Chapter 80: Problem solved!
"Or... are you the thief we’ve all been looking for?"
The room fell into a breathless silence.
"I — Impossible! I probably got it when I was pulling your bag!" Patricia blurted out, but the anxiety in her voice was profound. "That’s right! You did this on purpose to save yourself, didn’t you?"
"That’s right! How could Miss Miller do that?!" Mr. Anderson was quick to rescue. "This must be your plan all along! You want to save yourself by making it appear Miss Miller is trying to blindly accuse you!"
"Come with me, you cunning brat!" Mr. Anderson stormed to Penny and grabbed her arm up. "Do you think something like this will —"
Mr. Anderson stopped when another hand clasped his wrist. "Mr. Anderson, stepping into my class is something I can overlook, but calling my students’ names and even forgetting the teacher’s code is not." Miss Sandford seethed through gritted teeth, trying her best to contain her anger at the reaction Mr. Anderson was showing not just to Penny and Patricia, but also to other students.
"Miss Sandford, I’m trying to help you —"
"Thank you, but no. This is my class, so please, let Penny go." Miss Sandford stressed each syllable. She didn’t threaten him, but her tone was enough to carry the message.
Mr. Anderson’s face turned sour and gazed at Miss Sandford with a spiteful glare before he let Penny go. "Hmph! Miss Sandford, this is clearly this child’s plan. She’s trying to save herself from the situation because she was caught! And her means to do that is unspeakable!"
’You!’ Miss Sandford felt her heart clenched in anger. How could an adult treat a child like this?