My comment about Jordyn seems to have gotten Grady’s attention because he pauses to write something down in his notebook. “We’ll check that out, I promise, but she has to go to the hospital. It’s the rules. She was in my custody and then got loose. I’m sorry.”

“Then she can come home?”

“Then I can finish asking her questions about the other night and then we’ll see what happens next. Come on, you can tell her you’ll meet her at the hospital.”

I feel like Grady is finally starting to listen to me. We walk over to the ambulance where Violet is sitting on the loading deck. Violet looks up at me apologetically. “I’m sorry,” she says, pressing her face into my midsection.

“I know, honey. The EMTs are going to take you to the hospital just to make sure you’re okay.”

“I don’t want to go,” she cries. “I’m sorry. I told them I’m sorry.” She clutches me desperately.

“You can come and sit back here with her the entire way,” the EMT assures me.

“Can I go tell my son to meet us at the hospital?” I ask and the EMT nods.

I tilt Violet’s face so she is looking up at me. “It’s okay, Vi, it’s okay.” I kiss her on the cheek and take a step back. “I’ll be right back.”

Blindly, I walk to the car where Max is waiting for me. “What’s that?” he asks.

I look down at the jar tucked under my arm. I nearly forgot about it and am surprised that Officer Grady didn’t ask me about it, too.

“I don’t know,” I say as I hand it to him. “But I think it might be important. I’m riding with Violet. Bring it with you to the hospital. I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.”

Case #92-10945

Case #92-10945

Excerpt from the journal of Cora E. Landry

Dec. 21, 2017

I don’t know what I’m more nervous about—giving the report to the class tomorrow or that Joseph wants to meet me in person. It’s weird but I feel like we’ve been friends forever. I feel like I can tell him anything. Talk to him about everything.

Now that we’re finished with the project I won’t have an excuse to be on the computer so much anymore. I wish I had my own cell phone, then I can talk to him any time I wanted to. I have some money but there’s no way that my mom will let me have one, even if I pay for it myself. Sometimes I hate her so much.