next words stopped both of us. “I have photographs,” she said. Claire’s smile disappeared.
Maria explained that she had photographed bruises on Lily’s wrist from the previous month. She also revealed she had pictures of Emma’s arm after Claire grabbed her over one of Sofia’s old birthday cards. Claire tried to dismiss the bruises as normal childhood accidents, but Maria said Emma had already told her how they happened. Then Claire looked at Emma with such cold warning that my daughter immediately stepped backward. Maria moved between them again without
