One Week After Girl Vanishes, Dad Follows Bus Driver And Breaks Open Case

He Was Hiding Something

William sat frozen behind the steering wheel of his truck as he stared out the window. His sunken eyes had turned dull in the last few days. His little girl was gone, and he finally found the horrifying truth.

Ever since his daughter went missing, he suspected that the bus driver had something to do with it. But now, he was outside of his house. His stomach twisted when he noticed that all of his windows were covered. There was no way for anyone to see into the man’s house. He was hiding something, and William wasn’t going to let him get away with it.

Following Him

William sat in his car in front of the school for over an hour, waiting for the bus driver to return. Just like every other day, the man was off, dropping kids at their homes. William wondered if their parents knew how much danger they were in.

When he finally spotted the bus, he watched from a distance as the driver, Gilbert, got out. He disappeared into the school for a few minutes, and when he came back out, he got into his car and drove off. He had no idea that William was right behind him, following him.

The Last Person To See Her

No one had seen William’s eight-year-old daughter in days, and he suspected that Gilbert had something to do with the girl’s disappearance. After all, he was the last person to see her.

William followed close behind Gilbert’s small car. No one else was taking his suspicions seriously, and it felt like no one was bothering to help him find his daughter. He had to take matters into his own hands.

What Did He Expect?

The drive to the strange man’s house felt like it took a lifetime. William was exhausted and afraid. He didn’t know what to expect once he got there, but he thought about the worst-case scenario.

What if the bus driver had done something to his daughter? Was she hurt? He shook those questions from his head. He didn’t want to consider those possibilities. But he was about to stumble across the horrifying truth.

A Long Day

Gilbert took a few more turns with William hot on his heels. He hadn’t even noticed the concerned father following him all the way from the school to his house. It had been a long day for Gilbert, and he had serious business to attend to at home.

But little did the older man know that his night would not go according to plan. He had messed with the wrong family.

He Noticed Something

When Gilbert parked his car in his driveway, William decided to stop on the curb opposite his house. His dull, gaunt eyes followed the older man as he stepped out of his car.

He removed a bag from the back seat and glanced around himself, but he didn’t notice that he was being watched. William continued to stare at the man until he made it to his front door. But just then, he noticed something horrifying.

He Was Hiding Something

As Gilbert stepped up to his front door, William noticed something strange. The two windows beside his front door were both covered with old newspapers. He had a look around, only to find that all of the windows were covered.

His stomach dropped when he realized what that meant. The old man was hiding something, and he clearly didn’t want anyone looking into his house. Did this have something to do with William’s daughter?

A Single Father

William Bowery did everything in his power to give his young daughter, Kayla, the life she deserved. As a single father living in Springfield, Massachusetts, he wanted the best for Kayla.

He enrolled her in the best school in town and gave her everything she needed to build a good life for herself. He would stop at nothing to protect her. But one day, his entire world turned upside down when she didn’t return home from school.

No One Knew

When he got home from work that afternoon and saw that she hadn’t made it home yet, he immediately jumped into action. He called family and friends, but no one had heard from her. The school said that she had taken the bus home that day, but after hopping off at her stop, no one saw her again.

William was terrified, but there was one last person he still had to call: his estranged ex-wife. But he had no luck, she said that she hadn’t seen Kayla either. The only thing he could do now was call the police and open a missing persons report.

Grave Danger

He was in a state of shock. In the days that followed, William’s entire life changed. His once vibrant and happy home was now dark and lifeless without Kayla around. The days were flying by, and no one had any information on the girl’s whereabouts.

William couldn’t eat or sleep anymore. He searched everywhere around town for her, but she was gone. After a week had passed, the police had no leads. William wondered where on earth she could be. All he knew was that she was in grave danger.

His Thoughts

As he lay awake in bed one night, he began thinking about the day she disappeared. How was it possible? How could she disappear just like that? He traced the route from the school to her bus stop in his mind. The stop was a three-minute walk from their home.

How was it possible that she had gone missing in such a short amount of time? But then his mind drifted elsewhere. The school claimed that she had gotten off the bus, but what if she hadn’t?

Gilbert

William had seen the bus driver around town before. Gilbert was an older man who didn’t take very good care of himself, but he always made an effort to greet the parents when he saw them around.

Kayla mentioned the old man often. Apparently, he spoke to her every day when she got on the bus. When Kayla mentioned this to William, he didn’t think much of it, until now. Did Gilbert have something to do with this?

Not Taken Seriously

William mentioned his concerns to Kayla’s school and the police, but no one seemed to take it too seriously. The school defended the older man, while the police claimed that they had no reason to suspect Gilbert of abducting the girl.

The concerned father couldn’t believe that no one was listening to him. Kayla had been gone for just over a week, and he felt like no one was helping him. If he wanted to get answers, he was going to have to get them himself.

Do It Himself

The more he thought about Gilbert, the more his suspicions grew. He’d seen him once or twice since the disappearance, but they never spoke. Gilbert was the last person to speak to Kayla, and William suspected that he knew something about her disappearance.

William took a deep breath as he fastened his seatbelt and reversed from his driveway. If the police weren’t going to help, he’d have to do it himself. But he was in for a nasty surprise.

He Waited

The drive to the school was quick. The school day had just ended, and young children were running around, ready to go home. The bus had already left, and William was awaiting its return. He was going to follow the old man home.

He waited for over an hour before the large, yellow bus returned. Gilbert parked it next to all the other buses, and eventually, he got into his own car and began making his way home. He had no idea that William was right behind him, following him.

