Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 53462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
“No, she isn’t. I’ll call Mr. Rhodes immediately. Please don’t let her anywhere near Bailey,” I say. “I’ll come by myself to pick her up when school is over.”
“The problem is, the children were in the hallway walking to the gym, and Bailey saw Ms. Gibson. We took Bailey away and brought her to the nurse’s office, but Ms. Gibson is still here and making a scene,” the other woman explains, sounding upset now that she’s gotten into the details.
My stomach flips over. “I’ll call Mr. Rhodes immediately. Please don’t let her near Bailey,” I repeat urgently.
I hang up the phone, grab my cell phone in one hand and my keys in another. I set the house alarm and call Austin’s cell phone as I run for the car, which I left in the street, thinking only of getting to the school and to Bailey as quickly as possible.
He picks up on the second ring. “Mia? What’s wrong?” he asks, probably because I never call him unless Bailey is sick.
“Your ex is at Bailey’s school.” I detail the rest of the situation. “I’m heading over now.”
Austin swears. “Okay, I’ll meet you there. I’m already on my way home, so it shouldn’t take long. You know what to do. Keep her away from my baby.”
I swallow hard. I know. “You got it,” I promise as I reach my car.
The school isn’t far from the house, and I reach it in record time, bypassing yellow lights that turn red as I drive past.
I arrive at the school, stopping at the main office to sign in. I don’t see Kayla, and I don’t ask where she is.
“Where’s Bailey? Is she still at the nurse’s office?”
The gray-haired woman behind the desk in the office nods. “I thought it would be best to put her someplace where she couldn’t see her mother since what she said seemed to upset her so much.”
I swallow hard. “Where is it?”
“Down the hall to the left,” the other woman says.
I run, slowing when I reach the nurse’s office, not wanting to freak Bailey out. I step into the room and smile at the school nurse.
“I’m here for Bailey?”
“Mia!” The little girl flies out from a side room and wraps her arms around me, holding on tight.
“Hey, baby.” I glance over her head to meet the nurse’s kind gaze. “Is she okay?”
“A little shaken up. She stopped crying when I gave her juice and a book to read so she’d put the incident out of her mind. I just thought it was best she went home early to her family.”
I stroke the child’s head. “Her father will be with her in a little while,” I assure the nurse. “Ready to go home?”
Bailey nods against me.
“Do you need to get anything from your classroom first?”
“No.” She steps back and glances up at me. Tears stain her cheeks, and my heart squeezes tight in my chest.
Unfortunately, to leave the school, we have to walk past the main office. If luck holds, we won’t run into Kayla. I lead Bailey down the hall and turn toward the office. I immediately catch sight of Austin, having his say with the principal and the office staff, no doubt making it clear Kayla is not allowed anywhere near his child and only Austin, his parents and I are allowed into the school or to pick up Bailey.
“Daddy!”
Austin turns, and Bailey runs into his open arms. He picks her up and holds her tight against him. “Do we have an understanding?” he asks Principal Shay, a middle-aged man with a good reputation among teachers and parents.
“Of course. And we have your instructions in writing. Don’t worry.”
Austin nods. He glances at me. “I’m getting a restraining order,” he mutters. “Are we ready to go?”
I nod. “I’ll meet you and Bailey at home.”
“I want to ride with Mia.” Bailey wriggles to get down from her father’s arms.
“Honey, no. I’m sure your dad wants to talk to you.”
“It’s fine,” Austin says, an unreadable glint in his eye. But I don’t get the sense he is unhappy about his daughter’s proclamation.
I make sure Bailey is buckled into her car seat, and we head home. The adrenaline of my day is beginning to wear off, and I am exhausted. I hope Bailey will be in a let’s-just-chill-and-watch-a-movie mood. All I want to do is relax.
But when we arrive at the house, the burglar alarm is going off and the police are parked out front. Obviously our day isn’t over yet.
Chapter Seven
Austin
I stand in the kitchen, talking to the police detective who arrived along with the uniformed officers when the alarm company didn’t reach anyone at the house. According to the detective, someone entered through the back door off the kitchen. They’ve already done a sweep and the house is clear and safe. Whoever broke in is gone. They shattered the window on the kitchen back door and unlocked it from the inside. The police had a team come in and check the knob for prints. Everyone agreed the perp probably wore gloves.