He would say I was suspicious.

Whenever I tried to return to the original question, he changed the subject to my behavior.

I was no longer sure which concerns deserved attention.

The mark near our son’s neck troubled me.

So did the sudden silence.

But neither observation, by itself, told me exactly what happened.

I needed to speak with someone who could help me distinguish an ordinary parenting difficulty from something that required intervention.

That was how I met Claire through St.