“Be quiet and listen to me,” Patricia commanded.

She gave her heavy silver bangle a quick twist on her wrist.

Patricia went to the open refrigerator door, reached in, and took out a glass bottle of Log Cabin pancake syrup.

She twisted off the yellow plastic cap, tipped the bottle, and poured thick brown syrup into a puddle right next to Emma’s cheek, letting a sticky trickle run onto the hem of Emma’s flowered dress.

“She tripped on the edge of the braided rug,” Patricia told Vanessa, aiming a long manicured finger at the floor.