Dozens of parents in tailored coats pulled wheeled suitcases toward the exit lines.

The same adults who had ignored Claire all weekend now gave polite, respectful nods as they passed the column.

A few students from the elite academies pointed at the blue badges on the boys’ jackets.

The sharp smell of industrial floor wax mixed with the lingering scent of stale catering coffee.

Arthur polished his wire-rimmed glasses with a square microfiber cloth.

He put the glasses back on and squinted at the scratched camera screen.