Chapter 2 — The Code Beside Emma’s Name
Marcus finally reopened Emma’s account.
Daniel pointed toward the code.
“CT-12.”
“What is it?”
Marcus hesitated.
Then answered:
“Community transfer.”
Arthur frowned.
“Transfer of what?”
Marcus looked toward Emma.
“Can we discuss this somewhere private?”
Daniel shook his head.
“First tell my daughter whether she’s performing.”
Marcus remained silent.
Arthur looked at him.
“The receipt says paid in full.”
Marcus finally nodded.
“Emma can perform.”
Emma’s shoulders relaxed slightly.
But she was still confused.
“Then why did you say I couldn’t?”
Marcus looked ashamed.
“Because I looked at the balance instead of checking the original transaction.”
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“That’s only half the answer.”
Marcus asked Emma’s teacher to take her back to the piano for rehearsal.
Emma resisted at first.
She wanted to hear everything.
Daniel crouched beside her.
“Go practice.”
“Are you leaving?”
“No.”
Arthur smiled.
“Neither am I.”
Emma finally returned to the stage.
Once she was out of hearing range, Marcus led Daniel and Arthur into the administrative office.
He opened a separate spreadsheet.
COMMUNITY TRANSFERS — SPRING TERM.
Twelve entries.
CT-1.
CT-2.
All the way to CT-12.
Emma was number twelve.
Daniel stared.
“You’ve done this to twelve families?”
Marcus shook his head.
“Not exactly.”
Arthur sighed.
“That phrase is having a very bad day.”
Marcus explained.
The music school had operated a small emergency assistance fund for years.
It covered lesson fees, instrument rentals, and recital costs for families experiencing temporary hardship.
But the fund had run out in February.
Two large annual sponsors had stopped contributing.
The school board decided no additional assistance would be issued until summer.
Marcus disagreed.
Several students were already preparing for the spring concert.
Some had practiced for months.
Then their families suddenly could not afford the final performance package.
“So what did you do?” Daniel asked.
Marcus looked toward the spreadsheet.
“I moved portions of early payments into temporary community credits.”
Arthur stared at him.
“Without asking the people whose money you moved.”
Marcus nodded.
“Yes.”
Emma’s five-hundred-dollar payment had been entered correctly.
Then two hundred dollars was reclassified.
Her account showed only three hundred.
The other two hundred became CT-12.
“Who received it?” Daniel asked.
Marcus looked toward the rehearsal hall.
“Another student.”
“Who?”
Marcus hesitated.
Then answered:
“Zoe Miller.”
Daniel knew the name.
So did Arthur.
Zoe was Emma’s duet partner.