Chapter 2 - A Word Called Handle

"I don't know," I said. "But I intend to find out."

Denise asked me to save the messages and write down everything I remembered before the shock blurred the details. I told her about the sound at 8:17, the skillet, Lily's frozen expression, and how Mom had cared more about the noise than Emma.

"I didn't see Vanessa throw it," I said. "I was upstairs."

"Then that's exactly what we'll write," Denise replied. "You don't need to claim more than you know."

A detective arrived just after ten. Anika Brooks wore a plain blue blazer and spoke as though she had all the time in the world.

"Did anyone move the pan before you left?"

"It was next to Emma. Dad picked up her cup. I didn't see anyone touch the pan."

"Did your mother tell you what 'handle' meant?"

"No. She told me to stop shouting."

My phone lit up with another text, this time from Vanessa.

YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE LILY LOSE HER MOM OVER A STUPID ACCIDENT.

I showed Brooks. She photographed the screen with my permission and asked whether I wanted to make a formal report. I almost laughed. My child was lying behind a set of locked hospital doors.

"Yes," I said. "I want it on record."

Mom called while the detective was still there. Brooks let me answer on speaker.

"That message sounds worse than it is," Mom said without saying hello. "I meant Vanessa should move Emma out of Lily's chair."

"Why didn't you move her yourself?"

"I was trying to keep the peace."

"How does a hot skillet keep the peace?"

"Nobody meant for her to get hurt."

"You haven't asked how she is."

A long silence followed. Then Mom said, "You know how sensitive Vanessa gets about Lily."

I looked at Denise. Her face hadn't changed, but she had written every word.

"Mom, listen carefully," I said. "Emma is four. She doesn't exist to manage Vanessa's feelings."

I hung up before Mom could answer.

Brooks closed her notebook. "There's something else. Vanessa told the responding officer you were already downstairs when Emma got hurt."

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I stared at her. "That's impossible."

"Then we need to establish exactly where everyone was."