Mark paled. Are you sure?
Noah stated that Ethan told him not to inform me. An adult is speaking with our son.
Mark urged them to call the school immediately.
I didn’t even take off my winter coat when I walked into the kindergarten office the next morning. I need to speak with Ms. Alvarez.
The administrator arrived, and as soon as she saw my expression, her kind smile vanished. “Is Noah alright?”
I stated firmly, “I need to see the security footage from yesterday afternoon.” The back door and the playground.
He frowned. Our privacy practices are very strict.
A stranger is approaching my son. Show me the video immediately.
She met my gaze and sensed my urgency. Come with me.
The smell of printer toner and stale coffee permeated his workspace. He selected the recording by scrolling through the camera footage. The video showed opening scenes of a typical playground. Then Noah walked toward the back gate. He stopped, tilted his head, smiled, and gestured toward an unseen person.
He insists on expanding that area.
Ms. Alvarez zoomed in on the image. On the other side of the fence, a man was squatting. He leaned forward to talk to my son, keeping his body low and out of sight, while wearing a baseball cap and a work jacket.
“Who is that?” Noah chuckled and answered the man as if they were old friends when he asked.
The man passed a small object to Noah, sliding his hand through the barbed wire. Pure fury blurred my vision.
Mrs. Alvarez gasped. That’s one of our contractors. He’s been repairing the building’s exterior lights.
His job didn’t concern me. I was too afraid to read the accident report carefully, but I recognized the man’s face. I knew the truck driver.
I took out my phone and called 911. He’s that.
“Who are you referring to?” asked Mrs. Alvarez, confused.
The man who assaulted my family.
I communicated clearly with the operator. I’m at the neighborhood kindergarten. Recently, a man who was involved in a fatal accident approached my son through the back fence. I urgently need police assistance.
Mrs. Alvarez grabbed my arm. Please stay here until we find him, Mrs. Elena.
I told you that you wouldn’t let him go.
Within minutes, two patrol cars arrived. One came straight to me, while the other spoke with school staff. I played the video on my computer. The officer’s face was serious. “Stay here. We’ll find him.”
Noah was brought into the office by a teacher. He was holding a small plastic dinosaur. “What are you doing here, Mom?”
I hugged him tightly. All I wanted was to see you.
