“What is it?” Thomas pulls his eyes away from the road to look at Jordyn. “I think Cora really likes the gift you gave her, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Jordyn moves to turn on the radio and Thomas puts his hand over hers just before it reaches the controls.

“Tell me,” he insists.

“It’s just that…her face…” Jordyn’s eyes brim with tears and Thomas feels a sense of relief. Finally, Jordyn is expressing some real empathy for her friend.

“It looks bad now, but once it heals I’m sure she’ll look like herself again,” Thomas says. “Try not to worry about that. The hospital has really good doctors.”

“I wish…” Jordyn begins. “I wish we never went out the other night. I wish we hadn’t brought that stupid knife. I wish we had just stayed at Cora’s.”

“I know, honey,” Thomas says and pats Jordyn’s leg. “You learned a hard lesson. Just remember that for the next time you go on an overnight.”

“Grandma is probably never going to let me spend the night at anyone’s house ever again.” Jordyn groans.

“You’re probably right,” Thomas says, but it’s halfhearted and filled with more affection than anger.

The remainder of their drive back to Pitch is silent and as they arrive home it’s to find a police car parked outside the house. It’s not an unusual sight. The police often park on Main, the busiest street in town. Thomas pulls the truck into the driveway and as they get out the officer that first interviewed Jordyn steps from her cruiser and strides toward them.

An uneasy feeling settles in Thomas’s chest. “Hello,” he greets Officer Wilson with suspicion. “Do you have a few more questions for Jordyn?”

“Actually, it’s more than that, Mr. Petit,” she says, then pauses as if trying to find just the right words to say next.

“What’s going on?” Thomas asks. This time more forcefully, his mind spinning with questions.

Jordyn stands close to Thomas and remains silent.

Something is wrong, Thomas tells himself. “We just came from the hospital. Saw Cora. Jordyn and Cora had a nice visit, didn’t you, Jordyn?” Jordyn nods.

Officer Wilson shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot. “I’m afraid I’m here to bring Jordyn into the station.”

“For more questioning?” Thomas asks. “That’s no problem. Jordyn’s happy to answer any more questions you have. We all want to find out who did this.”

“I’m sure that’s true,” Officer Wilson says. Her voice is cold, which concerns Thomas even more than the gun in her holster. “I’m here to arrest Jordyn for the attack on Cora Landry.”

“What?” Thomas laughs. A bark of disbelief. Jordyn’s eyes flick between the two of them. She does not understand what is happening.