Jodi’s fear made her bold, made her strong enough to push her way through the jostling crowd, while Stacy held tight to her waist. Breathless, she reached the inner circle. Anger. In the air. On her skin. In her mind. Pouring out her mouth. “They killed her!” Jodi screamed.

The officer only took time to glance at her before he commanded, “Someone, get those kids out of here.” He was busy handcuffing the beady-eyed boy, while three men from the crowd restrained the other boy.

A woman took Jodi’s shoulders firmly. “This isn’t anything you need to see,” the woman said, trying to steer Jodi and Stacy away.

Jodi slipped out of the woman’s reach, and pushed back to the inner circle, leaving Stacy behind. She looked across the tangle of men and boys on the ground to the tattooed woman and pointed. “She knows!”

The tattooed woman, a dazed look in her eyes, face drained of all color, shook her head.