That is her whole weapon.” “She starved your daughter,” Laura said.

“I know.” Laura took a long, steadying breath.

“Then,” she said, “we dismantle her legally.” And that was exactly right.

My mother had spent five years operating in the shadows, on lies and forged signatures and altered numbers, and the one thing that could not be lied away, the one thing she could not spin, was documentation.

So we would not scream.

We would document.