The Babysitter Murders - By Janet Ruth Young Page 0,37

to hint, but if his finding out by other means would be all wrong. She would look like someone with something to hide.

That day on Shark’s Jaw he had believed she was excellent, like him. And she had felt excellent that day too.

Beth pauses. “Okay, I’ll call someone else. I’m sorry about your little romance, but you’re not exactly in a position to call the shots right now. Here’s what we’re going to do: I won’t call Donald Abt this minute, but if I don’t make the connection I need to make in one hour, I’m calling him. And do me a favor today, okay, Dani? Don’t call anyone, don’t talk to anyone, don’t e-mail anyone, don’t text anyone, and definitely don’t leave the house.

Have you got that? No communication with anyone today.”

Dani is reading the screen again, because there’s more.

“Look at me, Dani. Have you got that? No e-mail.”

“Got it. I’m really sorry, Mom. God, I hope no one figures out it’s me.”

“No names, no names,” she chants as she scrolls down the page.

Comments:

Coastal160 wrote:

Another impeccable job from Our Lokel Noospaper.

It’s just like them to get everything but the name.

136

T H E B A B Y S I T T E R M U R D E R S

fishies7 wrote:

Yeah, I’m surprised we didn’t get her bra size. But not her name

sick-of-it-all wrote:

Child-killers top my list of people who should be removed from society ASAP. I say fry ’em. No judge or courtroom needed. I’d be glad to throw the switch myself.

Coastal160 wrote:

What do you need—just a big ole chair with a couple strong straps and some juice?

sanddollar wrote:

I know the mother of the kid this happened to, and she is in shock. Just shows that you don’t know anything about people really.

peewe wrote:

The girl is obviously a severe nutcase. Everyone in Hawthorne is a bunch of drugged-up losers and now come to find out psychos, too no surprise there Rowdie wrote:

The cops returned her home.

Waster wrote:

137

JANET RUTH YOUNG

What a bunch of screw-ups.

Rowdie wrote:

They completely fell down on the job. This is probably not even going on the girl’s permanent record. I’ll be surprised if she doesn’t end up with a job at a day care a few years from now. You can’t trust the govern-ment to protect you. Some of us need to take matters into our own hands.

Coastal160 wrote:

Show up with torches and pitchforks. A real vigilante group just like the good old days.

Sheepdogg wrote:

I know who it is. When you find out you won’t believe it.

Rowdie wrote:

Who is it then?

Sheepdogg wrote:

I can’t tell you.

Dani’s phone rings. She has a text message from Shelley: Unreal! Who else do we know who babysits?

“Phone,” Beth says, extending her hand.

Dani gives up her phone.

138

41

“Okay,” Beth says forty minutes later. “We have a lawyer .

A Boston lawyer. We’re going to his office Monday morning, and he agrees that you’re to have no contact with anyone in case there’s a further leak. So no school, no e-mail, no phone, nothing, until he gets this sewn up.

He’s going to call the police department today and start pressuring them to stop the leaks. ‘Drum tight,’ he’s saying. He’ll seal this drum tight. You’re not a juvenile anymore so your age doesn’t help, but the fact that the cops made a promise and broke it gives us some leverage. He thinks Pinto is in some kind of violation. I’m not allowed to discuss the case either, but I’m not going into hiding because I have some big sales calls this weekend and I’m planning to keep them. If anyone brings up the newspaper article I’ll just ignore them and change the subject.”

Dani decides not to show Beth the comments. They’re not meant for Beth, anyway; they’re meant for Dani. The meanest part inside these people is speaking to the meanest part of her.

42

Hawthorne Beacon-Times

Friday, May 14

DELL FAMILIES MEET ON SITTER DANGER

HAWTHORNE—Parents in the Dell Place neighborhood—reeling in the wake of a babysitter’s confession that she graphically visualized the murder of a five-year-old—met in a parent’s home last night to discuss the news and formulate a response plan.

The mother of the child involved in the incident was

“still in shock” after the sitter’s revelation, she told the group. Her name is being withheld to protect the identity of the minor child. The babysitter’s identity has not yet been released by police, who said there was no probable cause on which to press charges.

Host parent Noah Hurley expressed frustration that the babysitter has not been identified. “This is