Ava smiled and walked into Bell’s open arms. Caelyn pressed in closer to me. “Would you guys mind taking the kids to that bench in the hall? We need to talk to Parker.”

“Of course,” Kenna answered.

“I’m staying.”

My gaze locked with Will’s, his expression stubborn and defiant. I cleared my throat and gave him a pointed look.

He looked down at his shoes, rethinking his plan of attack. “I mean, I’d like to stay.” He looked at Caelyn. “I deserve to know what’s going on.”

She sucked in a breath. “Okay.”

Kenna and Bell took the girls out into the hall, but Ford stayed with us as we turned our attention to Parker. I pulled Caelyn into my side. I wasn’t sure if it was for her or me—maybe both of us. The feel of her body against mine reassured me that she was here. Safe. Everyone was.

I refocused on Parker. “What can you tell us?”

He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “Not as much as I’d like. A man came into the office this afternoon and asked for the girls. Said he was their father and that there’d been a family emergency.” He winced as he glanced at Caelyn. “When Sue gave some pushback, said that there was a list and that he wasn’t on it, he said that Caelyn had been in a car accident.”

Caelyn’s body gave a small jerk in my arms. “It might’ve worked…” Her voice trailed off as terror grabbed hold.

“No, it wouldn’t have,” Parker assured her. “The school has security measures in place for a reason. Photo ID and a list of approved names for pick up and drop off. He wouldn’t have gotten out of here with Mia and Ava.”

Caelyn nodded woodenly, but I could tell that none of this eased her mind. I pressed my lips to her temple briefly. Even her scent, that hint of vanilla and something that was uniquely Caelyn, didn’t calm me as it usually did. I still kept breathing her in, hoping it would eventually ease me.

Will shuffled his feet. “Are you sure it was my dad?”

Parker turned to face him. “Sue can’t say for sure. The man had a beard and wore a baseball cap. Why do you ask?”

“It’s just that he’s been gone for so long. Why would he come back now? It’s not like he ever gave a crap about us. It doesn’t make sense.”

“It’s because Mom’s out.” Caelyn’s fingers dug into my t-shirt the way they always did when her emotions were heightened. “I’ve seen her. Twice. She still loves him. And she knows where he is.”

Parker straightened. “You think they’re going to try and run?”