Samantha Sanderson Without a Trace

by Robin Caroll

  The phones continued to wail, despite Mrs. Darrington’s continuous answering.

  “Do you hear that?” Mrs. Trees asked, but it was clearly a rhetorical question since she didn’t wait for an answer. “Parents are calling wanting to know if our administration condones a child faking their own disappearance for a project. They want to know if any teacher had the information and just didn’t tell anyone.” She shook her head. “It’s a madhouse, and it’s all your fault.” She glared at Sam.

  “Actually, she just reported it.” Mom turned to Sam. “You did post that this was your theory, right?”

  Sam nodded. “I made sure I wrote that it was allegedly what he did and I didn’t mention the actual ch—er, anything I’m not supposed to. I made sure to state that sources revealed, but I didn’t name anyone’s name except Tam’s.”

  “Then I think she’s within her right as a reporter,” Sam’s mother told the principal.

  Sam wanted to fist bump her mom, but figured that would be a bad idea.

  Mrs. Trees frowned that deep, drag-down-her-entire-face frown and gave a curt nod toward her office. “The deputies are on their way. Why don’t you two go wait in the conference room with Mrs. Shine until we can get the phone situation under control?”

  Sam led her mother to the conference room.

  “Sam, let me see the article. Can you pull it up on your phone?” her mother asked.

  “Yes, ma’am.” She quickly pulled up the school newspaper’s blog and handed her phone to her mother.

  Her mother scrolled then handed the phone back to Sam. “You might have jumped the gun just a little in mentioning that Tam deliberately posted on a questionable message board to establish a possible Internet security problem, but the rest of it looks fine to me.”

  Sam hugged her mom and exhaled slowly.

  “It’ll be okay, my girl.”

  “I’m glad you picked me up instead of Dad.”

  Mom stopped her from walking into the conference room and turned Sam to face her. “Sam, you have to know that Dad’s always on your side. He’s just required to color a little more inside the lines than I am. Don’t ever doubt that your father has your back.” She smiled and kissed Sam’s forehead. “He’s always got both of our backs.”

  “I love you, Mom.”

  “I love you, too.” Her mom took her hand and stepped into the conference room. “Hello, Jenny,” she greeted Mrs. Shine.

  “Hi, Joy. How are you?”

  Sam sat down as her mother and her favorite teacher chitchatted. Mom could say what she wanted, but when other cops were involved, Dad had to color all the way inside the lines.

  Besides, he was already miffed at her because of the Facebook hacking. Maybe if she solved the case, he wouldn’t ground her until high school.

  “Well, now,” Mrs. Trees walked back into the room, carrying a bottled water. “Would anyone else like some water?”

  Both Mrs. Shine and Sam’s mother declined. Sam wanted some, but figured she ought not push the principal too much more. It looked like Mrs. Trees had about reached her limit. She sat at the head of the conference table and drank her water in silence, like she refused to say anything until the police arrived.

  She didn’t have to wait more than five minutes before the door to the conference room creaked open and deputies Jameson and Malone entered.

  “So, we meet again, Mrs. Sanderson,” Deputy Jameson said as he took a seat in the chair across the table from Sam’s mother.

  “So we do. And this time in the light of day. So much better.”

  Sam bit her tongue not to outright laugh at her mother’s sarcasm despite her sickeningly sweet tone of voice.

  “I understand you have some information regarding Tam Lee’s disappearance?” Deputy Malone addressed Sam.

  “Yes, sir,” she replied.

  “Can you tell me everything? Please don’t leave anything out.” Deputy Malone sounded so much nicer than Deputy Jameson. He laid a small notebook on the table and pulled a pen out of his pocket.

  “Let me use my notes, okay?” Suddenly, Sam felt very nervous.

  “Of course.” Deputy Malone smiled.

  Sam was really glad her mother sat beside her in the stuffy conference room. She was pretty sure Mrs. Trees and Deputy Jameson would eat her alive if her mother wasn’t there like a mama bear protecting her cub.

