Page 5 of Knight

Everyone makes sounds of agreement.

Over the next five minutes, I give out commands and let officers know where I want them to go and beg for camera footage.

Getting in my SUV, I head for Laurel Springs High. If my hunch is correct, I’m going to be having a talk with the administration and the school board.

*****

Principal Atwater meets me outside the entrance, holding her hand out to shake mine. “Hi, Mason, I got your message. I’m sorry I couldn’t take your call personally, but we were meeting about how to help the kids with Taylor’s abduction.”

“I completely understand,” I assure her. “Were you able to pull the videos from the school and the bus that Taylor rode?”

“Yes, I have them inside for you. We’ve put them on a drive so you can take them back if that’s what you want.”

I nod. “The FBI is bringing their ViCap unit, and they’re going to want to see this. If what I think happened did actually happen, we’re all going to have to have a discussion about student safety,” I warn her.

“The students are the most important thing to me.”

“I don’t doubt that,” I reassure her and give her a tired smile, “But criminals are getting smarter, and they don’t give a shit anymore, Principal Atwater. They’re more dangerous than ever. They’re more brazen than anything I’ve ever seen, and we’re operating on the assumption we’re safe. Taylor Kingston and her parents should prove to all of us we have advances to make. My wife is at this school,” I remind her. “My grandkids will be too before I know it. I can’t go to sleep at night knowing we aren’t doing all we can to protect these kids. Together, we’ll find a way to do it, and we’ll shore up any holes there are.”

She breathes easier. “I understand. We’re hopeful you find her.”

“No hope about it; I will find her.”

“Be safe, Chief Harrison.”

“I will,” I reply and shake her hand again.

“C’mon on inside and I’ll get you the information you’ve requested.”

I follow her into the school and head into the office, waiting patiently for the flash drive of video material. Once I have it I head out, only to be stopped in the foyer by the woman who wears my ring on her finger and carries my last name.

“Have you found out anything yet?”

“Not really, Rina. How’s it going around here?”

She reaches out, grasping my hand with hers. “Kids are scared, and I think the adults are too. Nobody has any idea who could’ve done this. It’s like it was a ghost.”

“Not a ghost,” I assure her. “We’re going to find out who did this and we’ll bring them to justice.”

“Be safe, Mason.” She leans in, kissing me softly.

“You too. I’ll be home when I can.”

A smile tilts her mouth. “I’ll be waiting on you, and if y’all need anything, you can call me at any time. I’ll bring you food or coffee. The entire town is behind you.”

“All I need is you behind me, Rina. With your support, I can do anything.”

Chapter Three

Rina

Watching Mason leave from school is akin to watching a piece of my heart walk away from me. This case has me more upset than normal – not just for what Mason’s dealing with, but because of what the students and the school is dealing with as well.

“Did you have anything to give Mason?” I ask Principal Atwater as she comes to stand next to me.

“I gave him what we had,” she sighs heavily, “But I don’t know if it meant anything or not. I glanced over it before I turned it over, but I have no idea what I was looking for. Now? Everyone looks suspicious, and I almost wanna chain these doors shut, just to make sure people who shouldn’t be in here don’t come in.”

“I know, but we can only do so much,” I remind her. “We can hopefully give the kids the best chance of being safe by giving them the tools to make good decisions. However, we can’t be with them all the time and we can’t force them to not be in shady situations.”

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