Addison parted her lips, but no sound emerged, and her hands trembled even more visibly. The suited man softened his expression artificially and called out, “Sweetheart, it is just me, and I only want to hug you and congratulate you.”
The officer handed the phone back to the biker and stepped toward the suited man. “Sir, I need to see identification.”
The suited man hesitated longer than was comfortable, and murmurs intensified across the bleachers as the biker made a brief phone call and stated quietly, “She is safe,” before ending the call without further explanation.
When the suited man attempted to push forward again, the officer placed a firm hand against his chest and commanded, “Sir, step back immediately.”
Confusion began to replace outrage in the audience as the gym doors opened once more and a woman in a navy blazer entered carrying a thin leather folder, accompanied by another officer and a representative from the Cedar Ridge School District. The woman approached the officers and handed over several documents, and after reading them carefully, the first officer addressed the suited man in a firm, official tone.