And there was one detail that named the second author: on the fraudulent document, Elliot’s middle name was misspelled — in the exact same way it was misspelled in an old address book of my mother’s.

She had used his address to frame him, one last attempt to isolate us from the one person my father had sent to keep us safe.

Chapter 15 — Forty-Six Times

Elliot came to our stretchers and waited — actually waited, for our nod, before he pulled us gently into his arms.

It was the first time in three years an adult had asked our permission before touching us, and I have never forgotten it.

“I called every month,” he whispered against my hair.