by Jayne, Chris
What in God’s name had she been thinking of? Or more accurately, not thinking of?
Brandon and Grace.
How could she not have thought of them until now? Were the children even safe? If someone wanted her, really wanted her, how long would it take someone with police and FBI connections to figure out where her children went to school? Gasping for air, she ran back out to the car and grabbed the cell phone.
Every minute - hell, every second - counted now. She dialed Brandon and Grace’s elementary school, frantically, as the call connected, trying to think of a plausible reason to pick them up.
“Sea View Elementary School, Mrs. Marshall speaking.” Lori felt a moment of relief. This was a lucky break. Gena Marshall was friendly and sweet, the “nice” secretary, while two of the other women who worked in the office were “by the book” rule followers, and would never have considered an unusual request.
“Gena, it’s Lori Dovner, Brandon and Grace’s mom?”
“Yes, Lori, how are you?”
Lori took a deep breath, hoping that no quaver would betray her frantic state of mind. “I’m fine,” she answered casually, “but I’m in a bit of a bind.”
“What’s going on?”
“I messed up,” she said, hoping she sounded sufficiently chagrined without sounding desperate. She took a quick glance at the kitchen clock hanging on the wall and tried to do math that would make her story plausible. “I totally forgot my kids have dentist appointments today at 11:00.” That was in thirty minutes. “They’re so strict there, and if we’re more than ten minutes late, they cancel the appointments and charge us for the missed appointment. I’m coming in to pick up both of the children. If they are waiting for me in the office when I get there, I think I can make it. But if they don’t get called up until I come in, we’ll never get to the dentist office on time.”
“Well, you know we’re not supposed to do that.” Gena Marshall sounded uncertain.
It was school policy, Lori knew, not to call children out of their classrooms until after the parent had arrived. “I know. But I’m twenty minutes away, and the office is about ten minutes from the school. If the kids are waiting for me, I have a chance. And listen, I wouldn’t ask except one of Brandon’s teeth has been hurting. We really need this appointment.” Lori held her breath. There was a long pause.
“All right, just this once. They’ll be in the office when you get here.”
The call clicked off and Lori looked at the phone in her hand, wondering what to do next. Not only were the kids at risk, but, Lori supposed, so was Simone. It was Monday morning, and Simone had classes at the community college. She’d been on her way there when she took the kids to McDonald’s for breakfast. She was safe for now, Lori realized, as there was no way anyone could know her name or where she was, but she’d be coming home in less than two hours. If someone was watching Lori’s house, Simone could be in terrible danger.
What to do? Quickly Lori keyed the text function of her phone; she knew Simone wouldn’t answer the phone in class, but Lori was fairly sure that, like most students, she’d read a text. “It’s an emergency, Simone,” Lori typed. “Leave class now, and call me.”
She looked around Sylvia’s quiet, peaceful house, wishing she could just stay. Well, why not? This was a safe empty house, at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, and she knew where Sylvia’s spare keys were, which meant she could drive Sylvia’s car, a vehicle that could not be connected to her. She hadn’t gotten so far as even to begin to consider what she was going to do after she got the children and Simone, but there was no reason she could not come back here. Sylvia was the widow of Lori’s dead husband’s great uncle, and her last name was different than hers. Because of that, it would take quite a bit of digging to connect her to Sylvia.
Whether she stayed here or not it was a private safe place to at least take inventory and plan.
The phone in her hand vibrated. She glanced at the screen: Simone. “What is it, Lori? What ees this emergency?” Simone’s French accent was stronger than usual, showing that she was upset.
“I can’t explain right now, Simi. But you need to trust me. You’re out of class?”
“Yes, oui. I went out as soon as I got the text.”
“Something’s happened, something dangerous. I’m afraid.” Lori paused, wondering how to phrase it so that Simone would realize it was very serious, but at the same time would prevent her from becoming so frightened she would freak out. “I saw something I shouldn’t have seen and I’m afraid,” she repeated, “that I might be in danger.” There was dead silence on the other end of the phone. “Until I can work things out, I need to know you and Brandon and Grace are safe.”
