hello, taggarty. hello, everyone. mr. saunders grunts his acknowledgement as he takes the pitcher and pours water into his own lap. nick, at last we meet. i'm sorry, taggarty, i can't stay. i have bad news. bernice lynch has tried to commit suicide. sheeni and taggarty gasp. nick swallows hard. she swallowed a number of sleeping pills, and is now in a coma. there's more. before i left school, i searched her room. no, nick, i acted on my own initiative. in bernice's closet, i found this letter. he dramatically extracts the letter from his pocket. in the letter, the writer instructed bernice to begin sedating sheeni with drugs he himself supplied. no one yet, mr. saunders. mrs. saunders points a liver spotted finger in his direction. i can't arrest him. but i have called the santa cruz police. they are on their way here now. nick places his napkin next to his plate and stands. nick, i suggest you remain here and face the consequences like a man. nick stops in front of trent.