Kidnapped

Chapter 7

Elizabeth ran out of the office when she saw her mom's car. Mrs. Sanders stopped in the bus zone, jumped out, then put an arm around her daughter's shoulders as they hurried inside.

He didn't come to the bus," Bonnie said, "so I went to his room and he wasn't there. We've looked everywhere."

Mrs. Julia explained about the hall pass and how she'd checked in the boy's bathroom. Mr. Quincy told about calling the bus drivers and Max's friends. Other teachers said they had searched the classroom and the playground.

"We need to call the police," Mrs. Sanders said. She took a phone from her purse and dialed 911. Everyone in the office listened to the call.

"The police are coming," she said when she hung up.

Teachers wove in and out of the office, asking if Max had been found yet. Several walked back through every room in the school again, checking closets, restrooms, and the cafeteria for any sign of the missing boy. by the time the police arrived, the staff felt positive Matt was not on the school grounds.

The policeman, Officer Carter, asked the same questions Mr. Quincy had asked, plus a few more.

"Would he have left the school grounds by himself? To buy candy, perhaps?"

"Absolutely not," Mrs. Sanders said.

"Would he have left with someone else- maybe accepted a ride home?"

"No," Mrs. Sanders said.

"He always rides the bus with me," Elizabeth said.

"Did anyone other than the staff come to school this afternoon?"

Mrs. Wilson said, "A parent picked up a sick child, a volunteer came to hear the first-graders read, and a package was delivered to the library."

"I didn't get any package today," Mrs. Peyton said.

Everyone turned to look at the librarian.

Mrs. Wilson picked up the sign-in sheet. "A delivery man came at two twenty-five, with a box for the library. He signed in and took a visitor's badge, and I told him how to find the library." She frowned. "He didn't sign out." She counted the badges in a small box next to the sign-in sheet. "He didn't return the badge, either."

"I never got a delivery," Mrs. Peyton repeated.

Officer Carter asked, "What company was the deliveryman with?"

"UPS," Mrs. Wilson said. "He said he had a package for the library and--"

"Are you sure he said UPS?" Officer Carter asked. "Was it the regular driver?"

Mrs. Wilson ran one hand nervously through her hair. "I didn't recognize him, but he said he was from UPS. He carried a box, and he had on a brown UPS uniform."

"Did you see his truck." the officer asked.

:I didn't look for his truck."

"Would someone call UPS, please?" Officer Carter said.

Mr. Quincy looked up the UPS number and called. It took a while to get a live person on the line, but when he did, he explained what had happened. He gave the school's address. Then he out one hand over the telephone's mouthpiece and whispered, "She's checking."

A moment later he said, "Are you certain?" Then, after a pause, he said, "Thank you. Yes I'll let you know."

Even before Mr. Quincy hung up, Elizabeth knew from his expression what he was going to say.

"UPS had no delivery scheduled here today," Mr. Quincy reported.

Mrs. Wilson covered her mouth with one hand, her eyes brimming with tears.