Chapter 10 - Eric Had Been The Only Adult Who Asked Leah What She Wanted
Eric Sloan was sixty now.
Hawthorne’s director of student support.
Twenty-two years ago, he had been the youngest counselor on staff.
He met us in his office after dismissal.
Daniel came.
Walter did not.
Leah insisted on that.
I came because the message had targeted a child on my daughter’s campus.
Eric looked at Leah before anyone else.
“Long time.”
“Not long enough.”
He smiled faintly.
Daniel did not.
I asked:
“Did you send Mia to the alley?”
“No.”
“Did you know she would be here?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Daniel shifted in his chair.
I looked at him.
Eric caught it.
“Daniel asked whether Mia could wait in the counseling office for ten minutes.”
“When?”
“This morning.”
Leah turned.
“You told me she was meeting you after school.”
Daniel said:
“She was.”
“Then why counseling?”
“Because I had to meet Walter.”
Leah’s face changed.
“You were meeting him today.”
“Yes.”
“About what?”
Daniel looked toward Eric.
No rescue.
“About telling Claire.”
I laughed.
Everyone looked at me.
“This is excellent.”
Daniel flinched.
“You were going to finally tell me by meeting the father you also kept out of my life.”
“I needed him to agree not to approach Mia.”
“He had already seen her.”
Daniel stared at Eric.
Eric said:
“Not through me.”
That mattered.
“How did Walter know?” I asked.
Eric leaned back.
“Trustee access. He's had a habit of checking the campus camera system when family is involved.”
Leah laughed once.
“Of course.”
Daniel looked angry.
Eric continued:
“I told him years ago to stop.”
“Years?”
I turned.
“He’s been watching Sophie?”
Eric shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Daniel stood.
“I’m done.”
I looked at him.
“Sit.”
He stared at me.
For once, he did.
Eric folded his hands.
“I did not send the message. I did not move Mia to the alley.”
“Who could?”
“Anyone with her number.”
Leah looked at Daniel.
Daniel looked at her.
I asked:
“Who has it?”
“Me,” Leah said.
“Daniel.”
“Eric.”
“Mia’s school.”
Then Eric said:
“Walter.”
Leah went still.
“You gave it to him?”
“No.”
Daniel looked up.
“He got it from Dad’s phone?”
Eric shook his head.
“Walter called me yesterday asking whether Leah still used the number ending in fourteen.”
Leah’s mouth tightened.
“That was my old number.”
“Exactly.”
I looked around.
“Then he doesn't have Mia's.”
Eric nodded.
One less suspect.
Daniel asked:
“Could Mia have mistaken the message?”
“No,” I said. “I saw it.”
Eric leaned toward us.
“Show me.”
I did.
He stared at the wording.
WAIT BEHIND THE GYM AFTER DISMISSAL. SOPHIE WILL FIND YOU.
Then his face changed.
“What?”
He looked at Daniel.
“Do you remember this phrasing?”
Daniel frowned.
“No.”
Eric turned his monitor.
Old Hawthorne message templates.
Parent pickup instructions.
Twenty years of archived forms.
One standard line:
WAIT BEHIND THE GYM AFTER DISMISSAL. STAFF WILL FIND YOU.
Leah went pale.
“That’s old.”
Eric nodded.
“We stopped using that pickup area seventeen years ago.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Who would know that wording?”
Eric stared.
“You.”
Daniel’s face hardened.
“I didn't send it.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“Because twenty-two years ago, Leah used to wait there.”
Leah stood.
I looked at her.
“For who?”
She stared at the old template.
Then whispered:
“My father.”
Michael had once picked her up secretly from the same alley.
Before Walter stopped the visits.
Eric looked at Leah.
“Somebody didn't just know Mia was meeting Sophie.”
May you like
He pointed at the message.
“They knew where you used to wait.”
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