“Wait!” I spoke without thinking, acting on instinct alone. “We’re not done here, not yet.”
I crouched down in front of Ethan and looked him in the eye. “You promise you didn’t take that phone?”
He nodded. “I would never steal from someone, Mom.”
“I believe you.” I turned to Dawson and Officer Ruiz. “I want to check the footage from the school cameras. Hallway, classroom… everywhere. You’ll have no problem with that, right?”
Mr. Dawson blinked. “The phone was in Ethan’s backpack—”
“If my son says he didn’t steal it, I believe him. Guilt needs to be proven, and I believe this is what’s called ‘circumstantial evidence,’ right?” I looked at Officer Ruiz.
Officer Ruiz nodded. “Mr. Dawson, I think she raises a fair point. We should review the camera footage to make sure we aren’t missing anything.”
Mr. Dawson exhaled through his nose. “Fine. We’ll review the tape.”
Ethan whispered, “Thank you.”
I squeezed his shoulder. “We’re not done yet.”
We followed Mr. Dawson down the hall to the front office. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead.
Tension hummed through the air like electricity as the secretary pulled up camera footage from just before lunch.
The grainy feed showed the hallway bursting with activity: students with backpacks bumping past each other, jackets swinging, laughter echoing.
Ethan and Connor appeared mid-frame. Ethan was walking with his friend, Bryan, and Connor was right behind them.
“There they are.” I pointed.
The footage continued. Ethan bent to tie his shoe, and Connor slowed behind him. He moved to one side, passing Ethan, but then Connor’s hand darted out toward Ethan’s backpack.
“Pause there,” Officer Ruiz said sharply.
The room went silent. The frozen frame showed Connor’s hand half-buried in the backpack pocket. A dark shape between his fingers.
My heart hammered so hard I thought everyone could hear it.
“Play again, normal speed.”
We watched as Connor zipped the side pocket on Ethan’s backpack halfway and straightened. A flicker of satisfaction crossed his face before he walked away.
The silence afterward felt thick enough to choke on.
“That’s not what it looks like!” Connor blurted, color rising in his cheeks.
“You set me up!” Ethan shouted, his voice breaking. “You wanted to get me in trouble so I wouldn’t stand a chance at getting into that scholarship summer camp, didn’t you?”
“They should never have considered you in the first place, budget boy!” Connor snapped.
Officer Ruiz stepped forward, calm but firm. “That’s enough, you two. The video is clear. Ethan didn’t take the phone.”
Mr. Dawson’s face flushed red. “Connor, step outside. We need to call your parents—”
“What happened to children needing to understand the consequences of their actions?” I cut in. I crossed my arms as I stared Dawson down. “It’s a crime to make false allegations, isn’t it, Officer Ruiz?”
Connor paled.
“That’s right, ma’am,” Officer Ruiz said. He moved toward Connor. “I hope you think very carefully about what you did, young man. You want to grow up to be a good person, don’t you?”
Connor nodded.
Officer Ruiz put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Well, good people compete on a level playing field, son. They don’t set their opponents up, and they don’t make false accusations.”
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