Her husband beat her.

I need your trauma team, full imaging, and a forensic medical report that will hold up in court.”

He came back into the living room then, and for a moment he was not a retired captain building a case; he was just my father, and he crouched down in front of me.

“Does it hurt, sweetheart?”

“I can take it, Dad.”

“I know you can.” His eyes hardened, but the hand on my knee was gentle.