Before She Was Found(23)

OFFICER WILSON: Look at me, Jordyn, not your grandpa. Do you carry a house key?

JORDYN PETIT: In my book bag. I opened the door. Changed into my pajamas and went to bed.

OFFICER WILSON: And the first you heard about Cora and Violet was when I came to your grandpa’s bar?

JORDYN PETIT: Yes.

OFFICER WILSON: What can you tell me about the Joseph Wither project you did for school?

JORDYN PETIT: Nothing. It was just a school assignment.

OFFICER WILSON: The news station is reporting that someone pretending to be Joseph Wither was the one who attacked Cora.

JORDYN PETIT: It was on the news? No, I don’t know anything about that. We just went for a walk.

OFFICER WILSON: We found some beer bottles at the train yard, near where we found Cora. You didn’t happen to have some alcohol in your backpack, did you?

JORDYN PETIT: What? No!

OFFICER WILSON: But you had your backpack with you?

JORDYN PETIT: Yeah.

OFFICER WILSON: Why? You said you planned on going back to Cora’s house after your walk. Why would you bring a backpack with you on your walk unless you had something inside that you needed?

JORDYN PETIT: I don’t know. I mean, I just brought it.

OFFICER WILSON: You’re not in trouble, Jordyn. But if I find out you are lying to me, then there will be trouble. We have to find out who left the beer bottles there. They’re evidence.

JORDYN PETIT: (inaudible)

THOMAS PETIT: Just tell the truth, Jordyn. This is important. Did you take some beer bottles from the bar? You know I can check the inventory and see if any are missing.

JORDYN PETIT: (sound of crying) Yes. I took the beer. I’m sorry. We just wanted to try it.

OFFICER WILSON: So you went to the train yard and drank the beer?

JORDYN PETIT: No, along the way. On our walk.

OFFICER WILSON: But left the bottles at the train yard?

JORDYN PETIT: I don’t know. We must have.

THOMAS PETIT: Jesus, Jordyn. Why didn’t you just say that in the first place?

JORDYN PETIT: I’m sorry. We tried it but we didn’t like it. We dumped it out and I told Cora and Violet that I was going home. Then I left. I promise.

OFFICER WILSON: We’ll need to get your fingerprints for exclusionary purposes, Jordyn. Don’t worry, Mr. Petit, it’s routine. Okay, Jordyn, you were walking to the train yard, drank some beer and then left. Cora and Violet stayed. Is there anything else you need to tell me?

JORDYN PETIT: No. They wanted to stay and I wanted to leave so I went home. I promise.

OFFICER WILSON: You didn’t see anybody at the train yard? Anyone at all?

JORDYN PETIT: No.

OFFICER WILSON: Can you think of anyone who would come after Cora?

JORDYN PETIT: No. I can’t think of anyone who would do this. What about Violet? Is she okay?

OFFICER WILSON: Well, they’re both at the hospital and that’s all I can really tell you right now. Tell me again, what time was it you left the Landry house?

THOMAS PETIT: You already asked that question. Do we need a lawyer?

OFFICER WILSON: You certainly are within your rights to call an attorney. The question is, do you think that Jordyn needs a lawyer? If so, please do. On my end, I’m just trying to get as much information as I can to help in this investigation. Jordyn may be the only person who saw or heard something important last night. She might not even know it’s important—that’s why I have to ask these questions and sometimes more than once.

THOMAS PETIT: I want to help. Jordyn wants to help.

OFFICER WILSON: So I have your permission to continue to visit with Jordyn?

THOMAS PETIT: Yes. Fine.

OFFICER WILSON: Now, Jordyn, what time did you and your friends leave for the train yard?

JORDYN PETIT: Around midnight, I think.

OFFICER WILSON: You said that Cora and Violet were being mean. Did you fight? Did it get physical?

JORDYN PETIT: No! It wasn’t like that!

OFFICER WILSON: I’ve been told that you weren’t very nice to Cora, that you bullied her.

JORDYN PETIT: No! Cora is my friend.

OFFICER WILSON: So you weren’t bullying her? The people I’ve talked to are saying that you’ve been calling her names, posting nasty things about her on social media. Are they lying?

JORDYN PETIT: It was nothing. Just stupid stuff and it was a while ago. We’re friends again. I promise!

OFFICER WILSON: I heard there were some disagreements over a boy. Any truth to that, Jordyn? Were you and Cora fighting over a boy?

JORDYN PETIT: No! That’s not how it was. Grandpa, I want to go home. Can’t we just go home?

THOMAS PETIT: Enough! Are we free to leave?

OFFICER WILSON: You can go, but we’ll need to talk again soon. Jordyn, I suggest next time we talk you are more forthcoming in your answers. We’ll find out the truth one way or another and it’s to your benefit to help us get there.



Case #92-10945


Excerpt from the journal of Cora E. Landry


Nov. 11, 2017

Today I asked Kendall if she knew who Joseph Wither was. She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Duh,” she said. “Everybody’s heard of Wither. Haven’t you ever gone down to the tracks during a sleepover?” she asked. Then she made a face and covered her mouth as if she said something wrong. “Oops, I forgot you don’t do sleepovers.”