Page 91 of The Advocate’s Ultimatum

JP looked up. “You’re sure?”

The woman nodded. “Yeah. Not a little kid. But younger, like a preteen.”

JP wrote it down.

“Her build?” he asked.

“Small,” Stella said. “Narrow shoulders. Like she hadn’t grown into herself yet.”

JP nodded. “Hair color?”

“Light, or maybe just lighter than the other one. Her hair caught the light when she moved.”

“Long or short?”

“Pulled back in a ponytail,” she said. “But messy, like kids do these days.”

JP made another note. “What about her clothing?”

Stella frowned. “Jeans and a light-colored t-shirt.”

“Anything written on her shirt?” he asked.

She shook her head. “There weren’t any logos, or a school name. Nothing like that.”

“You said she didn’t look like she wanted to be there. What made you think that?”

The woman looked upset. “She wouldn’t look at him. Or at anything, really. She just looked down or away.”

“Was she trying to leave?”

“I don’t know,” Stella said. “But you can tell when someone’s just visiting. And it didn’t seem like that.”

“Did she look scared?”

Stella looked ashamed now. “Not crying or fighting. But when I think back, she was too still, like if she moved, something bad would happen.”

“Did you hear her say anything?” he asked.

“No. That’s what bothered me. I didn’t hear her at all.”

JP nodded. “Did you see her leave?”

Stella shook her head. “No. By the time I saw the other girl come out, I didn’t see the first one anymore.”

“Could she have left earlier?”

“Maybe,” she said. “Or maybe she slipped out another way.”

“Did you see the older girl before she was arrested?” JP asked.

“I saw her go inside. Then I heard raised voices. They weren’t screaming, just sharp. I couldn’t tell what they were saying.” She glanced toward the neighboring unit. “I came to the door, but I didn’t open it all the way.”

“What did you see?”

“The second girl came out fast,” Stella said. “But not running like she was scared.”

“How was she acting?”