Mrs. Carter had once asked why he was so tired.
Grandma sits beside my bed at night and watches me,” Lucas had replied.
At the time, the teacher assumed Margaret was simply worried about her grandson after the loss of his parents. But now those words had taken on a completely different meaning.
That same day, Mrs. Carter reported the situation to the school principal. Child Protective Services and the police were quickly notified. They decided to visit Margaret’s house that evening.
When school ended, the grandmother was waiting at the gates as usual. She noticed the concern in Mrs. Carter’s eyes and stood completely still for several seconds.
“Did something happen?” Margaret asked.
“No. Lucas just seems very tired today.”
The grandmother looked at the boy. Fear appeared on her face.
“Last night was difficult again,” she whispered.
“What was difficult?”
Margaret did not answer. She took Lucas by the hand and quickly walked away. Her behavior only strengthened the teacher’s suspicions.
At eleven o’clock that night, Mrs. Carter stood outside Margaret’s old house with two police officers and a social worker.
Behind the curtain of the only illuminated second-floor window, someone’s shadow was moving.
