Before She Was Found(84)

“Ms. Crow?” comes a voice from the doorway. I look up to find Dr. Gideon in the doorway.

I jump to my feet. “Is Violet okay?” I ask.

“I was hoping we could go somewhere a little more private and have a chat,” she says.

I hesitate. “I don’t want to go too far away from Violet.”

“We can leave a message at the nurses’ desk and they can alert us if anything comes up,” Dr. Gideon assures me.

“Okay,” I say and send a quick text to Max to let him know where I am. Though I was reluctant, I had sent him home to check on Boomer, to get me a fresh change of clothes.

Dr. Gideon and I walk together in silence until we reach her office. She steps aside and allows me to enter first. The office isn’t large but is brand-new like the rest of the children’s hospital. New carpet smell fills my nose and the walls are empty except for a framed medical degree hanging behind a cherrywood desk. In fact, it looks like she’s still moving in. Cardboard boxes are stacked in a corner in front of an empty bookshelf.

“Pardon the mess,” Dr. Gideon says and invites me to sit in a chair situated in front of her desk. “I’m just getting settled in.” Dr. Gideon is tall and looks more like an aging WNBA player than a doctor. “Never played,” Dr. Gideon says, reading my mind. She sits behind her desk and smiles. “Everyone had high hopes for me, especially my dad, but I was more interested in reading books than shooting hoops.” I nod, embarrassed and more than freaked out that she knew what I was thinking.

“She’s so young to be here by herself,” I say, choking up. I think of the ratty stuffed monkey that she still sleeps with once in a while and wonder if they’ll let me bring it from home for her.

Dr. Gideon looks at me kindly. “I know this has been very difficult,” she says. “As a mom you know that so many different factors can impact a child’s behavior.” I nod. This is true. Some days I wake up and wonder which child will be sitting at the kitchen table that morning. But I’ve worried more about Max than Violet and another lightning bolt of guilt hits me. Have I been so caught up in Max’s teenage drama that I ignored my daughter?

“Based on my visits with Violet I anticipate that she will go home tomorrow. I do suggest that you follow up with some sort of emotional support for her. I’ve got some resources for you and a list of counselors that you may want to contact.”

I take the handwritten list from Dr. Gideon but all I’ve registered is that Violet gets to go home tomorrow.

“I know your first concern is Violet, as it should be, but I’m hoping you can perhaps answer a few questions that I have—so that I can better understand the situation as a whole,” Dr. Gideon says.

“What do you mean?” I ask in confusion. “I don’t know what I can possibly tell you.”

“I’ve gotten permission from Cora Landry’s mother to visit with you and to share that I’m working with the Landry family as they navigate through this difficult situation.”

I sit in silent disbelief and seeing the look on my face Dr. Gideon continues. “I promise you that what you say will be held in confidence.”

“I’ve got nothing to say to you,” I say bluntly. “Is this even ethical? Violet did not have anything to do with hurting Cora. I don’t care what anyone says.”

“Ms. Crow,” Dr. Gideon says gently. “I’m not here to gather any evidence to use against your daughter. I’m just trying to understand some of the peripheral aspects of what happened.”

“Peripheral aspects?” I repeat, my voice shaking with anger. “Is this your fancy way of asking if my daughter is crazy or some psycho bully who lured Cora to the train yard to ambush her?”

“Not at all, Ms. Crow. As I said, I don’t see signs of mental illness in Violet. I do think she experienced something terrifying in that train yard.”

I think back to over the last few months and the whole Joseph Wither project she’d been working on with Cora and Jordyn. I was so excited to see her fitting in at school, that she was finally part of a group, that she finally had a best friend. Some friends, I think. Jordyn and another boy arrested for the attack. It could very easily have been Violet who was targeted.



Case #92-10945


Direct message dated April 12, 2018,
via DarkestDoor.com


JW44:
THANKS FOR WARNING ME ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS’ PLAN TO COME TO THE TRAIN YARD ON SUNDAY NIGHT. YOU DON’T NEED TO WORRY, THOUGH. NO ONE CAN STOP ME.
Corareef12:
You’re welcome. I just thought you’d want to know. I hate them. I’m going to cancel the overnight.
JW44:
DON’T DO THAT. THEY’LL NEVER SEE ME COMING.
Corareef12:
What do you mean?
JW44:
I MEAN, THEY MAY THINK THEY’LL BE READY FOR ME BUT NO ONE EVER IS. WHAT ABOUT YOU? ARE YOU READY?
Corareef12:
I don’t want to have them spend the night. They are awful.
JW44:
FINE. MAYBE THEY’LL STILL GO TO THE TRAIN YARD ON SUNDAY. JORDYN IS VERY PRETTY. MAYBE SHE’LL WANT TO COME WITH ME.


Interview of John Dover
Pitch Police Department
Officer Keith Grady


Wednesday, April 18, 2018


OFFICER GRADY: Thanks for agreeing to come in again, John. I’m Officer Keith Grady and I’ll be interviewing you this afternoon.