The School Bus

Chapter 3


"I understand you're the driver of the bus" asked Sergeant Bruce Anderson to the pig-tailed bus driver as he walked to the front of the bus. "That's right Sir, my name is Shawn Charlton."

"Alright Shawn, we've got a big problem here and we need to get it solved right now!" said Anderson in the intimidating tone often inflected by police officers. "Yes sir,I understand" replied the first year and part time school bus driver.

As he had already asked a fellow officer when he arrived, Sergeant Anderson's first question to the bus driver was direct and to the point. "Is there a camera on this bus?" "Sir, I've only been driving since school started last week and today is the first day I have had this particular bus, so I'm not sure." "I mean" continued the driver, "I know some buses do but I'm not sure about this one" finished Charlton, his voice now beginning to break in response to the aggressive atmosphere induced into the conversation by the police Sergeant.

"Damn it!, haven't any of you even got on the damn bus to look for a camera" snapped Sergeant Anderson loud enough for each of the six officers who had arrived on the scene before him to hear. "Move!" barked Anderson as he took a step towards the bus and in doing so pushed both the driver and one of his junior officers aside and out of his way.

Jumping into the bus to take a look, Anderson, without showing any sign of emotion, felt a small bit of relief overtake him as he quickly discovered that Bus 127 had in fact been fitted with a camera. As was becoming the norm in the Red River Valley School District, and in school districts across the country, more and more buses had over the past few years been equipped with cameras similar to those found in most police cars now on the roads. Although meant more to act as an extra set off eyes for the drivers to deter and record students unruly behavior, it was clear to Sargent Anderson that today the on board technology might be the key piece of information to help determine if and when Wil Sims first got on, and then off the school bus.

"Come here" shouted Anderson as he leaned out the open door of the bus and pointed to the bus's driver. "How do I see what has been recorded by this camera?" "Well Sir," replied Shawn Charlton, "best I know is that the only person that can access the hard drive and replay the video is the schools computer guy." "I can call the school if you want."

"I have the school on the phone right now" said Wil's mom who had been standing nearby and was trying every avenue to determine what might have happened to her son. "I'm on hold while they get his homeroom teacher." she continued. Stepping off the bus, Sargent Anderson approached Wil's mom and reached for the phone saying, "If you don't mind ma'am, I'd like to speak with the school."

Holding the phone to his ear while continuing to look about the bus, and the now long line of cars that were slowly creeping by the bus as drivers rubbernecked the scene as they approached, and then passed the corner, Sergeant Anderson's mind raced forward with additional questions for the driver.

How many kids were on the bus each day? How many other stops had it already made? Where were those stops? and most importantly, Was Wil ever on the bus, and if so, where did he get off?

After a brief wait, Sargent Anderson heard the voice on the other end of the phone. "This is Ms. Fagan, how can I help you." "Yes, Ms. Fagan, this is Sergeant Anderson with the Red River Valley Police Department" he replied. "We have a missing student on bus route 127 and we need your help."

"Oh my GOD, who are you talking about?" questioned Wil's homeroom teacher in an excited voice. "Please, calm down Ms. Fagan" continued Sergeant Anderson. "We have a patrol car on it's way to the school right now and it should be there any minute." "In the meantime, I need you to think back to dismissal time Ms. Fagan." "Do you recall seeing Wil Sims get on the bus before it left?"

Without a second of hesitation, Wil's teacher, Ms. Fagan responded quick and to the point. "Oh yes, absolutely." Ms. Fagan's confidence was then interrupted by Sergeant Anderson who tersely asked, "How are you so sure?"

"I'm 100% sure officer" replied Ms. Fagan, a 15 year veteran teacher at Red River Valley Elementary School. "I know he was on the bus because I monitor that bus route everyday and he was the last student to get on." Ms. Fagan then told Anderson how she had to break up a game of hacky sack that Wil had been playing with his classroom pal Scotty McCarver.

"OK ma'am, thank you for the information, and as I said, an officer is on his way to the school right now. I would appreciate it if you would tell him what you have just told me" concluded Sergeant Anderson before closing the phone and ending the call.

After having finished the call to the school, Sergeant Anderson turned to Wil's mom and the bus driver and said, "Well, it looks like the boy was on the bus when it left the school. Now we need to find out where he got off."

Then, looking directly at the bus driver who now felt the entire weight of the day upon his shoulders, Sergeant Anderson said in a firm and authoritative voice, "I need you to come get in my patrol car with me." As the two men began to walk towards the car, Wil's mom, still trying to grasp what was going on, said in a frightened voice, "Oh my GOD, what have you done to my son?"



ALL RIGHTS RESERVED