By noon, Officer Daniels had received preliminary information.
Three other families reported unusually fast equipment failures.
One parent had kept photographs.
Another still possessed the original paperwork.
The pattern was becoming difficult to dismiss.
But Aaron Pike could not be reached.
His old phone number had been disconnected.
His listed address was vacant.
The investigation would continue, Daniels told us, but quietly.
“No accusations,” he warned Julian and Maya. “No school rumors. No social media detective work.”
Maya looked offended.
“I don’t even use TikTok.”
Julian said, “She uses TikTok.”
“Traitor.”
Officer Daniels almost smiled.
Then his phone rang.
He walked away to answer.
His expression changed halfway through the conversation.
When he returned, he asked Rebecca a strange question.
“Did Thomas Vance keep copies of everything?”
She nodded.
“He was an accountant. Of course he did.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
Daniels looked at me.
I shook my head.
