My husband pushed me down the stairs, and as I lay shattered at the bottom, my mother-in-law called my father and said, “Come get your worthless daughter and take her back.” Dad gave her only one warning: “If she has so much as a scratch, your family will answer for it.” They laughed at him because they had absolutely no idea who my father truly was.

The fall occurred before 6:40, because I remembered seeing the clock at the landing.

Celeste called my father at 6:51.

An ambulance arrived soon afterward.

Gabriel asked about Agnes, the housekeeper.

I told him she usually worked until seven and that Celeste often criticized her for being too loyal to me.

“Can you contact her safely?”

“I have her number.

But if I call, Celeste might blame her.”