LAURENE TO THE RESCURE

I sat there, watching Laurene pace back and forth, her phone already in hand. The frustration was still radiating off her, but now she seemed focused—cold, calculated, getting things in motion.

She made the first call to her friends in the Utah Police Force. "Yeah, it's Laurene. I need you to find a way to make Angela retract her statement. No, I do not care how—just make it happen. Quietly." Her voice was firm, with no room for argument. She listened for a moment, then nodded. "Good. Keep me updated."

I could barely wrap my head around what she was setting in motion, but she was not done. She was already dialing the next number. This time, it was to her sister in Park City. "Hey, I need a favor Sherlene, Jeremy's got to get out of Salt Lake, like, now. Can you find something for him up there? A job, something to keep him busy in Park City for a while?" She paused, listening. "Perfect. I'll send him your way today."