"This is unacceptable, young lady. You must learn to pay attention or you'll never pass."
"OK," Veronica says. She drops the crayon and Jackie can sense her eyes staring down at the black paper, seeing things no one else could.
"Mommy and I are going to get ice cream after school. Do you want to come?" Jackie asks. She doesn't feel much like ice cream anymore, but if anyone needs some, it's Veronica.
"OK," Veronica says again. After Mrs. West dismisses everyone, Veronica plods behind Jackie out the door as if going to her own execution.
Mommy is waiting in the hallway as promised. Jackie runs into her arms. "How was your first day?" Mommy asks after giving Jackie a big hug and kiss on the cheek.
"Some girls were mean to me and then Mrs. West taught me how not to cry and we learned about shapes and Mrs. West told us a story and we had milk and cookies and we learned about the letter 'A' and I drew a picture for you, Mommy." Jackie holds up the picture.
"That's very beautiful, honey. So do you want to go back tomorrow?" Mommy asks. Jackie nods violently. "Good. Now, let's go get you some ice cream."
"Oh, Mommy, can Veronica come along? She's my new best friend." Veronica stands off to the side, head tilted towards the floor and arms hanging limp, prepared for rejection.
"Of course she can. If it's all right with her mommy."
"My mommy is dead," Veronica says.
"I'm sorry, honey. What about your father?"
She shrugged. "He won't be home until late."
"Then I guess it's all right." Mommy takes Jackie's hand and she reaches into Veronica's sleeve to find her bony claw. At this Veronica raises her head and Jackie can see a smile through the hair.
"Looks like I'm just in time for our 35th class reunion," a voice growled from the doorway. Samantha turned around to find a grown-up Veronica standing there with a gun in her hand.
"You're the one," Samantha said. "I saw you in the lobby of the Radisson. You killed Dr. Herschowitz."
Veronica brushed a tress of frizzy hair out of her face. "I'm surprised it took you this long to figure it out," she said. "You've really been slipping since rehab."
"This has to end now, Veronica. You're coming with me." Samantha got to her feet. A few inches more and she could take the weapon from Veronica's grasp.
"Don't be stupid, Samantha. Stay back or Teach gets a final lesson," Veronica said.
"You don't want to do this," Samantha said.
"Of course I do." She fired. A bloody hole stained Mrs. West's nightgown, the same location as Herschowitz.