Before She Was Found - Heather Gudenkauf Page 0,62
so impatient. Everything I do is stupid or dumb or I’m being a baby. I never know what she’s going to be like when I get to school. Honestly, it’s exhausting.
I woke up in the middle of the night last night because I suddenly remembered that I didn’t erase the history on the computer. If my mom or dad checked, they would know that I’ve been on the DarkestDoor website and I’d be dead and grounded from the computer forever and I’d never be able to talk to JW again. I had to sneak past my mom and dad’s room and Kendall’s room and get downstairs to the computer room and I swear the floor creaked with every step I took.
It only took me a few seconds to clear the computer’s history but then I started thinking about what Joseph said about looking into what happened to Rachel Farmer. First, I went to Mr. Dover’s class website where he lists all the homework assignments. If someone walked in on me I could at least say that I had forgotten to do an assignment and was working on it because it was due the next day.
I even started writing an email to Mr. Dover with a question about the bibliography we had to write for our project so I could show my mom or dad if they walked in.
Then I opened another window and typed “Rachel Farmer” in the search bar. A ton of results popped up, so I added “Pitch, Iowa” and “1991” and hit Return. That narrowed the results down to just a few pages so I clicked on the first link that brought up a newspaper article about Rachel. It said that Rachel disappeared one evening after an argument with her mom. The police thought she had run away and was asking anyone with information to contact them.
The same picture of Rachel that was in the yearbook was included with the article. She didn’t look like the kind of girl who would run away. She looked normal. I expected her to be prettier. Suddenly I hated her and I don’t know why.
I clicked on the next link when I heard my sister say, “What are you doing up?” and I nearly had a heart attack. I clicked on Mr. Dover’s school page really fast and told her that I forgot to do an assignment and that I’d be in big trouble if I didn’t get it done. She said I better get to bed before mom or dad found me on the computer. When she left I clicked on a few more links about Rachel Farmer. From what I could tell, the police decided she ran away and they never found out where she went.
So Rachel Farmer ran away with him. But why would Joseph pick her? What was so special about her?
I went ahead and sent the email to Mr. Dover with my question about the bibliography and within like two seconds he answered back. What are you doing up at one in the morning, Cora? he asked. Go get your beauty sleep and you can ask me your question in the morning.
I wasn’t expecting that.
When I finally got to bed, I couldn’t stop worrying about Joseph and Rachel Farmer. I wanted to ask him why he loved her. Why he chose her. I almost got up again to send him a message but then I heard someone in the hallway.
Instead I lay in bed and Joseph started whispering to me through the vents. But this time he wasn’t saying my name over and over. It was Rachel’s.
Interview of John Dover
Pitch Police Department
Officer Bree Wilson
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
OFFICER WILSON: Thank you for coming in, John. I’ll try not to take up too much of your time.
JOHN DOVER: Happy to help.
OFFICER WILSON: Please state your full name, age and address for the record.
JOHN DOVER: John Philip Dover. Forty-one and I live at 206 Apple Street.
OFFICER WILSON: And how long have you resided there?
JOHN DOVER: I’ve lived there for about four years or so.
OFFICER WILSON: Does anyone else live there with you?
JOHN DOVER: No, by myself. I’m divorced.
OFFICER WILSON: So, I’m sure you’re aware of the attack on two of your students.
JOHN DOVER: Yes. Cora and Violet. How are they doing?
OFFICER WILSON: I don’t have the latest update on their conditions. What can you tell me about Violet Crow?
JOHN DOVER: She moved here last fall. Quiet. Shy.
OFFICER WILSON: What was her relationship with her classmates?