I ran toward him in shock, trying to grab his hand where he clutched the knife, but he shook me off. “We gotta go!” he said. “But we ain’t leavin’ this behind.”

I couldn’t think. My mind turned to powder. Jesse had a plan. I didn’t. I would do whatever he said, but I wouldn’t make Peter a party to our crime. I told him to leave and not tell a soul that he’d spoken to us.

Peter hesitated only a second before taking off. I grabbed my own utility knife from the bucket and began cutting the left side of the mural free from the stretcher as Jesse cut the right side. We finished our work in a few silent, panicked minutes. Jesse crumpled the huge mass of canvas in his arms. All my work. I felt a moment of grief, looking at the splash of colors spilling from his hands and trailing on the floor.

“Let’s go!” he said.

I grabbed my purse and this journal and followed him outside, my heart drumming in my chest as I looked down the road. I expected to see Karl’s car heading toward us, but as far as I could see, the road was clear.

I helped Jesse cram the canvas into the backseat, then got behind the wheel. It took a few tries to get the car to start. I turned it around and headed back up the dirt road wondering where to go. Should we just head out of town? Which direction should we drive? How long before they caught up to us?

But Jesse said to head for his house. His family’s farm. I protested, but I had no better idea. Yet it seemed like a mistake. Wouldn’t they look for us at the Williams farm? I didn’t want to involve his family. His parents. I felt ashamed that I’d gotten their son into such a mess. But I followed his directions into the countryside and soon I was turning down the road that ran to his family’s house.

His father came out of the barn, and Aunt Jewel came out of the house, little Nellie by her side. Nellie ran toward Jesse, flinging her arms around his waist. Jesse spoke to his aunt rather than his father.

“We in trouble,” he said. “Anna and me.”

His father’s eyes widened with fear or anger, I couldn’t tell which, and Jesse quickly set him straight before I had a chance to.

“Ain’t what you thinkin’,” Jesse said quickly. He explained that the police thought we’d killed Martin. That he had to leave. That the Williams family had to let me stay with them. Hide me. Keep me safe.