“What happened? What’s wrong?”
“Simone, I can’t explain right now. You need to trust me.” She paused, still not quite sure what she should tell Simone to do, but then a plan gelled in her mind. “I need you to leave school. Don’t go back to the house. Whatever you do,” she repeated, “do not go back to the house. Did you take the kids to the McDonald’s by their school this morning?”
“Yes, but…”
“Just listen, please. The one right by their school? On Ocean, across from the bank?”
Simone’s voice was more insistent. “Yes.”
“So, I want you to drive there. Right now. Park around back. I’ll be there in fifteen or twenty minutes and I’ll explain then.” When Simone didn’t say anything, Lori pushed her. “Promise me you’ll leave right now.”
“Yes, I will but what is it? Have I done something?”
“No! You haven’t.” This was exactly what she wanted to avoid: a drawn-out conversation with Simone. “I cannot explain right now. I cannot. You need to go to that McDonald’s and wait for me in your car.” Lori paused. “Promise?”
Simone’s voice seemed tight with tension and confusion, but at least she agreed. “Yes, I will.”
“Leave right now?”
“Yes.”
Lori clicked off, and moved towards the garage, but paused, her stomach sinking, as her eyes rested on Sasha, sitting on the sofa in Sylvia’s front room, her head on the back of the sofa looking out the window. What should she do about the dog? Just last week a story had made the news about a family pet that had been shot at a traffic stop when the dog had jumped out of the car and started barking at the police officer. If things went south, the last thing she needed to be dealing with was a frantic dog. On the other hand, what if somehow, she couldn’t get back to Sylvia’s house and the dog was left alone?
After only a second, she’d come up with a solution, and as soon as she pulled Sylvia’s Escalade out of the garage, and shut the door again, she dialed Michele’s number once more. Her employee picked up on the first ring.
“My god, Lori. I was just going to call you. Did you hear the news?”
Lori cut her off. “About Senator Michaels? Yeah. But listen, there’s more to that. Things you’re not hearing on the news. This whole thing has gotten messed up really fast.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I don’t want to tell you over the phone. I need to focus on my driving right now. But this could be life and death.”
“Life and death? Come on…”
“Just listen.” Quickly Lori gave Michelle the address of Sylvia’s house and explained about the dog. “I need you and Sal to go there right now. Don’t shower, don’t eat, don’t do anything but run to the car and go. The back door is unlocked and the security system is not armed. Go in, open the garage door, pull your car in, close the garage, and wait for me. I should be there by 11:30.”
After a long moment of silence, Michelle, her voice breaking with stress, agreed to do as Lori asked. Lori knew that if somehow the unthinkable happened and she didn’t return, eventually the couple would leave, and Lori knew Michelle and Salvadore would not leave the dog at the house alone.
Lori piloted Sylvia’s car out to the main road, feeling enormously relieved that she was in
a completely anonymous car. She took a quick glance at her watch. Ten minutes had passed since she’d called the school and she was still about ten minutes away: right on schedule.
As she drove she flipped through the news channels offered from the satellite radio service in Sylvia’s car. Almost all of them were talking about Senator Michaels’ death, and speculation was already rampant about what the political ramifications of the death would be, but no one had information about the actual murder that was any different from what she’d already heard.
Suddenly, her phone, lying on the console next to her rang. She didn’t recognize the number, and she stared at the phone’s screen, her heart racing all over again. It could be anyone; the main number for Top Hat Catering was actually her cell phone, but right now she could only assume the worst. Without answering the call, she thumbed the phone off.
Right on schedule, at 10:55, she approached the school, traveling down Ocean Drive. A red light gave her an opportunity to see the school up ahead on the right, and a right turn off Ocean would take her into the pick-up circle in front of the school. It was empty, as it should be at this time of day. The light changed and she drove on, turned on her turn signal and slowed. Then, her heart racing in her chest, she zoomed forward.
