Chapter 11: The School With No Children
Emergency lights flickered on.
Boone immediately pushed Sophie behind the hospital bed.
Duke moved toward the doorway.
"Stay back!""
Footsteps rushed through the corridor.
Someone shouted.
A crash followed.
Harris drew his weapon.
"State police! Identify yourself!""
No answer.
Boone looked at Claire.
"Is there another way out of this room?""
She pointed toward the connecting bathroom.
"There's a service corridor through there.""
Evelyn helped Sophie down from the chair.
Michael moved toward the bathroom, but his injured legs nearly gave out.
Daniel caught him.
"Lean on me.""
Michael glared at him.
"Don't pretend we're friends.""
"I'm not.""
Daniel supported him anyway.
They reached the bathroom just as someone slammed into the hospital room door.
Boone turned.
"Go!""
The group entered the service corridor.
It was narrow and smelled of disinfectant.
A cleaning cart stood against the wall.
Duke moved it aside.
At the far end, a metal door opened into the hospital parking garage.
They emerged behind a row of ambulances.
Harris joined them moments later.
His uniform was torn at the shoulder.
"Two men got inside. One escaped through the emergency entrance.""
"Ryan?"" Boone asked.
"I didn't get a good look.""
Claire was breathing heavily.
"He won't stop.""
Boone nodded.
"Then we stop him first.""
He unfolded Laura's note.
The address led to an abandoned elementary school near a rural road.
Harris studied it.
"That school has been closed for seven years.""
Michael frowned.
"Why would Laura send us there?""
Claire answered.
"Because the school was owned by Carterside Family Services.""
Duke looked at Boone.
"That's not a coincidence.""
They drove toward the property.
The school appeared just after midnight.
Its windows were boarded up. Weeds covered the playground. A rusted sign leaned against the entrance.
*MAPLE RIDGE ELEMENTARY.*
Sophie stared through the SUV window.
"Mommy brought me here once.""
Evelyn turned.
"When?""
"Before she died. She told me it was a secret place.""
Boone looked at her.
"Did you see anybody?""
Sophie nodded.
"A little boy.""
"Do you remember his name?""
"Tyler.""
Michael closed his eyes.
"He's one of the missing children.""
Harris signaled the officers to spread out.
The front door was locked.
But a side entrance had been forced open.
Boone stepped inside.
Dust covered the floor.
The smell of old paper and damp carpet filled the building.
Duke switched on his flashlight.
There were children's drawings on the walls.
Some were years old.
Others looked recent.
Boone stopped beside one.
It showed a family of four holding hands.
Underneath, a child had written:
I want my real mommy.
Evelyn touched the paper.
"Oh, God.""
They moved down the hallway.
A classroom door stood slightly open.
Inside were three small beds.
Blankets.
Toys.
A box of crayons.
And a plate containing half-eaten crackers.
Harris looked around.
"Someone's been living here.""
Michael approached the chalkboard.
There were names written across it.
Tyler.
Emma.
Noah.
And several others.
Sophie pointed.
"That's Emma.""
A small voice came from behind the storage cupboard.
"Who are you?""
Everyone froze.
Boone slowly lowered his flashlight.
A little boy stepped out.
He looked about ten.
His clothes were dirty, and one sleeve was torn.
Tyler.
Sophie gasped.
"Tyler!""
The boy stared at her.
"Sophie?""
She ran toward him.
He caught her in a hug.
"I thought you got taken away.""
Sophie shook her head.
"I found Grandma.""
Tyler looked at Boone.
"Are you police?""
Boone shook his head.
"No, buddy. But these officers are.""
Harris approached carefully.
"Are there other children here?""
Tyler nodded.
"Emma and Noah.""
"Where?""
The boy pointed toward the back of the school.
"They're sleeping.""
Harris radioed for medical assistance.
Then Tyler looked at Michael.
"Are you Sophie's daddy?""
Michael knelt.
"Yes.""
Tyler swallowed.
"Can you help my mom?""
Michael's expression softened.
"Where is she?""
Tyler looked at the floor.
"Uncle Ryan said she went away because she didn't want me.""
Boone crouched beside him.
"What's your mother's name?""
"Jennifer.""
Harris immediately took out his phone.
He searched the missing-person reports.
Then his expression changed.
"There's a Jennifer Walsh. Missing for eight months. Her son was reported as a runaway.""
Tyler shook his head.
"She didn't run away.""
He pulled a folded photograph from his pocket.
It showed a woman holding him at a birthday party.
On the back was a phone number.
"She told me to remember this.""
Harris called the number.
A woman answered.
"Hello?""
"This is Deputy Harris with the state police. Are you Jennifer Walsh?""
Silence.
Then a frightened voice replied.
"Yes.""
"We may have located your son.""
The woman began sobbing.
"Tyler?""
Harris looked at the boy.
"He's safe.""
Tyler reached for the phone.
"Mom?""
The woman screamed his name.
For the first time that night, Boone smiled.
But the moment didn't last.
A loud bang came from the hallway.
Then another.
Duke rushed toward the entrance.
"Someone's outside!""
Harris drew his weapon.
"Get the children into the classroom!""
Boone gathered Sophie and Tyler.
Michael helped Evelyn move Emma and Noah from the back room.
Then a man's voice echoed through the school.
"Everybody stay where you are.""
Ryan Carter stepped into the hallway.
He held a pistol in one hand.
In the other was a small remote control.
Boone stepped forward.
"Put it down.""
Ryan smiled.
"You really should have left the little girl at the diner.""
Sophie hid behind Michael.
Ryan looked at her.
"Come here, sweetheart.""
She shook her head.
Ryan sighed.
"Your mother always made things difficult.""
Boone's jaw tightened.
"Your problem is that you keep talking about dead women like they can't answer you.""
Ryan laughed.
"Dead?""
He glanced at Sophie.
"Who told you Laura was dead?""
Sophie looked at him.
Ryan raised the remote control.
"Because, little girl, your mother is very much alive.""
Michael froze.
"Where is she?""
Ryan smiled.
"Ask the man standing behind you.""
Everyone turned.
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Daniel was holding a small pistol.
And it was pointed directly at Boone.
