Thomas is only half listening, anyway. He is lost in his own thoughts, his eyes fixed on the road in front of him, hands gripping tightly to the steering wheel. Though Thomas doesn’t know the exact events of the other night, he is positive that Jordyn didn’t do anything beyond trying to play a silly prank on her friends. He’s just afraid that’s not the way it may appear to others.

Earlier, when he talked to her, Mara Landry told him that Cora didn’t see who attacked her and had no idea what happened. Thomas would feel better once the two girls are in the same room and he can watch them, see how they interact with one another and get a sense of what to do next.

Maybe Thomas should press Jordyn harder about what had happened but as long as he doesn’t know exactly what occurred in the train yard he can’t speak against his granddaughter. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that the girls were up to no good. The midnight walk, the beer, the blood. God knows what the knife was for.

And there was Jordyn’s quasi-confession. It was an accident, Grandpa. Nothing bad was supposed to happen. It was just a game. Well, Thomas knows that people go to jail or get sued for less.

As long as Jordyn sticks to her original story about leaving her friends behind at the train yard before the attack or accident, or whatever it was, then she will be fine. As long as no one finds the backpack with Jordyn’s coat everything will be okay. Thomas couldn’t be sure that he was able to remove all traces of blood.

By the time Thomas pulls into a parking spot at Walmart, Thomas almost has himself convinced that everything will work out for the best. They wander the aisles in search of a get-well gift for Cora and for Tess. “How about this?” Thomas asks, picking up a pillow in the shape of a tiger. “It matches your school mascot.”

Jordyn wrinkles her nose. “Too babyish,” she says, moving on, her eyes briefly landing on the various stuffed animals, board games and action figures that line the shelves.

“How about these?” Thomas holds up a set of painted Russian nesting dolls. He’s eager to get out of here. “They’re nice.”

Jordyn just rolls her eyes. After ten more minutes of unenthusiastically received suggestions, Thomas finally understands that Jordyn doesn’t want his help and falls silent. He watches as Jordyn picks up a lip balm laboratory kit, a manicure set with three different kinds of nail polish and a T-shirt tie-dye kit, and examines each carefully only to replace them on the shelf. She keeps returning to a bracelet-making kit that contains hundreds of tiny colorful beads and elastic cording. “This, I think.” She looks to Thomas for approval.