Chapter 3: The Message From an Unknown Number
Marcus Thompson lived in a small apartment above a laundromat on the east side of town.
Malik and I arrived just after four that afternoon. The air smelled of wet pavement and detergent. A row of washing machines churned behind the shop's front windows, their spinning doors flashing beneath harsh fluorescent lights.
Marcus openedMalik and I arrived just after four that afternoon. The air smelled of wet pavement and detergent. A row of washing machines churned behind the shop's front windows, their spinning doors flashing beneath harsh fluorescent lights.
Marcus opened the apartment door wearing a gray warehouse uniform.
He was nineteen, tall like Malik, with the same dark eyes and the same habit of looking over a person's shoulder before deciding whether to trust them.
When he saw his younger brother, his expression hardened.
"What the apartment door wearing a gray warehouse uniform.
He was nineteen, tall like Malik, with the same dark eyes and the same habit of looking over a person's shoulder before deciding whether to trust them.
When he saw his younger brother, his expression hardened.
"What happened?""
Malik stepped inside.
"How do you know something happened?""
"Because you never come here before your shift unless something's wrong.""
Marcus looked at me.
"Who's she?""
"Ava. She saw Ms happened?""
Malik stepped inside.
"How do you know something happened?""
"Because you never come here before your shift unless something's wrong.""
Marcus looked at me.
"Who's she?""
"Ava. She saw Ms. Carter shove me.""
His brother went still.
Then he moved aside.
"Both of you. Come in.""
The apartment was painfully neat. A small kitchen opened onto the living room, where a folded blanket rested on a secondhand sofa. A laptop sat on the coffee table beside a. Carter shove me.""
His brother went still.
Then he moved aside.
"Both of you. Come in.""
The apartment was painfully neat. A small kitchen opened onto the living room, where a folded blanket rested on a secondhand sofa. A laptop sat on the coffee table beside a stack of employment applications.
Marcus shut the curtains before sitting down.
"Start from the beginning," he said.
Malik explained the changed grade, the unplugged camera, the shove, and Principal Harris's promise to preserve the footage.
When he finished, Marcus stared at the floor.
"They're stack of employment applications.
Marcus shut the curtains before sitting down.
"Start from the beginning," he said.
Malik explained the changed grade, the unplugged camera, the shove, and Principal Harris's promise to preserve the footage.
When he finished, Marcus stared at the floor.
"They're going to say she was provoked.""
"She wasn't," I said.
"They'll say I was provoked, too. They'll ask whether Malik has a history of challenging teachers. They'll pull his going to say she was provoked.""
"She wasn't," I said.
"They'll say I was provoked, too. They'll ask whether Malik has a history of challenging teachers. They'll pull his disciplinary record and make a list of every time he's talked back.""
"That doesn't mean they can ignore the video.""
Marcus laughed without humor.
"You still think the video is the important part.""
He stood, walked to the kitchen, and poured disciplinary record and make a list of every time he's talked back.""
"That doesn't mean they can ignore the video.""
Marcus laughed without humor.
"You still think the video is the important part.""
He stood, walked to the kitchen, and poured himself a glass of water. His hands trembled slightly as he lifted it.
"The footage matters," he continued.
"But it won't matter if the people controlling the investigation decide what everyone gets to see.""
"Principal Harris suspended her," I said.
himself a glass of water. His hands trembled slightly as he lifted it.
"The footage matters," he continued.
"But it won't matter if the people controlling the investigation decide what everyone gets to see.""
"Principal Harris suspended her," I said.
"Did he tell you he had no choice?""
I exchanged a glance with Malik.
"Yes.""
"That's what he told me, too.""
Marcus went to a desk in the corner and opened a drawer. Inside were old school folders, a broken phone,"Did he tell you he had no choice?""
I exchanged a glance with Malik.
"Yes.""
"That's what he told me, too.""
Marcus went to a desk in the corner and opened a drawer. Inside were old school folders, a broken phone, and a thick envelope sealed with yellow tape.
He placed the envelope on the table.
"When Ms. Carter accused me of threatening her, the school said I had no evidence to support my version of and a thick envelope sealed with yellow tape.
He placed the envelope on the table.
"When Ms. Carter accused me of threatening her, the school said I had no evidence to support my version of events. I filed an appeal.
They rejected it. I requested copies of the disciplinary records, and they sent me a stack of paperwork with half the important information blacked out.""
He tapped events. I filed an appeal. They rejected it. I requested copies of the disciplinary records, and they sent me a stack of paperwork with half the important information blacked out.""
He tapped the envelope.
"Then I found this.""
Inside were several printed emails.
The first was dated three days before Marcus's suspension.
It was from Ms. Reed to Ms. Carter.
*Subject: Student conduct concern — M. Thompson*
*Please avoid further direct confrontation with the envelope.
"Then I found this.""
