He thought they were in their room.”

She had given the girls simple instructions beforehand, repeated in small moments when she could speak without being heard.

Stay together.

Get to Nora’s side.

Wait quietly if they could not reach me openly.

They had not been given the responsibility of rescuing their mother or confronting Derek.

They had been given the only chance she could make for them.

“I couldn’t see where they went,” she said.