“She tried.”
Margaret shook her head.
“But Richard had already told everyone Emily was missing.”
“He convinced them Ruth was confused.”
“He said grief had affected her.”
“And there was another problem.”
“What?”
“Richard’s brother was a police officer.”
Sophie closed her eyes.
Now she understood.
Margaret continued.
“His name was Thomas.”
“He helped control everything.”
“He told investigators which questions to ask.”
“He told people Richard was devastated.”
“He made me look unstable.”
Margaret gave a small bitter laugh.
“I was covered in burns.”
“I was medicated.”
“I could barely walk.”
“And somehow I became the unreliable one.”
Sophie looked at the newspaper clippings.
One headline read:
LOCAL GIRL MISSING AFTER FAMILY TRAGEDY.
Another read:
SEARCH FOR SEVEN-YEAR-OLD ENDS WITHOUT ANSWERS.
There was a photograph of Margaret in a hospital bed.
Richard stood beside her.
His hand rested on her shoulder.
Sophie felt sick.
“Why didn’t you tell Nathan?”
