Before She Was Found - Heather Gudenkauf Page 0,74

you believe all that gunk Cora’s been wearing on her face? Her eyelashes look like tarantulas!

Violet: Yeah, it’s a little much

Jordyn: More than a little. She looks ridiculous. I bet she’s doing it because of Gabe

Violet: Probably

Jordyn: Gabe thinks she’s gross

Violet: They used to talk a lot

Jordyn: Gabe talks to everyone. Someone should really talk to Violet about her eyelashes. I can’t wait until we’re done with this stupid project and we don’t have to pretend to like her anymore

Jordyn: Srsly? You don’t still like her, do you?

Violet: She’s all right

Jordyn: Come on! She stole your phone! And you have to admit she’s so annoying. Can you spend the night on Friday? Gemma and Kaley are coming over, too. Gabe and Russ might come over and watch a movie with us. Just don’t say anything to Cora. She’ll probably start crying if she finds out she’s not invited

Text Message Exchange

Between Jordyn Petit and Violet Crow

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Jordyn: Did the police talk to you? You didn’t say anything, did you?

Jordyn: Do you know how Cora is doing? My grandpa is making me go see her. I’m scared to face her

Jordyn: Why don’t you answer me?

Jordyn: I mean it, Violet. Don’t say anything about us bringing the knife. We’ll get in trouble

Thomas Petit

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

As Thomas drives them to the hospital he fills the silence with innocuous questions and commentary. He tries to imagine the kinds of questions that Tess would ask.

He asks Jordyn about how she did on her last math test and about whether or not she decided to go out for the softball team later this spring. He asks if the art teacher ever had that baby and if it was true that the Fletcher boy had been suspended for supergluing quarters to the floor in the cafeteria.

Fine, no, yes and yes, Jordyn answers, her voice flat, expressionless.

After about five miles, Thomas runs out of questions and Jordyn leans forward and fiddles with the radio, trying to find a station that isn’t distorted with static or dedicated to saving souls. She finally settles on a country-western station even though Thomas knows Jordyn normally wouldn’t be caught dead listening to, as she calls it, that twangy crap. Jordyn’s tears have dried and though her eyes are red and her skin blotchy she seems to be pulling it together.

Thomas is only half listening, anyway. He is lost in his own thoughts, his eyes fixed on the road in front of him, hands gripping tightly to the steering wheel. Though Thomas doesn’t know the exact events of the other night, he is positive that Jordyn didn’t do anything beyond trying to play a silly prank on her friends. He’s just afraid that’s not the way it may appear to others.

Earlier, when he talked to her, Mara Landry told him that Cora didn’t see who attacked her and had no idea what happened. Thomas would feel better once the two girls are in the same room and he can watch them, see how they interact with one another and get a sense of what to do next.

Maybe Thomas should press Jordyn harder about what had happened but as long as he doesn’t know exactly what occurred in the train yard he can’t speak against his granddaughter. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that the girls were up to no good. The midnight walk, the beer, the blood. God knows what the knife was for.

And there was Jordyn’s quasi-confession. It was an accident, Grandpa. Nothing bad was supposed to happen. It was just a game. Well, Thomas knows that people go to jail or get sued for less.

As long as Jordyn sticks to her original story about leaving her friends behind at the train yard before the attack or accident, or whatever it was, then she will be fine. As long as no one finds the backpack with Jordyn’s coat everything will be okay. Thomas couldn’t be sure that he was able to remove all traces of blood.

By the time Thomas pulls into a parking spot at Walmart, Thomas almost has himself convinced that everything will work out for the best. They wander the aisles in search of a get-well gift for Cora and for Tess. “How about this?” Thomas asks, picking up a pillow in the shape of a tiger. “It matches your school mascot.”

Jordyn wrinkles her nose. “Too babyish,” she says, moving on, her eyes briefly landing on the various stuffed animals, board games and action