.
The tablet had connected briefly to a school Wi-Fi network at 10:14 that morning.
Not the main campus.
The old elementary building across town.
The building had been closed for renovations.
I drove there with Denise.
The front door was unlocked.
Inside, the hallway smelled like dust and fresh paint.
“Stay behind me,” Denise said.
“I've dealt with worse.””
We reached the old classroom.
The door was open.
A chair sat overturned near the window.
On the desk was the tablet.
Beside it was a stack of documents.
I grabbed the first one.
Caleb's file.
The second.
Another student.
The third.
Another.
Seven families.
Seven children.
Every case followed the same pattern.
Isolation.
Behavior reports.
Parent pressure.
Transfer recommendation.
I looked at Denise.
“This has been happening for years.””
She nodded.
Then we heard footsteps.
Someone was coming down the hallway.
We turned.
Mrs. Carter appeared in the doorway.
She looked exhausted.
Her hair was wet from the rain.
She wasn't smiling.
“You weren't supposed to find this.””
Denise stepped forward.
“Where is Marcus?””
“I don't know.””
“Where is he?””
Mrs. Carter looked at me.
“He left.””
“When?””
“Last night.””
“Where?””
“I don't know.””
“You do.””
She shook her head.
“I swear.””
I held up the photograph.
“You were in the car with him.””
Her eyes widened.
“You followed me?””
“No. Security cameras did.””
She looked at the tablet.
Then at the files.
“I didn't start this.””
“Then who did?””
She swallowed.
“Marcus.””
“Why?””
Her voice cracked.
“Because the district has a budget problem.””
I stared at her.
“What does that have to do with Nova?””
“Students who require expensive accommodations cost more.””
Denise's face went pale.
“That isn't possible.””
Mrs. Carter looked at her.
“You know it is.””
I felt my stomach twist.
“So you targeted disabled children because they cost more.””
“No.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I told myself we were helping them find better programs.””
“You lied to parents.””
“Yes.””
“You forged signatures.””
“I didn't forge yours.””
“Then who did?””
She looked at Denise.
Then at me.
“The principal.””
Silence.
“The principal copied your signature from an old enrollment document.””
I thought about the conversation from months earlier.
The forms.
The emails.
The trust.
Everything suddenly felt contaminated.
“Why tell me now?””
Mrs. Carter wiped her face.
“Because Marcus told me something yesterday.””
“What?””
“He said if the investigation reached the old files, he would make sure I took the blame.””
I stared at her.
“And you decided to talk.””
She nodded.
“Where is Marcus?””
“I don't know.””
Her voice dropped.
“But I know where he's going.””
“Where?””
She looked at the clock.
“His house.””
May you like
Then she whispered,
“He has the original files.””