What in God’s name was she thinking of? There were security cameras everywhere in front of the school. If she picked the kids up in Sylvia’s Escalade, her connection to Sylvia’s house would be known as soon as someone checked the plate with the DMV. Good grief, how could she have almost been that stupid?
What now? Should she park the car down the road, and walk in and get the kids, and hope none of the secretaries noticed that she was on foot? Well, so what if they did? It would kill the “on the way to the dentist” story if anyone noticed, but so what? They were her children and there was nothing illegal in her taking them.
Lori paused, then cursed the fact that she had almost missed the obvious. Simone had a car, and she’d be only a couple of blocks further down Ocean, at the place where Lori had said to meet. Only two minutes later, she pulled into the lot and spotted Simone’s car immediately.
Ash-faced, Simone jumped out and grabbed Lori’s arms. “What is the emergency? Are you hurt?” She peered intently into Lori’s face, then looked at the Escalade, confused. “What car is this?”
“I can’t explain right now. You need to trust me. We don’t have much time. We need to go to the school in your car and get the kids.”
Simone looked more frightened and baffled than ever, but she nodded without arguing further.
Lori considered the options. “You drive, okay?”
“Okay. D’accord.”
Chapter 8
Lori and Simone pulled out of the McDonald’s lot in Simone’s little Toyota, and within less than a minute they turned left, entering the pick-up circle in front of Sea View Elementary. Lori instructed Simone to make a quick U-turn so they were now parked with the passenger door in front of the school. “The kids are supposed to be in the office, waiting. Keep the car running. I’ll be back as fast as I can.”
Lori walked to the locked front door of the school and pressed the security bell. Within just a few seconds, the disconnected voice emerged from the speaker. “Can I help you?”
“It’s Lori Dovner. I’m here to pick up Brandon and Grace for their dentist appointments.”
“Hold on.” There was a metallic whirr, and then a click as the door lock disengaged. Lori knew she was on camera every second, so she pasted a friendly smile on her face and tried to walk quickly without looking frantic. Her heart was pounding so hard she felt that someone looking at her should be able to see it quivering in her chest, but rationally she knew that was ridiculous. She forced herself to calm down. She wasn’t doing anything wrong! These were her children, she had every right to take them and she was protecting them. Still, suddenly she had a terrible premonition that her instincts in coming here had been spot-on and Saldata was only minutes behind her.
As soon as she entered the office, relief washed over her. Gena Marshall had been as good as her word, and Brandon and Grace were there, rain jackets on and backpacks by their sides, sitting in two chairs right by the door. Gena and another secretary whose name Lori couldn’t remember sat at desks in the main area, and through a glass window open to an interior office, Lori could see Elizabeth Lomac, the school’s principal, sitting at her desk.
Brandon looked up, his eyes sad and concerned. “I don’t want to go to the dentist.”
“It’ll be fine, Brandon. Come on, guys. We’re going to be late.” Lori shot a rueful grin towards the two secretaries hoping she looked sufficiently casual. “Thanks for your help today.” She headed towards the door.
“Sign out sheet,” the older secretary reminded her in an annoying singsong.
The last thing Lori wanted to do was take another minute to fill out the sign out sheet, but she also didn’t want to raise any suspicions. She stepped towards where the clipboard with the sign-out sheet rested on the desk.
The phone rang.
Gena Marshall answered it efficiently. “Sea View Elementary, Mrs. Marshall speaking.” Gena Marshall listened, then paused. “Who?” she said softly, then “What?” Slowly, she raised confused eyes to Lori. “It’s for you.” An entire range of emotions flooded across the secretary’s face: first, confusion, then wariness, betrayal, and fear.
