Lavinia drove the pair home.

Casey was silent for much of the drive. Occasionally, though, she would sniff and look at Lavinia.

She would stare at her for a long time, but when Lavinia looked at her, she would just smile sadly and look away.

However Lavinia looked, and she couldn’t begin to comprehend how utterly disheveled she looked, Casey was little better.

She still clutched the bloody rag to her neck. Her breathing was coming in ...