The Investigation Begins
When Officer Ramirez arrived, he gently asked Olivia to come with him. Mrs. Green’s heart pounded as she replayed the girl’s words in her mind: “My grandpa did it again.” Was this the nightmare every teacher dreaded — a case of abuse?
As the room emptied, Mrs. Green realized she’d been holding her breath. She exhaled slowly, praying she’d done the right thing.
The police wasted no time. Olivia’s words were vague but serious enough to demand immediate response. Officer Ramirez and a child protection worker, Mrs. Daniels, drove Olivia home that afternoon.
Her grandfather, George Carter, sat on the porch, sipping sweet tea in his rocking chair. A retired mechanic in his seventies, George was well-known in the neighborhood — kind, if a bit eccentric. He fixed children’s bikes for free and never missed one of Olivia’s choir recitals.
But the moment Olivia saw him, she flinched.
“Mr. Carter,” said Officer Ramirez evenly. “We need to ask you a few questions.”
George looked genuinely confused. “About what?”
Olivia’s hand trembled as she pointed toward the garage. “It’s in there,” she whispered.
