I thought about tucking it behind the statue of Saint Jude, where your father’s medal used to be.

But that very night, Richard came to my house, and I watched him search my things while I pretended to sleep.

And I understood that there was no shelf, no drawer, no hiding place in that house that he would not eventually find.

There was only one place left that he could not search.” She did not have to finish the sentence.

I understood, and the understanding was almost more than I could bear.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” My voice broke all the way open.