Lori scribbled her children’s name, and signed, stomach clenched so hard she thought she might vomit. She looked up, pretending she hadn’t heard, buying time. “What?” Whoever it was, Lori knew she didn’t want to talk. Saldata? The police? It didn’t matter. Someone had figured out where her kids went to school, just as she thought they might.
“It’s for you,” the secretary repeated, offering the handset slowly.
Ignoring her, Lori turned, grabbed both of the children’s hands and jerked them towards the office door. “Let’s go!”
There was a moment of dead silence behind her, then Gena shouted “Wait!” The cry was cut off as the office door slammed shut.
“Hurry.” Lori forced them into a run.
“Mommy, stop,” Grace cried. “Mrs. Marshall said to stop. What’s happening? I’m scared.”
The office door opened behind her, and Lori could see a reflection in the window of the exit door in front of her. Both Gena Marshall and the principal had run into the hall. “Ms. Dovner, it’s the police. You must stop now. Ms. Dovner!”
Lori ignored her, ignored Grace, who was now crying in earnest, and pushed the exit door open just as a loud tone blared through the school. “Lock Down Alert. Lock Down Alert. All Classrooms shelter in place.” Lori was fairly certain that as part of the Lock Down Alert, all exterior doors locked and could not be opened from either the inside or the outside without the passcode. Thank God she’d gotten the door open in the instant before the alert sounded.
The siren blared everywhere, in and out. She slammed the door shut behind her. Now nearly dragging the children, Lori rushed to the car. She threw open the back door so hard it almost bounced back closed again, and shoved first Brandon, then Grace into the car’s rear seat.
She took a quick glance over her shoulder. Both Gena Marshall and Elizabeth Lomac were watching her through the windows in the exit door, but thankfully neither one of them had left the building. Their faces were twisted with horror and confusion. When the exit door had closed behind her, had they been locked in? It looked that way.
Lori slammed the back door, threw herself into the passenger seat and screamed, “Drive.”
Simone drove.
“Mommy!” howled Grace. “I’m not buckled.”
“Just go,” Lori snapped to Simone again. They left the traffic circle in front of the school and took a right turn back onto the main street. Suddenly Lori heard sirens. Her heart racing, she turned and looked behind her. As she watched, about a hundred yards behind, two patrol cars, their blue lights blazing, turned into the school drive. Had they seen her pull
out? Looking in the rearview, Lori saw no one follow.
Simone turned to look at her, eyes wide. “What was that?” When Lori didn’t answer, she persisted. “Was that,” she stopped, clearly fumbling with the English. “Was that for us?” Then she switched to French. “Mon dieu. Qu'est-ce qui se passe?”
“Let me think,” Lori snapped. They’d be looking for Simone’s car now, that was certain. How long would it take before they had the license plate from the security cameras? Two minutes? Five? Lori didn’t know where the security camera system was at the school, but it wasn’t in the office. She’d never seen it in the dozens of times she’d been in the school. Surely it would have to take a few minutes at least to replay the recordings, call in the license plate. Should they abandon the car at the McDonald’s or take it?
As soon as they pulled into the fast food joint, she had her answer. There were cameras here, too, pointing into the parking lot. If they abandoned the car here, as soon as the police found it, they’d have Lori driving Sylvia’s car on camera as well. “I want you to follow me, okay? Simone?”
Simone pulled up next to the Escalade and turned to look at Lori, her eyes round with terror.
“Simone.” Lori felt close to breaking down. “Are you listening? Please. Just follow me? We’ll be some place safe in just a couple of minutes and then I’ll explain everything.” Quickly, she hustled her two children from Simone’s car to the Escalade. Grace looked frantic and terrified and Brandon was crying something about not wanting to go to the dentist.
Then Brandon looked up. The tears were suddenly gone as he realized where they were. “I want a Happy Meal.”
“Not now, Bran.” His face clouded and Lori, desperate to stave off another wave of tears, interrupted. “But listen. We can get Dominoes, okay? Anything you want.”