Chapter 12 - The School Basement
Alvarez obtained a warrant for Ash Creek School's archived records room. The principal, Mr. Lyle, met the team after dismissal, hands trembling around a ring of keys.
"I reported the missing student files," he said. "They told me the system was being updated."
In the basement, cabinets stood beneath flaking ceiling paint. A decommissioned server rack hummed on an independent power supply, surprising the district technician.
Jordan connected through a forensic workstation and used Leah's number as an access code. A directory opened: LANTERN PROJECT, followed by decades of grants, vendor payments, and manipulated placement records.
The evidence suggested a network of fraudulent claims, stolen identities, and falsified water testing. Some children had been relocated through unauthorized arrangements. Others remained unaccounted for. Alvarez carefully avoided declaring every record accurate until each child could be found.
"Why would they use a school server?" Tessa asked.
"Old district infrastructure," Jordan said. "Overlooked, cheap, and connected to more agencies than anybody remembered."
A list of authorized users appeared. It included Harlan, Vale, Danner's brother, and a name Nora recognized immediately.
"My father," she said.
Her father, Charles Parker, was seventy-two and lived quietly at an assisted living center. Nora had not spoken to him in years. He had testified that Leah ran away and insisted Nora stop asking questions.
Alvarez requested an interview. Charles listened to the first few questions, then asked for his daughter.
"I don't want to see him," Nora said.
"You don't have to," Cho reminded her.
Nora looked at Eli, asleep against her shoulder. "But if he's still hiding something, I want to hear it."
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That night Charles called Nora directly. His voice was dry as paper.
"I can tell you where the missing children went," he said. "But you'll hate what I did to keep you safe.
