Page 22 of The Hanging Dolls (Zoe Storm #1)

TWENTY-ONE

Zoe and Scott walked down the hallway of Harborwood Elementary, the sound of their footsteps echoing off the polished floors. The school was quiet, the usual hum of children’s laughter and chatter subdued as they made their way to the classroom. They exchanged a glance as they reached the door.

Inside, a group of young children sat in a semi-circle, their faces focused on a teacher reading aloud from a picture book. As Zoe and Scott entered, the teacher looked up, her expression softening. She stood, closing the book gently.

“I’m Ms. Davis,” she said, extending a hand. “I heard about Tara. How can I help?”

“We’re here to speak with Tara’s friends,” Scott said.

“Tara’s friends?” She arched an eyebrow.

Zoe nodded, offering a polite smile. “Yes, we need to ask them a few questions. Just to see if they might have noticed anything unusual. Kids often share information with each other that they don’t tell their parents.”

“Who were closest to Tara?” Scott pressed, eager to move things on.

Ms. Davis nodded, her brow furrowing with concern. “Of course. Caleb and Mona were Tara’s closest friends. They’re a bit shy, though. I’ll stay with you while you talk to them.”

Zoe and Scott followed Ms. Davis to a corner of the room where two children, a boy and a girl, sat huddled together, their expressions anxious. Caleb was twisting his fingers nervously, while Mona clutched a stuffed animal to her chest. They looked up with wide eyes as the officers approached.

“You good with kids?” Scott muttered in Zoe’s ear.

“I’m a delight,” she responded, grinning widely. “Hi, Caleb. Hi, Mona.” She crouched down to their level. “I’m Zoe, and this is Scott. We’re here to talk to you about Tara, to see if you can help us. Is that okay?”

The children looked nervously at Ms. Davis, seeking reassurance.

“You’re not in any trouble,” Zoe added, her tone kind but direct. “We just want to know if you’ve seen anything that might help us understand what happened to Tara.”

Mona glanced at Caleb, who gave her a small nod before looking back at Zoe. “Tara was our best friend,” Mona whispered, her voice barely audible. “But we don’t know what happened.”

Zoe exchanged a quick look with Scott before continuing. “Did Tara ever talk to you about someone she knew? Maybe someone who wasn’t from school?”

Caleb shook his head quickly. “No. She didn’t know Lily, either. We never talked about her.”

Scott leaned in slightly. “What about a man? Have you ever seen someone around who maybe didn’t belong here?”

The children stiffened. Mona crushed the animal tighter against her chest. Caleb dropped his eyes.

Ms. Davis moved closer. “It’s okay. You won’t get into any trouble. Just be honest.”

“It’s okay,” Zoe encouraged softly. “We just want to know if you’ve noticed anything that made you feel uncomfortable.”

Mona fidgeted with the stuffed animal, biting her lip. Finally, after a long pause, she whispered, “Sometimes… I see a man in a gray car.”

Zoe’s heart skipped a beat. “A gray car? Where do you see him?”

Mona pointed toward the large window at the side of the classroom. “Out there, by the street. He’s just… watching.”

“Did Tara notice him too?” Zoe asked.

Mona nodded.

Scott’s expression tightened, but he kept his voice steady. “When did you see him last, Mona?”

Mona’s eyes grew wide with fear, her small hand trembling as she clutched her stuffed animal tighter. “Just… just before recess. Today.”

The temperature in the room plummeted.

Ms. Davis blinked, panic taking over her aged features. “I… I… I had no idea about this, officers. I swear. I would have done something if I knew. Mona, why didn’t you tell me?”

While Mona tried to explain, Zoe kept her eyes on Caleb. His cheeks were turning a scarlet red and he looked like he was going to throw up. The boy was hiding something. She opened her mouth, ready to probe more.

Scott’s eyes followed Mona’s gaze to the window, his heart pounding. “Zoe?—”

Before he could finish, Mona’s voice cut through the silence, trembling with fear. “There he is!”

Zoe turned sharply, her eyes locking on the window. Outside, partially obscured by the rain-speckled glass, was a gray car idling by the curb, its engine running. The silhouette of a man was visible behind the wheel, watching the school with a stillness that sent a chill down Zoe’s spine.

Scott moved quickly, his hand already reaching for his phone. “I’m going to call it in.”

But Zoe couldn’t wait. He was just beyond her reach. All she had to was take the last plunge and grab him. What was he doing here anyway? Following the detectives? Working out who to take next?

Adrenaline flooded her. Her heart careened beat to beat.

Next thing she knew, she was out of the school, running in his direction.

She rounded the corner, eyes locked on the gray sedan as it started to pull away from the curb.

Zoe didn’t hesitate—she sprinted to her car, throwing open the door and practically diving inside.

The engine roared to life as she jammed the key into the ignition, her hands gripping the wheel with white-knuckled intensity. The man’s car lurched forward, tires screeching as he took off down the street.

Zoe’s breath came in short bursts as she slammed the car into gear and peeled out after him.

The rain-slicked streets blurred past as she floored the gas, the car surging forward with a growl.

The man was already way ahead, blasting through the stop signs, but Zoe was right behind him, every fiber of her being focused on catching him.

“Asshole,” she muttered through gritted teeth, her anger throbbing in time with her pulse. She could see him checking his rearview mirror, his car swerving as he tried to put more distance between them.

The man made a sharp turn onto a side street, hoping to lose her, but Zoe knew these roads too well by now.

First thing she had done was memorize the streets of this town.

She took a hard left, cutting through a narrow alleyway, the car bouncing over the rough pavement.

She emerged onto the next street ahead of him, catching a glimpse of the gray sedan as it barreled toward her.

“Come on,” she hissed, her foot pressing the pedal to the floor as she aimed for the next intersection. She took the turn sharply, tires squealing, and the car fishtailed, skidding to a stop right in front of him, blocking his path.

The man’s car screeched to a halt, his tires sliding on the wet asphalt as he tried to avoid a head-on collision. Zoe jumped out of her car and yanked the driver’s door open before he had a chance to react.

The middle-aged man looked up at her, his face pale. His receding hairline glistened with sweat, and he fumbled with the seatbelt, his hands shaking. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” he babbled, his voice high-pitched and panicked.

Zoe didn’t wait for him to finish. She grabbed him by the collar and hauled him out of the car in one swift move, twisting him around and slamming him against the side of the vehicle. “You’re under arrest,” she snapped, as she cuffed his wrists.

The man didn’t resist, his body trembling as he kept repeating, “I didn’t mean to—please, I’m sorry.”

Zoe tightened the cuffs, her breath still coming in short, angry bursts. “Save it,” she said, her voice low and dangerous. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”