Chapter 2: The Gate Nobody Checked
"The service road.""
Mrs. Carter finally spoke.
Tasha stared at her.
"What?""
"The back gate leads to the service road behind the school. It's usually used by maintenance staff and delivery vehicles.""
Tasha's stomach dropped.
"How far does it go?""
Mrs. Carter didn't answer immediately.
Tasha grabbed the edge of the desk.
"How far?""
"There's a small parking area behind the building. Beyond that, the road connects to the main street.""
Tasha turned toward the rear corridor.
"Open that gate.""
"Ma'am, please—"
"OPEN THE GATE!""
Her voice echoed through the empty reception area.
The employee hurried away.
Tasha turned back to Mrs. Carter.
"How long ago did she leave?""
"Perhaps five minutes.""
"Five minutes?""
Tasha looked at the clock.
Her daughter had been gone for nearly ten minutes.
Ten minutes.
Ten minutes was enough time for a car to disappear into traffic.
Enough time for someone to cross town.
Enough time for a little girl to become frightened and start asking for her mother.
Tasha pressed the phone against her ear.
"Derek, I'm asking you one more time. Where is my daughter?""
His answer came quietly.
"She's with Kiara.""
Tasha closed her eyes.
"Why?""
"Because I arranged it.""
"You arranged what?""
"Kiara was supposed to spend the afternoon with Maya.""
"Spend the afternoon?"" Tasha repeated.
"You authorized her to take our child out of school without telling me?""
Derek sighed.
"Don't turn this into a scene.""
Tasha almost laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because she couldn't understand how a man could sound so annoyed while his daughter was missing from her mother's arms.
"She's seven years old, Derek.""
"I know how old my daughter is.""
"Then why didn't you call me?""
"Because I knew you'd react exactly like this.""
Tasha gripped the phone harder.
"Like what? Like a mother who wants to know where her child is?""
He lowered his voice.
"Kiara is perfectly capable of looking after her.""
"She isn't Maya's mother.""
"Nobody said she was.""
Tasha looked at the empty doorway.
"Then why did she tell my daughter you were busy and she was taking care of her?""
Derek went silent.
That silence told Tasha more than his excuses.
"Derek, listen to me. I am coming to get Maya. And when I find her, you and I are going to have a very different conversation.""
She ended the call.
Behind the school, the service gate stood half open.
A security employee was examining the ground.
Tasha rushed toward him.
"Did you see a woman with a little girl?""
He nodded.
"Yes. About five minutes ago.""
"Which direction?""
"She walked toward the parking area.""
"Was there a car?""
The employee pointed.
"A dark blue SUV was waiting near the fence.""
Tasha felt her chest tighten.
"Did you see the license plate?""
He shook his head.
"No. I was checking a delivery.""
Tasha turned to Mrs. Carter, who had followed them outside.
"Did anyone record the pickup?""
Mrs. Carter frowned.
"The front entrance has a camera.""
"And the back gate?""
"There's a camera there too, but I don't know if it was working.""
Tasha stared at her.
"You don't know?""
Mrs. Carter crossed her arms.
"Please understand, we followed the authorization Derek provided.""
Tasha took a step toward her.
"You keep saying his name as if that makes everything acceptable.""
The receptionist looked away.
Tasha continued.
"Did you ask Maya if she wanted to leave with Kiara?""
Mrs. Carter didn't respond.
"Did you ask her if she knew where her mother was?""
Nothing.
Tasha's eyes filled, but she refused to let the tears fall.
"My daughter has medication in that bag. She has a routine. She gets frightened when she doesn't know what's happening. Did anyone think to ask about any of that?""
Mrs. Carter lowered her voice.
"We didn't know there was a problem.""
"You didn't bother finding out.""
A younger teacher approached them.
"I might have something.""
Tasha turned immediately.
The teacher held up a small notebook.
"I was supervising the hallway when Kiara collected Maya. I remember the girl asking about her mother.""
Tasha stepped closer.
"What did Kiara say?""
The teacher hesitated.
"She told her that you were busy.""
Tasha's jaw tightened.
"And then?""
"She said, 'You don't have to worry about Mommy today. I'm here now.''"
For a moment, Tasha couldn't speak.
The teacher continued.
"Maya didn't look very happy. But Kiara kept smiling and told her they were going to have a special afternoon.""
Tasha looked down at the medicine bag still hanging from her wrist.
Her little girl had asked about her.
She had remembered the medicine.
She had expected her mother to arrive.
And someone had turned that expectation into a reason to take her away.
Across town, Maya sat in the back of Kiara's SUV.
Her backpack rested beside her.
She was looking out the window.
"Are we going to Mommy's house?"" she asked.
Kiara adjusted the rearview mirror.
"Not today, sweetheart.""
"Why?""
"Because we're going to Daddy's house.""
Maya frowned.
"But Daddy isn't home yet.""
"He'll be there later.""
"Can I call Mommy?""
Kiara's fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
"Your mommy knows you're with me.""
Maya looked down at her hands.
"But I didn't tell her.""
Kiara forced a laugh.
"Sweetheart, grown-ups handle these things.""
Maya didn't respond.
After a moment, she reached for the medicine pouch.
"Mommy said I need this after lunch.""
Kiara glanced at it.
"Don't worry about that right now.""
"But it's medicine.""
"I said don't worry.""
The sharpness in Kiara's voice made Maya pull her hands away.
Kiara immediately softened her expression.
"Sorry, baby. I'm just trying to make today special.""
Maya looked at her.
"Can I call Mommy after?""
Kiara smiled.
"Maybe later.""
Then she looked back at the road.
Her phone vibrated in the cup holder.
A message from Derek appeared.
*DEREK: Don't bring her to my house yet. We need to talk first.*
Kiara's smile disappeared.
She read the message again.
Then another message arrived.
*DEREK: Tasha is at the school. She's asking questions.*
Kiara stared at the screen.
For the first time that afternoon, her confidence cracked.
She had expected Tasha to arrive late.
She had expected the school to cooperate.
She had expected Derek to stand behind her.
But she hadn't expected him to start backing away.
Maya leaned forward.
"Is that Daddy?""
Kiara locked her phone.
"Yes, sweetheart.""
"Can I talk to him?""
"Not yet.""
"Why not?""
Kiara looked at the little girl in the mirror.
"Because Daddy and I have something important to discuss.""
Then her phone vibrated again.
This time, Derek's message contained only six words.
*DEREK: Kiara, don't tell her anything.*
May you like
Kiara stared at the road.
And suddenly, she realized she might not be the only person hiding something.