  Slowly, Sam read her notes on the facts of the case, pausing to expound when needed, and answer any questions the deputies asked. The main hiccup came when she talked about Tam going to Jared’s house, although she refused to give his name.

  That was a problem.

  “Sam, you know you have to give us the name of this friend,” Deputy Malone said.

  She shook her head. “I can’t. I don’t have permission to share that information just yet. He needs time to tell his parents.”

  “Like they aren’t going to learn about this?” Deputy Jameson chimed in.

  Sam glared at him, a sense of bravado in her since Mom was right beside her. “He wants time to tell them first. I can understand he needs to be the one they hear it from.”

  “But we need to speak to his parents,” Deputy Malone said softly. “While this friend might not have seen any traces of Tam or a clue to where he went, it’s possible his parents may have noticed something minor that was off. Something they wrote off as unimportant, but once they know what happened, they might recall.” He lowered his voice a little more and leaned in closer to her. “The longer this goes on, the more likely they are not to remember some minor thing that could be the very clue that leads us to Tam.”

  Sam nodded. “I know. I’ll tell you his name, as soon as he lets me know it’s okay to do so. I can’t give up my source without permission.”

  “You’re a middle school kid, girl. I don’t think you have real sources,” Deputy Jameson said.

  “Oh, quite the contrary,” Sam’s mother interrupted. “Just because you don’t like what she has to say doesn’t mean what she’s saying isn’t right.”

  “Do tell.” Deputy Jameson dripped sarcasm more than Chewy drooled over bacon.

  Sam’s mother crossed her arms and rested them on the table, then leaned forward and narrowed her eyes as she spoke to the deputy. “The last time I checked, Arkansas still had the reporter’s privilege protection as well as many shield laws. Not only are these safeguards in place to assist national and state reporters, they are also there to protect college, high school, and middle school newspaper reporters from giving up their sources of information. I understand you’re doing your job, I do, because my husband is a detective. Sam said she would turn over the name, but that doesn’t mean you need to bully her. She’s giving you information that you haven’t been able to uncover on your own.”

  Man, Sam loved it when her mother went all journalist on people. Deputy Jameson looked like he’d been hit across the head.

  Sam’s mother turned to face Sam. “Having said that, Sam, a child’s life is in the balance and I don’t believe any reporter should withhold information about a missing child.”

  Sam felt sick to her stomach. It did all come back to Tam. She’d been so wrapped up in watching her mother defend her rights as a reporter, she forgot Tam was still missing. “Hang on. Let me text him quickly to tell him I’m about to give his name.” Without waiting for any type of response from anyone, she bolted into the hall.

  After sending Jared a quick text that simply read: I’m having to give up your name. For Tam’s sake. Hope you’ve had time to tell your parents. Then Sam went back into the conference room and took a deep breath before she said, “Jared Hopkins.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  I’m sorry, Mom,” Sam said as soon as they were in the car and heading home.

  “For what?” Sam’s mother kept her eyes on the road.

  Sam shrugged, even though her mother wasn’t looking at her. “For making you come into the office and defend my reporting. I should’ve just given them Jared’s name as soon
as he told me. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “Oh, my girl, you have so much to learn, but your heart is always in the right place. I’m so proud of you for today.”

  “Really?”

  Her mother flashed Sam a quick smile and nodded. “Of course. I told you it’s hard to balance reporting when your emotions are involved. You made a very hard and grown-up decision to tell your source you would buy him time to inform his parents. But you did give up your source to help find Tam. That’s was a hard call to make, but I believe you made the right one. I’m very proud of you.” She reached over and squeezed Sam’s shoulder.

  Sam felt as if a ton of weight had fallen off her shoulders. She couldn’t wait to call Makayla and tell her everything. She planned to do just that as they pulled into the garage and her mom shut the door behind them. But they’d barely stepped into the house when Dad met them in the hallway.

  His face was red. His eyebrows scrunched to where they almost formed one single line. He did not look happy.

