Nothing that happens between Brenda and me is your fault.”

She watched my face for a long time, perhaps checking whether I believed it.

Then she asked, “Are you mad at me?”

“No.

I’m sad I didn’t understand sooner.”

She leaned her head against my shoulder.

I held her carefully so I wouldn’t brush the stitches.

That evening I called the investigator and explained that Hailey had made another spontaneous comment about being discouraged from mentioning her mother.