Page 27

TWENTY-SIX

Monday morning hits harder than usual.

There’s the same excruciating realization that another week of work is ahead, but it takes a harder toll due to the lack of sleep, and the fact that Evie is still missing makes everything worse.

I’m not prepared to encounter the other students. I can only imagine the fear and anxiety they must be going through. Middle school is a difficult age as it is. The conflicting purgatory between childhood and the teenage years. Our students want to feel grown, and yet there’s still an innocence there, a longing to know everything will be okay.

With one of their classmates missing, I’m afraid that innocence is gone, and there’s nothing their pampered upbringing or overprotective parents can do to restore it.

When I arrive in the school parking lot, I’m dreading entering the building.

“You look about as miserable as I feel,” Kyle says, when I finally exit my car. He’s parked beside me.

“This entire weekend has felt like a nightmare,” I say.

“Tell me about it. I wasn’t able to sleep at all after last night’s prayer circle.”

“Me neither.”

I recall the drama last night between Nadia, Josh and Crystal. I’d gone to Evie’s house hoping to find answers, but now I worry there’s only more mysteries to unfold. Who were all those people in and out of Evie’s life, and could any of them have something to do with her disappearance?

“Have you heard any updates?” Kyle asks me as we walk inside the building.

“Unfortunately, no,” I say. “I’ve been in contact with the police, but they don’t seem to have any leads.”

“I just never thought something like this would happen here,” he says, pausing in the foyer outside the gymnasium. As we look down the halls, we see that some students are already gathered beside the lockers. They’re in little huddles talking to one another, everyone with the same sad look on their faces.

Kelly walks out of her classroom. She looks at us, then down the hallway where we’re staring. She shakes her head. “I don’t know what to say to the students.”

“It’s hard to reassure them everything will be okay when we don’t know ourselves,” Kyle says.

“I talked with the principal about arranging extra counselors for this week,” Kelly says.

“That’s a good idea.” I immediately start thinking about my other players. They’d seemed worried and in shock the morning after the lock-in, but at last night’s prayer circle, their emotions were on full display, the reality and heartbreak of the situation setting in.

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you,” Kelly begins, but she stops when someone shouts my name down the hall.

“Coach Cass?” It’s Mr. Lake. He’s walking down the hallway. “I need to see you in my office.”

“Be right there,” I tell him, looking back at Kelly and Kyle. “We’ll catch up later. Good luck today.”

Kelly nods, monitoring the halls as Kyle walks to his classroom. I don’t even have time to drop off my belongings at my own office before Mr. Lake is ushering me into his. Coach Reynolds is already inside, sitting in one of the leather armchairs across from Mr. Lake’s desk.

“We have to talk about what happened at the lock-in,” he says. “And how we want to respond moving forward.”

“I’ve already told you what I know.”

“We need to think about the community response. We don’t want parents afraid their daughters aren’t safe under our care.”

“This could have happened anywhere. I don’t know what else I can do.”

“Maybe we should hold a family meeting?” Coach Reynolds suggests. “Give the other parents some reassurance.”

I shift in frustration. “Why is he even here?”

“He’s my assistant athletic director.”

That’s his title, sure. But it’s not the reason he’s here.

“I can make decisions about what’s best for my team,” I say, fixing Reynolds with a contemptuous stare. “I’m confident the parents will come to me if they have any concerns.”

“You’re a good coach, Cass,” Mr. Lake says. “And I know you care about the girls. Unfortunately, what happened on Friday night has put us all in a bad position. People are asking questions.”

“What kinds of questions?” I ask.

“People are wondering if you’re fit to be the head coach anymore,” Reynolds says, bluntly.

People. For all I know, he’s the one raising these questions. He was after my job before all this happened, and the drama with Evie has given him the perfect opportunity to take it.

“Sports and school politics should be the last thing on our minds right now,” I say, turning my attention back to Mr. Lake. “Our main concern should be finding Evie.”

“That is our main concern. I’m being transparent with you,” he says, eyes bouncing between Coach Reynolds and myself. “Complaints are coming in. Depending on how this situation unfolds, we might have to makes some changes.”

“Keep me posted,” I say, standing. “While you two are worried about how everything looks, I’ll be busy looking for Evie.”

It doesn’t matter how Mr. Lake tries to spin it. I know who is after my job; the same person who wanted it before any of this started. Reynolds. I recall all the whispers about me and my background from parents and co-workers. Would Reynolds, or anyone, go as far as to take Evie just to cost me my job? That’s an extreme scenario, but right now, everything feels like a possibility.

Neither man tries stopping me as I storm out of the office, rage coursing through me. I’m angry with Mr. Lake for not having his priorities straight and annoyed that Reynolds is using this situation to his advantage. Most importantly, I’m mad at myself for not keeping Evie safe. If she’s in danger or hurt, I’ll never forgive myself.