An Eternity

William’s sunken eyes burned from lack of sleep as he followed the older man through town. He was desperate for answers, and this seemed to be the best way to get them. If only the police had agreed to help him.

He followed Gilbert for what felt like an eternity until they finally stopped outside of his house. William parked across the street and watched the older man get out of his car. But as he stepped up to his front door, William noticed something strange.

Suspicious Behavior

The old man’s windows were all taped up with old newspapers. There was no way for William to see into his house. Gilbert opened his front door, just enough to squeeze through then shut it immediately. He was making sure that no one could see into his house.

William was baffled as he sat frozen behind the wheel of his car. Something about the entire situation sent shivers down his spine. What if Kayla was in there? He sat up in his seat and started the engine. He had to tell the police about this immediately.

An Uneasy Feeling

In a state of shock, he sped through town, his hands shaking violently. He knew that there was something off about the bus driver, and now, he felt even more uneasy. Why were his windows blocked off? And why was he so hesitant to fully open his front door?

The mortified father drove as fast as he could. But what if the police dismissed his claims like they did before?

Of The Essence

When he finally reached the large building, he quickly stepped out of his car, not even bothering to lock it. Kayla had been gone for a week and a half now, and he knew that time was of the essence.

When he bolted through the doors, all the officers seemed to stop what they were doing as they stared at the man. He was breathing heavily, a clear look of panic on his face. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on a familiar face.

The Conversation

Officer Meyer was the leading detective on Kalya’s case, and when he spotted William, he quickly rose to his feet and headed straight for him. “Mr. Bowery, I was just about to leave to come and see you, but had a break-”

But William cut him off, “The bus driver. I went to his house, his windows were all boarded up, I think Kayla is in there,” He spoke, rushed and panicked, not even hearing what the officer had to say. William was about to receive world-shattering news.

They Found Her

The officer sat William down on a nearby chair and took the seat beside him, “He was the last person to see Kayla, and I followed him to his house,” William panted, still trying to catch his breath, but the officer shook his head.

“Mr. Bowery, I was on my way to see you. My team worked hard for the last couple of days, and just an hour ago, we found your daughter,” The officer spoke with a sympathetic look on his face. He could tell from the bags below William’s eyes that he hadn’t slept in days. The look on the officer’s face worried William.

Is She Okay?

“Is she okay?” William’s voice cracked as tears welled up in his eyes. He wanted to celebrate that they had found her, but first, he had to know what state she was in.

The officer nodded with sad eyes, a sympathetic smile dragging across her lips. “We went to see your ex-wife, and Kayla was there. On the day that Kayla went missing, she picked her up from the bus stop and took her home.” William couldn’t believe his ears.

She Couldn’t Be Trusted

He had called his ex-wife, and she claimed not to have anything to do with it, but all along, Kayla was there. He felt like a fool for trusting her. There was a good reason why they got a divorce, and it was because she couldn’t be trusted.

“We have Kayla right here with us,” The officer smiled as tears of joy poured down William’s cheeks. Just then, Kayla approached alongside another officer, and William quickly wrapped her in a tight hug. His little girl was finally safe, and he couldn’t believe it. But William couldn’t help but think about the suspicious bus driver. Did he know where she was all along?

The Next Week

In the week that followed, Kayla managed to settle back into her usual routine. She was clearly shaken up after returning from her mother’s home. William was taking the matter to court, but for now, he was relieved to have his little girl back.

She went back to school, and after a few days, she began taking the bus again. It was out of necessity, but William hated the idea. Could he trust Gilbert around his daughter?

A Letter

But one, casual Monday morning, he received a letter in the mail. In messy handwriting, it read ‘Mr. Bowery’ on the front. He hesitantly opened the envelope to find a small, handwritten note.

His eyes widened when he read the first line, “Good day, Mr. Bowery. My name is Gilbert, and I’m the school’s bus driver.” His stomach twisted. What did the old man want?

His Only Option

“I noticed today that Kayla is taking the bus again. I am so sorry to hear about what happened a few weeks ago,” it said. William couldn’t help but feel suspicious of the strange man. What did he want from him?

He still felt queasy every time he thought about the man’s creepy house. He didn’t want Kayla taking the bus, but it was their only option since he worked across town and got home late every day.

Something Good

He shook the thoughts from his head and kept reading. “I can only imagine how stressful it must be for you. I’ve sat down with the school, and we’ve discussed a system to make the journey a lot safer for our students,” This made William’s eyebrows raise.

He couldn’t believe what he was reading. Was the older man trying to help him? Perhaps he’d misjudged him all along.

At Ease

“We’ve implemented a buddy system for the children. A few kids live close to your house, and they will all be walking home together from the bus stop. I hope this puts your mind at ease, at least a little bit,” William was overwhelmed by emotion as he read this.

All along, he felt like no one really cared, but it was becoming evident that he was wrong. They all sympathized with him and Kayla, and they only wanted the best for them.

He Cared

“Your daughter is a bright young girl, and I am so grateful that she has found her way home. Our teachers love her, and I am honored that you trust me to drive her home every day. Greetings, Gilbert Holden,” he signed the letter off.

William couldn’t believe that he had judged the man solely based on what his house looked like. Gilbert was a kindhearted man who cared about the children he took home every day.

Overwhelming Support

William and Kalya received overwhelming support from their community. After the buddy system was put in place, William felt at ease every single day, knowing that his daughter was in safe hands.

Before long, his home was once again filled with laughter and love, all because of Kayla. But in the back of his mind, he still thought about that day at Gilbert’s house. Why on earth were his windows blocked?

Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental