Ms. Lemry agrees to take Sarah Byrnes to Reno to look for her mother, who is the only witness to the abuse Sarah has suffered at the hands of her father. While they are gone, Virgil Byrnes hunts down Eric after school and threatens to kill him, and eventually stabs him in the back and cheek. Eric makes his way to Dale Thornton's house, where he passes out, and Dale and his father rescue him and take him to the hospital. Ms. Lemry and Sarah do find Sarah's mother; they have to chase her when she runs away from them.