Inside were several printed emails.
The first was dated three days before Marcus's suspension.
It was from Ms. Reed to Ms. Carter.
*Subject: Student conduct concern — M. Thompson*
Please avoid further direct confrontation with Marcus until we have agreed on the appropriate response. The district is already reviewing the grade discrepancies.
I read it twice.
"Grade discrepancies?"" I asked.
Marcus nodded.
"I'd been helping the school's robotics Marcus until we have agreed on the appropriate response. The district is already reviewing the grade discrepancies.*
I read it twice.
"Grade discrepancies?"" I asked.
Marcus nodded.
"I'd been helping the school's robotics team after classes. Ms. Carter was in charge of the academic eligibility list. I noticed that two students had passing grades in the system even though their papers showed failing scores.""
"Who?""
"One was the son of a team after classes. Ms. Carter was in charge of the academic eligibility list. I noticed that two students had passing grades in the system even though their papers showed failing scores.""
"Who?""
"One was the son of a school board member. The other was Noah Whitaker.""
I'd heard of Noah. Everyone had. He was the school's star basketball player, the kind of student whose photograph appeared on posters advertising games and fundraising events.
"Why would she change their grades?""
" school board member. The other was Noah Whitaker.""
I'd heard of Noah. Everyone had. He was the school's star basketball player, the kind of student whose photograph appeared on posters advertising games and fundraising events.
"Why would she change their grades?""
"Because Noah needed to remain eligible for the regional tournament. And the other kid's father donated a lot of money to the school.""
I glanced at the next email.
This one came from an address belonging to the district's academic office.
*Please correct the reportingBecause Noah needed to remain eligible for the regional tournament. And the other kid's father donated a lot of money to the school.""
I glanced at the next email.
This one came from an address belonging to the district's academic office.
Please correct the reporting discrepancies before the end-of-term audit. The superintendent expects all athletic eligibility issues to be resolved internally.
There was no signature, only initials.
D.R.
"Who discrepancies before the end-of-term audit. The superintendent expects all athletic eligibility issues to be resolved internally.*
There was no signature, only initials.
D.R.
"Who is D.R.?"" I asked.
Marcus's face tightened.
"Daniel Rourke. He's the district's director of student services.""
Malik leaned forward.
"Did Ms. Carter change my grade because I caught her doing the same thing?""
"I think so," Marcus said.
"But I never found enough evidence is D.R.?"" I asked.
Marcus's face tightened.
"Daniel Rourke. He's the district's director of student services.""
Malik leaned forward.
"Did Ms. Carter change my grade because I caught her doing the same thing?""
"I think so," Marcus said.
"But I never found enough evidence to prove it.""
He pulled a small flash drive from the envelope and set it on the table.
"This contains copies of the emails I managed to save. There are also screenshots of the gradebook before the changes. I got them from a computer that hadn't synced yet.""
"Why didn't you give to prove it.""
He pulled a small flash drive from the envelope and set it on the table.
"This contains copies of the emails I managed to save. There are also screenshots of the gradebook before the changes. I got them from a computer that hadn't synced yet.""
"Why didn't you give these to Principal Harris?"" I asked.
"I did.""
"What happened?""
"He called me into his office. He said the documents raised serious concerns, but they weren't enough to establish misconduct. Two days later, Ms.
Reed told him I'd accessed school these to Principal Harris?"" I asked.
"I did.""
"What happened?""
"He called me into his office. He said the documents raised serious concerns, but they weren't enough to establish misconduct. Two days later, Ms. Reed told him I'd accessed school systems without permission.""
"Had you?""
Marcus hesitated.
"I used a computer that was already logged in. I didn't break into anything. But I shouldn't have copied those systems without permission.""
"Had you?""
Marcus hesitated.
"I used a computer that was already logged in. I didn't break into anything. But I shouldn't have copied those screenshots, and I knew it.""
"Did you tell them that?"" Malik asked.
"Yes. They acted like that was the only thing that mattered.""
A phone vibrated on the coffee table.
All three of us looked down.
It was Malik's.
An unknown number had sent another screenshots, and I knew it.""
"Did you tell them that?"" Malik asked.
"Yes. They acted like that was the only thing that mattered.""
A phone vibrated on the coffee table.
All three of us looked down.
It was Malik's.
An unknown number had sent another message.
*Marcus still hasn't learned when to stop. Don't make the same mistake.*
Marcus took the phone from his brother.
"Show me the first message.""
Malik handed him the device.
Marcus compared the two numbers, then checked the message.
*Marcus still hasn't learned when to stop. Don't make the same mistake.*
Marcus took the phone from his brother.
"Show me the first message.""
Malik handed him the device.
Marcus compared the two numbers, then checked the timestamps.
"They're different.""
I felt a chill settle over my shoulders.
"Maybe it's someone trying to scare you.""
