“Hmmm.” Thea sounded thoughtful. “But it’s unlikely. She’s too old. If she’s developing breasts, she’s probably also having her period, or is about to. The sacrifice must be pure. Not that ‘purity’ can’t mean different things, even when talking about a child, but the book was very clear that she had to be premenstrual as well as a virgin.”
“That’s what I told Jack,” Morgan agreed. “Well, not all of that, but that she was too old.”
“Hopefully, they’ll find her alive.” Thea sighed. “But after a couple days, it’s unlikely, you know. Although it does happen. Does Hollowdale have many abducted children?”
“This is the first in several years. The last one was taken by her non-custodial mother. Landis County itself has virtually no child abductions. Not even a lot of runaway teenagers. Of cours
