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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Andy
I called the school on the way over there and told them that I was on my way to pick up Grace. That’s the procedure. You let the school know and they arrange for your kid to be waiting for you at the office when you get there. Except that when I got there, Grace wasn’t waiting for me. Cally Gabriel’s assistant asked me to take a seat, and like a fool I did it. I sat there for half an hour like an obedient child, until Cally finally came out of her office, looking defensive.
“Where’s Grace?” I said.
“Grace was not in class,” Cally said. “She didn’t attend any of her classes this morning.”
“So where is she?”
“I don’t know,” Cally said. “But I suggest that calling her cell phone might be the best way to find out.”
I’ve never hit a woman in my life, and I’ve never wanted to before that moment. I told myself that the only thing that mattered was finding Grace, that I didn’t have time to tackle Cally or tell her what I thought of her. Despite all that, I found that my left hand was clenched into a fist, and the index finger of my right hand was in her face.
“I told you. I stood here and I warned you. I begged you to help and you gave me some bullshit, and now we see.”
Her lips were tight in anger. “Mr. Fraser—”
“No,” I said. “You don’t get to talk.” I walked away, already pulling out my cell phone. Over my shoulder, I told Cally Gabriel that she’d be hearing from our lawyer. We don’t have a lawyer, but maybe it was time we got one. I called Grace’s cell phone four times on my way back to my car. It went to voice mail each time. I was about to get in the car, about to call Leanne, when I turned back and looked at the school. The bell had rung and kids were pouring out of classrooms.
I walked fast in the direction of Grace’s classmates. I saw kids I knew. All of them looked at me like I was a threat. A scary guy. That made me pause. These kids had grown up knowing that school was not a safe place. I couldn’t make them afraid. I couldn’t do that. I stopped walking. I was going to go back, but then I saw Molly. I called her and she came over, dragging her feet.
“Hi, Molly.”
“Hi, Mr. Fraser.” She didn’t look at me.
“Do you know where she went?”
She shook her head.
“Molly, you gotta know how serious this is. Nina’s missing. Grace is missing now too. She didn’t want to go to school this morning. If she’s gone off somewhere just to get away and you know it, you need to let me know right now, because my next call is going to be to the police.”
She shook her head again, but this time she looked me in the eye. “I thought she was coming to school, but she never came to class. I haven’t even seen her today. I would have called her, but I haven’t had the chance yet.”
“Okay. Thanks. And you’ll call me, or ask your parents to call me, if you hear anything?”
“Uh-huh. Sure.”
I turned and walked away. There were a lot of eyes watching me. A boy around Grace’s age said, “Pervert!” loudly, half covering it with a fake cough. I stopped walking and looked at him, daring him to say it again. He didn’t flush and he didn’t back down. He looked like he wanted to take me on. I walked away. I called Lee. I told her that Grace was missing. I can see now how stupid that was. I should have known that hearing the news that way might mess her up. I should have gone to her. I should have held her when I told her, been there in person to reassure her. But I was panicking. I didn’t know what the hell to do, and Lee is the person I rely on.
I called her. I told her. I heard her drop the phone. I was out in front of the school by then. I felt like I had a hundred pairs of eyes on me, and none of them were friendly. I felt like I was going to fly apart. I went to my car. I called Matthew Wright. The call went to voice mail. I called the main number for headquarters. They put me through to Sarah Jane Reid.
“Mr. Fraser?”
“Grace is missing. I dropped her off at school this morning and I watched her walk in through the doors. She never went to class. I’m at the school right now. They don’t know where she is. I spoke to her best friend. She says she hasn’t heard from Grace, and I believe her.”
“Does Grace have access to a car? Can she drive?”
“No. No car.”
“Did she pack a bag this morning? Pack any clothes?”
I tried to think. “She had her school backpack. I don’t think she had any clothes.”
“What did she wear to school today?”
My mind was blank. I couldn’t see it. “I don’t know. Jeans, I think. Her jacket is green, so I guess a green jacket?” I sounded like I was making it up. I think she heard that.