"Two different people?"" Marcus asked.
"One knows what happened in class, and another knows about these timestamps.
"They're different.""
I felt a chill settle over my shoulders.
"Maybe it's someone trying to scare you.""
"Two different people?"" Marcus asked.
"One knows what happened in class, and another knows about these documents?""
His eyes moved toward the envelope.
"Someone else knows about the grade changes.""
Malik sat down slowly.
"Could Ms. Reed have sent them?""
"Maybe. But we don't accuse anyone until we can prove something.""
Marcus took a photograph of both documents?""
His eyes moved toward the envelope.
"Someone else knows about the grade changes.""
Malik sat down slowly.
"Could Ms. Reed have sent them?""
"Maybe. But we don't accuse anyone until we can prove something.""
Marcus took a photograph of both messages and sent it to his own phone.
"Tomorrow, I'm contacting an attorney. We need to make official requests for every record connected to the incident.""
"What about the camera footage?"" I asked.
"We ask for that, too messages and sent it to his own phone.
"Tomorrow, I'm contacting an attorney. We need to make official requests for every record connected to the incident.""
"What about the camera footage?"" I asked.
"We ask for that, too.""
"And if the school deletes it?""
Marcus looked directly at me.
"Then we make them explain why.""
He walked back to his desk and returned with a battered notebook.
"I wrote down everything I remembered from last year. Dates, conversations, who was present. I thought it would be useless because.""
"And if the school deletes it?""
Marcus looked directly at me.
"Then we make them explain why.""
He walked back to his desk and returned with a battered notebook.
"I wrote down everything I remembered from last year. Dates, conversations, who was present. I thought it would be useless because nobody believed me.""
He opened to a page filled with careful handwriting.
Then he turned the notebook toward us.
One entry had been underlined three times.
**April 14 — Ms. Reed came into the classroom before first period. Camera was working when she arrived. After she left, the nobody believed me.""
He opened to a page filled with careful handwriting.
Then he turned the notebook toward us.
One entry had been underlined three times.
**April 14 — Ms. Reed came into the classroom before first period. Camera was working when she arrived.
After she left, the recording light was off. Ms. Carter said the system was being serviced.**
Malik stared at the date.
"That's the day she accused you.""
Marcus nodded.
"But look at the time.""
I read the entry.
*7:42 a.m.*
The official incident report stated that the recording light was off. Ms. Carter said the system was being serviced.**
Malik stared at the date.
"That's the day she accused you.""
Marcus nodded.
"But look at the time.""
I read the entry.
*7:42 a.m.*
The official incident report stated that the classroom camera had been malfunctioning since the previous afternoon.
Someone had lied.
And if Marcus was right, that lie had begun before the accusation that destroyed his school career.
My phone buzzed in my pocket.
I pulled it out.
An email notification filled the screen.
It was classroom camera had been malfunctioning since the previous afternoon.
Someone had lied.
And if Marcus was right, that lie had begun before the accusation that destroyed his school career.
My phone buzzed in my pocket.
I pulled it out.
An email notification filled the screen.
It was from the school district.
*Subject: Immediate notice concerning student conduct*
I opened the message.
You are hereby instructed not to circulate, copy, or distribute any school security footage or confidential student records. Unauthorized disclosure may result in disciplinary action.
At the bottom was the name of from the school district.
*Subject: Immediate notice concerning student conduct*
I opened the message.
You are hereby instructed not to circulate, copy, or distribute any school security footage or confidential student records. Unauthorized disclosure may result in disciplinary action.
At the bottom was the name of the sender.
*Daniel Rourke — Director of Student Services.*
I hadn't requested any footage.
I hadn't received any footage.
Yet the district had sent me a warning.
I looked up at Marcus.
"They know we're here," I said.
He read the email, then the sender.
*Daniel Rourke — Director of Student Services.*
I hadn't requested any footage.
I hadn't received any footage.
Yet the district had sent me a warning.
I looked up at Marcus.
"They know we're here," I said.
He read the email, then glanced toward the curtained windows.
"No," he replied softly.
"They know we have something.""
He turned the page in his notebook and showed us one final entry.
Beside it, he'd written a name.
*Harris.*
Below the name was a glanced toward the curtained windows.
"No," he replied softly.
"They know we have something.""
He turned the page in his notebook and showed us one final entry.
Beside it, he'd written a name.
*Harris.*
Below the name was a question.
Why did the principal sign the report before the investigation was completed?
None of us spoke.
Because suddenly, the problem wasn't just a teacher who had unplugged a camera.
It was an official question.
Why did the principal sign the report before the investigation was completed?
None of us spoke.
Because suddenly, the problem wasn't just a teacher who had unplugged a camera.
May you like
It was an official report that might have been written before anyone watched the evidence.
And the person who had signed it was the same principal who had promised to protect Malik.