“Why didn’t you answer my texts?”

“Can you get me the pump? And call my parents?”

“Edie, you can’t just disappear.”

“I didn’t disappear! I was gone for a couple hours! You can’t take care of her for a couple hours?”

“Whoa,” said Nathan. “What’s going on?

“Just … please.” She looked around for the pump, gestured to her wet shirt. “Please. Can you help me with this?”

He did as she asked, and in ten minutes they were all gathered in the living room. Edie told her parents what she thought she knew and handed over Ben’s phone.

“You don’t have to watch the whole thing,” she said. “But you have to watch a little so you understand.”

After fifteen seconds, Gabe dropped the device. The sound continued. Chad’s laugh. His disgusting voice. Nathan picked up the phone and silenced it. None of them spoke. The only sound in the room was the emphatic squish squish of the pump strapped to Edie’s chest.

Edie’s mom tucked her legs beneath her on the sofa. Her eyes looked like they’d moved closer together. It was as if what she’d seen had rearranged her features and they were now less symmetrical. Like the video was a mule that kicked her. “What did Ridley say to you at Ben’s?”

“He barely said anything. I asked if he knew where she was and he ignored me. And Ben said that before I got there, he called Claudia a slut and told him not to get involved.”

“Involved in what, exactly?” asked her dad.

“I don’t know. But nobody’s seen her at the dorm. Ben can’t find her. And she’s been hanging out with a new guy nobody really knows.” Edie watched them take all this in. The next step was obvious, right? “I think we should call the police.”

Her mother stood up and walked to the dining room table where her phone was. “I think we should call Jim first. His firm has a partner who handles things like this. She can give us advice.”

“Why do we need advice?” asked Edie. “That happened to Claudia and now no one has seen her in a week. Something’s wrong.”

“And Jim will tell us what to do.” Michelle started texting and pacing. “You don’t want to get involved with the police, or Ridley, without a lawyer.”

“Is that who you’re texting? Ridley?”

“No, I’m not texting Ridley! What do you think I am?” Michelle’s voice cracked. Edie had never seen her mother cry, and as she watched her struggle to compose herself Edie wondered, who is the grown-up here? Who is going to take care of this?