His stomach dropped.
Emma saw his face.
“But Mrs. Patel fixed it.”
Daniel looked up.
“What?”
“She called them.”
Laura read faster.
Desert Ridge had contacted Emma’s school counselor after discovering Emma’s examination score placed her among the top three scholarship candidates that year. Mrs. Priya Patel told the admissions office the family appeared unaware of the acceptance.
A final exception had been approved.
The family had until Friday at five.
Two days.
Daniel stared at the pages.
Then another sentence caught his attention.
We are enclosing copies of prior correspondence at Ms. Patel’s request because the family reports not receiving multiple mailed notices.
Reports.
Meaning Emma had already told someone.
Daniel looked toward her.
“Emma.”
She swallowed.
“What did you tell Mrs. Patel?”
Her eyes went to Noah again.
This time everyone noticed.
Noah’s face changed.
Daniel slowly turned.
“Noah?”
The boy stared at the keys.
“What?”
Daniel looked back at Emma.
“Tell me.”
She hesitated.
Laura walked around the island.
“Sweetheart.”
Emma’s eyes filled.
“I thought maybe the letters got lost.”
Daniel felt something inside him become very still.
He spent his professional life hearing people say that.
Lost mail.
Sometimes true.
Misdelivery.
Machine damage.
Wrong address.
Forwarding errors.
Human mistakes.
Three pieces to the same address in one month?
Less likely.
A certified letter?
Different problem.
Daniel returned to page two.
Certified mailing number.
Signature recorded June 29.
He stopped breathing.
“Laura.”
She looked at him.
“This one was signed for.”
Her face changed.
“What?”
“June twenty-ninth.”
Noah looked up sharply.
Daniel caught it.
“Who signed?”
Laura asked.
The copy did not show the signature.
Only delivery confirmation.
Daniel knew how to retrieve it.
He also knew he did not need to yet.
Not before asking the room.
“Who was home June twenty-ninth?”
Caleb immediately said:
“Summer.”
Daniel stared.
“Yes.”
“Everybody was home sometimes.”
Noah swallowed.
Daniel looked at Emma.
She began crying.
Not loudly.
That somehow made it worse.
“Emma.”
She wiped one cheek.
“Mrs. Patel asked me if Noah ever brought me mail.”
Noah’s head snapped up.
“What?”
Daniel turned.
“Why would she ask that?”
Emma looked toward her brother.
Noah’s face had gone pale.
“She asked because…”
Emma stopped.
Laura took her hand.
“Because what?”
“Because I told her some stuff disappears.”
Noah pushed back from the island.
“That is not true.”
Daniel turned.
“No one asked you yet.”