So I let it go.
For three weeks, everything went smoothly.
Every afternoon, Travis walked Emma home.
Every afternoon, she was there when I returned.
She loved those walks and talked about them constantly at dinner.
“Travis showed me how motorcycle engines work.”
“Travis says crows remember faces.”
“Travis knows how to whistle with two fingers.”
Then, on a Tuesday, everything changed.
I was at my desk when my phone rang.
“Ma’am, can you come to school right now?”
I stood immediately. “Is Emma okay?”
There was a pause.
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“Emma is okay…” Then her voice dropped. “It’s about the man who picks her up.”
Every warning Ryan had given me rushed back at once.
I barely remembered the drive. By the time I reached the school, my hands ached from gripping the steering wheel.Enroll in Classes
Emma’s teacher met me near the front office.
“Come with me. The principal will explain.”
That only made my fear worse.
She opened the office door.
Emma was inside with Travis—and someone I never expected to see there.
Melissa.
The principal sat behind his desk.
