Across the street, a police car was parking in a McDonald’s lot. Andrea could see an officer through the tinted windows chowing on a burger. She slid down in her seat a little, then chastised herself. You’ve done nothing wrong, she thought.

“Maybe Graham did it,” Lauren said after a beat. “He swore he wasn’t at the school, but he didn’t say where he was instead. And what sort of person keeps quiet about an old relationship? It’s just so odd. He gave me all these excuses . . .”

Now it was everyone’s turn to look at Lauren with pity. No one knew where Graham had gone. Andrea had been so busy tending to Lauren that she hadn’t seen where he slipped off to.

Ronnie cleared her throat. “I . . . saw Piper, actually.”

“What?” Andrea whipped her head around to look at her. “In the hospital?”

“Uh-huh. Just before I called you. I . . . went to the hospital.” She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “I snuck into her room.”

“How did she look?” Lauren whispered, aghast.

“She . . . woke up while I was there.”

“What?” Andrea felt her spine straighten. “Why didn’t you lead with this, Ronnie? Does she remember?”

Ronnie twisted a small silver ring around her thumb. “If she does, it’s not good.” She licked her lips. “She looked straight at me and said, Get away from me.”

A chill went through Andrea’s veins. “She knew who you were?”

“I’m not sure. Because then she said, You were both there. I said I’m sorry, okay? Get away! I’m sorry, all right? I’m sorry I’m not the person you need me to be.” Ronnie shrugged. “I was so confused. I have no idea what she meant.”

“Shit,” Lauren whispered, the color draining from her face.

“And then,” Ronnie added, “her machines started beeping. And a nurse ran in, but Piper was still screaming to the nurse. She goes, Get him out of here! And pointed at me.”

“Him?” Lauren repeated.

“Yep,” Ronnie said.

Andrea thought about this for a moment. “She mistook you for a guy?”

“I think she was seeing someone else entirely.”

“So it’s a guy who hurt her,” Andrea said slowly. A car swished past them, pulling into a spot closer to the motel’s lobby. “Maybe you look like him?” Andrea asked. “Could it be?”

“It’s why I said it couldn’t be Carson,” Ronnie admitted. “We don’t look alike at all.”

Lauren leaned back in the seat, her arms crossed. “Graham has dark hair like Ronnie, but he’s much taller.”

Then Andrea remembered something. “Carson said Piper worried she was being stalked.”

Ronnie chewed on her bottom lip. “He has no idea who it was?”