“Mom!” I cried, kneeling beside her. “Did he hurt you?”
She looked at me with frightened eyes.
“Margaret?”
“Yes, Mom. It’s me.”
For a moment, she seemed confused.
Then she whispered something that broke my heart.
“Where’s your father? He was just here.”
My father had been dead for six years.
I turned toward Daniel.
“What have you done to her?”
His face crumpled.
“Mom, please listen.”
“Don’t you dare tell me to calm down!”
That’s when the police arrived.
Two officers entered the bedroom. Daniel immediately stepped aside.
I pointed toward him.
“He locks her in here every night! She’s terrified of him!”
One officer spoke gently to my mother.
“Ma’am, are you safe? Has anyone hurt you?”
She stared at him.
Then she looked at Daniel.
“He’s a good boy,” she whispered.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“But you called me! You begged me not to leave you alone with him!”
