“She provoked him!” Tessa said, her voice climbing to a shriek.

“She’s been sitting there all afternoon with that smug little look on her face!”

I turned to my father, who was sitting quietly in his armchair by the hall door.

“Dad, you were watching from the corner.

You saw Tai grab it off her lap.”

Hugh lifted his tumbler of sweet tea and took a slow sip, looking past my shoulder at the kitchen wall.

“The girl was crowding him, Nolan.