“Thanks.”
A horn honked outside.
“I better go before my partner wakes the neighborhood.”
“Go. But please be careful.”
“I will, Mom. Bye.” David tucked the phone into his pocket and closed the front door behind him.
Brandon waved from his department-issued vehicle. David inhaled the morning air as he hobbled to the passenger side and collapsed in the seat.
“How’d it go?”
“Better than I expected. Mom didn’t give me too much grief.”
His partner laughed and pulled away from the house for the short drive to the school.
Tall pines dotted the street outside Pinewood Shores Elementary. Deciduous trees intermixed with the evergreens had splotches of yellow and orange—a sign that fall was coming, even though the heat continued to linger.
He loved the small town. He hated the reason for the change in location, but aside from the loss of his fiancée, he’d made a good choice to make Pinewood Shores his new home.
He strode to the school entrance and held the door open for his partner. They checked in with the front office and chatted with the administrative assistant. He attached the visitor badge to his shirt and headed to room eight.
The main hallway brought back memories of his own elementary school. Some of his fondest recollections were from his second-grade class. His teacher that year made him feel special.
Boots clacking on the hard floors, he and Brandon continued down the hall.
His partner’s sister taught fifth grade and had requested their annual presentation on cell phone and internet safety. He’d come with Brandon to Meredith’s classroom several times since he’d transferred to Pinewood Shores three years ago.
Brandon pushed the classroom door open and waltzed in. A big grin graced his partner’s face when his gaze landed on his sister.
David sniffed and wrinkled his nose. The stench of sweat and body odor made his eyes water.Mental note to self, put Vapor Rub under your nose next time you visit a fifth-grade class.He gave Meredith a quick hug and faced the ten and eleven-year-old crowd.
After introductions, he and Brandon went into their speech about not trusting strangers on social media and only communicating with people they knew.
Glancing around the room at thirty faces, he spotted one young girl whose attention had never wavered. Most of the students either rolled their eyes or chose to stare off into space, but not the girl in a light green t-shirt with a rainbow-colored unicorn declaring,I believe in unicorns.
Good for her. Maybe the girl had listened, and his words hadn’t gone unheard.
He had to at least try to crackthe nothing can happen to meshell of these kids. They’d seen too many young boys and girls caught up in the social media world talking to the wrong people and end up victims of the slime bags who lured them in.
“If anyone has any questions or would like a business card, please come see me on your way out.” David glanced at the clock. Right on time.
Merideth stepped forward. “Okay, kids, time for recess. Please be sure to thank Detectives Whitman and Pierce. See you in a little while.”
Thank yous pinged around the room as students gathered their snacks and left the classroom.
Several stopped for cards, but most rushed out the door chattering about what they intended to play once they finished eating.
A girl who’d listened attentively stopped in front of him. Gazing up, she tilted her head. “You’re serious about the dangers, aren’t you?”
David crouched to eye level. “I am. Please be careful. I’d hate to see anything happen to you.”
Her brow scrunched. He could see the wheels turning.
She held out her palm. “May I please have a card?”
“Sure thing.” He placed it in her hand. “What’s your name?”
