Chapter 10 - What the Camera Saw
Ms. Harrow looked as though someone had struck her.
"No."
Lena held the drive tighter. "The camera shows you."
"I wasn't here last night."
Keene finally smiled.
It was small, but Ben saw it.
So did Alvarez.
Ms. Harrow noticed last.
"You set me up," she whispered.
Keene's smile disappeared.
"Don't be ridiculous."
Dr. Voss moved everyone except essential staff away from the student lines. Police had arrived. The fire department cleared the building but kept the administrative hall closed.
A detective named Dana Cole connected Lena's backup drive to a district laptop in a conference room.
Ben stayed because Clara had asked him not to leave, and because the detective wanted statements from every adult involved.
The hallway video loaded.
At 11:43 p.m., a woman in Ms. Harrow's beige-and-black cardigan walked past the camera carrying a cardboard records box.
Same shoulder-length dark hair.
Same height.
Same teacher badge swinging from the collar.
Ms. Harrow gripped the table.
"That's not me."
Detective Cole paused the video.
"Can you prove where you were?"
"Home. Alone."
Keene leaned back as if the case had solved itself.
Ben studied the frozen frame.
Something bothered him.
Not the face. The camera angle barely showed it.
Not the clothing.
The shoes.
Ms. Harrow wore flat black loafers that morning.
The woman on screen wore white athletic shoes.
"Zoom in," Ben said.
Cole did.
On the heel of the right shoe was a dark triangular logo.
Lena gasped.
"Those are the district wellness sneakers."
Dr. Voss looked at her. "What?"
"They gave them to administrative staff at the leadership retreat. Teachers didn't get them."
Keene's chair creaked.
Ben looked down.
Keene had changed into dress shoes for school.
But beneath the conference table sat a black gym bag someone had brought from his office.
The zipper was half open.
Inside was a pair of white sneakers.
Detective Cole reached for the bag.
Keene stood.
"You need a warrant."
Cole stopped.
Then Clara's voice came from the open doorway.
"Those aren't his."
Everyone turned.
Clara pointed at the shoes.
"I've seen them before."
Ben stared at her.
"Where?"
May you like
Clara swallowed.
"On the lady who told me not to call you anymore."
