A minute passed before she could. ‘Katelyn, I’m Detective Wyatt. Do you remember me?’ She asked the same question she’d asked Rachel Otis.

Katelyn nodded, and though her hands had moved from her face, her gaze remained fixed on the window to her right. ‘I couldn’t get it open.’ Her words came out quietly, strangled.

‘Couldn’t get what open, Katelyn?’

Fat tears rolled down her cheeks, and her body quivered, along with her voice. ‘The window. I couldn’t get it open. It was too thick, and it was nailed shut, but I tried. I tried so hard, but the pyramid collapsed, and we couldn’t get out because I failed. And they were doing it for me, to protect me, even though it hurt them so bad, but I couldn’t protect them because I couldn’t get it open, and I failed, I failed, I—’ A moan escaped, growing louder and sharper in volume.

Alyssa swayed slightly on her feet as she realized what Katelyn was saying. She’d known these girls were courageous, but this went beyond her imaginings. She turned back to look at Cord. He’d moved further into the room but had stayed back so as not to frighten Katelyn. He blinked rapidly before finally reaching up to wipe the tears away from his red-rimmed eyes.

Mary’s comforting tone had finally soothed Katelyn’s panic, and so Alyssa focused her attention back where it belonged.

‘Katelyn, you didn’t fail anyone, sweetie. What you did – trying like that – was risky, but you did it anyway. That was so brave of you. All of you.’ As she spoke, Katelyn’s chest heaved less, and her tears slowed, though they still fell. And then finally, she turned to Alyssa.

‘But I couldn’t get it open.’

Alyssa engulfed this sprite of a girl’s hand in her own and gave it a gentle squeeze. Speaking softly, she said, ‘Maybe not, but you tried. For the others and for yourself. Even though it meant risking your own life. Can you see how brave that is?’

‘They wanted to protect me,’ she repeated.

A sad but proud smile lifted the corners of Alyssa’s mouth. ‘Of course, they did. Just like you wanted to protect them. You didn’t fail. Now, are you ready to talk to us about what you remember?’

‘I didn’t fail?’ Katelyn whispered.

‘No, you were unbelievably brave,’ Alyssa promised.

‘Can my mom and dad stay here while I talk?’

‘Of course, they can.’

Katelyn’s eyes found first her mother’s, then her father’s before returning her attention to Alyssa. ‘I was on my way home when a girl came up to me and told me she’d lost her phone. She wondered if I’d seen it. I turned to look where she pointed, and when I did, I felt something stick me in the neck. My vision got blurry, and then my legs started to shake—’

Gasping for air, Katelyn’s hands flew to her throat, eyes wide as she concentrated on her mother who had settled herself on the bed. ‘You’re okay. You’re safe. We’re right here.’ Mary repeated the words over and over until her daughter’s breathing was back under control.