Question C

[Jonetta]

Lucy was outraged at Kate Donovan for not telling her about Roger Morton’s deal and his parole release? Did you understand her anger or feel she was being unfair to Kate? Did Kate do the right thing?

[Viki]

I can understand Lucy's anger as she probably feel like everybody is always going to treat like a victim and everybody is always going see as damaged because of what happened to her and think that she wouldn't be able to handle this news. I also understand why Kate did what she just want to protect her.

[Anita]

Lucy felt betrayed by Kate and the plea deal. I understand her anger and Kate, though not solely responsible for the deal, got the blunt of Lucy's justifiable temper. Lucy should have absolutely been told about the deal if not before then certainly when Roger was released.

[Christina T]

I see why Lucy was so angry. She spent the last 6 years working on making herself not a victim. She's developed a very straight forward head on approach on dealing with things so having her best friend purposely not tell her in order to protect her was negating everything she has been working towards. Also, I agree with Anita, if not when the deal was struck at least when he was released. It is common for people to be informed when their attacker is released from prison.

[Jonetta]

Lucy felt betrayed because she believed Kate should have understood, better than anyone else, her ability to handle the information. I don’t think she expected her to have told her about the deal when it was made but certainly later when she’d done so much to return to good mental health. Not telling her about Roger’s release was inexcusable.

Lucy expected her family to be overprotective, accepted it. She expected more from Kate and her silence spoke to her level of belief in Lucy’s healing.

With that said, I understand why Kate didn’t tell her about the deal. No time would have felt right but when he was paroled? That was the time. In fact, she should have been told earlier so she could opt to attend his parole hearing!

[Karen ♐]

I agree with all of you. Lucy was right to be upset, mostly with Kate. She expected her immediate family to be overprotective but Kate should have told her at some point. Before his parole hearing would have made sense so she could decide if she wanted to offer her testimony. And definitely after he was released!

[Robin]

I can see Kate not telling Lucy about the deal when it happened. The guy was in prison and Lucy was recovering from her ordeal. But when he was released, Lucy should have been given a heads-up and told about the deal. What if she ran into him by accident? What if he started following her? I'm very surprised Kate and Dillon didn't let her know.

[Melissa]

Lucy had a right to know and was right to get mad. Even if they waited a few years to tell her. I felt many of them still treated her like a little kid and victim throughout the book.
I agree with everyone about letting Lucy know when he was released. I also thought that was something that was done when an attacker gets out.

[Charlene]

Yes, Lucy should have known the situation from when he was first sentenced and again, when the parole hearing was scheduled. Didn't she have the right to be there for that?

[Jonetta]

It’s normal for the victim to be notified when the person who perpetrated the crime against her/him is scheduled for a parole hearing. I have to believe her family intervened and blocked that notification.

[Sharon]

Lucy had every right to know about the deal. She is the victim and not giving her the deal information is another way of victimizing her again. The normal process is to let the victim know about any deals before continuing. I wonder way that didn't happen.

If this happened to me, I wouldn't let Kate and Dillon off the hook so easily.