1
“Look at me.” I took the child’s face in my hands, blocking her view of everything but my eyes. “Look at me, love. Don’t look at anything but me.”
Her tear-filled gaze found my face.
“Good girl.” I smiled.
A banging echoed from the street, but I couldn’t tell the distance. The next house over, maybe the one beside that―my heart raced too fast for me to be sure.
“You are the bravest little girl in the world,” I said. “Did you know that?”
She took a shuddering breath but didn’t answer.
“You are so brave, you can do anything. I promise you can.” I picked the child up. She weighed nothing in my arms. “Do you know what we do when we’re brave?”
The girl looked over my shoulder toward the corner of the room.
“No, look at me.” I balanced her on one hip, using my free hand to block the s
