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Carrie put Emily down for a nap, then closed the bedroom door with growing desperation.

Seeing Denise Diaz on national network news had left her questioning everything in her life.

Kneading the back of her neck, she went to the kitchen to prepare coffee. Denise’s TV appearance with Haylee Hunt had caused a flood of new media interview requests. It also unleashed a torrent of hateful comments online.

Carrie is the killer.

Reeks of hick-town police coverup.

Hyde is a patsy. Carrie did it.

The onslaught of offensive postings concerned Lacey and Grace, and they’d reached out with support.

Are you okay? Lacey had texted. A few of us can come right over.

Carrie’s dad was at a doctor’s appointment. Luke was at work because she’d told him not to stay home. She’d wanted to be alone. But now, Carrie was feeling like she was against the ropes and Lacey’s offer had come at the right time.

Not long after the coffee was ready, Lacey and Grace arrived with a round of hugs.

“Opal is tied up,” Lacey said. “She can’t make it.”

With Emily asleep and Carrie watching the monitor, they went to the living room, keeping their voices low.

Carrie found comfort being with them.

“It’s like the whole world has read the story or seen the network piece,” she said. “Everything about me and my family has practically gone viral. And it victimizes Abby, Erin and Jenna again.”

Lacey and Grace nodded.

“It’s selfish,” Carrie said, “but I’m feeling raw, exposed, under attack.”

“That’s not selfish,” Lacey said. “Hyde tried to kill you, too.”

“Some of the stuff online is horrible,” Grace said. “You can’t pay attention to idiots and creeps.”

“Even with Hyde’s confession and death,” Carrie said, “with the case solved, I don’t know.”

“What do you mean?” Lacey asked.

“The conspiracies, the accusations and the attacks online leave me struggling with my own questions.”

“But it’s over—you’ve got to move on,” Lacey said.

“I can’t. Not until I remember everything.”

“Would it help to talk about it with us?” Grace said.

Carrie looked at them: women she’d known since they were girls.

“Honey,” Lacey said, “talk to us. We grew up together.”

“We were all there in the cafeteria that day,” Grace said. “Me, Lacey, Opal, Clay and so many others. We all know Abby and Erin were acting like bitches.”

“Grace!” Lacey scolded her.

“Well, that’s what people said, Lacey, and it’s true. Lord, they didn’t deserve what happened, but when you stood up to them like you did, Carrie, all of us thought it was a good thing.”

Lacey put her hand on Carrie’s arm. “Talk to us, honey.”

Looking at Lacey and Grace, Carrie felt they were the only friends she had at that moment. And now, with the case out there, maybe she could open up a bit. It was a risk, but they might know something that could help.

“I remember that Abby and Erin said they needed to meet me in private. In the woods,” Carrie said. “Do you know why?”

Lacey and Grace traded glances, then Lacey stared blankly into her coffee cup.

“No,” Lacey said. “But remember Violet Engstrom? Tall, red hair, in our year?”

“Her family moved,” Carrie said.

“To Canada, after graduation.” Lacey glanced at Grace. “I don’t know if this was in the police report; I mean, after the murders, they questioned everybody, but Violet told me something about seeing Abby and Erin at the Halloween party at the dance hall.”

“Did you see anything about that in the police files, Carrie?” Grace asked.

“No. What did Violet tell you?”

“She said she saw Abby and Erin outside the hall, and they looked rattled.”

“Rattled?”

“That was her word: rattled ,” Lacey said.

“Did she say why?” Carrie asked.

“No, she didn’t know.”

“Does it mean anything?” Grace asked. “Does it help?”

“Maybe. I don’t know.”

Like a curtain, a brief silence fell over them before the monitor came to life with Emily’s cries and Carrie left to tend to her. Once the baby was changed and dressed, Carrie brought her to the living room.

Lacey and Grace fussed and cooed over her before taking it as a cue to leave. Carrie thanked them for their support, loving them for it. But once they’d left, her gut knotted, questions mounting.