Jackson sat at his desk for three hours, writing and rewriting, crumpling papers and starting over, trying to find the right words that would penetrate Aryyah's walls without triggering her defenses; the restraining order prevented direct contact, but his attorney had confirmed that a letter sent through legal channels was permissible as long as it didn't contain threats or harassment.

By midnight, Jackson had finally crafted something he hoped would reach her, would make her understand the ...