Schooled

On her first full day as a licensed driver, Sophie disappears for three hours, making her mother frantic. To help keep her mind off of worrying about Sophie, Mrs. Donnelly cleans out the spare bedroom that Capricorn had been using. The room is extremely clean, and all Mrs. Donnelly finds are some old homework assignments and a receipt. She instantly realizes that this is the receipt for the bangle that Sophie had thought came from her dad. Not only that, but she sees that it was paid for by check. She remembers that one of the charges that Mr. Kasigi had railed about was to a jewelry store.

Mrs. Donnelly immediately calls Mr. Kasigi and tells him about the misplaced charge, but he has bigger worries. The school custodian had just called and said, “There’s some kind of riot going on!” (188). The custodian said that it was a memorial service for Capricorn Anderson. Mr. Kasigi wants Mrs. Donnelly to drive down to the school and let everyone know that Capricorn Anderson is not dead, but she explains that Sophie took her car. Mr. Kasigi tells her to wait and that he will pick her up in five minutes.

Mrs. Donnelly is trying to figure out the connection between her daughter’s disappearance, the rumors of Capricorn’s death, and the impromptu vigil at the school, but she is coming up empty.