Before She Was Found(29)

Violet’s forehead briefly creases in worry. “No,” she says so that I barely hear her and turns away from me again to face the window. She’s lying. I’m just not sure about what. We travel the rest of the way back to Pitch in silence. I want to talk to her more about what could be happening with Max but I don’t want to say too much in front of Officer Grady.

I know it’s impossible that he had anything to do with what happened to Cora but what if he’s arrested, anyway? We’re the new people in town. Max—with his skateboard and his long, dark curly hair, and a half smile that people think is a smirk—looks like he could be dangerous. But he isn’t.

He’s a kind, loving boy. Ever since Max’s dad and I divorced nine years ago when he was seven he’s tried to be the man of the house—taking out the garbage, making sure the doors are locked at night. It wasn’t until just before we moved here that he started getting in trouble and now since he met Clint and Nikki that he’s become so secretive.

When we finally get to town Officer Grady slows the car and asks me if I want to stop at home first. I hesitate. I need to get Violet home and showered and in her own clothes but I also have to get to Max. I don’t know if I trust the cops to follow my order not to let anyone question Max without me there.

“We better go straight to the police station,” I decide. A few minutes later he pulls up in front of the station and I look down at Violet’s feet. She’s wearing only the yellow socks that the nurse gave her. I can’t haul her into the police station dressed the way she is.

“Maybe you want me to take Violet to a relative’s or friend’s house. The police station really isn’t a place for kids.”

I shake my head. “We don’t have family in town. And Violet’s best friend is Cora, so that’s out. I guess I can call a neighbor.”

Violet grabs my wrist. “I want to stay with you,” she says.

“What’s the matter?” I ask in surprise. “I thought you liked going over to Jordyn’s house.”

Violet shakes her head, lips pressed tightly together. “I just don’t want to. Please don’t make me go.”

“You seem pretty upset, Violet,” Officer Grady says. “Did something happen with Jordyn?”

“No, I just want to stay with my mom,” Violet insists. She’s lying. At least partially. I can tell because Violet’s voice has taken on the babyish tone she uses when she knows she’s in trouble and wants to get on my good side. I want to make her tell me what happened but say nothing because Officer Grady is watching us both closely.

“I won’t leave you, honey.” I kiss the top of her head but she keeps a viselike grip on my arm. “Thanks,” I say to Officer Grady, “but she’s been through a lot today. I think she should stay with me.”

The last time Jordyn was over at the house, just a few days ago, the girls seemed like they were getting along fine. They holed themselves up in Violet’s room and didn’t come down for two hours. Not even when I told them I had just thrown some cookie dough in the oven.

When they finally reemerged I asked Violet why Cora didn’t come over, too. The three of them are as thick as thieves. Violet said that Cora was busy but I caught the look on Jordyn’s face when I mentioned Cora’s name. Like she had just bitten into something that’s gone bad. I meant to ask Violet about it later but forgot.

Now I wish I had. A million times over I’ve seen that look on the faces of the girls I knew as a kid. The nasty smirks that slid into place just before they stabbed you in the back.



Case #92-10945


Conversation dated November 12, 2017,
via DarkestDoor.com


Corareef12:
Help! I’m working on a school project and trying to find out more information about Joseph Wither. He lived in Pitch, Iowa, in the 1940s and people say that he killed several young girls because his girlfriend was grounded from seeing him. I can’t find any actual proof. Does anyone know anything about this?
4leafclover:
That’s quite the school project! I never had an assignment like that in school!
Lazydazey:
Never heard of him.
Dutchman007:
My grandpa grew up around Pitch and told us stories about Joseph Wither. Said he burned down his family home and then ran away. Girls started showing up dead by the railroad tracks and rumor was that Joseph Wither was behind it. My grandpa said that most people thought he killed himself or ran away and he had nothing to do with the dead girls.
Corareef12:
Thanks! That’s what I’m beginning to think. We can’t find any proof of anything—just lots of stories. Plus, people around here are saying that Wither is still killing girls but he’d be like ninety!
4leafclover:
Corareef12, just how old are you? You really shouldn’t give personal info about where you’re from here...


Beth Crow


Monday, April 16, 2018


Following closely behind Officer Grady, Violet and I make our way up the steps and into the police station, a squat, one-story redbrick building with the words City of Pitch Police Department stenciled in orange letters across the large plate-glass window. The shell of a pay telephone hangs between a set of double doors and a wooden bench.

“Go ahead and take a seat for a minute,” Officer Grady says, gesturing to the wooden bench littered with newspapers and magazines. “I’ll go check on the kids and come get you so we can talk.”