I grab my own phone and start to call the police.
“What are you doing?” he asks in a panic. “You said you wouldn’t call the cops if I told you everything.”
I almost call anyway, but it’s pointless. Taking photos of people in public isn’t illegal. There’s nothing the police could do to him other than perhaps bust him for operating as a PI without a license, and I doubt that’s enough to keep him in jail—away from my daughter. But the fact that he’s panicking says he either doesn’t know that he hasn’t committed a crime against Jane or he’s got some other legal issues making him want to stay off the authorities’ radar.
“Here’s what’s going to happen, Horacio,” I say, forcing down my rage. “You’re going to tell the Labelles you found absolutely nothing—which is true because my daughter is healthy and happy, and she gets food, shelter, and plenty of love. And then you’re going to tell them that you’re no longer working for them.Then,if I ever catch you within fifty feet of my child again, I will beat the ever-loving shit out of you. Have I made myself clear? Does any of that need further explanation?”
His eyes are wide behind the lenses of his ridiculous glasses, but he nods vigorously, then says, “I mean no. I get it.”
“And I’m keeping your phone.”
“What?” he cries out, reaching for it, but I hold it over my head, out of reach. “I need that!”
“Then we’ll take it to the police station and let them decide who should have it.”
He makes a shooing motion. “Never mind. You keep it. It’s old anyway.”
“And you better delete any photos of my daughter from your cloud storage.”
“I don’t use cloud storage,” he says with a look of distaste. “They charge too much money, and before you ask, I haven’t downloaded them onto my computer yet.”
“Good, but if I find out you lied to me—”
“You won’t!” he says insistently. “You can come to my office and look if you want.”
This guy is beyond incompetent. Then again, you get what you pay for, and they decided to go with someone who offered a discount rate.
But what if the Labelles decide to hire someone else who’s actually good at their job? Their snoop won’t find anything, but I still don’t like the idea of someone tailing my kid.
I step aside. “Get out of here. I better never see you again.”
He doesn’t respond, just darts past me, out the door.
I walk into the hall, starting to feel shaky as my adrenaline rush crashes. I head to the restroom and splash water on my face in one of the miniature sinks designed for children who are a good three feet shorter than me, resting my hands on the rim as I take a few ragged breaths. The need to see my daughter and make sure she is okay is visceral and overwhelming. I wipe my face with my hands, then head toward the computer lab.
I don’t bother knocking and open the door, searching for Jane. She’s sitting next to Ollie, a boy she’s known since preschool. Her gaze is intent on her screen, her brow furrowed in concentration.
Holly is standing beside Eloise, a girl in the other third grade class, explaining something I can’t hear. She was a warrior when I found her in the hall, but now she’s a patient teacher, yet both versions of her gel with the confident woman I know her to be. Her gaze lifts to mine, and worry wrinkles her brow.
Before she can say anything, a man steps in front of me, the same one who was here when I dropped off Jane. He’s wiry and looks a lot like a stereotypical nerd. I’m a good half foot taller and have at least fifty pounds on him, so I’m surprised when he spreads his arms wide and attempts to block my entrance to the room.
“You’re not getting in here,” he says with a shaky voice. “Not onmywatch.”
I stare down at him, impressed. It’s clear who would win any sort of physical encounter here, but he’s trying to protect my daughter and the other kids in the classroom, and I respect the hell out of that.
“Stand down, Mikey,” Holly says, giving him a fond smile. “Butterscotch will be proud, but that’s Jane’s dad.”
His eyes widen slightly. He immediately steps to the side, and I can’t help wondering if he’s intimidated by my daughter or me. I’m going with the former. “Oh, I didn’t recognize you with your hair wet like that.”
“What are you doing here, Dad?” Jane asks, fury in her voice.
“We’re leaving. Get your things.”
Her mouth drops open, but she seems too stunned to say anything.
Holly lifts her hands. “Now, Cole—”
“Don’t you darenow Coleme like I’m some overreacting helicopter parent. You know dam—darn good and well why I’m taking her.”