  “What’s wrong?” Sam’s mother asked as she hung her purse on the peg.

  “I just got a call from Captain York,” Dad started.

  Sam chewed the inside of her bottom lip. Dad’s captain could be quite nasty. His son, who went to school with Sam, wasn’t much better, only he was more of a whiner than nasty.

  “About?” Mom’s voice didn’t waver as she wove her arm around his waist and fell into step with him walking down the hall.

  “About a certain someone posting an article that tells the world Tam staged his own disappearance, which encourages other kids to do the same thing. News reporters have been hounding the sheriff’s office ever since, and because the reporter was my daughter, they called my boss, telling him to talk to me about her.”

  Mom led Dad into the kitchen where she pulled two bottles of water out of the fridge and handed one to Sam. “Well, they shouldn’t have done that.”

  “But they did.” He turned to Sam. “Why would you do that?”

  “Whoa, honey. Did you read the article your daughter wrote?” Sam’s mother asked, setting down her water and pulling her cell phone from her pocket.

  “Um, no.” Dad glanced at Sam, not looking nearly as angry as before.

  “I’m so proud of her.” Sam’s mother handed him the cell phone.

  Dad scrolled, reading, then handed the phone back to Sam’s mother. “It’s well written, Sam.”

  Mom shook her head. “Charles! Yes, it’s well written, but it’s also good reporting.”

  “That’s not the point.”

  “Then what is the point?”

  Sam stayed silent. Her parents didn’t argue, but they sure had some lively debates. Sam had learned that during these times, it was best for her to adhere to the old saying: do not speak unless spoken to.

  “The point is she revealed that the whole thing was planned. A setup, if you will. That a kid orchestrated his own disappearance.”

  Mom shrugged, using her hands for more emphasis. “She reported the facts as they are right now. She didn’t reveal anything she shouldn’t have, nor anything she gave her word she wouldn’t mention. She protected her sources to the public. That’s good, clean reporting, Charles.” She popped her hands on her hips. “I’m so proud.”

  “Of course you are,” he mumbled.

  But it was loud enough that Sam’s mother heard it. “What do you mean by that?”

  “Just that you are looking at it from a reporter’s perspective. I have to look at it from a cop’s.” He groaned.

  Mom softened her tone. “What did your captain say?”

  “You mean after he chewed me up one side and down the other? Telling me how tired he was of having my daughter disrupt an investigation—”

  “Dad, I didn’t disrupt anything,” Sam forgot her vow to remain silent. “They still wouldn’t have a clue that Tam did this all for a project if I hadn’t written the article about secret meetings. Jared wouldn’t have said anything to anyone, and the sheriff’s office wouldn’t have any idea where Tam had gone. At least now they know where he went from school and that he went willingly and wasn’t abducted.” She stopped talking because she ran out of breath as though she’d just finished the cheer team’s long program.

  “But you don’t know for a fact that Tam did all this for a project,” he argued.

  “Yes, yes I do.” Sam stood up straight. “I know Tam Lee. I know what kind of person he is. He would allow this to happen so he could show kids how important safety and awareness of their surroundings is. He would do this to prove the point that awareness classes needed to be mandatory to help kids protect themselves.”

  “So where is he now? Putting his parents through so much . . . that doesn’t sound like a kid you should be defending, Sam.”

  “Dad, I know it sounds like he’s uncaring, but I do know what kind of person Tam is, and some of the things he said to Jared confirm he never intended this to go on so long. His plan was to be home by ten Wednesday night.”

  “It’s now Friday, pumpkin. Why did he leave his friend’s? Where did he go?”

  “That’s what we don’t know, Dad, but I can tell you, it’s something beyond his control.”

  “How can you be so sure?” he asked.

  “Because I know him. Trust me, Daddy, something’s happened. Tam didn’t plan on being gone so long, and if he could contact his parents and straighten it out, he would. I know it.” She reached out and grabbed his hand. “Please don’t write off what I’m saying because I’m a kid. I know Tam.”

