“I got this, Wilson,” Officer Grady says. Officer Wilson hesitates. “I mean it, put the cuffs away. You can go now. I’ve got it covered.”

Officer Wilson looks like she wants to argue but I’m guessing that Grady has a few years of seniority on her. Reluctantly she returns the cuffs to her hip. “Looks like a 10-96 to me,” she says, eyeing Violet.

“What’s that mean?” I ask, knowing it’s nothing good.

“Never mind,” Officer Grady says to me. To Wilson he says, “Wait outside.” With a shake of her head Wilson steps from the room and positions herself in the hallway so she can still look inside. Officer Grady briefly releases Violet with one hand and gives the door a push. I can’t help but feel a bit of satisfaction as it closes in her face.

“Okay, Violet,” Officer Grady says. “Easy now. I hear you. Someone who said he was Joseph Wither was there. I believe you. I know you’re scared.”

Violet tries to pull away from Grady again but realizes it’s futile and slowly she settles down, her tantrum eases and her breathing slows until she is limp in his arms. Once he relaxes his grip I pull her close to me. “It’s okay,” I soothe.

To Officer Grady I say, “I know you need to talk to her, but you can see how upset she is. She isn’t going to be any help like this. Please let us go home. She can rest and then you can talk to her, I promise. Please,” I beg, my voice trembling.

“All right,” Officer Grady finally says. I know it kills him to let us go home. He wants to get whatever information he can from Violet. Only she and Cora know what really happened by the train tracks and Violet is the only one in any condition to tell him. “Take Violet home, let her get some sleep. But I do have to talk to her soon. Tonight if possible, tomorrow morning at the latest. Got it?” I nod as I stroke Violet’s hair and she cries noiselessly into my chest. “I’ll give you a ride home.”

The last thing I want to do is get back into a police car, but my car is back at the house so we don’t have another choice. “Thanks,” I say. Officer Grady opens the conference room door and we slowly file out. Officer Wilson has given up her spot by the door and is back at the front desk.

“I’m taking Ms. Crow and the kids back to their place. I’ll be back in about twenty minutes,” Officer Grady says and Wilson gives a casual wave of her hand to let him know she’s heard him but keeps her eyes on the stack of paperwork in front of her.