“They treated her for shock but she’s okay.” I feel almost guilty that my daughter might be able to leave the hospital today. “The policeman is talking to her right now trying to put together what happened.” I reach for Mara’s hand. It is cold and dry to the touch. “I can’t believe this. What in the world were the girls doing at the train yard in the middle of the night?”

Mara pulls her hand from mine. “I checked on them before I went to bed. They were in Cora’s room sleeping.”

I’m startled by the defensiveness in her voice. I wasn’t about to criticize another’s parenting skills when I had no idea where my own daughter was in the wee hours of the morning and still have no idea where my sixteen-year-old son is right now. “I just mean I can’t believe something like this could happen here in Pitch.”

“There’s no way that it was Cora’s idea to leave the house. No way. She never snuck out like this before,” Jim says. His voice is tight with irritation and I suddenly know he blames Violet. She’s the new girl in town. We’re the outsiders. “She knows she’s not to go anywhere without talking to us first.” He pulls on Mara’s hand. “Come on, we need to get up to the surgical floor.”

“Good luck,” I say. “Please let me know if you need anything.”

“Thank you,” Mara says, allowing herself to be guided down the hallway by her husband.

I know the Landrys are worried about their daughter but I’m angry on Violet’s behalf. Jim all but said that Violet and Jordyn are responsible. We don’t know the full story. Besides, I know Violet. She’s more of a follower than a leader.

I wish I was back in the room with Violet and Officer Grady. I don’t like not knowing what’s going on. I have so many questions. Who attacked them and why were the girls out in the middle of the night? I pace outside the examination room until I can’t stand it anymore and I ease open the door and sit in a corner of the room where I’m out of the way but can still hear what they are talking about. Officer Grady gives me an aggravated sidelong glance but continues his conversation with Violet.

“You weren’t injured, right? No one hurt you, right?” he asks.

“No,” Violet says. She looks so small sitting in the center of the bed, her knees now tucked up beneath her chin. Her long dark hair hides her face but from the wobble in her voice I know she’s upset.

“But someone hurt Cora very badly,” he says gently. “Can you tell me what you saw? What you heard? Anything at all?”