Chapter 9 - THE DAY THE SCHOOL CALLEDThree weeks after the greenhouse fire, Chadworth finally learned how much damage one careless system could cause.
Elliott Crane had maintained delegated access to his executive communications for years.
The arrangement began when Chadworth's company expanded internationally and urgent approvals frequently arrived while he was traveling.
Originally, the system had strict limitations.
Over time, those limitations became meaningless.
Elliott could prepare documents, send routine responses, and distribute approved instructions on Chadworth's behalf.
What Chadworth hadn't realized was that some executives had stopped distinguishing between messages written by him and messages sent under delegated authority.
The Redwater suspension order had passed through that system.
It carried his approval credentials.
But technical records indicated that Elliott's office initiated the message.
Cora advised him against making public accusations until independent examiners completed their work.
Chadworth agreed.
He had learned what happened when suspicion was treated as proof.
Meanwhile, his daughters were slowly returning to ordinary routines.
Dr. Pierce recommended that they resume school when they felt ready, provided the family established clear safety arrangements.
Lorelai missed her friends.
Gemma missed her art teacher.
Chadworth wanted to keep them locked inside the mansion until every threat disappeared.
But Laura helped him understand the danger in that impulse.
“Security matters,” she said, “but children also need to experience life as something larger than fear.”
So Chadworth arranged a carefully reviewed school plan.
Only approved adults could collect the girls.
School administrators received updated custody and contact information.
The children were instructed never to leave with someone unexpectedly, even if that person claimed to know their father.
A vetted security driver handled transportation.
For several days, everything went well.
Gemma came home with a painting of a purple elephant.
Lorelai talked excitedly about a science project.
Chadworth began setting aside his evenings for them.
He learned that Gemma hated the crust on grilled cheese sandwiches.
He discovered Lorelai was fascinated by astronomy.
He even attempted to bake chocolate-chip cookies.
They were terrible.
Rosamund diplomatically described them as “very creative.”
Gemma was less charitable.
“They taste like sweet rocks.”
Chadworth laughed so hard that Lorelai joined in.
The sound startled him.
Laughter had become rare in the mansion.
Now it was beginning to return.
On a Thursday afternoon, he attended a meeting with Prescott Meridian's independent audit committee.
Several directors had agreed to suspend Elliott's access to company systems while the Redwater investigation proceeded.
Elliott denied wrongdoing.
His attorneys described the allegations as a campaign to shift responsibility away from Chadworth.
The board remained divided.
Chadworth no longer cared whether every director admired him.
He cared whether they told the truth.
“I support the independent investigation,” he said. “And until it's finished, I won't exercise unilateral control over the affected accounts.”
One director leaned forward.
“You understand that could cost you millions.”
Chadworth met his eyes.
“Then it costs me millions.”
The meeting ended shortly after three.
Chadworth was walking toward the elevator when his phone rang.
It was Lorelai's school.
He answered immediately.
“Mr. Prescott?”
“Yes.”
“This is Principal Margaret Ellis. I'm calling because there's been an irregularity with Lorelai's dismissal.”
Chadworth stopped walking.
“What kind of irregularity?”
“We received an emergency authorization from your office requesting that Lorelai be released early for a family medical appointment.”
“I didn't request anything.”
Silence.
Then the principal spoke carefully.
“Sir, the authorization included your family's security verification code.”
Chadworth felt his stomach drop.
“Where is Lorelai?”
“We're trying to confirm that now.”
“What do you mean, trying?”
“She was escorted from her afternoon activity to the administrative wing. The staff member assigned to meet her said an authorized driver was waiting.”
Chadworth pressed the phone harder against his ear.
“Put her on the phone.”
“Mr. Prescott—”
“Now.”
A long silence followed.
Then he heard hurried footsteps and voices in the background.
The principal returned.
“We can't locate her.”
Chadworth felt the world go quiet.
“Call the police.”
“We already have.”
He was running before the call ended.
Marcus met him at the elevator.
“Sir, your driver has already reported something unusual. He was redirected to the rear entrance after receiving a false security alert.”
“Lorelai's missing.”
Marcus went pale.
“Where's Gemma?”
“Still at school. Get her protected immediately.”
Within minutes, Detective Ruiz was coordinating the search.
The school provided surveillance footage.
Lorelai had entered the administrative hallway at 2:46 p.m.
A man wearing a dark jacket and carrying an official-looking visitor badge approached her.
The hallway camera showed him speaking briefly.
Lorelai hesitated.
Then she followed him toward a side exit.
Outside, a gray vehicle waited.
Its license plates had been partially concealed.
The driver opened the rear door.
Lorelai appeared to pull back.
The man grabbed her arm.
The camera captured her struggling before he forced her into the vehicle.
Chadworth watched the footage once.
He couldn't bear to watch it twice.
Detective Ruiz spoke firmly.
“We have vehicle descriptions, timestamps, and potential witnesses. We're moving quickly.”
Chadworth could barely hear her.
His daughter had been taken.
While he sat in a conference room debating financial responsibility, someone had stolen his child.
He closed his eyes.
He remembered Lorelai asking whether he was really staying.
He remembered promising.
“Find her,” he whispered.
Ruiz placed a hand on his shoulder.
“We're going to do everything we can.”
At the mansion, Gemma clung to Rosamund and refused to let go.
Chadworth knelt before his youngest daughter.
“Where's Lorelai?” she asked.
He couldn't lie.
“We're looking for her.”
Gemma's eyes filled with tears.
“Sabina said bad things happen when people don't listen.”
Chadworth pulled her into his arms.
“Listen to me. None of this is your fault. None of it is Lorelai's fault.”
Gemma pressed her face against his shoulder.
“Please bring her home.”
He held her tightly.
“I'll do everything I can.”
At 7:14 p.m., an unknown number appeared on his phone.
A video message arrived.
Chadworth opened it with shaking hands.
Lorelai sat on a narrow bed in an unfamiliar room.
She was pale but appeared conscious.
A man's voice spoke from somewhere off camera.
“Tell your father what we discussed.”
Lorelai lifted her frightened eyes.
“Daddy, please listen.”
Chadworth covered his mouth.
May you like
His daughter's next words were barely audible.
“They said if you don't bring Mommy's blue ledger, they're going to make sure I never come home.”
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