Talk:Penpal/@comment-37260276-20181021172817/@comment-37495391-20181113075629

I automatically assumed the anonymous phone calls about Josh's disappearance were from the Author's mother, as he was abducted at 13, about 6 years after the incidents of "Balloons." Maybe Josh's parents contacted her in case for some reason he was with them, his best friend of years and years albeit lately estranged, and she didn't tell the Author about it to protect him: when he finally heard he was gone, it wasn't from her, after all.

Also, it seems that the Stalker probably killed Veronica in the hospital (sabotaged her life support, what have you), since the Author was regularly visiting her and would have noticed if her condition declined.