  Sam’s father looked at her mother, then back at Sam. “Okay. Captain York said I should do whatever was necessary to help the sheriff’s office find the missing boy and restore a semblance of order in the community.”

  “You mean, you get to help in the investigation?” Sam’s body jumped with excitement. This was perfect!

  “Sam, calm down.” Dad’s voice went stern.

  She stared at the kitchen floor, hoping she looked contrite because she certainly didn’t feel that way.

  “Now, as I said, Captain York wants the situation handled and soon. I’m to help as needed, but, and here’s where I need you to pay close attention, Sam . . .”

  She lifted her head and met his stare.

  “I’m not to step on the sheriff deputies’ toes. This is their case.”

  “But they aren’t doing such a great job, Dad.”

  “Sam.”

  She nodded. “Okay. Yes, sir.”

  “The deputies have called Jared’s parents. They were heading over to speak with them and look over the house when Captain York called. I imagine they’re there now.” He let out a long sigh. “I think the supportive thing for me to do would be to go over there and offer my assistance.”

  Sam widened her eyes. “Can I go with you?”

  He cocked his head to the side. “I know you did not just ask me that.”

  Hey, it was worth a try, right? “I know, Dad. I had to ask though.”

  He ran a hand over her head, much like he used to do when she was much younger. “I know, pumpkin. But what I do need is for you to be by your phone. If there’s something there that I see or hear that maybe you might be able to explain, I’m going to call. Okay?”

  For once, she’d be assisting the police instead of fighting them. Could be interesting. “Of course.”

  He kissed her forehead, right at her hairline. “I’ll get going.” He looked at Sam’s mom. “Walk me out?”

  “Of course.” She took his hand as they left the kitchen.

  Her parents’ affection sometimes made her want to gag, but for the most part, she was happy that her parents were loving with one another. They debated with drive, but they also showed their love with just as much energy and dedication.

  Sam quickly sent a text to Makayla and filled her in on everything that had happened. Her phone rang almost immediately.

  “Hey, Mac. I can’t talk long. Need to keep the line open once Dad gets to Jared’s house.”
>
  “Sam, have you seen the school’s blog?”

  She’d been so busy . . . “No, why?”

  “Ohmygummybears, girl. It’s blowing up.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Just people posting about how they’re worried about Tam even more now and some are talking about how we, as a society, put too much emphasis on academic competition and excellence. Oh, and that sparked a lot of posts on the argument of school versus homeschooling, to which you know my mother paid attention.”

  Sam groaned. Mrs. Ansley had made noise this year, for some strange reason, about how it might be a good idea to homeschool Makayla and her little sister. Makayla had managed to squelch the notion for many months, but it was always there, lurking in the Ansley home, just like a monster from a bad dream. Sam would be miserable if Makayla wasn’t at school with her every day.

  “There’ve been over six hundred comments, Sam.”

  “That’s insane.” Even the bomb threat at the local theater hadn’t gotten that many hits.

  “Tell me about it. Parents and students alike are posting. Most of the kids are posting kudos to Tam, which is fueling the parents’ comments about how this is such a bad example and how Tam is leading kids astray.”

  “Oh, that’s ridiculous.”

  “I know, I know. I’m just telling you what the comments consensus is right now.”

  The door to the garage closed and Chewy ran to the front window, barking as Dad’s truck eased down the driveway.

  “I’ve got to go. Keep me posted,” Sam told Makayla before hanging up.

  “Well, that was fun,” Sam’s mother told her as she came back inside.

  “I’m sorry, Mom, but thanks for sticking up for me.”

  “No worries, my girl. It’s easy to defend when you’re on the right side.” She smiled. “How about a snack? Dad doesn’t seem to think he’ll be gone too terribly long, so I don’t want to eat something heavy now and ruin dinner.”

  Sam nodded. “Popcorn?”

  Her mom smiled. Hot popcorn with lots of melted butter was Sam’s mother’s weakness. “I’ll get it started.”