Officer Miller pulled Mrs. Vance's arms behind her back, snapping a pair of heavy steel handcuffs onto her wrists. Mrs. Vance squirmed and shouted, her calm, authoritative facade completely shattering into ugly desperation.
Mrs. Vance: Arthur! Do something! Speak to these officers! Tell them this is a massive misunderstanding!
Principal Harrison: I can't do anything, Evelyn. I just saw the video footage myself.
Mrs. Vance: You coward! You spineless coward! I gave twelve years of my life to this institution!
Detective Reynolds: Ma'am, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
As the second officer led the screaming teacher out down the hallway, Detective Reynolds turned to Marcus, who was now kneeling on the floor beside his son.
Detective Reynolds: Marcus, I need you to show me that footage right now so we can secure it as official evidence.
Marcus: Here. Take the phone. Take the entire cloud link. I have everything saved on a secure server.
Detective Reynolds: Good. Is the boy okay? Do we need an ambulance?
Marcus: His hand is swollen bad. I'm taking him straight to the emergency room myself to get an official medical evaluation and X-rays.
Principal Harrison walked over, his hands trembling as he pulled a handkerchief from his jacket pocket to wipe his sweating forehead.
Principal Harrison: Marcus... I am beyond horrified. I had no idea this was happening in my school. I promise you, Mrs. Vance will be terminated effective immediately.
Marcus: Terminated? You think firing her fixes this, Harrison? How many other kids has she hurt in this room over the last twelve years?
Principal Harrison: What do you mean?
Marcus: Look at the other children in this room! Look at how terrified they are! They didn't even flinch when she hit Leo—because they're used to it!
Principal Harrison looked around the classroom. Six other toddlers were huddled together under a play table, staring wide-eyed at the floor, completely silent and trembling.
Detective Reynolds: Mr. Harrison, we are going to need access to all classroom footage, employment records, and previous parent complaints regarding Mrs. Vance for the past five years.
Principal Harrison: Of course, Detective. Whatever you need. We will fully cooperate with the investigation.
Marcus: You'd better cooperate, Harrison. Because my legal team is filing a multi-million dollar lawsuit against this academy by tomorrow morning. You enabled a predator in a classroom full of toddlers.
Marcus dropped to both knees on the soft carpet. He reached out gently, lifting Leo into his arms. The little boy wrapped his arms tightly around his father's neck, burying his face into Marcus's shoulder.
Leo: Daddy... she hit me because I wanted to build the tower for you...
Marcus: I know, baby. I know. You didn't do anything wrong. You hear me? You were being a good boy.
Leo: Is she coming back?
Marcus: No, Leo. She is never, ever going to touch you or any other child again. Daddy fixed it.
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