Chloe Took Maya’s Lunch and Used Her Meal Card — Then the Cafeteria Computer Showed Who the Account Really Belonged To
Chapter 3 — The Missing Balance
Maya’s meal account was part of the school’s prepaid lunch system.
Her mother added money at the beginning of every month.
Maya rarely checked the balance.
She simply scanned her card and ate.
Mrs. Helen opened the full transaction record.
The balance was nearly empty.
More than seventy dollars had been spent in less than two weeks.
Maya stared at the number.
“My mom just added money.”
Mr. Morris looked at Mrs. Helen.
“Can you tell which register made each purchase?”
She nodded.
Most unauthorized transactions came from Register Three.
The register nearest the senior-student line.
Chloe normally used that line.
“That doesn’t prove I used it,” Chloe said.
Mr. Morris looked at her.
“Nobody said it did.”
Chloe folded her arms.
“But you’re thinking it.”
Mrs. Helen printed the transaction list.
Then she noticed another detail.
Several purchases had been made using Maya’s account even though the physical red card was in Maya’s possession.
She frowned.
“That’s strange.”
Mr. Morris looked at her.
“Why?”
“You can’t normally use the same card in two places.”
She opened the card settings.
Then stopped.
A second card had been linked to Maya’s student number.
Duplicate card number:
4418-B.
Maya’s original was:
4418-A.
Mr. Morris frowned.
“Who issued the duplicate?”
Mrs. Helen checked.
The card had been created eleven days earlier.
Authorized under a staff login.
She read the name silently.
Then looked toward the cafeteria office.
“That’s not possible.”
Mr. Morris leaned closer.
“Whose login?”
Mrs. Helen answered quietly.
“Cafeteria Supervisor Linda Shaw.”
