“And your point is …”

He knew what my point was, but he wanted me to tell him. “Let me see if I can formulate some theories.” I collected my thoughts. “When we last talked to Sarah Sanders, she was embarrassed when talking about sex.”

“Yes.”

“And we thought she was sitting on something else.”

“Yes.”

“Do you think that she and David … Do you think that they would have sex with each other without having had it before?”

“Absolutely. It’s a natural thing. Being mentally disabled doesn’t mean your plumbing doesn’t work.”

I didn’t say anything.

“Did you need someone showing you how to do it? I didn’t.”

“Daddy, we knew about sex way before the actual feelings came about. We knew about it because we’re of normal intelligence and we had information about it that we could comprehend.”

“They have sex education in the center. You told me that yourself.”

“Very clinical stuff, Dad, not the same peer-to-peer giggling and gossiping and bragging that most of us go through. I was just thinking that maybe … maybe Sarah Sanders had had experience before David.”

“That the gang rape wasn’t her first forced sexual experience.”

“Why not?” I exclaimed. “Maybe that’s what Sarah Sanders was sitting on. That someone in the center had been molesting her. It wouldn’t be the first time a retarded girl has been taken advantage of sexually. And it could be that it was more of a seduction than a forced sexual encounter because that would make Sarah reluctant to give him up. Because she might have felt that she had some complicity in it.”

Decker said, “And you like this obnoxious guy for the molester?”

“Yes, because he truly is odious.”

“Molesters are often charming, Cindy.”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying! He’s a jerk, but he was nice to Belinda. Why?”

“Okay. Even if he was molesting Sarah, what does that have to do with the hit-and-run?”

“Now, this is where it’s getting a bit … speculative. Maybe Buck was also molesting Belinda.”

“Because he got up and talked to her?”

“Just hear me out, okay?”

“Go on.”

“Buck knew we were talking to Sarah. And he knew we were investigating a gang rape. If Buck was molesting her, maybe he thought his molestation would come out in the course of our investigation. And if it did, then the other girl, Belinda, maybe she’d also have a story to tell. Now could be he figures he can handle Sarah Sanders, especially since at that time she wasn’t regarded in a positive light. She had abandoned her baby. You know, his word against hers. Sarah wasn’t much of a threat. But if there had been others …”

Decker didn’t speak.

“Okay, it’s loony. Forget it.”

“It’s not loony; it’s a … theory.”

“Dad, I have a good relationship with Louise Sanders now. I set her up with David Tyler’s conservator, and she’s getting a little money for Ella—that’s the baby’s name. Actually, it’s Cinderella. Louise let Sarah name her daughter. Anyway, David’s lawyer gave her enough money to hire a nanny, so I’m definitely on Louise’s good side. Plus, Koby and I have visited them several times. Sarah adores Koby. I think he reminds her of David. So there’s a lot more trust than when we first interviewed her.”