Page 115 of Everything She Feared

“What else could’ve happened? She didn’t commit—I mean—what else?”

Pierce and Benton traded glances.

“We’re still investigating,” Pierce said.

52

Seattle, Washington

Katie ran herthumb over the smooth neck of the hand-carved giraffe.

“Where in Africa did you get him?”

“Senegal,” Dr. Mehta said. “That’s a country in West Africa.”

Sitting on the couch in Dr. Mehta’s office, holding the carving, Katie traced her fingertips along its sides.

“Did you buy him at a store?”

“No, it was a market, a big, busy market.”

“It’s so pretty.”

“Like your necklace.”

Katie nodded. “I wear it everywhere, so I’ll always remember her.”

“I see that. Tell me, how are you sleeping these days?”

Keeping her eyes on the giraffe, Katie shrugged.

“Are you still having bad dreams?”

“Yes.”

“Want to tell me about them?”

“Well, they’re really weird,” Katie said, her eyes on the giraffe.

“Go ahead.”

“In one, Anna and I are in the park but it’s me, I’m the one falling and I’m feeling what it’s like to fall. I’m flying down to the ground and my body smashes on the rocks and there’s blood everywhere. The river is all blood and I’m floating in it and I’m dead.”

“Is that how it ends?”

“No, as I’m floating away Anna’s looking down from the cliff and screaming at me, screamingwhy, why, why?Pretty weird, huh?”

“I think that’s how the trauma, the shock of this, is still rippling through your mind.”

Katie said nothing.

“You know your mom showed me the drawing you made? Are you okay to talk about it?”

Katie shrugged.

Dr. Mehta got her phone and brought up the drawing so she and Katie could see it together.

“What does this sketch mean to you?” Dr. Mehta asked.

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