Viola shook her head. “Not yet, but there was another one that got away.”
“When was that?” Viola must be referring to her attack. The SFPD had been trying to keep Elise’s encounter out of the press, just as they were trying to keep particular aspects of Katie’s murder a secret, despite that reporter’s best efforts. They had to do that. Sean had to keep certain secrets.
“Not sure. Friday night. No details on that one, but the police suspect it was the same guy who murdered the other one.” Viola hunched her shoulders and dropped her phone. “I hate it when stuff like this happens.”
“Me, too.”
The phone on the lunchroom wall rang, and they both jumped. Elise shoved back from the table and grabbed the receiver. “Lunchroom.”
“Elise, is that you?”
“Yep.”
“I got a call in the front office for you. He’s still on the line, so I’m going to transfer him over.”
Elise swallowed. “Okay.”
“Go ahead, sir.”
“Did you change your phone number because of me?”
She heaved out a sigh and rolled her eyes at Viola. “No, Ty. I had to get a new phone and a new number. Why don’t you just go home?”
“I’ve been doing a little investigating of that Detective Brody. You’re not going to like...”
“What I don’t like is you harassing me. For the millionth time, I’m not going home with you—now or ever. Give it up and move on. It’s been over a year. Don’t call me again.” She slammed the receiver home.
“Girl, is that the ex-fiancé?”
“He came all the way here to take me home. What’s he going to do, kidnap me?”
She shook her head. “Men. They don’t want you unless they can’t have you.”
They finished lunch discussing more pleasant topics, such as the end-of-the-school-year party. Elise hadn’t felt like telling Viola that Ty had come here to rescue her from a killer. That she was the one who got away. She didn’t want to be the object of anyone’s pity or amazement or projected fear.
The door to the teachers’ lounge burst open and Mrs. McKinney, the senior kindergarten teacher, charged through clutching Eli’s arm.
Eli turned his round eyes on Elise, his mouth a matching circle.
Elise jumped up. She didn’t like Mrs. McKinney’s disciplinary methods with the kids, and Eli looked scared out of his wits. “What’s going on?”
“This young man was disobeying school rules on the playground.”
“But he told me. He gave me...”
“Silence, young man.”
Elise crossed the room and took Eli’s hand, pulling him away from Mrs. McKinney’s clutches. “What happened, Eli?”
Mrs. McKinney butted in. “I spotted Eli on the far side of the playground on the grass by the gate. He’s not supposed to be outside of the kindergarten play area.”
Elise squeezed Eli’s hand. “You need to stay on our playground, Eli. Miss Ellen and Mrs. Dory can’t watch you way over there.”
“That’s not all, Miss Duran.” Mrs. McKinney thrust out her formidable bosom. “Eli was talking to a stranger at the fence.”
Elise tapped Eli’s brown cheek with her finger. “You’re not supposed to talk to strangers, Eli. Promise Mrs. McKinney you won’t do that again.”
Eli dropped his gaze and scuffed the toe of his Converse sneakers against the linoleum floor, shoving his hand in the front pocket of his jeans. “I promise.”
She smiled. “That’s better. Are you satisfied, Mrs. McKinney? I don’t think Eli needs to go to Principal Yarborough.”
Mrs. McKinney huffed. “I suppose not, but we can’t have these kids wandering around the playground and talking to strangers.”
“Okay. That’s settled, then. You can walk to the line with me, Eli.” She held out her hand and wiggled her fingers.
He buried his hand deeper in his pocket and jutted out his lower lip. “But he gave me something.”
“Candy?” Mrs. McKinney snapped her head around. “Did he give you candy, Eli? Hand it over.”
“N-no.” His big brown eyes met Elise’s. “He gave me something for you, Miss Duran.”
Elise’s stomach dropped and she grabbed on to the back of the chair. “What do you mean, Eli? The stranger you were talking to at the gate gave you something to give to me?”
“Yes.” He bobbed his head up and down.
Viola cleared her throat and whispered, “Maybe it was your crazy ex.”
Maybe it was Sean. “Was he a police officer?”
“Yes, Miss Duran.” He slid a sideways glance at Mrs. McKinney that tried to put her in her place.
Elise’s pulse quickened. It must’ve been Sean checking up on her, but he should’ve just come into her classroom. He should know better than to bother the children.
“What did he give you?” Mrs. McKinney’s eyes narrowed.
Eli dragged his hand out of his pocket, a crumpled piece of white paper in his fist. “Here. He gave me this.”
Viola raised her brows and shook her finger at Elise. “Why is a cop coming to school and sending you notes?”
Elise’s cheeks warmed as she flipped open the folded piece of paper. The words swam before her eyes, and the blood in her veins turned to ice water.
“What does it say, Elise?” Viola took a step forward.
Elise raised her eyes from the note and blinked, bringing Viola’s face, lined with worry, into focus. Then she glanced down at Eli, his usually sweet face contorted by fear.
She dropped to her knees in front of him and tweaked his nose. “Thank you for bringing the note to me, Eli. But promise me you’ll never talk to a stranger like that again.”
“I promise, Miss Duran.” His lower lip trembled. “I-is the note bad?”
“This?” She waved it in the air. “Not at all. Mrs. McKinney’s going to take you back outside to play, but stay in the kinder yard.”
A tremulous smile wobbled across his face. “Yes, Miss Duran.”
Mrs. McKinney shot her a worried look. “Let’s go, young man. I heard you’re the only kindergartner who can hop on one foot all the
