Page 21 of Everything She Feared

“Thank you,” Sara said to Grotowski.

Pierce took a business card from her badge wallet, jotting numbers and information on it. She then touched Sara’s arm.

“I know this is a painful time but we’ll need to talk to Katie again sometime later,” Pierce said. “We’re hanging on to her backpack and phone for now. I didn’t see any medications, but if there’s something in there she needs, let me know.”

Sara nodded.

“Can we go home, Mom?” Katie said.

Sara stroked her hair.

“Yes. Our car’s this way.”

“You’re sure you’re okay to drive back to Seattle?” Pierce asked.

“I think so.” Sara touched her tissue to her eyes. “Yes, I think so.”

“One more thing,” Pierce said. “While you’re free to do what you like, we’d suggest you not talk to media or post things about this while we’re investigating.”

Arms around each other, Sara and Katie walked across the parking lot. Driven by the need to see Anna’s parents, Sara searched for Lynora’s Malibu, or Chuck’s truck. Cars were coming and going in the lot. The yellow school bus that had delivered the group to the park that morning had just returned for those who needed a ride back.

Unable to find the Shaws’ vehicles, Sara and Katie continued to their car. They were steps away when a horn sounded behind them.

“Sara!”

They turned to the SUV that had stopped next to them. Chuck and Lynora got out of the back and they all embraced in a long tearful hug.

“Oh, God!” Sara said. “Oh, God, I’m so sorry!”

Chuck no longer resembled himself, his face a mask of pain. Lynora’s face was crumpled, her eyes swollen, drowning in agony. Suddenly Lynora seized Katie’s hand in desperate anguish.

“You were with Anna! You were the last to see her!” Lynora’s voice rasped.

Katie’s eyes widened, tinged with fear at the depth of Lynora’s grief.

“What happened, Katie? Tell me what happened?”

Pulling Katie tighter to her, Sara said, “Honey, you don’t have to talk about it now if—”

“It’s okay. I want to,” Katie said, swallowing hard. Her voice breaking over her words, she relayed what had happened on the cliff, how Anna wanted to take a selfie.

“She started walking backward and I said be careful, Anna, then she just fell and screamed.”

Still clasping Katie’s hand hard, Lynora’s body trembled.

“What...” she began. “Katie, please, what was the last thing Anna said?”

Katie bit her bottom lip.

“It’s so beautiful here.”

A few seconds passed before Lynora groaned and threw her arms around Katie, the last person who’d been with Anna, in the last moment of her life. Lynora welded herself to Katie with such force, releasing a wild animal wail that rose over the parking lot.

Fused to Katie, Lynora wouldn’t let go. It was as if she felt by some metaphysical force she could reach through Katie to hold Anna. Gently, Chuck, aided by his sister-in-law, pried Lynora from Katie and got her back into their car, then they drove away, bound for the morgue in Seattle.

Standing alone with Katie on the roadside, Sara noticed people nearby, staring at them. News cameras and phones had captured the scene. Moving quickly, Sara got Katie into their car and drove out of the park.

Before they reached the interstate, she pulled over to the shoulder of the on-ramp, stopped and undid her seat belt, then Katie’s. She took Katie into her arms and they cried together. Several minutes passed before Sara released Katie, got tissues for both of them and refastened their belts.

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