Sophie clenched her jaw.
“What happened next?”
“I passed out.”
Margaret looked at the photograph.
“When I woke up, I was in the hospital.”
“Richard sat beside my bed.”
“He told me Emily was gone.”
Sophie whispered.
“Gone where?”
“He said she ran outside because she was frightened.”
“He said she fell into the river.”
“He said the police were searching.”
Margaret’s fingers began trembling again.
“I believed him.”
“For two days.”
“What changed?”
“A nurse came into my room.”
“She was older.”
“Her name was Ruth.”
“She whispered something to me.”
Margaret looked at Sophie.
“She said, ‘Your husband brought a little girl here last night.’”
Sophie felt goosebumps rise along her arms.
“Emily?”
Margaret nodded.
“Ruth had seen her.”
“She said Emily had a bruise on her face.”
“She said Richard told staff she was his niece.”
“He took her away before morning.”
Sophie sat frozen.
“Did Ruth tell police?”
