to 8:38 a.m. The mood in the dining hall Saturday morning was somber. It had been over forty hours since the van disappeared, and there was no break in the case. Jeri poked at her blueberry pancakes. Even though they were her favorite breakfast food, she could only swallow a few bites. They were nearly done when Headmistress Long stood. “Attention, please. We have a hopeful development this morning.” Oh, thank you, Lord! “It appears that the missing girls are still in the area.” She paused and licked her lips. “A helicopter flying overthe lake at dawn spotted two coats and a purple scarf by the water’s edge.” “Rosa’s scarf!” Jeri whispered to Abby. “There was no sign of a vehicle,” the headmistress said, “just footprints, according to the police.” Nikki raised her hand and stood. “What about the ice? Was it broken?” The headmistress glanced at their house mother, who finally nodded. “Don’t jump to conclusions, but yes, the ice was broken through. We don’t yet know the cause.”
