where is Oliver?

The principal, Mr. Payne, was silent as he watched Sky pace from left to right relentlessly in the small office. He had his hands clasped over the desk, and his expression looked pinched as if he was in pain.

And he might as well be, with the mother that was more intimidating than he could recall, barging into his office at his break time and telling him that he needed to answer her questions on where her son was if he was not in school.

Privately, Mr. Payne was beginning to think he needed to retire. Maybe bowing out gracefully was better than being brow-beaten by another intimidating parent demanding he answer for the children’s misdemeanors.

Watching the woman pace in the same disturbing rhythm as the last hundred times, the man decided to try again to get her to calm down.

“Madam, you can have a seat,” he began, “I am sure we can get to the bottom of this-”

His speech was immediately cut off.

“Get to the bottom of what? That my son is missing and not in school, and you want me to