“That’s not true,” Mira yelled. “You know that. The police let him go. Mr. Loomis drowned.”

“The police couldn’t charge him but I know the truth. That boy had something to do with it and now he’s hurt Celine. Where is he? Jesse’s his name. Where is he?”

Mira saw the way these men looked at her. They were looks to remind her of her unimportance. Looks to make her feel small. It was the same look the policeman had given her when she’d tried to help Jesse, his face full of amusement at first, because why would a girl like her have a point worthy of being heard? Then annoyance, which turned to anger. The way he’d raised his arm at her, close to hitting her, when all she’d wanted was to tell the truth. He didn’t want to listen to her. He never would have. These men, they weren’t going to listen either.

Still, she tried. “I’m trying to warn you,” she said again, this time her voice weaker, because they had long stopped hearing.

“He’s not getting away this time,” Mr. Tatum muttered, quickly joining the throng of other men.

“You don’t understand,” Mira stammered, but they’d heard enough. It was chaos, a chorus of voices growing louder as each of them yelled places to go. The men shouted names of streets, all unrecognizable to her, and decided to split up to cover it all.

“No, stop!” Mira yelled, hoping with her last plea they’d listen, but they had already started running away from her, with Phillip and Mr. Tatum following behind. There was no way she’d find Jesse in time, but she had to warn him. She ran back to her cottage and stumbled inside. In the safety of the room she searched through her purse for her phone.

“Jesse,” Mira shouted after hearing the beep of his voicemail. “Celine is dead. They found her body. Mr. Tatum thinks you had something to do with it. He’s looking for you. Him and a group of other men. A mob. If you’re home get out of there. God, I hope you get this.”

The voicemail beeped, ending her message, but unsatisfied, she dialed his number again, hoping this time he would pick up.

“Mira?”

“Jesse! Thank goodness.” A wash of relief fell over her as she heard his voice. “Where are you? Are you home? If you are then you need to get out of there.”

“Why? What happened? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Listen, they found Celine’s body in the fields. There’s a mob that thinks you hurt her. They’re coming for you.”

“I can’t hear you. Who’s coming? Were we right?”

Jesse sounded like he was in a tunnel. She could only hear part of what he was trying to say and that was muffled.