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Her smile tightened a bit, and I nodded. “I’ll park and be right in.”
After practically sprinting across the parking lot while dodging parents who were pulling out of the school, I finally made it inside. Principal Walker was still standing at the entrance with Charlie.
When she saw me, she leaned down to him. “Charlie, I have to speak to your dad about a special project I need his help with. Mrs. London is going to read a story to you in the library, then your dad will come pick you up, okay?”
Charlie looked at me, and I smiled. “I’ll be right there, buddy. Give me a minute to speak to your principal.”
I followed the principal into the main office and down the hall to her personal office. She motioned for me to take a seat. I did and tried like hell to keep my leg from bouncing. I was never a fan of being sent to the principal’s office.
“I’m sorry if I scared or worried you. Charlie is fine—he really isn’t in any kind of trouble—but we did have an incident right before school was let out. We tried to call you, but it went straight to voicemail.”
I pulled out my phone and cursed. It was dead. “Did you try calling Palmer Bradley?”
She nodded. “We did, and she said she was on her way, but I informed her that you would probably get here first since this happened minutes before pick-up.”
“What happened?”
Principal Walker rested her elbows on her desk and cleared her throat. “A woman by the name of Ashley Whitman showed up right before school was letting out. She said she was Charlie’s mother and was here to pick him up for a doctor’s appointment.”
It took everything I had not to jump up and leave to go find that bitch. I shook my head and clenched my jaw tightly.
“The receptionist at the front told her she wasn’t listed as one of the approved pick-up people. She started to argue with her and reiterated that she was Charlie’s mother. Lisa—that’s the receptionist—knew about your ex-wife. I hate to admit this to you, but she reads Ms. Seaside’s column and knew that there was some animosity between you and Ms. Whitman. She pressed an alert button that automatically calls me and alerts the vice principal to call the police. When I showed up and explained to Ashley that she wasn’t allowed to take Charlie, she left the office and started running down the halls, screaming your son’s name.”
I closed my eyes and tried to fight the urge to throw up. When I opened them again and refocused on her, I asked, “Did he hear her?”
She shook her head and clasped her hands on the desk in front of her. “No. Luckily, Charlie and his class were outside checking on their garden in the greenhouse. They were on their way back in, though, when our school resource officer got to Ms. Whitman and contained her. I don’t believe Charlie witnessed anything.”
“Where is she now?”
“The police took her down to the station only moments before you pulled up.”
I scrubbed my hand down my face. “That bitch.” I looked up and said, “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.”
“This is a scary situation. Do you have a restraining order out on Ms. Whitman?”
My chest tightened and my stomach turned over. “No, but that’s going to be the first thing I do tomorrow morning.”
“I wanted you to know that we’ll be keeping an eye out for her. If anyone sees her on school property, the police will be called.”
“Thank you, Principal Walker. I appreciate that. I guess I need to have a talk with Charlie. He’s never alone, but if Ashley was willing to come to his school, Lord knows what else she’ll try to do.”
“He doesn’t know her, I take it?”
“No,” I said, sinking down farther into the chair. “She gave him up the second he was born. He’s never even seen a picture of her.”
She gave me a small nod. “I think now might be the time to let him know she’s a dangerous person.”
I brought my hand to the back of my neck. “Agreed.”
I stood, and Principal Walker followed. “If there’s anything we can do, Dr. Bryan, please don’t hesitate to let us know. We’re a small community, and we look out for one another. Especially for our kids.”
Shaking her hand, I said, “Thank you so much. I truly appreciate it.”
Turning, I headed out of her office and went directly to the library. After retrieving Charlie, I sent a text to both of my parents, letting them know what Ashley had done. As far as any of us knew, she’d left town after the supermarket incident. If I saw her, it was going to take an army to keep me from wanting to strangle her.
