Lucas flinched as if he had been struck, turning his gaze down to the frozen ground.

Before he could find the words, Mrs.

Henderson stepped in between us with a fierce look in her eyes.

“She kept him outside because Patrick filled her mind with poisonous fear, Cassie,” the elderly neighbor said.

I spun to face Mrs.

Henderson, demanding an explanation for the nightmare.

“What could Patrick have done to make her do something so terrible?” I asked.

“Patrick threatened to call child protective services and tell them she was unfit to raise you in poverty,” Mrs.