Chapter 12 - WHY MRS. CARTER RECORDED IT
Mrs. Carter did not deny making the recording.
“I was told to.”
“By who?”
Elliot asked.
She looked exhausted.
“Victoria.”
“When?”
“Twenty minutes before you arrived.”
Elliot stared.
“How did she know I was coming?”
“I called student services when you checked in without your normal security detail.”
“You reported me?”
“We report all unexpected high-profile visitors.”
“And Victoria told you to record me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Mrs. Carter wiped tears from her face.
“She said you might become aggressive when you saw Lila.”
The trap had been prepared before Elliot entered the cafeteria.
If he shouted, they would use it.
If he threatened anyone, they would use it.
If he pulled funding, they would use that too.
Victoria had built several possible endings.
She simply needed Elliot to choose one.
“Who edited the video?”
“I don’t know.”
Naomi checked the metadata.
The original file had been uploaded to Ashbury’s private server.
Someone downloaded it using a board administrator account.
Victoria’s.
But a second download appeared minutes later.
From Dr. Avery’s account.
Everyone looked at him.
Avery shook his head.
“I did not download it.”
Again.
His credentials had been used.
Technology staff traced the login.
This time the location was not the Hargrove home.
It was the office of Senator Hargrove’s education committee.
Charles could no longer claim distance.
State investigators became involved.
The school board suspended Victoria pending review.
She refused to resign.
Charles called the investigation political retaliation.
Then Peyton disappeared from school.
Victoria removed her without notice.
Peyton sent Lila one message before her phone went offline.
I’M SORRY.
THERE’S SOMETHING IN MY LOCKER.
Lila showed Elliot.
Police and school security opened the locker.
Inside was a pink notebook.
Peyton’s handwriting filled the pages.
Lists of names.
Dates.
Instructions.
MOM SAYS MAKE NOAH ASK FOR MORE FOOD.
MOM SAYS TELL CARTER LILA TOOK SNACK.
MOM SAYS ASK LILA WHY HER MOM IS DEAD IF HER DAD IS SO POWERFUL.
Lila stopped reading.
Elliot took the notebook away.
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At the final page was one sentence written three days earlier.
MOM SAYS IF THIS DOESN’T WORK, DAD HAS A PLAN THAT WILL FINISH MERCER.
