Chapter 4 - SOPHIE HAD SEEN MOREThe next morning I visited Daniel’s house.
Sophie was curled on the couch under a blanket.
She looked better.
Still quiet.
I sat several feet away.
“Can I ask you something?”
She nodded.
Only if she wanted.
No pressure.
Daniel had already arranged a child specialist to guide us.
I asked open questions.
“What happened before Grandma took you to the dressing room?”
Sophie said:
“I was looking for my glitter shoes.”
At our house earlier that week, she had wandered into my study while Margaret was there.
The safe was open.
Margaret did not hear Sophie enter.
She was removing papers.
Cash.
Gold.
The blue box.
Then she made a phone call.
Sophie heard:
“I found Adrian’s letters.”
Then:
“If Thomas signs on Friday, it’s too late.”
Then:
“Daniel cannot know.”
Sophie stepped backward.
Hit a chair.
Margaret turned.
Caught her.
And from that moment, everything changed.
Margaret told Sophie:
“You didn’t see anything.”
Then:
“If you tell Grandpa, Daddy could lose his house.”
That frightened her.
“If you tell Daddy, he might go away.”
That frightened her more.
Then at the gala, Sophie accidentally told Jenna:
“Grandma took Grandpa’s gold.”
Jenna asked what she meant.
Margaret overheard.
That was why she dragged Sophie away.
She wasn’t improvising cruelty.
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She was trying to contain a witness.
A six-year-old witness.
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