“Yes. The one thing I remember most about watching them that day, was that they were playing pretty rough with a small boy and girl, who I found out later were the Morgan twins. The children didn’t want to go into the water but Melinda pulled them in. All three of them forced the kids to stay. They wouldn’t let them get out of the water. The other girl was there too. The older one. Seemed like she had something wrong with her. She was terrified and they made sure they put her through hell. I couldn’t tell what was happening in the water, but it looked like they were holding their heads under. Then laughing when they came up to breathe. Then they pushed their heads under again. It was horrible watching it.”

“Didn’t you do anything? Run to get help?” Warren asked.

“I couldn’t. I don’t know why, my legs were frozen. I was terrified. I wanted to scream. I don’t know how much time passed before they finally pulled the boy and girl out. I thought it was over. But then the screaming started.”

“Who was screaming?”

“Bethany. Bethany was screaming.”

“Where were Melinda and Gabrielle?”

“They’d pulled the kids out of the water. I couldn’t really see much because they were hovering over them, but it was obvious the children weren’t moving. Then it got quiet and the three of them were talking. I don’t know how much longer I stood in the trees before I ran.”

“The older girl, was she there then, when the twins were pulled out of the water?” Gavin asked.

“No. I don’t know where she went.”

“So your mother never saw anything that happened in the pool. You did,” Gavin stated.

“Correct. My mother only saw Melinda and Bethany run from the back of the house. I told her what I had witnessed and she told the police that it was her. To protect me. She had a feeling what was going to happen. You see, it was her account that placed those three girls at the center of a crime, not mine. Once the Morgans heard the story they attacked her character. Finally, my mother changed her story and reported nothing more than seeing Melinda and her friend run across the lawn.”

Jennifer took a deep breath before continuing. “The Morgans had a word with the Holbrights, who afterwards fired my mother. Mr. Holbright ended up saying my mother was drunk that day and had to fire her for it. Do you know how hard it is for a maid to get a job in any other household after her wealthy long-time employer calls her a drunk and a drug addict? Called her crazy too. No one would hire her. She finally got a job at a local motel.”