She looks at me with worried eyes. “I’m not sure.”
“That’s a totally unacceptable response. Leah had a substitute teacher this afternoon, yes? Call them and get them to the office right now. And call Lauren’s teacher as well. You will find these girls immediately.”
I don’t know if it’s my tone or expression or both, but the secretary jumps into action the second the demand is out of my mouth.
Finn wraps his arms around my waist. He looks up at me with worry on his face. “Are we going to find them?”
I run my hand over his downy-soft brown hair. “Of course we are, sweetheart. There’s just been a mix-up on who was picking them up today.”
Five minutes later, an older woman comes to the office. “Hey, Sandy. What’s going on?” she greets the secretary.
“Hi, Cindy. We’ve got a bit of a problem. Was Lauren taken from your classroom today?”
“Gina came by and said Lauren was getting checked out early. She said you asked her to come down and get her.”
“Oh, dear.”
Holt comes storming through the office doors with a thunderous expression. “Where are my girls?”
“I think we’re getting to the bottom of things.” I reach out for him. I both need his comfort and to help him calm down a bit. As much as I want to fly off the handle, it won’t get us anywhere quickly.
He kisses my temple, squeezing me hard as he works to get himself under control.
Sandy starts to explain. “Cindy was just telling us that Gina pulled Lauren from her class this afternoon.”
“Gina Halbrand? On whose request?” Holt asks.
“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Sandy responds. “I don’t have any requests in my system for the girls to bechecked out of the school. By all accounts, they should still be here. I’m going to call Gina now.”
“I would also like to speak with Principal Grant about this situation. This is completely unacceptable.”
“Agreed,” Lauren’s teacher says. Her stern expression gives me a glimpse of how easily she can control a classroom.
Sandy frowns. “Gina isn’t answering either her classroom or cell phone.” She types in another number. “Principal Grant? There’s a situation we need you for.”
Finn hasn’t stopped hugging me, and I’m not sure if he’s doing it for my benefit or his. Either way, I appreciate the gentle comfort he provides. I’m trying not to let my anxiety get the better of me, but the longer it takes to find the girls, the bigger the knot of worry gets.
CHAPTER 41
Holt
Principal Grant walks out of her office and asks what’s going on.
Sandy explains the issue, and based on Melanie’s face, she knows they’re about to be in some deep shit. “And we weren’t able to get in touch with Gina?”
“I tried both her classroom phone and her cell.”
“Try them again. Cindy, will you run down to her classroom to see if she’s there?”
Cindy nods and leaves the main office.
I hand my phone to Gia. “Can you call Knox and tell him what’s going on? He can come grab Finn and update my parents.”
She nods, taking my cell and leading Finn across the small vestibule.
Sandy grimaces. “Gina didn’t answer again.”
“Where’s Farrah’s sub?” Melanie asks.
