But staring at that dark feed, I felt the whole situation tip from a slow, careful thing into a fast and deadly one, and I was right.

Chapter 11 — Ten Minutes

I called Darius over and over; every call went to voicemail.

Then Thandeka called, her voice tight: get Esme from school, now, don’t wait.

I drove like something feral.

When I ran into the front office the principal told me, kindly, with no idea what she was saying, that Esme had been picked up ten minutes earlier — by her grandmother, using her authorized guardian card.